Malaysia’s 14th General Election (GE14) is only due in March 2018. But it sure looks like pre-GE14 campaigning has started and is fast heating up.
And it’s all thanks to the Sept 5, 2016, historic handshake in a court room between Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim.
And that handshake has, surprising not only jolted Umno, but even BN component partes like MCA and Gerakan.
Both MCA and Gerakan appear to be in “panic mode” as the handshake could signal the realisation of a united Opposition that is likely to siphon away traditional Umno Malay votes to the Opposition, thus neutralising the effects of the loss of the now Umno-loving Hadi Awang-led PAS votes.
1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Prime Minster Najib Razak now has the right and power to call for GE14 anytime he so wishes.
And it’s all thanks to the Sept 5, 2016, historic handshake in a court room between Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim.
And that handshake has, surprising not only jolted Umno, but even BN component partes like MCA and Gerakan.
Both MCA and Gerakan appear to be in “panic mode” as the handshake could signal the realisation of a united Opposition that is likely to siphon away traditional Umno Malay votes to the Opposition, thus neutralising the effects of the loss of the now Umno-loving Hadi Awang-led PAS votes.
1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Prime Minster Najib Razak now has the right and power to call for GE14 anytime he so wishes.
All the political mudslinging is creating an atmosphere that Malaysians could be heading to the polls to cast their ballots sooner than later.
And that is a big “COULD”, as Najib had in 2013 kept political pundits and Malaysians speculating early GE13 for close to two years, till the five-year-term expired, before calling for national polls to renew his mandate to rule from the rakyat (people).
And this time around, the speculation is that Najib is expected to call for GE14 in December 2016 or March 2017. And, so the guessing game begins.
No News Is Bad News need not do any writing or commentary in this blog post as the following compilation of online news reports are sufficient to keep the adrenaline flowing non-stop:
"Zahid: You helped Umno, now we’ll help you
September 10, 2016
Power-sharing concept in Barisan Nasional helped to secure election victories, says Umno VP.
KEPALA BATAS: Umno has always upheld the concept of power-sharing and has never grabbed power for the Malays, said party vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.Umno’s power-sharing concept in Barisan Nasional ensured that the ruling coalition emerged victorious in general elections, he said when opening the Kepala Batas Umno division delegates meeting, here today.
Also present were former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, divisional chairman Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Penang BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow and Penang Umno chairman Zainal Abidin Osman.
Zahid, who is discharging the duties of Umno deputy president, felt that it was time for BN to regain power in Penang.
He said the solidarity among BN component parties clearly showed that coalition partners would assist each other in resolving problems.
“During the Umno crisis in 1987, BN component partners helped Umno. This time Umno will help its friends in BN,” he said."
"CIVIL WAR ERUPTS IN BN: YOU GUYS ARE THE CAUSE OF OUR GE LOSSES – GERAKAN TELLS ZAHID
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
As the 14th general election draws near, BN component parties are now starting to blame each other for past losses.
Penang BN, led by Teng Chang Yeow, was evidently rankled by Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s remarks earlier today that component parties in the state seemed dependent on Umno’s machinery.
Taking a sarcastic swipe at the Malay ruling party, Teng, who is also the state Gerakan chief, said there is no denying Umno’s election machinery is superior.
“Their machinery is so good that they are unable to win back Kelantan and Selangor,” said Teng in a statement.
“Umno machinery under its vice-president Zahid himself as co-director of operation for Permatang Pauh by-election, did not win the Permatang Pauh by-election.”
Teng said Zahid should know why BN lost Penang in the 2008 and 2013 general elections.
During the past two polls, Umno managed to capture 11 and 10 seats respectively but Gerakan, MCA and MIC won zero seats.
“We lost Penang not because of machinery or unity but because of Umno!” claimed Teng.
Teng did not elaborate but it is learnt that Umno’s support of far-right Malay groups have caused uneasiness in non-Malay communities, which see Gerakan, MCA and MIC as endorsing Umno’s race-based politics.
“This is a well-known fact. If we still fail to understand this fact, we will continue to fail!” he added.
“There is no reason to reopen the old wound. It is time to rectify and strengthen the cooperation.”
Zahid was quoted by Bernama as saying today that Umno was prepared to share knowledge and assist parties such as Gerakan and MCA as well as cooperate with all BN component parties to win Penang.
According to Bernama, Zahid also said other BN component parties should not be arrogant and shy away from Umno’s offer of assistance because the ultimate aim of BN was to recapture Penang from the opposition.
Zahid said this when opening the Balik Pulau Umno division delegates meeting.
Meanwhile, MCA central committee member Ti Lian Ker earlier today said Umno’s ‘jaguh kampung’ (village hero) politics hurt its BN partners.
“If BN is merely a ‘jaguh kampung’ and loses in the urban areas, this is enough to show that BN has failed to be in sync with or align the party with changes in the attitudes of the Malay, Chinese, Indian and so on in the cosmopolitan areas.
“This failure is BN’s failure, not that of the component parties chosen to contest under BN’s ticket,” he had said in a statement.
– M’kini"
"ULTIMATE INSULT FOR MCA! DON’T TALK MUCH OR YOU MIGHT END UP ‘SEATLESS’ – BULLY UMNO USES ITS MIGHT TO SQUASH MCA
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
MCA may not even have won its seven parliamentary seats if not for the ‘jaguh kampung’, said Nazri, and suggested that the Chinese-based party quit BN to prove it could win without Umno.
He said this in reference to MCA central committee member Ti Lian Ker’s call for Umno to abandon ‘jaguh kampung’ politics.
Ti had said such politics came at the expense of urban support and other BN partners.
“Tell him, don’t talk big if his party only has seven seats. The fact that his party could even get seven seats was due to the support of this ‘jaguh Melayu’ (Malay champion) – Umno,” Nazri told Malaysiakini.
“All those who supported them (MCA) were ‘jaguh kampung’. To me, it’s better to be a ‘jaguh kampung’ with 88 seats than be like MCA.
“They don’t even have a ‘kampung’ nor can they be ‘jaguh bandar’ (urban hero) as the Chinese do not support them.”
Nazri, who is also Tourism Minister, said he welcomed any attempts by MCA to put its strength to the test outside BN.
“I advise him, if he thinks MCA is so strong, quit BN and contest alone for us to see. Don’t talk big.
“Quit BN and after winning many Chinese seats, then come back and see us. If not, don’t talk much and just keep quiet,” he said.
He added that Umno and MCA can sit at the negotiation table if the latter can win at least 40 seats.
Nazri also said Ti should not be making such statements as he came from a “small party”.
He added that Umno not only won in rural areas, but also in urban seats such as Johor Baru, Titiwangsa and Setiawangsa.
“There is nothing to be learnt from Ti’s statement.
“We Umno are terer (terror, awesome) and strong. Even if we are bongkak (arrogant), we can still win.
“It is this ‘jaguh kampung’ that is this party that won the most seats in Parliament, that is why we can talk big,” he said.
Ti yesterday urged Umno to employ a change in strategy and prioritise BN’s survival and not just its own.
“If BN is merely a ‘jaguh kampung’ and loses in the urban areas, this is enough to show that BN has failed to be in sync with or align the party with changes in the attitudes of the Malay, Chinese, Indian and so on in the cosmopolitan areas.
“This failure is BN’s failure, not that of the component parties chosen to contest under BN’s ticket,” he had said.
– M’kini"
"‘I WILL LEAVE SOON AFTER THE ELECTION’: SHOCK EXPOSE – NAJIB TELLS UMNO BIGWIGS HE HAS ENOUGH MONEY LEFT TO ‘BUY’ MARCH GE VICTORY
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Najib has been telling his inner UMNO circle that a snap March election is the way to solve the party’s woes, brought on by him.
The message going out is ‘trust me, we can win’, Sarawak Report has learnt.
Furthermore, ‘If we do fall short, we can get them over’ has been Najib’s message. Meaning that if the daunting forces now ranged against him do win more seats, despite his tactics, then he still has enough money to simply buy over opposition MPs.
His frozen accounts aren’t his only accounts, he leads his key followers to understand. There is more money on the table to win again.
Frog candidates ready to pack up and change sides? Najib reckons he still has enough cash to buy the next election whatever it takes
Jumpers are the fallback?
So called ‘frogs’ are a well-known Malaysian political phenomenon.
These candidates, like the creature, change their look and shape, metamorphosing from one party animal into another, when sufficiently paid after the election.
They then leap over to the other side, betraying their electors.
‘Frogs’ have enabled BN to hold power in Sabah after losing in the past and have been used elsewhere. Resources to pay frogs, if need be, was the main purpose of Najib’s 1MDB inflated war chest in 2013. He still has access to this level of resources insiders are led to understand.
Don’t worry I will soon leave after the election
Once the election is out of the way, the Prime Minister is further telling his increasingly jaded circle of UMNO loyalists, he will soon go.
They ought not believe it, because Najib has nowhere else left to go where he feels safe. Instead, it is evident the Prime Minister needs to drive through a win to guarantee himself another full term of office and to claim legitimacy, despite all he has done.
For him personally there is little other option. If he retires he needs to trust his successor to both provide him immunity and stay in power. Would Zahid be trusted to honour an immunity and could cousin Hishamuddin cling on to power?
Better to throw a lifetime of election-rigging expertise (and half Malaysia’s remaining resources) to get BN back in office and stay put, the reckoning surely goes. After an ‘election endorsement from the people” and another five years of ‘iron rule’ Najib hopes to frame himself as a new father of the people, his sins forgotten.
Any in UMNO who fail to tow the line can then expect more Mafia-like elimination. The latest senior figure to fall foul of the growing Rosmah-run dictatorship being the soon-to-be-ex Menteri Besar of Pahang, Adnan Yaakob.
To the ‘first lady’ this is all just the normal cut and thrust of politics. After all she is the woman who used her own ample form to create a photo-opportunity this week, stopping an embarrassed US President in his tracks as he passed their dinner table, thereby allowing her husband to scramble to his feet, still clutching his napkin in his hand to ‘have a pleasant chat’.
What’s left of UMNO can believe she will walk away from power if they want to. – SARAWAK REPORT"
"THE CHINESE WON’T BITE THIS TIME – ‘TOK BOMOH’ HAS LOST HIS MAGIC TOUCH: NAJIB CAMP CALLS MAHATHIR ‘SHAMAN’ OVER ANWAR HANDSHAKE
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
The “historic handshake” was supposed to be a signal of bigger things to come but the mixed reaction seems to suggest that it was missing the wow-factor.
THEY used to detest each other and have called each other some pretty awful names.
But on Monday, the nasty history between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad seemed a thing of the past as the pair put on big smiles, shook hands and made small talk.
They had not met since the day Dr Mahathir sacked Anwar from the government after accusing him of corruption and immoral behaviour.
The encounter which took place in a crowded courtroom in Kuala Lumpur has been hailed as the “historic handshake”.
It took quite a bit of planning on the part of the mastermind and PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and only a small circle of people knew about it. One of them was PKR politician Najwan Hulaimi, an engineer who used to be Anwar’s former special officer and who is now in the Azmin circle.
Najwan was the only person who managed to snap a picture of the handshake with his handphone. He put it up on Twitter, it went viral and was picked up by the local media and foreign news agencies.
Azmin: Mastermind who brought the two adversaries together.
Najwan was seated behind Azmin and Dr Mahathir as they chatted and waited for Anwar to arrive. He could not quite make out what they were talking about but he noted that Azmin addressed Dr Mahathir as “Uncle” throughout the conversation and that was when he realised how close they were.
But all conversation came to a stop when Anwar was escorted into the courtroom and there was an awkward moment as the former adversaries locked eyes. There was no script for this. It was a situation that few thought would ever happen.
As people whipped out their handphones to record the moment, Anwar moved towards Dr Mahathir who stood up to greet him. They exchanged how-are-you’s while flashing their widest and handsomest smiles amid chants of “Reformasi!” and “Bebas Anwar!”.
After several minutes, Azmin ushered them into an adjacent room where they were joined by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Nurul Izzah Anwar.
PKR supporters who still dislike Dr Mahathir claimed he had “come crawling to us” and saw it as a “big victory” for the party.
The “Pharoah”, as they used to call the elder man, was finally eating humble pie in seeking out the support of the man whom he had put in jail.
Khairy: Cautioned Umno not to take the hook-up too lightly
The hook-up has been portrayed as Dr Mahathir lending his clout to Anwar’s legal bid to stop the National Security Council Act but they were not fooling anyone. Just five months ago, Dr Mahathir was still going on about Anwar’s immoral behaviour and now they are about to become BFFs.
Dr Mahathir is an old hand at the game. He has tried one thing after another and coupling with Anwar is the latest in his adventure to oust Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Najib has been quite unshakable after the big wins in Sarawak and the twin by-elections. The Prime Minister is on a winning streak and this move was to disrupt his momentum.
Najwan had tweeted: “Pertemuan bersejarah. Politik ternyata satu seni serba mungkin” (Historic meeting, politics the art of the possible).
The news portal Free Malaysia Today slammed it as “the insanity of the times we live in” but it was basically realpolitik at play – going for what is attainable rather than what is right or the best.
The next big handshake will probably be between Anwar and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The big question now is, what next after the “historic handshake”?
Khaw: Important channel of communication has been opened.
No one could quite predict what lies ahead although some in PKR have hinted of a political deal between the two parties.
“I suppose some form of cooperation will come out of it. It’s still early days, they will need to iron out their differences but the channel of communication has been opened,” said lawyer Khaw Veon Szu.
Umno has every reason to be worried and is watching closely even though its leaders have run down the meeting as, among other things, a “Bollywood drama” and the act of a desperado.
Many in Umno see it as the ultimate U-turn by Dr Mahathir. They went against public opinion to prop up Dr Mahathir when he sacked Anwar and now they feel played out. They feel that he has taken them for a ride.
“I can’t help but be cynical. He led a movement of hate against one man. He got people to commit their soul to his cause and now he is saying everything is alright. I’m not sure how those who have been with Anwar since 1998, who have been victims of Mahathir’s venom, will feel about the handshake,” said Tawfik Ismail, a former Umno MP and son of the late deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman.
However, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is not taking it lightly.
Tawfik: Highly cynical about Dr Mahathir’s U-turn on Anwar.
He has urged his party to keep a close eye on the development and to be on the alert for any eventualities.
Like many astute politicians, Khairy recognised the significance of the Anwar-Mahathir handshake.
But the event has, by and large, gone over the heads of ordinary people. There was a bit of a stir but there was no sustained interest and it flattened out after a couple of days.
Had this taken place three or four years ago, it would have caused a crazy euphoria.
“The impact of these two ageing gladiators is no longer the same. It was supposed to be a titanic moment but they have been overtaken by events and the generation Y and millennials don’t see it as a big deal,” said a former political adviser to Anwar.
It was also another indication of the dwindling influence of the former prime minister. The man whom his Cabinet once nicknamed “Tok Bomoh” seems to have lost his magic touch.
His Citizens’ Declaration campaign has fizzled out and his new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia received a lukewarm welcome but it has received the green light from the Registrar of Societies.
There has also been a deafening silence on the part of DAP leaders including Lim Kit Siang whose fulltime occupation is to comment on everything under the sun.
According to a Penang DAP politician, there have been no cues from the senior party leaders unlike during the Citizens’ Declaration campaign when Lim urged people in his party to give their full support so as to punch a hole in Najib’s defence.
“The wow-factor was not there, I do not see any multiplier effect but I don’t want to write it off. I still hope it will lead to something bigger,” said the DAP politician.
It is likely that DAP has learnt from its earlier collaboration with Dr Mahathir. The Chinese intelligentsia was very critical of Lim’s leading role alongside Dr Mahathir in the Citizens’ Declaration campaign.
The fact that the campaign went nowhere also caused Lim to lose face and reflected on his poor judgement and what some see as his ivory tower view of society.
Moreover, DAP leaders are starting to see Dr Mahathir in a more realistic light after his failure to deliver the Malay vote in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.
“Middle Malaysia is still on a wait-and-see stand. They are not against it, they like the idea of having a check and balance but they have spent too many years under Mahathir,” said Khaw.
The Chinese community, he said, has deep reservations about Dr Mahathir.
“The average Chinese does not trust him, they blame him for many issues in Chinese education. To them, the genesis of problems like excesses, corruption, nepotism and the rise of radical Islam took root under his watch,” said Khaw.
His authoritarian style at the height of his power was accepted by many conservative Chinese but this is a different generation and era.
Besides, the Chinese are pragmatic people and, no matter how much they may dislike Najib, it does not make sense to invest in a 91-year-old man with a history of heart problems.
It would be folly to brush off the coming together of these two former foes as a small matter. Together, they become a bigger enemy of Umno.
At the same time, it is increasingly clear that Dr Mahathir is no longer the opinion-shaper that he once was. People feel that his campaign of change is driven by hate and not by hope and aspiration. He represents the past and not the future.
So much of the politics of the last decade has been propelled by hatred towards Umno. The opposition parties gained ground riding on this sentiment.
Yet, the opposition is now being spearheaded by some of the biggest ex-Umno guns.
It is so ironic and contradictory and it is little wonder that many, especially the younger generation, are not inspired, excited or even interested in what they see as old politics driven by old faces.
The political fatigue is for real and it is getting worse.
– ANN"
"IN JOHOR, IT’S MALAY FIGHT MALAY – NOT CHINESE FIGHT MALAY: NAJIB CAMP TRIES TO TURN UMNO EXODUS INTO RACIAL ISSUE
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
A friend called earlier today to ask my opinion about the situation in Johor before these were posted in the comment section of this blog,
Anonymous10 September 2016 at 15:07
BREAKING NEWS FROM JOHOR………
“Gelang Patah Umno permanent chairperson has announced his resignation from the Malay party during his speech at the division’s delegate meeting earlier today.
“I declare that I am no longer an Umno member during my speech as permanent chairperson at the Gelang Patah Umno Delegate Meeting,” Baharom Abdul Ghani posted on his Facebook page.
Baharom was a founding member of Gelang Patah Umno division which he founded in 1994 and was an assemblyperson from 1995 to 2004.”
Replies
Anonymous10 September 2016 at 18:30
Kulai Umno deputy chief Tosrin Jarvanti has also exited.
– anon truly
My friend, who already knew about those developments had wanted to know whether the resignation of Baharom and Tosrin from Umno will affect the party in Johor.
My answer was – NOT MUCH
As far as I know, Baharom and Tosrin are not influential figures in the state. In fact, I don’t think that they were even influential in their own divisions.
It should be noted that their divisions of Gelang Patah and Kulai are among the most problematic in Johor. Both are now DAP’s territories.
Their dissatisfactions were most likely more due to infightings between factions in those divisions rather than bigger things such as the idea of saving the country by toppling PM DS Najib Razak.
I know Baharom in person, having first met him in 2002 when he was still an assemblyman of Nusajaya.
The guy, who is actually a Malaccan, is a colourful character even back then.
In an incident which was quite widely reported at that time, he dramatically tried to stop a bulldozer which was about to demolish houses during a protest against a land acquisition exercise. It was a brave but rather foolish act as the developer had done all the right things to acquire the land.
Baharom was dragged to court over the matter and Johor BN, not wanting to take a risk, decided to drop him from the candidate list of the 2004 general election.
He more or less faded into the Johor political background after that.
Baharom should be in his late 60s or early 70s now.
Well, maybe he is enjoying himself again today being once more in the limelight for dramatically announcing his resignation from Umno at the divisional meeting.
It should also be noted that Gelang Patah Umno is now headed by Khairi Malek, the political secretary of MB DS Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
I was told just the other day that Khairi is now the “king maker” among Umno people in Johor. Surely he knows how to handle the Baharom problem.
Back to my friend’s query about the situation in Johor, I told him that what could really affect Umno there is actually the level of work being done by the party machinery.
If Johor Umno continues to serve the people well like during the leadership of former MB TS Abdul Ghani Othman, then it should have nothing to worry about resignations such as that of Baharom and Tosrin.
Bear in mind that 83 percent of Malay Johoreans voted for Umno and BN in the last general election.
If not for that, Johor would had been swept away by the 2013 Chinese tsunami.
Whether Johor Umno remains strong or otherwise is up for Khaled and his people to decide.
Work sincerely for the people or continue being busy enriching themselves and forgot to even do basic things for election such as the kajian sikap pengundi with less than two years to go.
The choice is simple.
Either way, I actually don’t really care. I’m not an Umno member nor am I subscribing to the concept of Bangsa Johor, which seems to be so important under Khaled’s leadership.
I’m making these observations and comments purely as a neutral. – http://lifeofaannie.blogspot.my/"
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
As the 14th general election draws near, BN component parties are now starting to blame each other for past losses.
Penang BN, led by Teng Chang Yeow, was evidently rankled by Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s remarks earlier today that component parties in the state seemed dependent on Umno’s machinery.
Taking a sarcastic swipe at the Malay ruling party, Teng, who is also the state Gerakan chief, said there is no denying Umno’s election machinery is superior.
“Their machinery is so good that they are unable to win back Kelantan and Selangor,” said Teng in a statement.
“Umno machinery under its vice-president Zahid himself as co-director of operation for Permatang Pauh by-election, did not win the Permatang Pauh by-election.”
Teng said Zahid should know why BN lost Penang in the 2008 and 2013 general elections.
During the past two polls, Umno managed to capture 11 and 10 seats respectively but Gerakan, MCA and MIC won zero seats.
“We lost Penang not because of machinery or unity but because of Umno!” claimed Teng.
Teng did not elaborate but it is learnt that Umno’s support of far-right Malay groups have caused uneasiness in non-Malay communities, which see Gerakan, MCA and MIC as endorsing Umno’s race-based politics.
“This is a well-known fact. If we still fail to understand this fact, we will continue to fail!” he added.
“There is no reason to reopen the old wound. It is time to rectify and strengthen the cooperation.”
Zahid was quoted by Bernama as saying today that Umno was prepared to share knowledge and assist parties such as Gerakan and MCA as well as cooperate with all BN component parties to win Penang.
According to Bernama, Zahid also said other BN component parties should not be arrogant and shy away from Umno’s offer of assistance because the ultimate aim of BN was to recapture Penang from the opposition.
Zahid said this when opening the Balik Pulau Umno division delegates meeting.
Meanwhile, MCA central committee member Ti Lian Ker earlier today said Umno’s ‘jaguh kampung’ (village hero) politics hurt its BN partners.
“If BN is merely a ‘jaguh kampung’ and loses in the urban areas, this is enough to show that BN has failed to be in sync with or align the party with changes in the attitudes of the Malay, Chinese, Indian and so on in the cosmopolitan areas.
“This failure is BN’s failure, not that of the component parties chosen to contest under BN’s ticket,” he had said in a statement.
– M’kini"
"ULTIMATE INSULT FOR MCA! DON’T TALK MUCH OR YOU MIGHT END UP ‘SEATLESS’ – BULLY UMNO USES ITS MIGHT TO SQUASH MCA
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
 |
| Umno supreme council member Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said he would rather Umno be a ‘jaguh kampung’ (village hero) than become like MCA, which has only a handful of seats in Parliament. |
He said this in reference to MCA central committee member Ti Lian Ker’s call for Umno to abandon ‘jaguh kampung’ politics.
Ti had said such politics came at the expense of urban support and other BN partners.
“Tell him, don’t talk big if his party only has seven seats. The fact that his party could even get seven seats was due to the support of this ‘jaguh Melayu’ (Malay champion) – Umno,” Nazri told Malaysiakini.
“All those who supported them (MCA) were ‘jaguh kampung’. To me, it’s better to be a ‘jaguh kampung’ with 88 seats than be like MCA.
“They don’t even have a ‘kampung’ nor can they be ‘jaguh bandar’ (urban hero) as the Chinese do not support them.”
Nazri, who is also Tourism Minister, said he welcomed any attempts by MCA to put its strength to the test outside BN.
“I advise him, if he thinks MCA is so strong, quit BN and contest alone for us to see. Don’t talk big.
“Quit BN and after winning many Chinese seats, then come back and see us. If not, don’t talk much and just keep quiet,” he said.
He added that Umno and MCA can sit at the negotiation table if the latter can win at least 40 seats.
Nazri also said Ti should not be making such statements as he came from a “small party”.
He added that Umno not only won in rural areas, but also in urban seats such as Johor Baru, Titiwangsa and Setiawangsa.
“There is nothing to be learnt from Ti’s statement.
“We Umno are terer (terror, awesome) and strong. Even if we are bongkak (arrogant), we can still win.
“It is this ‘jaguh kampung’ that is this party that won the most seats in Parliament, that is why we can talk big,” he said.
Ti yesterday urged Umno to employ a change in strategy and prioritise BN’s survival and not just its own.
“If BN is merely a ‘jaguh kampung’ and loses in the urban areas, this is enough to show that BN has failed to be in sync with or align the party with changes in the attitudes of the Malay, Chinese, Indian and so on in the cosmopolitan areas.
“This failure is BN’s failure, not that of the component parties chosen to contest under BN’s ticket,” he had said.
– M’kini"
"‘I WILL LEAVE SOON AFTER THE ELECTION’: SHOCK EXPOSE – NAJIB TELLS UMNO BIGWIGS HE HAS ENOUGH MONEY LEFT TO ‘BUY’ MARCH GE VICTORY
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Najib has been telling his inner UMNO circle that a snap March election is the way to solve the party’s woes, brought on by him.
The message going out is ‘trust me, we can win’, Sarawak Report has learnt.
Furthermore, ‘If we do fall short, we can get them over’ has been Najib’s message. Meaning that if the daunting forces now ranged against him do win more seats, despite his tactics, then he still has enough money to simply buy over opposition MPs.
His frozen accounts aren’t his only accounts, he leads his key followers to understand. There is more money on the table to win again.
Frog candidates ready to pack up and change sides? Najib reckons he still has enough cash to buy the next election whatever it takes
Jumpers are the fallback?
So called ‘frogs’ are a well-known Malaysian political phenomenon.
These candidates, like the creature, change their look and shape, metamorphosing from one party animal into another, when sufficiently paid after the election.
They then leap over to the other side, betraying their electors.
‘Frogs’ have enabled BN to hold power in Sabah after losing in the past and have been used elsewhere. Resources to pay frogs, if need be, was the main purpose of Najib’s 1MDB inflated war chest in 2013. He still has access to this level of resources insiders are led to understand.
Don’t worry I will soon leave after the election
Once the election is out of the way, the Prime Minister is further telling his increasingly jaded circle of UMNO loyalists, he will soon go.
They ought not believe it, because Najib has nowhere else left to go where he feels safe. Instead, it is evident the Prime Minister needs to drive through a win to guarantee himself another full term of office and to claim legitimacy, despite all he has done.
For him personally there is little other option. If he retires he needs to trust his successor to both provide him immunity and stay in power. Would Zahid be trusted to honour an immunity and could cousin Hishamuddin cling on to power?
Better to throw a lifetime of election-rigging expertise (and half Malaysia’s remaining resources) to get BN back in office and stay put, the reckoning surely goes. After an ‘election endorsement from the people” and another five years of ‘iron rule’ Najib hopes to frame himself as a new father of the people, his sins forgotten.
Any in UMNO who fail to tow the line can then expect more Mafia-like elimination. The latest senior figure to fall foul of the growing Rosmah-run dictatorship being the soon-to-be-ex Menteri Besar of Pahang, Adnan Yaakob.
To the ‘first lady’ this is all just the normal cut and thrust of politics. After all she is the woman who used her own ample form to create a photo-opportunity this week, stopping an embarrassed US President in his tracks as he passed their dinner table, thereby allowing her husband to scramble to his feet, still clutching his napkin in his hand to ‘have a pleasant chat’.
What’s left of UMNO can believe she will walk away from power if they want to. – SARAWAK REPORT"
"THE CHINESE WON’T BITE THIS TIME – ‘TOK BOMOH’ HAS LOST HIS MAGIC TOUCH: NAJIB CAMP CALLS MAHATHIR ‘SHAMAN’ OVER ANWAR HANDSHAKE
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
The “historic handshake” was supposed to be a signal of bigger things to come but the mixed reaction seems to suggest that it was missing the wow-factor.
THEY used to detest each other and have called each other some pretty awful names.
But on Monday, the nasty history between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad seemed a thing of the past as the pair put on big smiles, shook hands and made small talk.
They had not met since the day Dr Mahathir sacked Anwar from the government after accusing him of corruption and immoral behaviour.
The encounter which took place in a crowded courtroom in Kuala Lumpur has been hailed as the “historic handshake”.
It took quite a bit of planning on the part of the mastermind and PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and only a small circle of people knew about it. One of them was PKR politician Najwan Hulaimi, an engineer who used to be Anwar’s former special officer and who is now in the Azmin circle.
Najwan was the only person who managed to snap a picture of the handshake with his handphone. He put it up on Twitter, it went viral and was picked up by the local media and foreign news agencies.
Azmin: Mastermind who brought the two adversaries together.
Najwan was seated behind Azmin and Dr Mahathir as they chatted and waited for Anwar to arrive. He could not quite make out what they were talking about but he noted that Azmin addressed Dr Mahathir as “Uncle” throughout the conversation and that was when he realised how close they were.
But all conversation came to a stop when Anwar was escorted into the courtroom and there was an awkward moment as the former adversaries locked eyes. There was no script for this. It was a situation that few thought would ever happen.
As people whipped out their handphones to record the moment, Anwar moved towards Dr Mahathir who stood up to greet him. They exchanged how-are-you’s while flashing their widest and handsomest smiles amid chants of “Reformasi!” and “Bebas Anwar!”.
After several minutes, Azmin ushered them into an adjacent room where they were joined by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Nurul Izzah Anwar.
PKR supporters who still dislike Dr Mahathir claimed he had “come crawling to us” and saw it as a “big victory” for the party.
The “Pharoah”, as they used to call the elder man, was finally eating humble pie in seeking out the support of the man whom he had put in jail.
Khairy: Cautioned Umno not to take the hook-up too lightly
The hook-up has been portrayed as Dr Mahathir lending his clout to Anwar’s legal bid to stop the National Security Council Act but they were not fooling anyone. Just five months ago, Dr Mahathir was still going on about Anwar’s immoral behaviour and now they are about to become BFFs.
Dr Mahathir is an old hand at the game. He has tried one thing after another and coupling with Anwar is the latest in his adventure to oust Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Najib has been quite unshakable after the big wins in Sarawak and the twin by-elections. The Prime Minister is on a winning streak and this move was to disrupt his momentum.
Najwan had tweeted: “Pertemuan bersejarah. Politik ternyata satu seni serba mungkin” (Historic meeting, politics the art of the possible).
The news portal Free Malaysia Today slammed it as “the insanity of the times we live in” but it was basically realpolitik at play – going for what is attainable rather than what is right or the best.
The next big handshake will probably be between Anwar and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The big question now is, what next after the “historic handshake”?
Khaw: Important channel of communication has been opened.
No one could quite predict what lies ahead although some in PKR have hinted of a political deal between the two parties.
“I suppose some form of cooperation will come out of it. It’s still early days, they will need to iron out their differences but the channel of communication has been opened,” said lawyer Khaw Veon Szu.
Umno has every reason to be worried and is watching closely even though its leaders have run down the meeting as, among other things, a “Bollywood drama” and the act of a desperado.
Many in Umno see it as the ultimate U-turn by Dr Mahathir. They went against public opinion to prop up Dr Mahathir when he sacked Anwar and now they feel played out. They feel that he has taken them for a ride.
“I can’t help but be cynical. He led a movement of hate against one man. He got people to commit their soul to his cause and now he is saying everything is alright. I’m not sure how those who have been with Anwar since 1998, who have been victims of Mahathir’s venom, will feel about the handshake,” said Tawfik Ismail, a former Umno MP and son of the late deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman.
However, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is not taking it lightly.
Tawfik: Highly cynical about Dr Mahathir’s U-turn on Anwar.
He has urged his party to keep a close eye on the development and to be on the alert for any eventualities.
Like many astute politicians, Khairy recognised the significance of the Anwar-Mahathir handshake.
But the event has, by and large, gone over the heads of ordinary people. There was a bit of a stir but there was no sustained interest and it flattened out after a couple of days.
Had this taken place three or four years ago, it would have caused a crazy euphoria.
“The impact of these two ageing gladiators is no longer the same. It was supposed to be a titanic moment but they have been overtaken by events and the generation Y and millennials don’t see it as a big deal,” said a former political adviser to Anwar.
It was also another indication of the dwindling influence of the former prime minister. The man whom his Cabinet once nicknamed “Tok Bomoh” seems to have lost his magic touch.
His Citizens’ Declaration campaign has fizzled out and his new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia received a lukewarm welcome but it has received the green light from the Registrar of Societies.
There has also been a deafening silence on the part of DAP leaders including Lim Kit Siang whose fulltime occupation is to comment on everything under the sun.
According to a Penang DAP politician, there have been no cues from the senior party leaders unlike during the Citizens’ Declaration campaign when Lim urged people in his party to give their full support so as to punch a hole in Najib’s defence.
“The wow-factor was not there, I do not see any multiplier effect but I don’t want to write it off. I still hope it will lead to something bigger,” said the DAP politician.
It is likely that DAP has learnt from its earlier collaboration with Dr Mahathir. The Chinese intelligentsia was very critical of Lim’s leading role alongside Dr Mahathir in the Citizens’ Declaration campaign.
The fact that the campaign went nowhere also caused Lim to lose face and reflected on his poor judgement and what some see as his ivory tower view of society.
Moreover, DAP leaders are starting to see Dr Mahathir in a more realistic light after his failure to deliver the Malay vote in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.
“Middle Malaysia is still on a wait-and-see stand. They are not against it, they like the idea of having a check and balance but they have spent too many years under Mahathir,” said Khaw.
The Chinese community, he said, has deep reservations about Dr Mahathir.
“The average Chinese does not trust him, they blame him for many issues in Chinese education. To them, the genesis of problems like excesses, corruption, nepotism and the rise of radical Islam took root under his watch,” said Khaw.
His authoritarian style at the height of his power was accepted by many conservative Chinese but this is a different generation and era.
Besides, the Chinese are pragmatic people and, no matter how much they may dislike Najib, it does not make sense to invest in a 91-year-old man with a history of heart problems.
It would be folly to brush off the coming together of these two former foes as a small matter. Together, they become a bigger enemy of Umno.
At the same time, it is increasingly clear that Dr Mahathir is no longer the opinion-shaper that he once was. People feel that his campaign of change is driven by hate and not by hope and aspiration. He represents the past and not the future.
So much of the politics of the last decade has been propelled by hatred towards Umno. The opposition parties gained ground riding on this sentiment.
Yet, the opposition is now being spearheaded by some of the biggest ex-Umno guns.
It is so ironic and contradictory and it is little wonder that many, especially the younger generation, are not inspired, excited or even interested in what they see as old politics driven by old faces.
The political fatigue is for real and it is getting worse.
– ANN"
"IN JOHOR, IT’S MALAY FIGHT MALAY – NOT CHINESE FIGHT MALAY: NAJIB CAMP TRIES TO TURN UMNO EXODUS INTO RACIAL ISSUE
Politics | September 11, 2016 by | 0 Comments
A friend called earlier today to ask my opinion about the situation in Johor before these were posted in the comment section of this blog,
Anonymous10 September 2016 at 15:07
BREAKING NEWS FROM JOHOR………
“Gelang Patah Umno permanent chairperson has announced his resignation from the Malay party during his speech at the division’s delegate meeting earlier today.
“I declare that I am no longer an Umno member during my speech as permanent chairperson at the Gelang Patah Umno Delegate Meeting,” Baharom Abdul Ghani posted on his Facebook page.
Baharom was a founding member of Gelang Patah Umno division which he founded in 1994 and was an assemblyperson from 1995 to 2004.”
Replies
Anonymous10 September 2016 at 18:30
Kulai Umno deputy chief Tosrin Jarvanti has also exited.
– anon truly
My friend, who already knew about those developments had wanted to know whether the resignation of Baharom and Tosrin from Umno will affect the party in Johor.
My answer was – NOT MUCH
As far as I know, Baharom and Tosrin are not influential figures in the state. In fact, I don’t think that they were even influential in their own divisions.
It should be noted that their divisions of Gelang Patah and Kulai are among the most problematic in Johor. Both are now DAP’s territories.
Their dissatisfactions were most likely more due to infightings between factions in those divisions rather than bigger things such as the idea of saving the country by toppling PM DS Najib Razak.
I know Baharom in person, having first met him in 2002 when he was still an assemblyman of Nusajaya.
The guy, who is actually a Malaccan, is a colourful character even back then.
In an incident which was quite widely reported at that time, he dramatically tried to stop a bulldozer which was about to demolish houses during a protest against a land acquisition exercise. It was a brave but rather foolish act as the developer had done all the right things to acquire the land.
Baharom was dragged to court over the matter and Johor BN, not wanting to take a risk, decided to drop him from the candidate list of the 2004 general election.
He more or less faded into the Johor political background after that.
Baharom should be in his late 60s or early 70s now.
Well, maybe he is enjoying himself again today being once more in the limelight for dramatically announcing his resignation from Umno at the divisional meeting.
It should also be noted that Gelang Patah Umno is now headed by Khairi Malek, the political secretary of MB DS Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
I was told just the other day that Khairi is now the “king maker” among Umno people in Johor. Surely he knows how to handle the Baharom problem.
Back to my friend’s query about the situation in Johor, I told him that what could really affect Umno there is actually the level of work being done by the party machinery.
If Johor Umno continues to serve the people well like during the leadership of former MB TS Abdul Ghani Othman, then it should have nothing to worry about resignations such as that of Baharom and Tosrin.
Bear in mind that 83 percent of Malay Johoreans voted for Umno and BN in the last general election.
If not for that, Johor would had been swept away by the 2013 Chinese tsunami.
Whether Johor Umno remains strong or otherwise is up for Khaled and his people to decide.
Work sincerely for the people or continue being busy enriching themselves and forgot to even do basic things for election such as the kajian sikap pengundi with less than two years to go.
The choice is simple.
Either way, I actually don’t really care. I’m not an Umno member nor am I subscribing to the concept of Bangsa Johor, which seems to be so important under Khaled’s leadership.
I’m making these observations and comments purely as a neutral. – http://lifeofaannie.blogspot.my/"
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