Since last night, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not only abandoned his duties as Prime Minister of Malaysia for a consecutive period of six days, he has also instructed his whole Cabinet of Ministers to do the same and to camp in Sarawak for the state general elections until polling day on Saturday.
Clearly Najib has lost confidence in the ability of the Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to secure the election results desired by the Prime Minister.
But this has another far-reaching national implication – transforming the Sarawak state general election from a state into a national contest, putting on the line the Barisan Nasional’s national policies and record as well as the Prime Minister’s programme, personal popularity and political reputation.
The two issues voters of Sarawak are being asked to decide on Saturday are: firstly, at the Sarawak level whether “Peh Moh” should go, not in two, three or five years’ time but on Saturday, April 16, 2011 itself; and at the national level, whether to end UMNO’s political hegemony in Malaysian politics to give way to the new politics of freedom, justice, accountability, transparency and good governance spearheaded by Pakatan Rakyat.
Najib’s signature policy is the 1Malaysia policy. In a matter of two years, Najib’s 1Malaysia policy and concept suffered two fatal blows.
Firstly, when Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin turned the 1Malaysia policy into a farce by declaring that he is “Malay first, Malaysian second” when I challenged him in Parliament to declare his stand in March last year – totally in contradiction to the 1Malaysia objective to create a Malaysian nation where every Malaysian will regard himself or herself as Malaysian first and race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic status second.
The second fatal blow to Najib’s 1Malaysia policy is its “transformation” and degradation into a “1T-Shirt 1-Tupperware” circus – as evident by Najib’s start of the six-day campaigning for the Sarawak state general elections in Kuching last night.
This was what happened according to two online reports, The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini:
Even with the bussing of people from various neighbouring constituencies into Kuching South City Hall’s indoor stadium, only a thousand were seen in it.
Each participant were given a 1 Malaysia t-shirt to wear to signal unity and flags to wave at BN government leaders as they made their way into the stadium.
Accompanying the BN chairman were the five Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) candidates, and political bigwigs like Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
After the prime minister followed the red carpet trail leading into the hall to the sounds of hoots and whistles from the white-shirt supporters, hundreds were seen streaming out, choosing to opt out of listening to his speech.
Instead, they were seen loitering around the stadium complex, chatting and feasting on the hamburgers and mineral water that were handed out.
Even as Najib’s function kicked off, large numbers were seen lounging in the buses and vans that had ferried them into the venue.
When the prime minister began his speech, large groups of people, garbed in the 1 Malaysia t-shirts, decided to stream out of the hall.
(“BN troubled as Pakatan rally draws more support” – The Malaysian Insider 11.4.11)
Chaos erupted at the MBKS indoor stadium last night immediately after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak left the rally venue as people jostled to get hold of goodie bags containing Tupperware brand containers.
As some 2,000 participants at the rally were streaming out of the stadium, hundreds crowded around part of the entrance, grabbing goodie bags that were being distributed.
The bags contained a poster of Najib and either a water tumbler or a small food container of Tupperware fame.
As the rush for goodies grew out of hand, workers were forced to relocate some of the boxes of goodies away from the entrance.
As soon as the boxes touched the floor, dozens of people, many of them elderly and children, ripped opened the boxes and carried with them whatever they could.
In the mad scramble, many people fell. At least one elderly lady was seen rolling on the floor, hanging on to her goodie bag.
The scene left many journalists and policemen gasping in disbelief.
Some who were more patient were content to wait until after the big scrum was over before collecting their share of the goodie bags or boxes of biscuits.
(“Mad scramble for Tupperware mars PM’s do” – Malaysiakini 11.4.11)It is a most shameful spectacle – the degeneration of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept to unite Malaysians into a 1T-shirt 1-Tupperware circus!
Najib’s suspension of the Federal Cabinet and mobilisation of all the Cabinet Ministers to campaign in the Sarawak state general elections have also presented Sarawakians and Malaysians with a curious political spectacle – SUPP President Tan Sri Dr. George Chan and the SUPP leaders waiting to be saved by MCA’s Dr. Chua Soi Lek and Gerakan’s Dr. Koh Tsu Koon!
(Media Conference Statement in Miri on Monday, 11th April 2011 at 12 noon)
1helicopter crashed. The God must be mad.
1T-shirt 1-Tupperware 1-Cheapskate 1-JibJib
///The bags contained a poster of Najib and either a water tumbler or a small food container of Tupperware fame.
As the rush for goodies grew out of hand, workers were forced to relocate some of the boxes of goodies away from the entrance.///– Kit
Only in Malaysia is this not considered vote buying by the Election Commission. Luckily there was no stampede with loss of life. It would have been a first in the world and for Malaysia it is truly 1Malaysia.
Those Sarawak BN fellas can’t even win the heart of the voters from their homeland and what makes jibby think that his bunch of clowns can?
Tell you the truth, Jibby!
Those clowns of yours will only hasten your departure once they see their face.
///When the prime minister began his speech, large groups of people, garbed in the 1 Malaysia t-shirts, decided to stream out of the hall.///
It was obvious that people shunned leaders with integrity problems.
‘……Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not only abandoned his duties as Prime Minister of Malaysia for a consecutive period of six days…’
No, no. He left Rosmah to take charge for the next week or so. The country is in safe hands. Don’t panic. She knows what buttons to press.
‘DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng on Sunday pledged an annual RM1 billion allocation to establish the Dayak Endowment Fund should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) come into power after the April 16 Sarawak election.’
Should LGE be the one to make this sort of statement and promise? Isn’t he in the wrong state?
RM300.000 to upgrade the market???
For whom?
You’re not going to stay and sleep in the market so why need so comfy?
Najib can offer lots of millions to buy frogs and others so why not ask him for RM120,000 each, if he wants to buy your vote.
Why RM120,000.00?
Well, you tell him that you’re to need RM2,000 per month for living expenses and one year will cost you around RM24,000.00.
Five more years till the next elections will be RM120,000.00.
In that way, you can rest assure that you’ll not be burden for another five years if BN were to rule.
Get it!!!
#7. May be there’s already some agreement to the statement among the leaders. If members of PR do not complain, why r u raising it up at such a critical moment? It’s definitely easy for us bystanders to make lots of comments, what’s right n what’s not right; but can we not support whatever there is which may appear to be some teething problems of components of PR in view of our common goal ie to rid corruptions?
Why don’t a Sarawak leader be the one to announce it?
PR does have a capable local leader don’t they? Its a local state issue. Let them be the one to initiate it and lead it.
Our 1 t-shirt PM has just said:
1. the Al Kitab issue will be resolved;
2. the Sri Aman hospital will be resolved;
3. the NCR land issues will be resolved;
4. the CM succession will be resolved;
Yes everything will be resolved – this message is meant for nincompoops only.
Wow! The whole cabinet in Sarawak…..so who’s minding Putrajaya?
Is it Perkasa?
Hey, this Idris Jala has done some good through its GTP. At least government delivery is not just confined to Milo, biscuits and meehoon. Now, they are more creative – they now have Tupperware and water tumblers. Thank you Idris Jala for the great contributions you have made. Sarawak is proud of you.
How can we the people of Sarawak be so dumb. They enjoy perks, salary and siphon money worth billion and they made us fighting and struggling over an empty Tupperware and water tumblers. Do we have any dignity left, or are we just plain stupid.
RM300.000 to upgrade a market???
For whom and half of those money will goes into whose pocket?
You’re not going to stay and sleep in the market so why need so comfy?
Najib can offer lots of millions to buy frogs and others idiots so why not ask him for RM120,000 each, if he wants to buy your vote.
Why RM120,000.00?
Well, you tell him that you’re going to need RM2,000 per month for living expenses and one year will cost you around RM24,000.00.
Five more years till the next elections will be RM120,000.00.
In that way, you can rest assure that you’ll not be burden for another five years if BN were to rule.
In such way, we can also make BN government die faster.
Is’nt it wonderful?
It is sad to hear the passing of the helicopter pilot in Sibu. These UMNO/BN people bring bad luck with them wherever they go. It should have been someone else…..
Fighting over tumblers and Tupperware. It’s the 1Malaysia mentality that has been cultivated, nurtured over time.
Anything that is free, they will jostle for it. Especially free food at Open Houses. Everybody goes for the freebies. Minus the free food and freebies and nobody will turn up.
In Singapore it is called the ‘kiasu’ mentality and behaviour. We have been infected. It will be hard to eradicate.
1Malaysia? No, 1 Najis! 1 Rasuah! 1 Cheapskate!!!
Surely someone will get commission from tupperware loh! Who is the smart fler?
I wonder who is the Tupperware agent???
Here is a real case of politician bankrupt of offering any plan for the future of a nation. Sarawakians! Please wake up!!! This is more than insult to your MARUAH!!! You should react with contempt on such stooping attitude!
If Sarawkians still vote BN in, then we all can only say” God bless you” for mortgaging the future of your future generations away.
Najib have instructed the entire cabinet ministers to go to Sarawak and campaign.
You call that full confidence….and Opposition is scared…DPM?
What kind of PM…give such an instruction for a State Election?
This means all Ministers no need to work for days….just talk politics.
This means the country is clearly under auto pilot as all smart educated Malaysians know that too.
Sarawak State Election turns out to be the most important to Najib.
Why….. aiyah….all know why la.
Hornbills with DAP rockets appeal so much to Sarawakians. Lim Guan Eng….Lim Kit Siang treated like film stars. Anwar respected and love. Tok Guru Aziz revered.
Thousands came to see and hear them talk.
This scare the hell…..out of Najib…and Tiab Mahmud contradicted PM right in front of few hundred ….saying he will not retire soon…but few years from now.
Sarawak Dictator is tellling PM …..do your best to help….but do not show off or dictate terms to the Sarawak Dictator.
Mahathir dare not go ….as these two Dictators…steal differently.
One created projects to steal bllions.
Sarawak dictator.. needs only to chop chop timber and buy up all lands to make billions.
And all these good old days are numbered and soon be over.
That’s Najib nightmares.
It’s more like i fish you,you fish me scenario…i supposed and hope.Whatever we see and speculate is yet to be known.I hope Sarawakian will use their wisdom coupled with their intact faith,go all out for a change than be complacent all this while in this situation they’re living through 48 years(BN’s rule) around without even basic necessity such as electricity,clean water,proper tarred road,public transportation,hygienic and up to function hospital etc.So long of donkey and monkey years,still Bn failed to improve Sarawakian life.
Remember the pm said retain putrajaya at all costs ….. ??? What ‘s few days of leave the cabinet??
Yeah! and in a few days more, see who “die”!!!
Najib government live up to it’s name of being corrupted.
And there’s one time that Deputy Cow Moo told Sarawakian to beware of “syaitan and jembalangs” coming from the Peninsula.
Now I can see hordes of them arriving from Putrajaya.
Wah…! Moo, you’re so real, man!!!
Sad to know that it caused one’s pilot death.
May god save his soul.
Amen!!!
Wud b delighted to see pictures of crowd in Miri at ceramah tonight? Any uploaded yet?
Concentrate we must,and support we will,on this important day.I want to eat roti canai now and sleep well to give my support 2morrow.See you my dear..with ummp and refresh energy later.
These people who equate the present and the future of themselves and their children and their grandchildren with 1 piece of T shirt or 1 tupperware, or a bag of rice or an angpow, disgust me.
They are also guilty of corruption. They are the reason why my beloved country is getting worse off every year. The once in a blue moon angpow is a sad & woefully inadequate rebate for all unnecessary increase in cost of living and opportunity cost lost.
The Tupperwares are for those stupid sarawakian to store their biscuits for another 5 years. The tumblers are for them to collect free rain water. that’s 1malaysia for you from najib and maharajarela taib.
Even the propaganda on TV news showed a pathetic rally and you could see Najib face saying ‘they don’t give a crap what I am saying’..
Its really bad, when you can’t get TV to show a good show..
/// SUPP President Tan Sri Dr. George Chan and the SUPP leaders waiting to be saved by MCA’s Dr. Chua Soi Lek and Gerakan’s Dr. Koh Tsu Koon! ///
Hmmmm… Three doctors huh? What a pack! And many things come in packs of three, actually. Condoms too. But seriously what do they do, really? I hope they are funny. I mean that is the least I can hope of them.
The TV stations can’t get any good scene from jib’s ceramah. So they took the one with crowds of people present in the ceramah – well, may not be listening but waiting for the goodies.