Terengganu crisis - the party must do the right thing

i find it disturbing that some of my party members find the Terengganu issue as only a storm in a tea cup (betul ker nih?). for me this is a crisis like no other that we have faced before as a party and i am pleading to the party MT to handle this matter with care. as a start, the terengganu party members and leaders should be told to hold their peace and not speak to the media.

i will not disclose my preference for the MB of trg post. Nor will i disclose my views on monarchy's role in malaysia.

but politically, i do know that there is only 2 options available at the end of the tunnel. we must be decisive to make the right choice.

Option A : the party relents and make way for the new MB as per the choice of the palace.

this may put the party on a backseat in consequence to the statements which has been made all this while.it may also send the wrong message that the monarchy's prerogative has gone beyond what was assumed before. and may i stress the word assume, because like any other constitutional monarchy on this planet, the role of the monarchy can never be undermined by mere normal practice or convention.

what will then happen is that we may still have a BN MB.it is not that bad after all. yes the party did not get the mb of their choice, but we still have a BN MB. i am sure that if we concede, the party will get some credit for respecting the monarchy. nevertheless, due to the hullabaloo of the past few days, some amends must be made with the palace, what more that the sultan is also the king aka Agong.

Option B : the party proceeds and calls the Adun's to have a vote of no confidence. The ADUN's resign and the palace calls for a by election.

this may not be the option that would help the party. i fear that if we have a by election, the party might lose the state to the opposition. pitching a pro government v "opposition-manipulating-this-monarchy-scenario", i think we as malays should know better who the malays in terengganu will be voting for. why would we want to replace a BN MB albeit chosen by the palace, with a non BN mb?

i hope we will not go to this option. we may lose another state if we take this option.


in conclusion, i plead to the MT to take into consideration all this before making a decision. there are many people who are still hopeful that the party will get back on track, and to do so we need to settle this terengganu issue asap. we must do the right thing for the party, because the party is more important than any one person.

i am sure we need no reminder that by next week, saudara DSAI will be back on political picture in malaysia and that is another challenge which we as a party must be ready for hundred and ten percent. how can we be ready to challenge him in a by election, which he will certainly be running in soon enough, if we have other diversion?

to be strong, the party must remain focused, decisive and forward thinking.

Difficult times : A More Perfect Union speech by Barack Obama

Dear Friends,

I may be only one amongst many who feels that these are uncertain times for us in this country. I find the speech below delivered by American Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama, refreshing, if not reassuring that maybe, just maybe, we are part of Malaysia's history in the making.

copy paste the link below.brilliant speech!

http://www.barackobama.com/2008/03/18/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_53.php

London Bridge is falling down

maybe this song fits us best for the moment..


London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, Falling down.

London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

Take a key and lock her up,
Lock her up, Lock her up.

Take a key and lock her up,
My fair lady.

How will we build it up,
Build it up, Build it up?

How will we build it up,
My fair lady?

Build it up with silver and gold,
Silver and gold, Silver and gold.

Build it up with silver and gold,
My fair lady.

Gold and silver I have none,
I have none, I have none.

Gold and silver I have none,
My fair lady.

Build it up with needles and pins,
Needles and pins, Needles and pins.

Build it up with needles and pins,
My fair lady.

Pins and needles bend and break,
Bend and break, Bend and break.

Pins and needles bend and break,
My fair lady.

Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, Wood and clay.

Build it up with wood and clay,
My fair lady.

Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, Wash away.

Wood and clay will wash away,
My fair lady.

Build it up with stone so strong,
Stone so strong, Stone so strong.

Build it up with stone so strong,
My fair lady.

Stone so strong will last so long,
Last so long, Last so long.

Stone so strong will last so long,
My fair lady.

cabinet line up 6/10

yesterday i told a friend that i would give the cabinet line up a 6 out of 10 score. my friend was perplexed, and retorted back that i should give the prime minister more credit. Well to be fair, i said to him that my assessment of the cabinet of the cabinet has moved a full 2 basis point. the last time i give a mere 4 out of 10 to the old cabinet.isnt 6 good enough? (even bernanke couldnt be convinced to cut rates by a full basis point :) but im digressing)


OKlah, lets be objective and fair to the party president.

He has done very well to dismiss Rafidah Aziz. i mean, although i might have personal issues with her, but then again, who doesnt? there are probably members of PEKEMA (Persatuan Pengimport Dan Peniaga Melayu Malaysia) who went out last night celebrating over the news. It is an open secret that Rafidah has been the dalang behind the AP issue which has certainly irked many in UMNO and outside. not to mention, the general public too. Proton shares has probably gone up a bit after her dismissal, although it remains to be seen what NAZA will do to react to this news. Many in the automobile industry knows that NAZA depends on Rafidah and her dismissal would put them virtually on a lifeline. As a rakyat, i hope that this will be the first step towards liberalizing the auto market. Its not fair that we the rakyat are made to buy ONLY cheap proton or cheap Naza (whos car are no good anyways and just merely a stamp of naza but actually made in korea or france) when what we all want is cheap mercedes, bmw, toyota and honda!

Tengku Lingam's dismissal from the cabinet, although much welcomed when first announced, has now invited criticism because he is now installed at the Setiausaha Agung UMNO (and also for BN). I think this is really uncalled for. I think many knows why Dato Seri Radzi has now fallen of favour with the PM, but of all people, why must PM as president of the party appoints Tengku Lingam as our SU of UMNO and BN??

Although the Lingam's inquiry has yet to produce its report, any thinking monkey or donkey in this country would have realised that there is no way that this Tengku Lingam can be said to have no involvement at all with the Lingam case. it is so obvious that not only he is a corrupt person, he is also someone who is known to corrupt others as well along the way.

How can we expect to have reform in umno when we have a corrupted Secretary General of UMNO?? this will also open up UMNO to be attacked by DSAI and the gang.Why are we stupid enough to allow this to happen?

Please, by god, dismiss this Tengku Lingam into political wilderness. Make him a senator or you can make him an ambassador and send him to Mongolia or something. Or maybe Bhutan.


Yes people are also unhappy that Nazri Aziz is still on board, but then again, as an UMNO person, i can totally understand this. To be fair, although many find him rather distasteful as a Minister, but you have to understand that he has always come to defend Pak Lah at the forefront of the battlefield. So i think it is only fair that Pak Lah repays him with another term. Fair enough lah, at least he didnt arrange for some judges to go for a NZ trip or blew up some foreigner or give AP's to family and next to kin members. Yes yes, we all find him annoying and always saying the wrong things in the Parliament, but think about it, 5 years without a youtube scene of him shouting in the parliament, im sure some of us will miss him :) Plus, i am sure you opposition people would be happy to have a wild duch to shoot at when Parliament opens.

Mike Tyson aka Tan Sri Muhammad Taib should also be excluded. Well fair enough Pak Lah needs support in the cabinet, but the dude is ancient history lah. I do find him likable though.

I also think Azalina shouldnt be in the cabinet. Yes he won the elections, he has also probably done OK as minister of youth, but in UMNO, who is he? Does he represent Wanita UMNO? I dont think many Wanita UMNO would agree with that? Does he represent Puteri UMNO? nope, he resigned already. Is he an elected member of our Majlis Tertinggi UMNO? No also. So why is he there?

Pak Lah should have instead elected a true Wanita member. Yes, Rafidah should be out and Shahrizat lost, but ramai lagi wanita yang menang elections. Halimah sadique for one is a good candidate (but of course some critics would say she doesnt have experience) But then to this i can also say people like Ismail Sabri or even Shabery also dont have Deputy Minister experience, so what?

Noh Omar. Adoi, have you guys met this dude before? my goodness i think he is a monumental example of UMNO's failed cadre system. how can a joker like this pass through the system and suddenly found himself as minister!! He is a joke! I still remember he gave this speech in London at Malaysia Hall London (where UMNO club members were made to sit in it) whilst me and my friends hide ourselves in the bilik UKEC. Well back to the speech, it was self humiliation at best and a catastrophe at worst! He told the audience, how he just got back from Rome (he was deputy minister of education), and he found out that the best way to educate our public to be in love with reading was by actually organising reading campaigns (or something along those lines). And me and my friends was like, duhh?? You had to fly first class to Rome to realise all that? How dungu and patronising is that? He is truly a reflection of many umno leaders this day, they like to say the most obvious things. And they make an excuse to fly overseas for lawatan sambil belajar to learn from others when most of the suggestions they make when they come back are the most oblivious or all things. Why lah we have him in cabinet?? Aduh!

Mike Tyson and Noh Omar should not also be in cabinet because Selangor kan kalah! it is not fair for UMNO to reward Selangor UMNO with 3 cabinet seats when they bloody lost the state despite the warnings from SB and MIO. UMNO Pahang yang menang besar pun hanya dapat 2 kerusi kabinet. Itu pun termasuk the DPM himself. No wonder Tengku Azlan refuses the appointment as timbalan menteri. Well thats just my take. Honest UMNO members know this too.


Finally, Zulhasnan. The dude is well known to have caused so much stir and problem in Wilayah that he doesnt deserve to be minister too. WP UMNO is a joke. They lost all but 2 of the BN seats in WP, so i dont think Zulhasnan deserve a mention in the cabinet. Pak Lah should have merged this WP ministry into JPM. The people has spoken against the leadership of BN Wilayah. So why keep this people?

my friends say that we need to have Selangor and WP ministers to win back the states. But the question is, can u actually win it through cabinet representation?? this argument, is self defeating.Cabinet members dont even have time for their own kawasan, what more to salvage the state UMNO (selangor and wp).

So there you go. i dont think with all the reasons above, the new cabinet deserves an 8 or a 7.

I think to give 6/10 is really very kind of me already.

Yes 6 out of 10.

Shahrizat and Anwar Ibrahim

Shahrizat will be appointed as the special adviser to the Prime Minister for Womens and Family Affairs with Ministerial status.. now what does this mean? is this an attempt to put her in the cabinet through the back door? But i was re assured by trusted sources in Putrajaya that she will not be in the cabinet room. Only minister status.

What does this mean? Well, simply put she enjoys a free chauffeured driven Black Perdana and flies first class all paid for by tax payers money.

the only downside is that she does not enter cabinet and vote in it.

Is there a precedent to this. As far as i can remember, yes there are 2 occasions this happened, Dato Effendi Norwawi was Adviser to MOHE Minister with Ministerial status back then before he was moved to EPU, and also i think Tan Sri Hamid Othman is also now adviser to Pak Lah with Ministerial status and he also does not sit in the cabinet.

on the flip side, this doesn't mean that we have a Wanita rep in the cabinet because she is not IN the cabinet room per se.


Anwar Ibrahim?

i was rather perturbed to be told that DSAI is now on the freaking front page of newsweek! can UMNO's week get any worse than this???

http://www.newsweek.com/id/123451/page/1


well at least i know that at least one harvard girl shares my views on DSAI..oh well, its not surprising any more to find myself in the minority these days..

new cabinet.my take

Nutshell conclusion from the list

Ministers (Cabinet Members)

UMNO Johor 6

UMNO Selangor 3

Sabah 3

UMNO Perak 2

UMNO Kelantan 2

UMNO Kedah 2

UMNO Pahang 2

UMNO Penang 2

UMNO Terengganu 1

UMNO Negeri 1

UMNO Wilayah 1

Sarawak 1

Senators in the Cabinet : 3

Wanita UMNO in Cabinet : 0

Puteri UMNO in Cabinet: 0

Pemuda UMNO in Cabinet: 1

Putera UMNO in Cabinet: 0

Thank you to pak lah for dismissing Rafidah Aziz. I hope Naza and the gang will now go down the drain.

Thank you also for dismissing Tengku Adnan. I hope justice will put him to jail for the lingam case.

But I don’t think this is a strong cabinet, quite weak with many untested people.

I think it sends the wrong message in UMNO that an underperforming state like Selangor and Kelantan gets 3 seats while Pahang that did VERY well only got 2. well im from kelantan so i shuoldnt be complaining.

Also why the need for senators?

It is also problematic that Wanita UMNO is not represented. Wanita UMNO are the backbone of UMNO, they worked damn hard for us to retain all the seats. Of all the YB from Wanita UMNO, not even 1 for Minister? Many thought Halimah Sadique the only Lady Ketua Bahagian in the Country to be in the cabinet.

Will this cabinet line up quell the unhappiness in UMNO currently?

but the main thing is, can the PM himself perform in the next 6 months? Above all things, I am sure this will be the main determinant factor. A continuation of a sleeping leadership will only erode confidence in UMNO and further alienate UMNO from reality. Furthermore, if there is no major shift in UMNO’s self assessment/policy, I doubt that the next election will be an easy one.

For all we know, this is the first step towards for UMNO to become the King’s Opposition..

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Penang

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Pahang

Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department

Tan Sri Bernard Dompok Sabah

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz Perak

Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Perak

Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim Senator Kelantan

Datuk Amirsham Abdul Aziz Senator Johor (will take care of EPU)

Deputy Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department

Datuk Johari Baharom Kedah

Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim Kedah

Datuk K. Devamany Pahang Cameron Highlands

Datuk Hassan Malik ?

Finance

Minister - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Penang

Second Finance Minister - Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop Penang

Deputies - Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Datuk Kong Cho Ha Perak

Defense

Minister - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Pahang

Deputy - Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop Melaka

Internal Security and Home Affairs

Minister - Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar Johor

Deputies - Datuk Chor Chee Heong Kedah Alor Star Controversial Chairman of Port Klang Free Zone

Senator Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh Senator Terengganu

Housing and Local Government

Minister -Datuk Ong Ka Chuan Perak

Deputies - Datuk Robert Lau Sarawak

Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin Perak

Works Minister

Minister - Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad Selangor

Deputy- Datuk Yong Khoon Seng Sarawak

Energy, Water and Communications

Minister - Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor Negeri Sembilan

Deputy- Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum Sarawak

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry

Minister - Datuk Mustapa Mohamed Kelantan

Deputy - Datin Paduka Rohani Abdul Karim Sarawak

International Trade and Industry

Minister -Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin Johor

Deputies- Loh Wei Keong Sabah

Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan Sarawak

Foreign Affairs

Minister -Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim Negeri Sembilan

Deputy- Tunku Azlan Abu Bakar Pahang

Education

Minister -Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein Johor

Deputies -Datuk Wee Ka Siong Johor

Datuk Razali Ismail Terengganu

Higher Education

Minister - Datuk Khaled Nordin Johor

Deputies - Khoo Kok Choong ?

Datuk Idris Harun Melaka

Transport

Datuk Ong Tee Keat Wilayah Persekutuan

Deputy - Anifah Aman Sabah

Human Resources

Datuk S. Subramaniam Johor

Deputy- Datuk Noraini Ahmad Johor

Women, Family and Community Development

Minister-Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen Pahang

Deputy- Noriah Kasnon Selangor

National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage

Minister- Datuk Shafie Apdal Sabah

Deputy-Datuk Teng Boon Soon Johor

Science, Technology and Innovation

Minister- Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili Sabah

Deputy- Fadilah Yusof Sarawak

Entrepreneurial and Cooperative Development

Minister - Datuk Noh Omar Selangor

Deputy- Datuk Saiffuddin Abdullah Pahang

Natural Resources and Environment

Minister - Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas Sarawak

Deputy - Datuk Abu Ghapur Salleh Sabah

Rural and Regional Development

Minister - Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib Senator Selangor

Deputy- Tan Sri Joseph Kurup Sabah

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs

Minister - Datuk Shahrir Samad Johor

Deputy - Jelaing Mersat Sarawak

Plantation Industries and Commodities

Minister - Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui Sarawak

Deputy- Senator A. Kohilan Selangor

Youth and Sports

Minister - Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaacob Pahang

Deputy - Wee Jack Seng ?

Health

Minister - Datuk Liow Tiong Lai Pahang

Deputy- Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad Johor

Information

Minister - Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek Terengganu

Deputy- Datuk Tan Lian Hoe Perak

Tourism

Minister - Datuk Azalina Othman Johor

Deputy - Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abu Taib Sarawak

FT

Minister - Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique WP

Deputy- M. Saravanan Selangor

Lessons from the past

The Duke of Wellington, de facto Prime Minister of England once told the King of England, George the Fourth that :

"Theres a great many things that you can do My Lord, but theres also a great many things that you ought not do .."

Constitutional Crisis in Malaysia continued!

Palaces intervene in appointment of two MBs

KUALA LUMPUR: A constitutional crisis is looming in Perlis as the Raja of Perlis has rejected the Barisan Nasional's choice for the state's Mentri Besar but has instead appointed another assemblyman who is also a member of the ruling coalition.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail appointed Bintong state assemblyman Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu as the new Mentri Besar in place of Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim who was chosen by Barisan chief Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to continue to be the MB.

Who’s the MB?: Shahidan has been chosen by the Prime Minister to be the Perlis MB but the Raja of Perlis has picked Bintong state assemblyman Dr Md Isa Sabu (below, right) as the MB instead. – AZHAR MAHFOF / The Star

There also seems be a problem over who should be the Mentri Besar in Terengganu.

Barisan’s 23 assemblymen have been called to meet the Regency Advisory Council today to discuss matters pertaining to the appointment of the Terengganu Mentri Besar.

However, state Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, who is the choice of the coalition, will not be attending the meeting, scheduled to take place at 11am at a hotel in Putrajaya.

It has been speculated that the Terengganu palace has come up with the names of two Barisan assemblymen to take over from Idris.

Dr Md Isa has accepted the appointment from the Raja of Perlis.

Abdullah is standing by his decision to have Shahidan as MB.

Constitution seems to side with the Rulers on the naming of Mentris Besar.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to meet Perlis Barisan assemblymen.

Constitutional Crisis in Malaysia

This is both interesting and disturbing.

The Raja of Perlis, despite the fact that Pak Lah has agreed in written approval that Shahidan Kassim should be the MB of Perlis, has now chosen another YB by the name of Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu who is a virtually unknown YB outside Perlis.

According to my probably unreliable but testes sources, Shahidan Kassim has been virtually camping outside the Prime Ministers Office for the past 2 3 days trying to convince Pak Lah that Shahidan has received the mandate of BN Perlis. He has also performed well by retaining all the BN seats in Perlis as the Pengerusi BN Perlis, and it is only right that Pak Lah reward him by retaining him as MB of Perlis.

Of course, there is the coalition of Azmi Khalid, Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, and Dato Seri Raja Jamalullail who is in one camp in protest of Shahidan being retained as the MB. Radzi is the sec gen of UMNO, and is using as much as possible of his supposedly close relationship with PM, ever since pre election nomination days to make sure that Shahidan does not survive as MB.

Both Shahidan and Radzi had a very public spat during the run up to the last election.

What had happened today was:

As Pak Lah announced in Putrajaya that he has appointed Shahidan as the MB of Perlis, in Kangar Perlis, the private secretary to the Raja of Perlis made a press statement proclaiming that the Raja of Perlis, under the powers in the state constitution bestowed upon him, has the final prerogative in the appointment of the MB.

Going against the decision of the PM (or maybe he may not even know that PM has agreed on Shahidan because both events happened at two places in the same space of time) the Raja of Perlis appointed YB Md Isa Sabu. Shahidan Kassim, in response has cried fouled over this appointment and says that he has 120 days to sort this out.

Now, in my opinion, this is a huge mess. EVEN if the Raja of Perlis retracts (which i doubt) i do not think that Shahidan would be have a cordial relationship with the Raja.

This is going to be very interesting as well because constitutionally, the role of the monarch is merely as the symbol of democracy.But then again, these days in Malaysia, anything is possible in out politics.

The other constitutional crisis is happening in Terengganu.

apparently the sultan of terengganu ( the current YDP Agong) does not like the choice of Pak Lah, ie the current incumbent MB Dato Seri Idris Jusoh.

today the sultan through the majlis pemangku raja terengganu has called a meeting of all the ADUN's of terengganu to putrajaya, presumably to choose the MB of Terengganu.

and in perak, they have yet to solemnize the supposedly agreed MB.


has all this happened before in Malaysia?

Mukhriz letter demanding PM resignation

Fri | Mar 14, 08 | 4:36:20 pm MYT

12th March 2008 Dato' Seri, Let me take this opportunity to thank you and the party's leadership for the faith in me and the chance to contest in Jerlun as a Barisan Nasional candidate. With the blessing and hard work of the party's leadership and machinery as well as the people of Jerlun, I have won the elections and am now a new Member of Parliament. However, sadly enough, my victory is rendered meaningless in view of the defeat that Umno and the Kedah BN suffered in the hands of the opposition. Apart form Kedah, four other states as well as the Federal Territories also received similar humiliation in defeat. In fact your own state of Penang was wrested by the DAP from the BN. Kelantan is again under Pas rules. In other states, the BN also suffered a similar humiliation when the level of BN support by the people has tremendously reduced. This, Datuk Seri, has never happened in the history of BN rule. The sole intention of my letter to you is meant to save Umno and BN from being rejected further by the people and from being no longer relevant to our religion, race and nation. Dato' Seri, the people are unhappy and the message from them is very clear, and that is they have rejected you as the nation's chief executive. Contrary to your claim that you still have the support of Umno and other component parties, the reality is that even our own party members had reneged in their voting pattern by supporting the Opposition and inflicting the BN its defeat. Dato' Seri, when the people held street demonstrations you openly dared them to resort to the ballot boxes to demonstrate. They took your challenge by coming out, especially tho people in the Peninsular, and they demonstrated their feelings by voting us out at the BN at State and Parliament levels. It is therefore clear that your leadership and your handling of the issues faced by the people and the nation are no longer accepted. Let's not deny the truth just for the sake of keeping your seat as Prime Minister. For the love of this country and the people, I beg that you take responsibility for the defeat. We can save Umno, the BN and the nation only if you relinquish your positions as Prime Minister and the President of Umno. Dato' Seri, I hope you will understand that I make this plea with the intention of salvaging a very dire situation. A move has been made to woo the BN representatives to join the Opposition. The enemy needs just 35 seats more to topple the government of your leadership. If you do not resign in the near future, I fear that the situation will become untenable and that the Malay support for Umno and BN will be a thing of the past. This plea I make without malice, and I am aware that your reaction and that of other Umno members could very well be hostile. But come what may, I am prepared, for the sake of the Malays and Umno, to face the consequences of my action. With all humility, I leave my fate to Allah SWT. Dato' Seri, I am sure that you will do the right thing for the sake of the people and the nation. May Allah SWT bless you for the sacrifice you make by stepping down. Wasallam Yours Sincerely Mukhriz Mahathir Jerlun Member Parlament

tembelang UMNO mula pecah

TEMBELANG UMNO MULA PECAH

The statement by Dato Zam below reaffirms a nationwide believe amongst disgruntling UMNO members that there was arrangement by the Young Turks in UMNO in influencing the nomination of candidates through the Prime Minister prior to the election. Many had blamed that it is through this tinkering of nomination names that made UMNO lose in Kedah and Perak. Zam was being modest when he said that God still loves the PM and DPM.

This is only the start. In UMNO, it only takes one person to start a ripple effect that would spread nationwide.

The nomination for the Ketua Pemuda UMNO is now wide open. The revolution in UMNO has just started.

Cubaan golongan muda ambil alih kepimpinan gagal

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Mac – Bekas Menteri Penerangan, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin hari ini mendedahkan ada golongan muda telah membuat percubaan untuk mengambil alih kepimpinan negara secara terurus dan terancang melalui Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12.

Bagaimanapun, menurut beliau, cubaan untuk membuat perubahan secara drastik tersebut gagal berikutan tsunami politik yang berlaku pada pilihan raya umum itu.

Zainuddin yang diminta menjelaskan dakwaannya itu bagaimanapun enggan mengulas lanjut. Sebaliknya beliau meminta wartawan jangan membuat provokasi terhadapnya.

“Saya tidak akan jelaskan dengan lebih lanjut, biarlah pembaca (orang ramai) menilai sendiri kenyataan saya ini,” katanya pada sidang akhbar terakhirnya di Kementerian Penerangan di sini hari ini.

Zainuddin menjelaskan, tsunami politik itu yang menyaksikan Barisan Nasional (BN) gagal memperoleh majoriti dua pertiga adalah satu hikmah yang memberikan pengajaran yang cukup besar kepada kepimpinan negara dan golongan muda tersebut.

Katanya, Tuhan masih sayang kepada kepimpinan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan juga timbalannya, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Beliau memberitahu, apa yang perlu dilakukan oleh semua ahli UMNO sekarang adalah memberikan sokongan kepada Presiden UMNO dan timbalannya.

Katanya, sokongan itu penting bagi mengukuhkan kembali UMNO dan meletakkan parti utama kaum Melayu itu pada landasan yang betul.

“Selama ini parti UMNO sentiasa mengimbangi pengorbanan golongan tua dan inspirasi serta idealisme generasi muda.

“Sekarang bukan masa untuk menuding jari atau menuduh sesiapa atas apa yang telah berlaku, tetapi keutamaan perlu diberikan kepada usaha menjernihkan suasana dan mengembalikan kepercayaan rakyat kepada UMNO,” katanya.

Ketika ditanya mengenai kekalahannya di Parlimen Sungai Petani, Zainuddin berkata, beliau kalah kerana para pengundi Cina tidak ramai keluar mengundi.

“Saya mengakui kekalahan saya juga disebabkan saya tidak banyak berkempen di kawasan tersebut,” katanya.

Namun, beliau menggunakan pendekatan tersendiri iaitu bertemu rakyat secara lebih dekat bagi mengetahui permasalahan mereka.

the PM is feeling the heat

The PM is feeling the heat

The PM has now cancelled his trip to the OIC conference. Despite the fact that this conference holds significance because Malaysia as the chairman was to hand over its chairmanship to Senegal, the PM has ‘snubbed’ and cancelled the visit. Instead, he has chosen to send the Yang Di pertua of Dewan Negara Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Pawanteh.

This further reaffirms the turmoil within UMNO and the Barisan Nasional that has even persuaded the PM to cancel such high level trip. This will only further feed into the rumor mill that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding his position as Prime Minister despite the fact that many UMNO and BN leaders, through government owned newspapers and propaganda machine, has open thrown their ‘undivided’ support behind the Prime Minister.

We need only wait till the UMNO elections and general assembly this August/September to see whether such support will continue.

Abdul Hamid Pawanteh wakil PM ke sidang OIC

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Mac - Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh akan mewakili Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pada upacara perasmian Sidang Kemuncak Pertubuhan Persidangan Islam (OIC) ke-11 di Dakar, Senegal pada 13 dan 14 Mac ini.

Kementerian Luar dalam satu kenyataan hari ini menyatakan penyerahan jawatan Pengerusi OIC secara rasminya kepada Presiden Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade akan juga diadakan pada upacara itu.

Abdul Hamid, yang juga Yang Dipertua Dewan Negara, akan diiringi oleh delegasi daripada kementerian itu, Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi serta wakil daripada agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM).

"Sidang Kemuncak OIC ke-11 sangat bermakna di mana Malaysia akan menyerahkan jawatan Pengerusi OIC setelah memegangnya sejak Oktober 2003.

"Malaysia melihat OIC sebagai sebuah pertubuhan penting untuk memberikan perkhidmatan melindungi kepentingan umat Islam di seluruh dunia. Ia akan kekal aktif dalam OIC sebagai sebahagian daripada komitmennya dalam memperkasakan umat Islam," kata kenyataan itu.

Semasa persidangan tersebut, Malaysia dijangka menyampaikan satu laporan mengenai usaha yang telah dilakukan untuk umat Islam dalam menghadapi cabaran pada dekad ke-21, terutama bagi meningkatkan kemampuan dan kapasiti ekonomi umat Islam di seluruh dunia.

Sebagai Pengerusi OIC ke-10, Malaysia telah memainkan peranan utama dalam menggiatkan OIC supaya lebih berkesan dalam mencapai hasrat terutama bagi mengekalkan keamanan dan keselamatan.

- Bernama

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/arkib.asp?y=2008&dt=0312&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=dalam%5Fnegeri&pg=dn_06.htm&arc=hive

my 2 cents worth on the election

The past 2 days has certainly been both a turbulent and exhilarating experience for me.

Turbulent because Barisan Nasional lost the elections ( Yes, dont believe those propaganda saying that we won, because losing 5 states and WP by any standards is not a winning result).

Exhilarating? well, because i live in shah alam, work in KL, and i am excited of the prospect to see those MBSA's and DBKL's being horded to put their acts straight and no more hanky panky in the PBTs all over selangor! (PBT: Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan ie the Local Authority MPPJ,MBSA etc)

Although i am very sad to find Barisan and UMNO to be in this position, but certainly for Malaysia's democracy and its oppressed people (many of them too i believe), there is no other result which could have been better. (of course the well wishers on the other side are looking forward to win over BN, fair enough though :)

I have always wished that Malaysia's politics can go beyond racial and religious boundaries. This is a good start. In my mind, i knew that one day malaysia would come to this, but looking at how the American history went (Whites and Blacks history) I thought it would take at least 50 to 100 years before Malays especially, put aside their prejudices and accept that this country is not only theirs, but also for the Chinese, Indians and the other races. Praise be to God, for it is only Him only that we can attribute this changes to. Certainly, God knows best.

It is my hope that PAS especially (and DAP to a certain extent) would learn to put aside their religious/racial prejudices so that they are able to work together for a stronger opposition nationally and also a stronger government in the states that they rule. And of course, if they want to continue to rule after the next election, come 5 years from now. Err, i hope umno changes too..

Now now, on that note, enough with the opposition let us go back to Barisan Nasional.

Well, lets accept it, the problem is certainly not Barisan Nasional.

The problem is certainly NOT that of Gerakan. As far as i can remember, Gerakan is probably the ONLY component party member of Barisan Nasional which has vehemently fought for the non malays in the component. Do you remember the time that during their annual conventions, they are the only one, i repeat, the ONLY one that calls for a more Malaysian (whatever that is) Malaysia. I have always believed that if theres any other party in Barisan that i would join apart from UMNO, it is certainly the Gerakan.They have excellent leaders, good academic background, and look at how they govern Penang, the place is in the top 10 most liveable city in ASIA!

Well why then did they get a drubbing during the last election? Simple, the problem is not them, it is not Barisan Nasional, but it is UMNO! The Non Malays and some Malays in Penang voted against Gerakan, because they were punishing UMNO and its leaders. Pukul menantu marahkan mentua? well something like that lah..

MCA is a bit lucky. I have expected this as well. The reason why MCA is lucky is because most MCA leaders are elected in Malay majority areas (especially in Johor, where here, even if you put a monkey under BN also boleh menang - well maybe not so after this kot ) But the point is simple, MCA leaders usually run in rather safe areas. But even then, they had their own version of reckoning. Of 40 candidates, only 15 won. The worse in their history. What more can they say of themselves? I believe Chinese voters also voted against MCA for DAP/PAS/PKR this time because they believe that MCA no longer OPENLY represent the views of the minority group.I think MCA leaders also know this, cuma they malu to say this openly. But then again, it is only fair that MCA leaders convey this to the 'leadership' of BN before, and i say this with vindication, the Chinese abandon them completely.

MIC? theres only 2 words to describe their debacle. Samy Vellu. Enough said.

PIP? I think Kayveas is unlucky. This is also a case of pukul menantu marahkan mentua. What is interesting is that he is now considering joining Anwar and Co.

Sabah and Sarawak BN? I think BN has to watch out, as i do not think it is an alien idea that the weaker components in Sabah (especially the ones not happy with UMNO Sabah) will be more than happy to switch sides to Anwar and Co, if not now, in the future..

UMNO?

I am rather ashamed to admit that the main, if not the only reason BN lost 5 states (and Wilayah Persekutuan, many people forget we also lost WP) in the last election, it all goes down to one word, UMNO.

Under this heading, comes many many other problems which is the cause of the landslide win by the opposition. Although usually governments are won, but in our case, it seems that we lost it.Yes, we UMNO lost it because we are unable to admit that :

Our policies no longer stand the test of time and generational change

Our leaders are mostly weak, stupid,incompetent and corrupted people who thinks that as long as their name is next to dacing, they can surely win (so they spend a lot of money to lobby to be candidate)

Our party machinary was not in order and to a certain extent, over confident. When the other parties are going door to door to fish for votes humbly using Kancils and Myvi's, the UMNO people are more happy to spend 1 million in each constituency to pay their own relatives printing house to print posters that no one even bothers to pay attention to and end up as litters, pay their own family members to put up the posters, and of course pay for their own petrol ( and yes, u see them around in Black Mafia isque 4wds or Merc or BMW) Kancil? mana cool beb. Kita kan UMNO.

So as you can see, election is an opportunity for many umno people to make money.

But some would argue, UMNO has been doing this for a long time, tak kalah pun. Well what this people dont realise is that while we umno (like the arnab who ran far ahead) take things for granted, others (the kura kura) has slowly but surely surged ahead leaving us UMNO still asleep in kuckoo land ( more like Hadhari land).

But then again, despite all the above, there are certain fundamental reasons why we have lost so many votes this time around. My guess are as follows ( I am no Phd in politics, like those commentators who spoke gibberish on the night of the election results) :

Economy

Above all else ( yes even above racial issues and sleeping leadership) the main reason in my opinion why people voted against Barisan, i repeat, against Barisan ( not for opposition) is because we UMNO as the supposedly leader of this land has failed to address the number one core issue of the rakyat ie the periuk nasi.

The economy, simply said, is just bad. Do not get fooled by the numbers given by BNM or MITI. The simple fact is, everyone knows that salary is not rising in tangent to cost of living (food price, petrol price). Ask any Chinese small and medium class businessmen, they will tell you that business is really bad as there is not much money going around. They speak of the good old days when the trickle effect of the ringgit comes all the way down from above (although it was from the cronies of the very same malay government). Even Malay (read UMNO) small businessmen and contractor (kelas F mostly) are admitting to the same thing. Yes there is money, but orang atas dah habiskan di Australia, London dan Indonesia (i dont know why they go there too, maybe the furnitures).

We have what we call RMK 9 and many other government spending. This government spending are meant to trigger the economy and accelerate it. But these days, some people say that work is slow, because everything has to go through the EPU and MOF many times through before a decision is made. So money is stuck. Dulu, kelas a contractors will get money first, and then they send the drawings. Now it is otherwise. Maybe this policy is for the better, but then again, it is also a shot in the foot.

But the above is not just the reason why economy is bad. I am no Phd in Economics (like those economic experts who kept saying our economy is booming every year) but i do know one thing, that managing the economy is not as simple as coming up with ideas. it is about managing it in a micro level to ensure that we see the ringgit passing from the Kontractor kelas A down to the Ah Long who supplies the cement down to the Ahmad who makan duit atas angin down to Ramesh and Co who actually got the rights to build the roads. At the end, yes theres corruption, but everyone (almost) is happy because the wifes and children goes for over the sea holiday (read Singapore) every year during the School holidays. nowadays, even Robinsons singapore is feeling the pinch.

In the words of Bill Clinton, it is the ECONOMY, stupid.


Racial issues

This is undoubtedly the killer factor. But then again, do we see this as a bad thing?

I will not dwell much on issues such as Lina Joy, Keris Wavering,Hindraf, and others, but the conclusion that i can make is that since Pak Lah introduced a more open malaysia (which really, is a good thing) it seems that this openness has turned into a double edge sword, which i dont think either Pak Lah or the government has yet to learn on how to handle it.

On one hand, to stifle such openness means that you take a step backwards, but at the same time, because of your inexperience in handling such openness, you are unable to gauge the sensitivity of the issue for both sides of the fence.

But we malaysians and malays in general must learn to accept that the way forward for malaysia in general is that we malaysian are here to live side by side. and that means we must learn to accept others as neighbours rather than immigrants and this in my opinion includes the way we treat foreign workers in this country. ok ok, next time we debate this.

In general, the so called conservative malays are not happy with issues like lina joy (although i dont agree with the malays and islamist malays on this one), the chinese are not happy with Keris wavering drama and feel that they deserve to be treated equally (rightly so) and the Indians feel that Hindraf et al are the only outlet that they have to voice out their issues ( i dont blame them too, surely Mr Samy are no alternative to the community).

It is ironic that although technically they MAY NOT seem to be agreeing with each other (as a matter of fact, in some cases they are against each other) but they all voted against BN.


Sleeping leadership

Without doubt, this is a huge huge factor. I think we umno members must be besar hati and buka minda to accept that we only have ourselves and our leadership to blame for the lost of all 5 states including WP.

Yes, the Chinese may have voted against UMNO, The indians too and same goes to many malays who did, but we should not blame them to do so.

Think about it fellow umno members, for the past 50 years this has never happened, but why this has happened now?

Bila kita menuding jari ke arah sebab sebab yang lain ( pengundi luar, internet dan sebagainya) ada 3 lagi jari yang menuding ke arah kita ( while the thumb points downwards, sign of neutrality i guess).

Translation : While we point out 1 finger to others as the blame, there are 3 more fingers pointing back at us ( the rest read above)

I am appalled, and sad at the same time, that while all UMNO leaders call for postmortem and rethinking, NON, i repeat NON has the big heart to say that we umno has been the cause of our own reckoning.

We UMNO has to realise that in order for us to move forward in a stronger ( and right path) we must learn to admit the mistakes that we have done. The list are endless:

Sleeping leadership
Corrupted Ketua Bahagian, Timbalan and Naib and Pemuda etc
No meritocracy in party (kiss ass system)
No more helping the poor
Rich gets richer ( all Ketua2 now pakai X5, mercedes mata bulat dan yg seharga dengan nya)
DEB/NEP - tolong anak beranak sahaja
not listening to grassroots

i am tired of seeing all this in UMNO. I love the party, i really do. and i am sure there are many people like me in UMNO too. But who are we to voice it out? Well i sometimes do say this out loud and openly, but what do i get ? Accusations that i am a member of Keadilan, or worse still, PAS! Kalau they think im Gerakan pun ok jugak..

The lesson of the election is stark and clear. UMNO must be BRAVE AND BOLD to reinvent and change itself. We must build ourselves back from this failure through the audaciousness of hope that we can change and reinvent UMNO.

This change must happen now.

Not one year, not 6 month, not even after cabinet is called for. NOW! the time for change is now.

But how do we change?

Well, i suppose change must happen from the top, but let us leave that to party elections later.

For now, let us concentrate to heal the wounds within the party. Let us talk about reconciliation in areas where we UMNO has hurt ourselves most. Look and think back, why did we lose in holier grounds such as Johor, Perak, Kedah, Selangor and Wilayah. Mesti ada something wrong punyer.

Contohnya, is the UMNO leadership listening to party members? Is the leadership getting through the right message from below? I dont think this is happening.

That is why, the night before the nomination, party leadership whimsically changes the nominations just like that.Walhal, mereka tahu bahawasanya ahli ahli umno di bahagian mahukan orang tempatan, tetapi pimpinan party tidak menghormati konsensus grassroot lalu meletakkan orang luar.

Looking at the results, you can see a long list of CALON PARACHUTE yang kalah di Kedah dan Perak dan Selangor dan Kelantan dan seterus terusnya.

Yes, maybe dulu UMNO can do this and the voters will blindly vote for the jokers arakian monyet sekalipun. But then now we have a more matured and educated voters. If UMNO do not change itself, and continues to be patronising (as it is now) it is sad for me to say that i predict that we shall exist to be in government position come 2013.

UMNO may first start by admitting that the old faces must go. Many UMNO members ( what more the rakyat in general) are very un happy to find that Pak Lah has retained in nomination members of the cabinet which are under corruption commission investigation (Lingam), members of cabinet who are incompetent, members of cabinet who are not liked by their own party..and so on and so forth.

Then UMNO may want to start to reconsider whether they can continue to act arrogantly in dismissing its other component parties. UMNO must learn to listen the other community. Yes i admit that we have been doing this all this while, but the fact that they are still voting against us means that we have to admit that we are doing a lot more wrong things too.

Finally,

STOP BEING SO PATRONISING!

i have always said that UMNO, and Malays in general , are a really patronising lot, in a very annoying way too sometimes. We malays are so blindingly patronising, that we dont even have a word for patronising in Malay language! This we must change for UMNO to move forward as a party of the future.

Remember those adds before the elections?

UNDI ANDA HANYA SATU, BN - this is ridiculously patronising! We cannot use old propaganda like this and expect people to vote BN?

PROVEN:FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL - this is also patronising. Why? Because it does not take a Phd dude from UKM to realise that EVEN if opposition takes over, the freaking education will still be free!

but all this shows one thing, that the UMNO machinery doesnt even bother to think hard on how they are too win votes. Unlike the opposition, they are so used to having voted presented to them on a golden plate. Well, no more free lunch , UMNO.

The final straw, i feel for both UMNO-hating-Malays and non Malays specifically, was when our premier, in his last bid for votes on the night of the election, said that:

" If you want better voice in Government, vote for BN. If you just want a voice to make noise in Parliament, you can vote for Opposition"

How incredulous is that?? this is patronising on the verge of blackmailing!

Of course, we now know that the opposition prefers to vote for a representative who can actually carry their voice in Parliament. Why? Because every single non conforming BN MP knows that if you dont tow the line, you get 'whipped' by the party's whip.

This, in return, has made it even more difficult for MCA and Gerakan and MIC and PPP to play its role in BN. The Rakyat realise that there are real issue to be heard in the august house of parliament and for it to be heard in the open, it cannot be done through BN. I do not blame them. If it was me, listening to the ultimatum given by the premier, i would also vote for opposition. Because i would rather have my rep shouting my rights in parliament than have them comfy in their cabinet positions.

In the words of Lim Kheng Yaik, ( see article below) MCA and Gerakan can discipline their boys, but UMNO has to learn to discipline their cowboys.

I think of all things, i have to concur with Dato Seri Lim on this one.


Intelligence Reporting

it was exactly on 22^nd December 07 that Tun Daim, in his 5 page interview with the China Press gave staunch warning that Selangor, Penang and Kedah was in danger of being taken away. At that time, many laughed at his suggestion. But they should have known that information coming from Tun Daim himself is no joking matter. The guy is the only songkok wearing dude on the cover page of the must read Asian Godfathers.

So The question is, how does tun daim knows about this? I am sure the same sources who told tun daim must have spoken to the party president about this as well. Correct? It is illogical to assume that this kind of information did not reach the highest power in UMNO because this intel info (intelligence).

OK for those not in UMNO, maybe u do not understand what i am talking about. you see, in UMNO we have the best machinery to fight in the election. Not only do UMNO have a lot of money (with doubtful sources many of them) there is also the 3 partite intel system which goes directly to the President of UMNO.

1stly is the intel report from the ketua bahagian umno.well usually this is a bit biased because they will puji themselves and discredit their rivals (who is usually the timbalan)

2ndly is the intel report from SB ( so most ketua bahagian will jaga them baik baik)

3rdly is the intel report from MIO ( no this is not the GPS device, but MIO stands for Military Intelligence Officer) Yes, you may not know this, but they live amongst you! yes all 222 of them for every single freaking constituency in this country.

now back to our Tun Daim story..

Now assuming that the information did reach the highest powers that be, my question to the UMNO leadership is why were there no early preparation being made to counter this? Worse of all, why were there LAST MINUTE changes being made to the nomination list in Kedah and Perak and Selangor knowing full well that this states are dangerous states as per information by the SB and MIO?

The leadership, must take the responsibility to explain to UMNO Kedah, UMNO Selangor and UMNO Penang, what was their action when this information was given to them..


I hope that UMNO can rise again from the rubbles. The challenges ahead are difficult, if not interesting. DSAI has risen from behind Kamunting bars to be kingmakers. For all we know, by May, he will be our new Leader of Opposition.

Party president must step up his gear.

Kalau dulu mungkin Lim Kit Siang sebagai Ketua Pembangkang, YB YB Barisan boleh gelakkan dia kerana bahasa malaysia dia entah kemana. Tetapi, dengan kemunculan DSAI, saya tidak dapat fikirkan satu pun YB dari barisan yang mungkin dapat menandingi kelantaran dan kepetahan hujahnya.Apatah lagi bakal barisan kabinet.

Not only that, now they have the likes of Saifudin Nasution, Nasharudin Mat Isa, Gobind Singh Deo (son of Karpal Singh) and most venomous of all opposition backbenchers, the amphibious alumnus of UMNO, Ibrahim bin Ali of Pasir Mas (sadly enough, he is my MP).

This, does not include the already charged old faces in the likes of Teresa Kok and Fong Po Kuan.


My fellow UMNO members,

Hard days are ahead for us. This is a battle, not only for the heart of Malaysians, but also for the survival of UMNO as a party.

Believe you me, if we do not change and react to this knock out in the right direction, UMNO is bound to its extinction by the next election, if not to its new role as an opposition party.

I shiver to think such consequence. But then again, maybe, just maybe, it would take a harder fall, harder than what we already had for us to realise that we have to change. by then, i am sure there are no more UMNO members ( as there is no more money and contract to fight over). And by then, the true loyal remaining party members of UMNO can rebuild the party from scratch.

God speed us all. Insya allah.

Samy must leave

It’s best for Samy to do a Koh

COMMENT
By BARADAN KUPPUSAMY

The MIC has taken its worst beating to date and many blame party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for it but it remains to be seen what the party will do now.

IN victory and defeat, former Penang chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, an academic turn politician, is always humble and high-minded.

After he and his Gerakan colleagues were unceremoniously shown the door on Saturday, Dr Koh’s first worry was for the incoming government of rival Lim Guan Eng to take office in a smooth and safe manner.

He immediately issued a “don’t worry” statement and offered to take responsibility for the change over.

He invited Guan Eng to his office and showed him around and pledged his help for a smooth transition.

What’s more telling, Dr Koh admitted defeat, took responsibility for the Gerakan disaster and offered to resign.

In stark contrast MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who was equally trounced with his candidates, has vowed to soldier on.

In a statement he said he will “restructure and rebuild” the MIC, which has become totally cut off from the Tamil masses.

He also speaks of a “new wave” that will come and lift him and the party from the disaster that has hit them.

If only Samy Vellu heads to a tea stall and hear what ordinary Malaysians, not just Indians, are saying he would have a second shock, bigger than the drubbing in Sungai Siput.

The only thing that matters to many ordinary Indians is not that the Opposition had captured five states or the Barisan Nasional was denied its two-third majority in parliament, but that Samy Vellu has been defeated.

They rejoiced at his defeat because he has become the focal point of all their sufferings and anger and for him to soldier on shows how disconnected he has become with the community he claims to represent.

Only three of his candidates survived and three is not enough to fill the party’s quota of one minister, three deputy ministers and three parliamentary secretaries.

“People are angry with him more than anything else. He has been lording over us for 30 years,” said teacher A. Perumal.

Others chipped into the conversation saying most of the MIC candidates lost because the voters did not see the candidates but saw Samy Vellu in all of them.

“They did not distance themselves from him. If they had, some could have survived,” said another teacher Thomas Arulpragasam.

“The community needs to heal, to see new faces leading us, to hear new voices giving new hope,” he said.

Why then is Samy Vellu refusing to accept responsibility and offering to quit like Dr Koh has done?

Unlike Dr Koh and Gerakan, it is even more difficult, with the MIC defeated and smashed, for Samy Vellu to walk away, his supporters say.

“He feels if he quits now history will remember him as the man who destroyed the MIC,” said the former vice-president who did not want to be named.

Some others say if Samy Vellu, who dominated MIC politics for so long, quits immediately the party will be hit by turmoil.

Whatever the case for Samy Vellu, it is too late in the day to reshape history and reverse the nightmare of defeat and disgrace that has fallen on him and the MIC.

The best course is to walk the path Dr Koh has taken - accept responsibility and retire and let the man who takes over do the “rebuilding and restructuring” that the MIC sorely needs if it wants to survive as a political representative of the Indian community.

To stay on is untenable and will only complicate and worsen matters.

Sack bad advisers, PM is told

Sack bad advisers, PM urged

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik let rip on the last day of his office in Government by issuing the strongest advice to the Prime Minister.

Change the advisers because they are giving the wrong advice, which partly led to major losses for Barisan Nasional in the general election, the Gerakan adviser said.

Dr Lim, who retired from active politics last year, said although he still had confidence in Abdullah’s leadership, Abdullah had got to think a lot and much deeper on issues of the day and “do something.”

“There is no leadership issue. The advice given to him has been wrong. If his advisers have been giving the wrong advice, remove them all. If it’s been the right advice, why should we be here now?

Dr Lim was talking to reporters after handing over his Energy, Water and Communications Ministry tag at his office here yesterday.

Other reasons contributing to the losses included the arrogant attitude of some Barisan politicians, the lack of cyber campaigning and the discriminatory implementation of government policies by certain civil servants, he pointed out.

“The arrogance of the party in power must stop, such as the wielding of the keris and comments uttered during the Umno general assembly and in Parliament. All this must not be repeated.

“Gerakan, MCA and MIC know how to discipline their own members. Umno must do the same,” he said, adding that the “cowboys” were spoiling the name of the party.

The coalition’s members, added Dr Lim, should also conduct some soul-searching and clean up money politics: they should work for their party and not “suck” it.

The Barisan government, said Dr Lim, should have supervised the civil servants to ensure that the implementation of federal policies remained fair to all.

“Giving the excuse that our policies are good but not our implementation is not enough. It’s better for such civil servants to be thrown out.

“You cannot say that it’s the civil servants who are doing such things because as the ruling party, we have to take responsibility,” he said.

“And I will also take responsibility because I was part of the former Government,” stressed Dr Lim.

The Chinese and Indian voters, he added, were angry at the Government for such arrogant and discriminatory attitudes but both the Malays and non-Malays were also frustrated at the lack of transparency and the extent of corruption.

“Or else, the urban belt will not have fallen. We need to reassess our attitude and requirements must be taken to appease the Chinese and Indians. Maybe we need a new New Economic Policy,” he said.

MCA and Gerakan, Dr Lim also pointed out, had been working quietly and in camera on sensitive issues with Umno but “maybe this is not enough any more”.

“Over these issues, we must have our say or else the Chinese will run away from us,” he said.

Resign, says Dr M

Monday March 10, 2008

Resign, says Dr M

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said his successor Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should accept responsibility for Barisan Nasional’s major losses in the general election and resign.

“Just as in 2004, the huge majority was reportedly 100% due to him as said by the then secretary-general of Umno, now he should also accept 100% responsibility,” Dr Mahathir told a press conference yesterday.

Describing the coalition’s performance as “shocking”, he said he was saddened by it.

“I expected Barisan to lose support but not this badly,” he said of the Opposition victory in five states and 10 of the 13 parliamentary seats in the Federal Territories.

Saddened by defeat: Dr Mahathir giving journalists an overview of Barisan’s performance in the 12th general election during a press conference at his house in Kuala Lumpur.

He said that while it was up to Umno to decide, one possibility was Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak taking over from Abdullah.

He said the fact that Indians, Chinese and Malays voted for the Opposition showed that it was not about racial politics but that on the whole, the people sent the same signal.

Malays and Umno members voted for the Opposition because they were affected by the high inflation, and despite the high economic growth figures announced by the Government and the launch of development corridors, the people did not feel the benefits, he said.

Asked if Barisan had miscalculated holding the election, he said postponing it by another year would have led to more pent-up frustrations.

He, however, said the Barisan concept was still relevant.

On the Opposition’s position, he said there would be instability for some time but if the Opposition was good, it would be able to remedy the situation.

He said Barisan, with its simple majority, would form a weak government, which would make it difficult for it to run a multiracial country, and this would affect investor confidence.

On whether Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim contributed to the Opposition’s victory, he said: “There is a strong feeling against Barisan rather than strong feelings for the Opposition.

“I can’t think he is relevant, in the sense that he is not going to be a prime minister,” he said.

He said Umno and Barisan Nasional could still remedy the situation if they continued to serve the people well and took note of their signals.

Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said the results were “not just a blow to Barisan and Umno but to the nation as a whole.”

“Alongside losing our two-thirds majority in Parliament, we have lost a record number of states to the Opposition, including the home state of the Prime Minister,” he said in a statement.

“The honesty with which we interpret this result, and the decisiveness with which we act on it, will determine whether we still have a future with the people.

“We must face it without further denial, self-deception or media spin.”