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| This is also applicable to the amazing twists and turns in Malaysian politics! |
DAP to plunge into a leadership dilemma in Penang, possible major political realignment on the cards?
Malaysia’s Attorney-General has obtained leave from the High Court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
And Lim, who is also the sitting Chief Minister of Penang, is also facing two corruption charges at the George Town High Court.
It has now become apparent that Lim is now politically “crippled” and there are genuine doubts that he would be able to lead his party at the next general election (GE) i.e. the 14th General Election (GE14).
Prime Minister Najib Razak is widely expected to take advantage of a critically fractured Opposition to call for a snap GE14 to consolidate his premiership.
The big question to Penangites is who will lead DAP in Penang in GE14?
A parachute candidate from outside Penang or a local DAP leader?
Although Lim had announced that Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow would be his successor should he (Lim) be rendered “out of action”, there is a serious question of whether Chow has the charisma to command the confidence of Penangites.
There are talks that Selangor DAP chairman Tony Pua Kiam Wee may be parachuted to Penang to contest a state seat and therefore logically succeed Lim should Penangites return the DAP-led Pakatan Harapan back to power in GE14.
Pua graduated from Keble College, Oxford, with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics under a scholarship from the MTC Foundation in 1994. Prior to that, he received Asean and Shaw Foundation scholarships to pursue his O- and A-Levels in Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College in Singapore.
Some, especially political rivals from inside DAP and Barisan Nasional, question whether Penangites will accept a non-Penangite and an outsider to lead them.
No News Is Bad News opines that if that question is legitimate, then how did Lim command the respect and confidence of Penangites to become Chief Minister for two successive terms? Lim is, after all, not a Penangite.
Penangites are more intelligent than what politicians from both sides of the political divide think of them.
They have changed the state government twice in electoral history. They dumped the MCA-led Alliance (now Barisan Nasional) for the then Opposition Gerakan in 1969 (GE2).
The Dr Lim Chong Eu-led Gerakan then joined the ruling Alliance federal government under a newly named coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) in 1973.
After 39 years of Gerakan rule, Penangites dumped the Gerakan-led BN for the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat in 2008 i.e. GE12, after they have had enough of the regime’s failure to meet their demands for fair and efficient governance.
Are Penangites giving up on the DAP-led Pakatan government only after eight years?
No News Is Bad News doubts that is the case for Penangites.
However, what will really threaten the DAP-led Pakatan state government is the expected internal leadership bickering in DAP that will follow with Lim’s “forced” departure, and the fast widening animosity and disunity among the Opposition parties, especially between the DAP and PKR.
Bearing in mind that in Malaysian politics, there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends, there is also a possible political realignment for DAP to save Lim’s political career. Join Najib’s BN.
If the then Opposition Gerakan can realign to join the ruling Alliance (later renamed BN), why not the DAP?
To Najib and Umno, that will most certainly end the Opposition and Pakatan’s threat to the Umno-led BN.
Pakatan’s fall in GE14 will only be its own doing and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Umno-led BN is expected to laugh all the way to a snap GE14 victory. (Read this for context: http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/09/1mdb-pm-najib-can-laugh-all-way-to-ge14.html)
Malaysia’s Attorney-General has obtained leave from the High Court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
And Lim, who is also the sitting Chief Minister of Penang, is also facing two corruption charges at the George Town High Court.
It has now become apparent that Lim is now politically “crippled” and there are genuine doubts that he would be able to lead his party at the next general election (GE) i.e. the 14th General Election (GE14).
Prime Minister Najib Razak is widely expected to take advantage of a critically fractured Opposition to call for a snap GE14 to consolidate his premiership.
The big question to Penangites is who will lead DAP in Penang in GE14?
A parachute candidate from outside Penang or a local DAP leader?
Although Lim had announced that Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow would be his successor should he (Lim) be rendered “out of action”, there is a serious question of whether Chow has the charisma to command the confidence of Penangites.
There are talks that Selangor DAP chairman Tony Pua Kiam Wee may be parachuted to Penang to contest a state seat and therefore logically succeed Lim should Penangites return the DAP-led Pakatan Harapan back to power in GE14.
Pua graduated from Keble College, Oxford, with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics under a scholarship from the MTC Foundation in 1994. Prior to that, he received Asean and Shaw Foundation scholarships to pursue his O- and A-Levels in Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College in Singapore.
Some, especially political rivals from inside DAP and Barisan Nasional, question whether Penangites will accept a non-Penangite and an outsider to lead them.
No News Is Bad News opines that if that question is legitimate, then how did Lim command the respect and confidence of Penangites to become Chief Minister for two successive terms? Lim is, after all, not a Penangite.
Penangites are more intelligent than what politicians from both sides of the political divide think of them.
They have changed the state government twice in electoral history. They dumped the MCA-led Alliance (now Barisan Nasional) for the then Opposition Gerakan in 1969 (GE2).
The Dr Lim Chong Eu-led Gerakan then joined the ruling Alliance federal government under a newly named coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) in 1973.
After 39 years of Gerakan rule, Penangites dumped the Gerakan-led BN for the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat in 2008 i.e. GE12, after they have had enough of the regime’s failure to meet their demands for fair and efficient governance.
Are Penangites giving up on the DAP-led Pakatan government only after eight years?
No News Is Bad News doubts that is the case for Penangites.
However, what will really threaten the DAP-led Pakatan state government is the expected internal leadership bickering in DAP that will follow with Lim’s “forced” departure, and the fast widening animosity and disunity among the Opposition parties, especially between the DAP and PKR.
Bearing in mind that in Malaysian politics, there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends, there is also a possible political realignment for DAP to save Lim’s political career. Join Najib’s BN.
If the then Opposition Gerakan can realign to join the ruling Alliance (later renamed BN), why not the DAP?
To Najib and Umno, that will most certainly end the Opposition and Pakatan’s threat to the Umno-led BN.
Pakatan’s fall in GE14 will only be its own doing and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Umno-led BN is expected to laugh all the way to a snap GE14 victory. (Read this for context: http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/09/1mdb-pm-najib-can-laugh-all-way-to-ge14.html)
Here's the details of Lim’s legal woes as reported by The Star online:
"Nation
Home > News > Nation
Wednesday, 21 September 2016 | MYT 12:41 PM
A-G obtains leave for contempt proceedings against Guan Eng
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has granted the Attorney-General leave Wednesday to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Lim Guan Eng.
The A-G said that the Penang Chief Minister had issued media statements with the knowledge it would interfere with the administration of justice, erode the public confidence against the judiciary and insult the dignity and integrity of the Malaysian courts.
Lim, 56, had claimed that the two corruption charges he was facing were a "conspiracy" against him as well as "trumped-up".
High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Justice Hanipah Farikullah allowed application for leave to initiate the committal proceedings against Lim after hearing an ex-parte submission by Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Amarjeet Singh, who led his four-man team in chambers.
Speaking to reporters later, Amarjeet said they would initiate committal proceedings against Lim within two weeks.
According to the originating summons filed on Aug 18, Lim had implied that the court was involved in the conspiracy and was facing jail on "trumped-up corruption charges" in a statement made after the launching of "Simposium Dr Wu Lian Teh" by the Penang Institute in Jalan Brown, George Town Penang in July.
Lim was slapped with and claimed trial to two corruption charges at the George Town High Court on June 30.
The first charge was over the rezoning of two plots of agricultural land in Balik Pulau to residential use, said to benefit the plots' owner Magnificent Emblem.
The second charge was over the purchase of his bungalow on Jalan Pinhorn for RM2.8mil, which was allegedly below the market price of RM4.27mil on July 28, last year from businesswoman Phang Li Koon."
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