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Najib and Hadi have reached rare unanimity that Najib does not have to answer the question “Mana RM2.6 billion?” but 30 million Malaysians, including three million UMNO members and one million PAS members, want Najib to give immediate answer without any more delay

This is the fourth of my five-whistlestop visit to Perak today as part of the “Solidarity with Lim Kit Siang & Mana RM2.6 billion?” nation-wide campaign.

I started in Kopisan in Gopeng, went to Kampar, and now coming from Bidor, ending up in Hutan Melintang after this visit.

Everywhere I went, since the first day of this nation-wide campaign after my six-month suspension from Parliament for wanting the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to give full and satisfactory accounting for his twin mega scandals – the RM2.6 billion donation in his personal banking accounts and the RM55 billion 1MDB scandal – I found the question “Mana RM2.6 billion?” close to the hearts and minds of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region.

They are also close to the hearts and minds of the three million UMNO members and one million PAS members, although their respective leaders, Najib and Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, are in advanced “courtship” based on the understanding that these twin mega scandals should be banished from the public domain in Malaysian politics. Continue reading “Najib and Hadi have reached rare unanimity that Najib does not have to answer the question “Mana RM2.6 billion?” but 30 million Malaysians, including three million UMNO members and one million PAS members, want Najib to give immediate answer without any more delay”

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May the farce be with you

Mariam Mokhtar | December 20, 2015
Free Malaysia Today

Why the Umno general assembly failed to be a bore buster.

Several thousand Umno-Baru fans rolled-out the red carpet for the premiere of the “The Farce Awakens,” which was held at the Putra World Trade Center (PWTC) on December 11.

Four days later, in Los Angeles, Star Wars fans queued for days for the premiere of the much awaited Disney blockbuster, “The Force Awakens.” Critics praised it as the best Star Wars film ever made.

To compensate for the long queues, the Star Wars producers should have taken the lead from Umno-Baru leaders, who bussed in thousands of its supporters and decked them in shades of red. The elite among them were dropped off in the latest Porsches, Maybachs, Hummers, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, making it look as though all the stars of Star Wars had driven to the PWTC.

Whilst the Star Wars films are classic tales of the fight between Good and Evil, and of heroes, heroines, loyal troops, action, drama and romance, the Malaysian “The Farce Awakens” is a repeat of the same old drivel perpetuated by Umno-Baru since its formation in 1988. Continue reading “May the farce be with you”

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National Security Council Bill is a double “national insecurity” move, caused by Najib’s sense of insecurity and would cause insecurity to Malaysians declared as “security areas”

Today is the birthday of one of the great Malaysians in the nation’s history – P. Patto.

DAP and the nation miss Patto for the past 20 years since his premature death in July 1995, for if Patto had been with us in the political struggle for justice, freedom and good governance in Malaysia in the past two decades, the political picture of the day may be very different today – with UMNO/Barisan Nasional toppled from Putrajaya and the Prime Minister today would have been Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and not Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

I have just come from Kopisan in Gopeng, which is the first of five “Solidarity with Lim Kit Siang & Mana RM2.6 billion?” whistlestop tour today together with DAP National Assistant Publicity Secretary and MP for Kulai, Teo Nie Ching and DAP Perak leaders.

Kopisan is where Patto stayed for some five years and where his first daughter, Kasthuri Patto, was born. Kasthuri is now the DAP MP for Batu Kawan.

When a band of young Malaysians got together some 50 years ago to form the Democratic Action Party, we did it not because of any thought of becoming MP, State Assembly representative or forming a state or national government, but because of our patriotic convictions and principles to make our country, Malaysia, a better place for all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, to ensure that all Malaysians can enjoy freedom, justice, good governance, development, progress and prosperity. Continue reading “National Security Council Bill is a double “national insecurity” move, caused by Najib’s sense of insecurity and would cause insecurity to Malaysians declared as “security areas””

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A new political realignment is in the works – where UMNO-PAS co-operation could be more powerful and far-reaching than UMNO’S coalition with the other 13 BN parties

A new political realignment is in the works in the political demography in Malaysia, driven by Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s overpowering passion to survive as Prime Minister of Malaysia and President of UMNO despite all odds, including his RM2.6 billion “donation” and RM55 billion 1MDB twin mega scandals.

This is why the advanced courtship between Najib and the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang has graduated from secret conclaves to the public domain, cemented by Hadi’s role as the pre-eminent defender of Najib in the Prime Minister’s twin mega scandals in the past few months.

In May, Hadi had publicly said that Najib should not bow down to pressures from the 1MDB scandal and should not resign as Prime Minister.

In July, Hadi was quick to come to the defence of Najib after the Wall Street Journal expose of RM2.6 billion deposits into Najib’s personal banking accounts before the May 2013 General Election, demanding for witnesses without which the Wall Street Journal allegation should be ignored.

As a result, the relationship between Najib and Hadi became increasingly warm and friendly in the last few months. Continue reading “A new political realignment is in the works – where UMNO-PAS co-operation could be more powerful and far-reaching than UMNO’S coalition with the other 13 BN parties”

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Was Hasan Arifin speaking for PAC or only for himself about being “satisfied” with Arul Kanda’s testimony on 1MDB, and if the former, was a vote taken of the PAC members whether they are “satisfied” with Arul’s evidence?

On the way to the launch of the Perak State Pakatan Harapan in Ipoh from a DAP dinner at Chuichak new village, I read that after its meeting today, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin issued a statement saying that he is satisfied with 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy’s explanation after a three-hour grilling.

I find Hasan’s statement most shocking as it contradicted the earlier statement by Tony Pua, the PAC member who is most knowledgeable about 1MDB, who had said that Arul Kanda’s answers were “not perfect” and “incomplete” and that the 1MDB president had evaded certain questions.

When Hasan said he was “satisfied” with Arul Kanda’s explanations at the continued PAC investigations into the 1MDB, was this a reflection of his “cari makan” mode of operation or did he take a vote from the PAC after Arul Kanda’s testimony to determine whether the PAC was “satisfied” with the 1MDB CEO’s testimony?

If Hasan had not taken a vote of PAC after Arul Kanda’s testimony, and merely given his own views, he was guilty of misleading Members of Parliament and the Malaysian public who have been following the PAC proceedings with great interest and anticipation.

The Malaysian public does not want the views of a “cari makan” PAC Chairman but the views of the PAC as determined by a vote as to whether PAC is satisfied with Arul Kanda’s testimony. Continue reading “Was Hasan Arifin speaking for PAC or only for himself about being “satisfied” with Arul Kanda’s testimony on 1MDB, and if the former, was a vote taken of the PAC members whether they are “satisfied” with Arul’s evidence?”

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Abdul Rahman can only play with tweets as he has no input on the two seismic developments in the country – Najib’s galloping twin mega scandals and his courtship of Hadi and PAS leadership

My commiseration with Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

He is feeling so lonely and forlorn after he thought he has clambered up the mountain to deserve a special place next to the “The Chosen One”.

What a disappointment for him to find that he had been replaced or overtaken by others, even by a “political junior” from his home state, who have gone ahead to become the Minister for Communications and Multimedia, a position which is more important and higher on the political protocol than his recent sinecure as the Barisan Nasional Director of Strategic Communications (whatever that means).

I stand by what I said about him on July 24, 2015:

“Minister for Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan will be guilty of the greatest national disservice if the sole agenda of his appointment as Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications Director is to distract attention from Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) July 2 report that Malaysian government investigators have found US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) deposited into the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal accounts in AmBank in 2013 just before the 13th General Election instead of helping to establish the facts of the Prime Minister’s alleged RM2.6 billion personal accounts.

“Since his sudden appearance as BN Strategic Communications Director the previous Wednesday, Rahman had got so much eggs on his face, and on a daily basis, that it is virtually impossible to find a centimeter on his face which is not egg-splattered – whether because of Rahman’s “God-send” Lester Melyani; Lester’s utterly discredited video confession even before all the parts had been aired publicly; the crazy and counter-productive notion for Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block access to Sarawak Report (forcing Malaysians to undergo an instant education of how to circumvent official Internet blocks) or the hyping of patriotic and valiant efforts to pry open the RM42 billion 1MDB financial scandal whether by journalists in the Edge or by MPs like Tony Pua and Rafizi Ramli as offences like ‘activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy’, sabotage, ‘toppling the elected government’ or even treason!”

Continue reading “Abdul Rahman can only play with tweets as he has no input on the two seismic developments in the country – Najib’s galloping twin mega scandals and his courtship of Hadi and PAS leadership”

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Umno, what price loyalty?

Dennis Ignatius
Malaysiakini
17 Dec 2015

COMMENT | Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, hounded by scandal and facing open rebellion within his ranks, made an impassioned plea at his party’s general assembly last week for unity and support. He demanded loyalty and obedience from all. He invoked God, race and country to justify his leadership.

But what price loyalty and obedience?

Great leaders appeal for support on the basis of a great cause, in defence of righteous principles or to uphold great ideals. They inspire support by their vision, by their integrity, by their example, by their commitment to great national goals.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill, for example, in his nation’s darkest hour, inspired his countrymen to stand firm against Nazi tyranny despite the odds. Mahatma Gandhi summoned his nation to the great ideals of tolerance and respect for diversity and human dignity.

President John F Kennedy appealed, in his inaugural address, for sacrifice and commitment to make America that shining light upon a hill, an inspiration to the world. Nelson Mandela urged a nation divided by decades of apartheid to reconcile, to build a new nation based on justice and inclusiveness.

They invited their countrymen to join them in a great quest, and millions freely and willingly rallied to them.

Despots, dictators and demagogues, on the other hand, bankrupt of vision, devoid of principle, blinded by avarice and ambition, demand mindless obedience, blind loyalty and passive submission. Continue reading “Umno, what price loyalty?”

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Two political bombshells went off today which have seismic effects on the Malaysian political scene in the weeks and months to come

The Selayang parliamentary constituency is the 47th parliamentary seat I am visiting since my six-month suspension from Parliament on Oct. 22 in pursuit of the question “Mana RM2.6 billion?” in Parliament.

I have set out on a nation-wide tour of the parliamentary constituencies in these six months to witness the rising crescendo of the people’s demand for answer to the question to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak “Mana RM2.6 billion?” as well as for answer to another of Najib’s twin mega scandals – the RM55 billion 1MDB scandal.

Najib and his Ministers went to great lengths both at the 25-day budget meeting of the Dewan Rakyat and the five-day 69th UMNO General Assemblies to suppress all disclosures and discussion about the twin mega scandals, but apart from causing Najib’s credibility to plumb to ever-lower depths, it could not succeed to bury both mega scandals for the simple reason that events and developments are no more within Najib’s full control.

This is why a political bombshell related to the 1MDB scandal exploded today, not in Malaysia, but far away in the United States where the Wall Street Journal published another 1MDB shocker, claiming that 1MDB sent at least US$850 million (RM3.7 billion) last year to an offshore entity formed to appear as if it was owned by an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund.

On top of Najib’s RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal, we now have another RM3.7 billion mysterious offshore account scandal. Continue reading “Two political bombshells went off today which have seismic effects on the Malaysian political scene in the weeks and months to come”

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Umno’s regressive, harmful discourse

Netusha Naidu
The Malaysian Insider
17 December 2015

A lot has been said about the recent Umno general assembly, especially the president’s speech as presented by Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Instead of making the usual commentary of my own opinions about its contents, I felt that a discourse analysis would have been more appropriate to shed some light on the matters that drew my attention.

A discourse analysis is when we look at the usage of language by particular parties and how the messages are being conveyed to intended audiences. Most of time, such methods are used to display the variety of approaches that authors take to portray certain ideologies. As a result, we learn that some ideas become more dominant than others. All because of how it is being articulated and who is the proponent of those ideas.

What appeared most central of all my observations in the speech was the wordplay of Islamism that has ultimately dominated the entire text. This should come as no surprise to most of us. After all, religion has been something that we have been obsessing over lately. Not just within the country, but globally as well, in the light of the escalating violence of Isis, the preposterous call for banning Muslims by Donald Trump and a severe refugee crisis in Europe. Continue reading “Umno’s regressive, harmful discourse”

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Proof of utter failure in Malaysian nation-building when the sixth Prime Minister asked last week: Whether UMNO President should be an ultra or pro-Malay only and must be Islamic or not?

It is proof of the utter failure in Malaysian nation-building when the sixth Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak asked at the UMNO General Assembly last Thursday: Whether UMNO President should be an ultra or pro-Malay only and must be Islamic or not?

Has Najib forgotten or abandoned his 1Malaysia signature policy which he proclaimed with such fanfare when he became Prime Minister in April 2009 that the goal of 1Malaysia is to create a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and race (whether Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Iban), religion (Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh) or region as second.

Six years and eight months after becoming the Prime Minister with his signature policy of 1Malaysia, and after tens and even hundreds of million of ringgit spent on 1Malaysia promotional products, is Malaysia going forwards or backwards as far as Najib’s 1Malaysia policy is concerned?

That Najib is publicly asking the question whether he should be “an ultra or pro-Malay only” as UMNO President and Prime Minister is sad indication that he himself needs convincing as far as his 1Malaysia signature policy is concerned!

Najib’s UMNO/BN government is adrift and at sea, bereft of any direction or vision for Malaysia. Continue reading “Proof of utter failure in Malaysian nation-building when the sixth Prime Minister asked last week: Whether UMNO President should be an ultra or pro-Malay only and must be Islamic or not?”

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The Leadership Malaysia Needs But Is Not Getting

M. Bakri Musa
www.bakrimusa.com
16th December 2015

The leadership qualities needed in a society during times of great changes and uncertainties are very different from those required in one that is static. Malaysia today faces many great challenges but is blighted with a leadership more suited for a static feudal society.

Today’s Malaysia is a complex, plural society. The unwary could easily be misled by official figures and general consensus that may apply to or describe one segment of society but may well be the very opposite for the others.

There are at least two Malaysias. One is exclusively Malay, dominated by UMNO and PAS; the other, predominantly but not exclusively non-Malay. The differences between the two extend beyond cultural values, socioeconomic status, and general worldview. The former is feudal, xenophobic, and servile towards authority; the latter is modern, aligned with the global mainstream, and views government more as the problem than the solution.

Thus statements like deteriorating local schools apply only to government ones and attended by the first group. International schools are doing very well. As for Chinese schools, the increasing number of Malay parents enrolling their children there speaks of the quality. Both schools are the preferred choice for the second Malaysia. Continue reading “The Leadership Malaysia Needs But Is Not Getting”

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Adenan Satem’s speech no more an unqualified endorsement but indication of the Sarawak Chief Minister’s wavering support for Najib as Prime Minister of Malaysia

The Sarawak Chief Minster, Datuk Adenan Satem, made headlines on Internet news this evening with his speech in the Sarawak State Assembly that Sarawak Barisan Nasional is prepared to reconsider its loyalty to Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak if he latter is found to have committed wrongdoings in relation to 1MDB.

He told the Sarawak State Assembly: “I can give you assurance that if he is found guilty of 1MDB-related offences, then we might reconsider our loyalty to him.”

Adenan’s speech created waves because he sounded so brave, daring and independent, unlike the other servile and supine BN Chief Ministers, Mentri Besar or Ministers, in being prepared to draw a line with the Prime Minister if Najib is found guilty of wrongdoing in connection with the 1MDB controversy.

But further thought will show that such reactions are misplaced.

In the first place, is Adenan suggesting that there is a possibility that he and Sarawak Barisan Nasional will continue to be loyal to Najib as the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Chairman of Barisan Nasional even if Najib is found guilty of offences and wrongdoings related to the 1MDB controversy?

I would have thought that if Najib had been found guilty of offences in connection with 1MDB by any court of law, this would automatically mean forfeiture of all loyalty to Najib as Prime Minister and BN Chairman not just by Adenan or Sarawak BN but by all the other BN leaders in other states and even nationally.

Is there any room for doubt that this would be the case?

Secondly, the political facts of life of Malaysia will ensure that so long as he is Prime Minister, Najib will never be found guilty of wrongdoing or offences in connection with 1MDB by any court of law.

Adenan’s brave statement therefore means nothing at all, what Shakespeare said about “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”! Continue reading “Adenan Satem’s speech no more an unqualified endorsement but indication of the Sarawak Chief Minister’s wavering support for Najib as Prime Minister of Malaysia”

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Najib must learn quick and fast that there is no way to resolve his grave problem of trust deficit unless he gives full and satisfactory accountability on his twin mega scandals

Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s trust deficit, already lowest for any Prime Minister among all racial groups in the nation’s 58 year history, continued to nose-dive after the UMNO General Assembly, with over a dozen adverse developments and stories keeping Najib’s twin mega scandals alive and kicking in the past three days.

There were six such adverse stories in the last 24 hours in Malaysiakini, viz:

1. PM’s flirtation with gaming world draws scorn

2. Australian court shuts down 1MDB-linked funds

3. Delay in handing over auditor-general’s 1MDB report to PAC

4. To uncover 1MDB truth, cross examine Najib in court – by Nurul Izzah and Tian Chua.

5. The colourful family and friends of 1MDB

6. Malaysian police record Justo’s statement in Bangkok

A day earlier there were two news reports about former MCA President Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik legal entanglements with Najib’s over the latter’s twin mega scandals, about Najib’s claim against Ling and Ling’s counter-claim against Najib, and the former MCA President’s accusation that Najib had not instituted the legal suit against Ling with the genuine intention to seek legal redress, or Najib should have sued all UMNO leaders, past and present, who have criticised him, such as Tun Mahathir as well as Wall Street Journal and Sarawak Report. Continue reading “Najib must learn quick and fast that there is no way to resolve his grave problem of trust deficit unless he gives full and satisfactory accountability on his twin mega scandals”

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Umno presidential speech could have been more balanced

Ramon Navaratnam
Malaysiakini
14 Dec 2015

The Umno president YAB Najib Abdul Razak’s speech at the opening of the Umno general assembly on Dec 11 was most interesting, assertive and determined.

However as a loyal and committed non-bumi Malaysian, I felt left out like many others, including many bumis, as the president’s speech could have been much more justly balanced and inclusive of all Malaysians. After all, the Umno president is also the prime minister for all Malaysians in our beloved country as One Malaysia.

For instance the learned chairperson of the Wasatiyyah Institute of Malaysia, Dr Abdullah Md Zin, who somewhat harshly criticised the highly respected G25 Group for allegedly misunderstanding the definition of wasatiyyah, gave his enlightening definition of wasatiyyah.

Dr Abdullah described wasatiyyah as “justly balanced, stressing fairness, balance, excellence and moderation”.

But the speech did not adequately fulfil all these criteria for the following reasons – Continue reading “Umno presidential speech could have been more balanced”

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The Darth Vader of Umno Baru

Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
14 Dec 2015

Is Othman Aziz, the Jerlun Umno Baru division vice-chief, on Najib Abdul Razak’s side or is he secretly trying to undermine the PM? His unfortunate choice of words, describing Najib as “The Chosen One” (by God), does not augur well for the PM. If Othman has watched ‘Star Wars’ (SW), he will realise that ‘The Chosen One’ is not a complimentary term.

It is stupid to claim that Najib is ‘The Chosen One’. He has failed to deal with any of the allegations which beset him. At worst, it is blasphemy to use God’s name in this fashion.

How did Othman, a mere mortal, obtain a hotline to God? Which crystal ball is Othman gazing into? Did he consult the self-styled Raja Bomoh, Mahaguru Ibrahim Mat Zin, and look through the shaman’s ‘telescopic bamboo’ to see what God has ordained for Malaysia?

This time last year, ‘The Chosen One’ was playing golf with his buddy, President Barack Obama of America and neglected to deal with the worst floods in Malaysia’s recent history. ‘The Chosen One’ was forced to return home, only after he was ridiculed on social media for his lack of compassion and leadership. Continue reading “The Darth Vader of Umno Baru”

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Will Najib accept the democratic verdict of the voters in the 14GE rejecting UMNO/BN and demanding for a change of government in Putrajaya through the ballot box or will he resort to undemocratic powers like the National Security Council Act even without a Proclamation of Emergency by Yang di Pertuan Agong?

I asked around just now when the Alor Pongsu State Assembly by-election in Perak was held but nobody seems to know.

It was 41 years ago when the DAP contested in the Alor Pongsu by-election in 1974, and although the UMNO/Barisan Nasional director of operations for the Alor Pongsu by-election announced on nomination day that the DAP’s Malay candidate would not secure more than 2,000 votes, i.e. getting only non-Malay voter support, DAP polled about 3,500 votes – indication that the DAP Malay candidate was able to secure significant Malay voter support as well.

The Alor Pongsu by-election is testimony that right from the beginning of DAP’s formation 50 years ago, DAP had never regarded itself as a Chinese or non-Malay party, never an anti-Malay and anti-Islam party, but a party for all races and religions in the country.

DAP contested the Alor Pongsu by-election not because we expected to win, but part of a long-term reach-out by the party to all Malaysians and regions with the DAP message for national unity, justice, freedom, development and good governance for all.

I am pleasantly surprised by an old photograph taken when I visited Bagan Serai at the end of 1970, which was shortly after I was released from the first Internal Security Act (ISA) detention, and I thank the strong party supporter, who was in also in the photograph 45 years ago, who had presented with an enlarged copy of the photograph. Continue reading “Will Najib accept the democratic verdict of the voters in the 14GE rejecting UMNO/BN and demanding for a change of government in Putrajaya through the ballot box or will he resort to undemocratic powers like the National Security Council Act even without a Proclamation of Emergency by Yang di Pertuan Agong?”

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Anti-Najib Forces Planning ‘Guerrilla War’

By John Berthelsen
Asian Sentinel
December 14, 2015

With the United Malays National Organization’s annual general meeting safely out of the way last week and with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in the saddle as expected, the opposition led by dumped Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and former Premier Mahathir Mohamad is expected to set off on a new course. Some are calling it guerrilla war.

The four-day conclave was programmed down to the last speaker and lunch menu to make sure that Muhyiddin, Mahathir and other dissidents didn’t have a chance to upset anything despite huge controversies over dual scandals involving Najib’s personal finances and massive debt owed by the state backed 1Malaysia Development Bhd. investment fund. Continue reading “Anti-Najib Forces Planning ‘Guerrilla War’”

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What “olive branch” Najib could offer PAS in exchange for support of 14 PAS MPs to secure two-thirds parliamentary majority together with 134 UMNO/BN MPs to amend the Constitution for redelineation of parliamentary constituencies?

If by some miracle, it is possible to restitch back Pakatan Rakyat and get back together the three parties, DAP, PKR and PAS (plus a second miracle of re-uniting PAS and Parti Amanah Negara) under one roof for the 14th General Election, could the reconstituted Pakatan Rakyat defeat the UMNO/BN coalition by winning more parliamentary seats than the 13GE?

I don’t think so although UMNO in the 14th GE will be more fractured and weaker than in the 13GE with Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister haunted and hounded by so many political and economic scandals as compared to the general election two years ago.

This is because the reconstituted Pakatan Rakyat in the 14th General Election will be fighting a losing battle just to win back the same number of parliamentary and state assembly seats, for the most important element which led to the 53% popular support for Pakatan Rakyat in the 13th General Election, resulting in 89 Parliamentary and 229 State Assembly seats (minus Sarawak) will be missing, i.e. absolute trust and confidence in the PR because of the people’s belief in the adherence and unswerving commitment of DAP, PKR and PAS to the PR Common Policy Framework and the PR consensus operational principle.

I am reminded of the nursery rhyme:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Like Humpty Dumpty after its “great fall”, it would not be possible to put Pakatan Rakyat together again. Continue reading “What “olive branch” Najib could offer PAS in exchange for support of 14 PAS MPs to secure two-thirds parliamentary majority together with 134 UMNO/BN MPs to amend the Constitution for redelineation of parliamentary constituencies?”

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Outcome of UMNO General Assembly – Najib stronger but UMNO weaker

The outcome of the UMNO General Assembly over the weekend is that the Prime Minister and UMNO President Datuk Seri Najib Razak has emerged stronger while UMNO has become weaker.

This is good for Pakatan Harapan for the 14th General Election but not good for Malaysia in the next 30 months as the country stumbles from one crisis to another under a government paralysed by crippling denial syndrome and an administration which is fractured, inept and cut off from the realities on the ground.

This is why the UMNO General Assembly completely ignored four of the five biggest political and socio-economic scandals in the country this year – Najib’s RM2.6 billion “donation” and RM50 billion 1MDB twin mega scandals; the undemocratic and unconstitutional National Security Council Bill which usurps the constitutional powers of the Yang di Pertuan Agong, the Cabinet and 13 State Governments; and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) adding to the hardships of low-income Malaysians, already sandwiched between rising costs of living and falling incomes.

On the fifth biggest scandal in the country, there was even an attempt at the UMNO General Assembly to hijack public funds to come out with a publication to glorify the Sept. 16 “Red Shirts” rally in Kuala Lumpur which turned the 2015 Malaysia Day into a “black-lettered” day full of negative vibes of inter-racial disunity, division and disharmony when it should be a day to celebrate the unity, union and harmony of Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region! Continue reading “Outcome of UMNO General Assembly – Najib stronger but UMNO weaker”

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DAP made bogeyman to rally Malay support, divert attention, say analysts

by Anisah Shukry
The Malaysian Insider
14 December 2015

The demonising of DAP in this year’s Umno general assembly was a calculated move by party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak to use the opposition party as a bogeyman to drum up support among the Malays and distract his supporters from his own weaknesses, say political analysts.

DAP was Umno’s villain of choice because PKR was not seen as a threat, due to the jailing of party de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while PAS was seen as a potential ally, said Ibrahim Suffian (pic), the executive director of independent pollster Merdeka Center.

“The economy is not doing so well, the prime minister and the party are less popular. So in order to round up support, particularly among its core supporters, it needs to define an opponent that is very different from them.

“Here, DAP is targeted as the bogeyman to rally Malay support because it represents the antithesis of what Umno stands for – DAP is secular, it champions a more liberal democracy, it wants more equality for minorities, for example.”

Lim Teck Ghee, the executive director of the Centre for Policy Initiatives said Najib was also trying to distract supporters from his own failings by demonising DAP. Continue reading “DAP made bogeyman to rally Malay support, divert attention, say analysts”