Give Umno-PAS enough rope to hang themselves!

To allow someone to accomplish his or her own downfall by his or her own foolish acts …

Give Umno-PAS enough rope to hang themselves!

There are two idioms that best describes the racist Umno.

They are: Give Umno enough rope to hang itself and Let the dogs bark, the wolves howl, the lightnings flash and the crows caw, you continue doing your job!

Umno and its Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, and PAS, are unlikely, God willing, to have a future in multi-religious multi-racial Malaysia.

All racists and religious fanatics are nothing but anti-nationals who threaten national harmony and unity to serve their selfish and evil political agenda.

They are unable to think Malaysian and, at the moment the minority in Malaysia.

This is the late PAS leader who is well respected by Malaysians. PAS leaders today are not listening to his advice.

Law-abiding and peace-loving Malaysians pray that they remain as where they are now - the minority - or go extinct as the dinosaurs for Malaysia to progress healthily in socio-economic growth.

The racists and fanatics are no better than terrorists. They promote the politics of hate among Malaysians to serve their divide-and-rule agenda to weaken the rakyat dan negara (people and country) so as to enable them to seize power or governance.

It is for all these reasons that Malaysians muct remain wary and alert of such anti-nationals and to reject them outright.

And in the case of Umno and its BN lap dogs (MCA and MIC), the Centre for Governance and Political Studies (Cent-GPS) is spot on.

They found that the once-mighty Umno has come to depend on PAS for basic survival.

And, it will also do well for Anwar and all Malaysians to take note of a letter titled A letter to Anwar Ibrahim: What we need you to be posted by online news portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT). It had already garnered 1,800 shares at the point the posting was picked up by No News Is Bad News.

Read on for the details:

"DON’T FIGHT IT – GIVE ZAHID & HADI THE ROPE THEY NEED TO ‘HANG’ THEMSELVES: UMNO-PAS MERGER – DOOMED IF THEY DO, DOOMED IF THEY DON’T

Politics | September 16, 2018
 

PETALING JAYA – Umno’s budding liaison with former rival PAS in a bid for relevance will be the very cause of the Malay nationalist party’s eventual collapse, a new study suggested based on the two’s cooperation in recent by-elections.According to the analyses of the three polls in which PAS, Umno and the latter’s ally, MCA, all lost despite the nascent cooperation, the Centre for Governance and Political Studies (Cent-GPS) found that the once-mighty Umno has come to depend on PAS for basic survival.

The study was also released today, coincidentally as the top leadership of Umno journeyed to Terengganu to pay homage to PAS at the latter’s annual Muktamar.

“These by-elections are showing us that PAS voters seem quite independent to feel the need to vote for an Umno candidate.

“Whether the Umno leaders notice this or not, their handshake with PAS may in fact spell the end of their own party’s relevance in the political landscape as we know it,” the centre said.

Based on data obtained, it found the loose collaboration between the Opposition parties to be ineffectual in regaining lost support in Sungai Kandis and Balakong, and was minimally effective in Seri Setia.

PAS yielded Sungai Kandis to Umno, which reciprocated by supporting the Islamists in Seri Setia; MCA contested in Balakong, but barely left with its deposit.

“In other words, where an Umno candidate was fielded, the PAS and Umno partnership failed to collect an improved number of votes,” Cent-GPS said.

It said this was because PAS has ingrained a natural revulsion in its support base towards Umno, which has in turn been trying to court the Islamists for years.

Cent-GPS said Umno voters were more likely to back PAS and vice-versa, rendering the quid pro quo strongly in the Islamists favour.

“After all, PAS voters have been taught to vote against Umno for decades. In contrast, as we can see in Seri Setia compared to Sungai Kandis, Umno voters are more likely to jump onto the PAS bandwagon,” it said.

The risk for Umno now was that it will be tempted to join the religious auction with PAS in order to win over the Islamist party’s traditional core of supporters.

It pointed out that the Malay-Muslim narrative appeared to work for PAS but not Umno, presumably due to Umno’s now tarnished credibility and previous political baggage.

“The once moderate Malay party and the seemingly right-wing PAS will no longer have a clear ideological distinction between them,” it said.

Also tipping matters against Umno is the party’s remaining taint of corruption; its former president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is on trial for various graft and abuse charges while hundreds of millions that the party claim are its funds have also been seized by authorities.

It said PAS was unlikely to want to officially bring the same taint of corruption into its fold.

“It is no longer the might it once was, it is on the edge, clinging on to a former rival Islamic-Malay party that can simply chose to let Umno die its sharp death,” it added.

Cent-GPS said the three by-elections have emphatically demonstrated the deep political divisions within the Malay community, which now has five parties all vying for its support.

It said the Opposition’s only chance of challenging the ruling coalition was to rally the Malay community under a single banner, fuelling views that the next general election will be decided by the outcome of this contest for the community’s affections.

To do this, Umno is left with little choice but to strike on with PAS despite the negative outcomes derived so far.

“However, continuing the partnership with PAS is a sureway contract for the end of Umno.” – Malay Mail/Malaysia Chronicle


IN EAST MALAYSIA, UMNO & PAS ARE PERMANENTLY ‘DEAD’: FINALLY FREE FROM NAJIB’S INSULTING ‘FIXED DEPOSITS’ LABEL – ‘UMNO NOW SEEN AS DIRTY, PAS VIEWED AS EXTREMIST’ IN SABAH & SARAWAK

Politics | September 16, 2018

A PAS-Umno tie-up seals the end of Umno’s attempts to gain ground in the next election in Sarawak and Sabah, once known as Barisan Nasional’s “fixed deposits”, observers say.

Yesterday, the two parties tangoed at the PAS annual congress, but Sarawakians and Sabahans say an electoral pact in the next state election will fail because Malays here have changed their perception of Umno, the BN lynchpin party.

“To the Malays in Sarawak, the perception of Umno-BN has changed,” said political analyst Jeniri Amir from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

“Umno is now seen as dirty with its excesses, former party president Najib’s Razak’s alleged theft from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), and BN’s mismanagement of the government.”

While Umno has never successfully set foot in Sarawak, ruling party Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) was always seen as its proxy and was the lead party of BN in the state.

But PBB, along with other state BN components left the coalition after GE14, taking with them 19 federal state seats to form a new alliance, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

Even if GPS were to change direction and side with an Umno-PAS pact in the next general election, such an alliance would never have enough parliamentary seats to reach a simple majority of 112 seats. Umno has 51 federal seats and PAS 18, making a total of 88 seats if combined with GPS.

The 1MDB scandal linked to former Umno president Najib Razak (centre) and the mismanagement of the past BN government is expected to put the PAS-Umno pact at a disadvantage in Sabah and Sarawak. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 16, 2018.

While PAS has set up branches in Sarawak and some of its political ideology has appealed to Malays here, it is still not enough to establish a stronger foothold in the state where the majority population are indigenous bumiputera.

“PAS is viewed as extremist in their religious views. They are not in line with the thinking of moderate Sarawak Muslims. They (PAS) just don’t fit into their (Sarawak Malay Muslim) ideology,” Jeniri added.

One of the few Malay members of Sarawak DAP, Abdul Aziz Isa, said Sarawakians remain wary of any ideology that could create discord among the state’s diverse ethnic and native groups.

Aziz, who is a special representative of Sarawak PH chief Chong Chieng Jen, said an Umno-PAS collaboration would result in Malaysia having a far-right political group based on race and religion.

“This kind of political pact would also be detrimental to the Malaysian unity process and it is also not good for us as Sarawakians,” Aziz said.

Jeniri concurs, adding that an Umno-PAS alliance will only “build more walls” between Malay-Muslims, who comprise less than 27% of the state’s 2 million-plus population, and other races.

For either PAS or Umno to gain traction in Sarawak, they will have to find allies among smaller local parties but most of these have already formed alliances around the core drive for greater state autonomy in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Umno, in particular, being part of the former federal government, is not seen as one willing to return Sarawak its rights and greater ownership of its resources.

For similar reasons, Sabahans intend to reject any pact between Umno and PAS.

A man standing in front of two pictures of former Umno presidents in PWTC on June 25. Should Umno form a pact with PAS, they will immediately be rejected by Sabah opposition parties, which broke away from BN shortly after GE14. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 15, 2018.

BN Sabah is dead following defections from its component parties and Sabah Umno has regrouped with other opposition parties to form Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS) to replace BN.

Should Sabah Umno form an alliance with PAS, this will immediately be rejected by its GBS partners Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Solidariti), said veteran political observer Stanely Yee, who was formerly an aide to prominent Sabah politician Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

“The original plan to establish GBS came with the idea that there will be no more parties controlled by their peninsula bosses,” he said. "If Umno were to propose including PAS in GBS, there will be resentment among PBS and Solidariti members due to PAS’ interest towards implementing Islamic laws.”

Yee also said that PBS and Solidariti were not formed as race-based parties like Umno and PAS, although most of its members are made up largely by the KadazanDusun Murut (KDM) people, most of whom are Christians.

PAS’ extremist Islamic views will not go down well with the people of Sabah and Sarawak, who have coexisted well regardless of race and religion.

Sabah Umno leaders are also nothing like those from peninsula Umno, as leaders in Sabah did not use the race card, noted political researcher Tracy Chin.

“Here, there are many inter-marriages, so families will have a mix of Christians, Buddhist, Muslims and Hindus. Racial integration here is excellent.

“We don’t classify individuals here unlike how Muslims (in the peninsula) identify those who are different, like mualaf (Muslim convert) or muhrim,” she said.

The fact that PAS had never won any seats in elections was enough show that its brand of politics had never been accepted by Sabahans, and teaming up with Umno would not help it, she added.

For Sabahan Jojo Rahman, despite being Muslim, the idea of supporting a party like PAS that allowed public shaming through punishments like caning, is unappealing.

The 40-year-old executive said he could not trust leaders to implement laws fairly, even if they were hudud laws supported by the religion.

“Even under civil law, there are poor people being jailed five years for stealing while the rich and powerful could still go free.“ If the present law is not used fairly, what makes us think hudud will be implemented fairly?” –  https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/Malaysia Chronicle

A letter to Anwar Ibrahim: What we need you to be

Chan Wang Tak
September 17, 2018 10:31 AM

Dear Datuk Seri,

I am but a layman in politics and more often than not a fence-sitter. In my day, I voted for Umno, MCA, PAS or DAP candidates based on my whims and fancies and without considering the outcome. Today, I am a senior citizen. I may not have much, but what I have is enough to see me through the rest of my days. My children are adults and getting along well enough. I have not much more to look forward to other than the hope that the days ahead will be better for my children and grandchildren, and the great-grandchildren that I can only hope I will live long enough to see.

And I have hope that this nation in which I was born, that I call home and where I have lived all my life will one day see a return of the great days of harmony, when I did not refer to others by their ethnicity with terms such as “Malai chai” or “Kilinchai” as if they were aliens, and when they did not refer to me as “Cinakui” or “Cinapeie”.

I look forward to days when, as it was in the past, we will refer to others by their given names or occupations instead of their ethnicities as we so often do now. These days, instead of saying “Sulaiman the manager”, we tend to say “Malay manager Sulaiman”. Instead of saying “shop boss Sundra”, we say “that Indian boss Sundra”.

We have become openly racist, and we are so accustomed to it that we do not even feel it is wrong. It’s just culture – the Malaysian culture, the “new Malaysian” culture that has developed over the past 40 years. This new culture has damaged the nation so much that from being one of the top five Asean Tigers, we have become something like a pariah nation. Today, even a communist nation like China is way, way ahead of us.

What went wrong?

What went wrong? Well, Datuk Seri, you know better than I do. From a nation, we became nothing more than a collection of different groups of people with different skin colours who make different strange sounds called language, who happened to be thrown together on a piece of land. Some try to move ahead to gain advantage over others, either by suppressing them or getting the better of them by hook or by crook. We put people in key positions and appoint them to important jobs based on skin colour or the type of strange sounds we emit. We have prioritised this over meritocracy and the ability to perform in the interests of the entire nation so that the nation as a whole becomes great.

We know that large numbers of ex-Malaysians are contributing to the Singapore government and economy. We see Malaysians who perform excellently in overseas academic institutions who were rejected by our own academic institutions. We are also known for producing some of the top international crooks in credit card fraud, and we have produced the biggest kleptocrats in history.

We have the best talents. Our nation has produced great human beings. We have the potential to become a great nation. Whatever our skin colour, when you cut my skin open it bleeds red blood just like yours and Sundra’s. Whatever food we may eat, what comes out the other end smells just as bad. Why not allow humans to be humans? Why doesn’t our government develop and use people who are best able to make this nation grow and progress?

When will things become normal again?

If only our nation could go back to the days when Pak Mat and my father sat together in a Chinese coffee shop to chitchat. If only we could have Kassim coming over to my house to celebrate Chinese New Year again.

Before Malaysia came about, humans were humans and Malayan people were people. Twenty years after Malaysia, we began to see not humans and people, but people of different skin colours making different strange sounds.

So what do we have today? Today, Kassim who might be my neighbour on my left shows doubt on his face when I offer him a tub of home-brewed sugarcane water. His open discomfort shows that he is only politely accepting it as a gesture of friendliness and neighbourliness.

Today, Kak Suriah, who might live in the house to my right hardly even nods at me in greeting. She makes disapproving sounds when I give her little daughter a Yakult packet drink, even though it is factory-packed. Would Kak Suriah feel any better about Sundra giving her daughter a packet drink, or sharing his fish curry with her? You tell me, Datuk Seri. Better still, you tell yourself.

But would Sundra smile uncomfortably if I shared my home-brewed sugarcane water with him? No! And would I be uncomfortable enjoying the fish curry that he shares with my family? No! What is wrong, Datuk Seri, what is wrong?

When I was in Sibu, I went into a Chinese shop to look for dinner. I saw a Malay satay stall right next to a char siew rice stall. What didn’t go wrong in Sibu, Datuk Seri? When I was in Kota Kinabalu, I visited a Muslim restaurant which had a Chinese selling char kuey teow.

Today, supermarkets in the peninsula differentiate trolleys for certain food items by colour. Today, some female doctors in government service examine me by poking me with a pencil. Today, many of my new female students refuse to shake my hand, with some only using their fingernails to give my hand a quick touch. Today, to buy certain meats in the market, I have to go and look for a specially built, walled-off area. Today, when something goes wrong in a government department, we automatically attribute it to the cultural or genetic nature of an ethnic group. Why?

Bapa Perpaduan

Dear Datuk Seri, Tunku Abdul Rahman is known as Bapa Kemerdekaan and Bapa Malaysia. He built a Malaysia where we could play games together, eat together and talk together without being sensitive and stressed out. But he left behind a Malaysia which others destroyed, making it into a nation of different skin colours. We broke up as a nation. We began to question each other’s patriotism based on skin colour. We tried to wipe out our history even by changing the names of places.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad is recognised as Bapa Pembangunan Malaysia. He did much to make Malaysia known as a country we could be proud of in terms of buildings and facilities. But even then, what he built was destroyed by his successor. His successor gave Malaysia the infamous reputation as a country of kleptocracy and a land full of racial, religious sensitivities.

I do not pretend to be able to advise you. You are greater than I am in most ways. I do not even pretend that I can influence your thoughts. You see things differently because you have access to information that I do not, and you are driven by a personal agenda of which I do not know. I can only hope, and express to you my hope for my children and grandchildren, that this nation will become great again.

This nation needs a Bapa Perpaduan Malaysia. It needs someone who can remove the sensitivities that have divided the people, causing us to pull each other down or suppress others. This nation needs a Bapa Perpaduan who can lead all of us to respect and accept – not simply tolerate – each other’s differences; to live and work together for the best interests of our descendants and the nation. This nation needs you to do that. You can be the Bapa Perpaduan that we yearn for; the Bapa Perpaduan who helps us visit each other’s places of worship freely, who gives us the right to worship in our own ways as long as we do not intrude, interfere or impose our values onto others. We need you to do that.

I also know I can only hope that you care for your health in the same way as Mahathir has done, so that you have as much time as he has had to repair the damage to this nation.

In many ways, you contributed to this damage too in your time. Mahathir is doing his part now to repair as much as possible of the damage he did. You will have your chance too, if you want to or if you see the need to.

My best hope for my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren is that they will have a Bapa Perpaduan Malaysia to look up to and be grateful for.

Chan Wang Tak is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT."

Malay Mail
Umno logo at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) during the Umno general assembly last year. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says Umno and PAS are now allies.
Published
Umno-PAS partnership now out in the open, says Mahathir
07 SEPTEMBER, 2018
UPDATED 07 SEPTEMBER, 2018
PETALING JAYA— The United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) are no longer having a covert partnership behind closed doors, but are now openly allies after coming out of the “room”, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Friday (Sept 7). Tun Dr Mahathir said the partnership of the former two political foes has become a “reality”, describing it as something which they had previously try to keep hidden … https://www.todayonline.com/world/umno-pas-partnership-now-out-open-says-mahathir

This is why we are proud to be Malaysians again!

PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivers his speech in Kota Baru, on Sept 27, 2018. — Bernama
Stop pitting me against Mahathir: Anwar
Posted on 27 September 2018 - 08:08am
Last updated on 27 September 2018 - 01:02pm
KUALA TERENGGANU: PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the people to refute the negative assumption and presumption regarding his relations with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Anwar said he was incapable of refuting all such rumours and hoped that his determination to be together with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders in giving their trust to Dr Mahathir would continue to get the support, especially among PKR members. "I made the decision to be together with the PKR and PH leadership, the (national) problem being faced is massive and we are unable to face (it) if there are problems facing the PH leadership. So, we should let the present government to be strong and only under the (leadership of) a firm prime minister can the major problem such as the 1MDB be resolved … for more, go to http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/09/27/stop-pitting-me-against-mahathir-anwar 

This is why we are proud to be Malaysians again!

At 93, Malaysia’s comeback premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Dr M) had at the recently-concluded UN General Assembly displayed he had lost none of his political wits and leadership.

Disgraced former premier Najib Razak is nothing compared with Dr M. In terms of oratory and international public relations, perhaps PKR president Anwar Ibrahim is arguably a close second to Dr M.

At the assembly, Dr M showed to world leaders that he is still a witty and competent international politician that he was in the 20th Century.

Of course, like all humans, he has his shortcomings and weaknesses in management skills, thus making mistakes in some of his decisions.

But Dr M’s competency and commitment to lead Malaysians on the right path to a bright future for Malaysia are generally acknowledged - that is why the majority of the rakyat (people) finally found their courage to give the corrupt-to-the-core Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government the boot after 60 years in the May 9 14th General Election (GE14).

Dr M has been reiterating that he will stick to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) agreement that Anwar succeeds him as the 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Why then the intense politicking to demonise Anwar, after a 20-year battle to free him as a political prisoner?

Read this AP report and others to find out why we are proud to be Malaysians again, and why we must not let the corrupt BN leaders to return until they are completely reformed politically from racial and religious extremism:

"Dr Mahathir, the 'patron saint of political comebacks'

NATION
Friday, 28 Sep 2018
8:23 AM MYT

In this Aug 20, 2018 file photo, Dr Mahathir speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. - (How Hwee Young/Pool Photo via AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP): For a few seconds Thursday, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad looked his age.

The 93-year-old once and current Prime Minister of Malaysia wobbled a bit as he clasped the railing, cautiously mounted the four stairs leading to the stage in the bowels of the Asia Society and shuffled over to the podium.

Then Dr Mahathir, called a strongman by his critics so often that he has a joke ready about it, faced the packed auditorium. He smiled broadly and began talking. And the years, maybe even a decade or two, seemed to melt away.

First came the speech: 20 minutes without a single note, relying on the wealth of experience that led one audience member to address him as "the elder statesman of Asia _ actually, the elder statesman of the planet."

But the Prime Minister had only just begun.

Dr Mahathir, attending the U.N. General Assembly this week as Malaysia's leader for the first time in nearly a generation, cracked jokes that drew genuine belly laughs from the capacity audience. He rattled off figures related to debt and spending and demonstrated a fluency with government and international policies that dates back decades.

He converted currencies on the fly. He spoke with ease about the importance of social media in his upset win in May elections that led to the nation's first change of party power since independence from Britain in 1957.

After more than an hour of back and forth with the audience, he looked disappointed that it had ended. His demeanour was that of a man who relished returning to a job he never expected to have again.

Asked about his physical and political stamina, he said: "I don't really know." He acknowledged two heart operations and the occasional cough, "but I have my doctor following me everywhere I go."

All the while, he tapped into a deep vein of knowledge and experience won from being a high-level political player in Asia and the world for the last seven decades.

Though he dodged the occasional thorny topic - a question about gay rights and child marriage in Malaysia, for instance - he deftly handled almost everything thrown at him.

He talked about what it was like for countries other than China and the United States to be caught in the middle of the behemoths' growing trade war (uncomfortable). He spoke of the absolute necessity of free sea passage so that Malaysia can pursue its trading lifeblood, and of the region's disputes with China over control of the South China Sea.

Asked about Chinese President Xi Jinping's hallmark "Belt and Road Initiative" to build ports, highways and other trade-related infrastructure, Dr Mahathir said he had long ago suggested the rail part of it. He'd proposed that Beijing build a railway line with bigger, longer trains from China to the West: "The idea is not new to us."

His remarks were peppered with jokes. The funniest one - "I have been known as a dictator, but I don't think any dictator would have resigned" - was so good he used it twice, and some of the jokes had the feeling of being well-worn campaigning set pieces.

But unlike a lot of politician's attempts at humour, they worked - repeatedly - and he drew energy as his moments in command of the stage passed. A smattering of his quips:

- On what he said was the previous government's slogan, "Cash is King": It's "practically admitting to the world that bribery is OK."

- On US President Donald Trump: "We are still trying to figure out what is it that the president of the United States wants, because sometimes he changes his mind three times a day."

- On whether Malaysia would one day allow dual citizenship: "Well, we think you should make up your mind."

He focused on Malaysia's corruption problem, which he almost entirely blamed on the government that he drove from power in May.

Dr Mahathir's designated successor, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and Dr Mahathir put aside their 20-year-old political feud to help their alliance win those elections.

Dr Mahathir rose again to Prime Minister amid anger over a massive corruption scandal involving the 1MDB state fund, which is under investigation in the United States and other countries for allegations of cross-border embezzlement and money laundering. Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, 65, has accused Dr Mahathir's government of seeking political vengeance.

When Rudd asked impishly about when the next elections would be, Dr Mahathir seemed almost wistful. He smiled and said, "five years from now."

But this time, the man who has lived through nearly a century hastened to add, he plans to retire for good. - AP/The Star Online

Rudd: Mahathir is patron saint of political comebacks

NATION
Saturday, 29 Sep 2018

NEW YORK: His views on New Malaysia and world affairs were much sought after by those who met up with the world’s oldest premier.

However, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s political comeback was what impressed most of the influence-shapers, including world and business leaders, who attended the meetings and dialogue sessions, featuring the Malaysian Prime Minister.

Former Australian premier Kevin Rudd (pic), for example, bestowed Dr Mahathir with the title of “patron saint of political comebacks”.

Rudd, who chaired a dialogue session with Dr Mahathir at the Asia Society here, called the 93-year-old serving his second stint as Prime Minister, Malaysia’s new old and old new leader.

“Its a remarkable achievement and those of us in this region watched it very closely,” said Rudd.

A member of the audience referred Dr Mahathir, who holds the current Guinness record for oldest Prime Minister, as the “elder statesman of Asia ... actually, the elder statesman of the planet”, drawing laughter and applause from the crowd.

At a dinner with the US-Asean Business Council and US Chamber of Commerce, an official, who introduced Dr Mahathir jokingly referred to his remarkable feat of serving twice as Prime Minister from 1981 to 2003 and since the May 9 polls.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome Malaysia’s fourth and seventh Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” he said. - The Star Online

Dr M takes ‘New M’sia’ to world stage

Saturday, 29 Sep 2018
by razak ahmad

Voice of Malaysia: Dr Mahathir speaking during the General Debate of the 73rd session of the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York. — AFP

NEW YORK: Returning to the United Nations after a 15-year absence, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad held up “New Malaysia” to the world as a shining example of a country committed to fairness, good governance and rule of law.

Losing none of the outspoken nature that made him famous in his 22-year tenure as the country’s fourth Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir said small countries remained at the mercy of the powerful and repeated his call for reform of the UN.

“After 15 years and at 93, I return to this podium with the heavy task of bringing the voice and hope of the ‘New Malaysia’ to the world stage.

“The people of Malaysia, proud of their recent democratic achievement, have high hopes that around the world, we will see peace, progress and prosperity.

Dr Mahathir also outlined his vision for the “New Malaysia”.

He said the new government was committed to ensure every Malaysian has an equitable share in the prosperity and wealth of the nation.

Malaysians, he added, want a nation that upholds the principles of fairness, good governance, integrity and the rule of law.

“They want a Malaysia that is a friend to all and enemy of none. A Malaysia that remains neutral and non-aligned.”

Dr Mahathir said Malaysians want a nation that will speak its mind on what is right and wrong, without fear or favour.

The “New Malaysia”, said the Prime Minister, would firmly espouse the principles promoted by the UN in the country’s international engagements.

“These include the principles of truth, human rights, the rule of law, justice, fairness, responsibility and accountability, as well as sustainability.

“It is within this context that the new Government of Malaysia has pledged to ratify all remaining core UN instruments related to the protection of human rights,” he said.

But Dr Mahathir pointed out that the process would not be easy as Malaysia is multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-lingual.

“We will accord space and time for all to deliberate and to decide freely based on democracy,” he said.

In contrast to the optimism and hope in Malaysia’s future, Dr Mahathir’s assessment on the state of international affairs was bleak.

He said that when he last spoke in 2003, he had lamented how the world had lost its way.

“But today, 15 years later the world has not changed much. If at all, the world is far worse than 15 years ago.

“Today, the world is in a state of turmoil economically, socially and politically,” he said.

Referring to the trade war between US and China, Dr Mahathir said the rest of the world was feeling the pain.

He pointed out the hypocrisy of rich countries, preaching the importance of open markets while invading smaller countries with infant industries and their products.

The simple products of the poor are subjected to clever barriers so that they cannot penetrate the market of the rich, he said, citing the victimisation of Malaysia’s palm oil as an example.

Rich countries label Malaysian palm oil as dangerous to health and the habitat of animals while food products of the rich declare that they are palm oil free.

Palm diesel is also condemned for allegedly decimating virgin jungles.

Employing his trademark sarcasm, Dr Mahathir said: “These caring people forget that their boycott is depriving hundreds of thousands of people from jobs and a decent life.”

He defended Malaysia’s concern for the environment, pointing out that 48% of Malaysia remains virgin jungle.

The Prime Minister lamented a dangerous trend among countries leaning towards inward-looking nationalism, pandering to populism, retreating from international collaboration and restricting their borders.

“While globalisation has indeed brought us some benefits, the impacts have proven to be threatening to the independence of small nations,” he said.

Turning his attention to the UN and its roles, Dr Mahathir called for an end to the dominance in the world body of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely China, France, Russia, Britain and the US.

“Five countries on the basis of their victories (in World War Two) 70 over years ago, cannot claim to have a right to hold the world to ransom forever.

“They cannot take the moral high ground, preaching democracy and regime changes in the countries of the world when they deny democracy in this organisation.”

Dr Mahathir said he had suggested that the veto should not be by just one permanent member but by at least two powers backed by three non-permanent members of the council.

“The General Assembly should then back the decision with a simple majority. I will not say more,” said Dr Mahathir. - The Star Online"

Dr Mahathir with Fareed Zakaria after the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York.
Dr Mahathir wows them all at business forum in New York
NATION
Thursday, 27 Sep 2018
8:44 AM MYT
by razak ahmad
NEW YORK: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s political comeback and his longevity wowed the speakers and moderator at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum 2018.
The session held on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations here include Dr Mahathir and his counterparts from Holland, Mark Rutte, and New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern as speakers. Rutte and Ardern were impressed by the response Dr Mahathir gave to a question by moderator Fareed Zakaria on his secret of staying healthy despite his age. “I do keep to a strict diet,” said Dr Mahathir. … for more, go to https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/09/27/dr-mahathir-wows-them-all-at-business-forum/

'Umno-led BN was toppled after 61 years because it indulged in politics of hatred, racial and religious bigotry, and widespread corruption'

The handshake that shook and triggered the fall of the kleptocrat Umno-led BN federal government that ruled for 61 years, and giving Malaysians and Malaysia a new breath of life. For details, go to https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-mahathir/malaysias-mahathir-and-bitter-foe-anwar-shake-hands-in-first-meeting-after-18-years-idUSKCN11B1BB 

'Umno-led BN was toppled after 61 years because it indulged in politics of hatred, racial and religious bigotry, and widespread corruption'

Malaysians! Give ourselves a pat on the back for having the courage to give the corrupt-to-the-core Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) the boot in the May 9 14th General Election (BN).

Malaysians have not only saved Malaysia from the kleptocrats, they may have given the country a chance to reform and heal socio-politically and economically.

After more than 100 days under the rule of Malaysia’s only second known federal government in history, the rakyat (people) are seeing more and more exposes of corruption and theft of the national wealth and coffer.

The Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government may take up to or beyond GE15 to round up the kleptocrats and put them where they belong - behind bars.

Malaysians should feel proud that they have shown to the rest of the world that corrupt governments are not invincible if there is unity and courage - people’s power, that is.

In this respect, Malaysians must take note of the salient points raised by their 7th Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his address at the UN General Assembly. Here's the full address, if you had missed it:

"Dr M addresses UN General Assembly

NATION
Saturday, 29 Sep 2018
12:05 AM MYT

NEW YORK: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad addressed the UN General Assembly here on Friday (Sept 28) for the first time since he re-assumed the premiership following the May 9 general election.

Here is the text of his speech in full:

YAB PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

TUN DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD

AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 73RD SESSION

OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY (UNGA)

28 SEPTEMBER 2018, NEW YORK

****************************************************

Madam President,

I would like to join others in congratulating you on your election as the President of the Seventy-Third (73rd) Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

I am confident with your wisdom and vast experience; this session will achieve the objectives of the theme for this session. I assure you of Malaysia's fullest support and cooperation towards achieving these noble goals.

Allow me to also pay tribute to your predecessor, His Excellency Miroslav Lajcak, for his dedication and stewardship in successfully completing the work of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly.

I commend the Secretary-General and the United Nations staff for their tireless efforts in steering and managing UN activities globally.

In particular, I pay tribute to the late Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1997 – 2006, who sadly passed away in August this year. Malaysia had a positively strong and active engagement with the UN during his tenure.

Madam President,

The theme of this 73rd Session of General Assembly, "Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies" remains true to the aspiration of our founding fathers. The theme is most relevant and timely. It is especially pertinent in the context of the new Malaysia. The new Government of Malaysia, recently empowered with a strong mandate from its people, is committed to ensure that every Malaysian has an equitable share in the prosperity and wealth of the nation.

A new Malaysia emerged after the 14th General Election in May this year. Malaysians decided to change their government, which had been in power for 61 years, i.e., since independence. We did this because the immediate past Government indulged in the politics of hatred, of racial and religious bigotry, as well as widespread corruption. The process of change was achieved democratically, without violence or loss of lives.

Malaysians want a new Malaysia that upholds the principles of fairness, good governance, integrity and the rule of law. They want a Malaysia that is a friend to all and enemy of none. A Malaysia that remains neutral and non-aligned. A Malaysia that detests and abhors wars and violence. They also want a Malaysia that will speak its mind on what is right and wrong, without fear or favour. A new Malaysia that believes in co-operation based on mutual respect, for mutual gain. The new Malaysia that offers a partnership based on our philosophy of 'prosper-thy-neighbour'. We believe in the goodness of cooperation, that a prosperous and stable neighbour would contribute to our own prosperity and stability.

The new Malaysia will firmly espouse the principles promoted by the UN in our international engagements. These include the principles of truth, human rights, the rule of law, justice, fairness, responsibility and accountability, as well as sustainability. It is within this context that the new government of Malaysia has pledged to ratify all remaining core UN instruments related to the protection of human rights. It will not be easy for us because Malaysia is multi-ethnic, multireligious, multicultural and multilingual. We will accord space and time for all to deliberate and to decide freely based on democracy.

Madam President,

When I last spoke here in 2003, I lamented how the world had lost its way. I bemoaned the fact that small countries continued to be at the mercy of the powerful. I argued the need for the developing world to push for reform, to enhance capacity building and diversify the economy. We need to maintain control of our destiny.

But today, 15 years later the world has not changed much. If at all the world is far worse than 15 years ago. Today the world is in a state of turmoil economically, socially and politically.

There is a trade war going on between the two most powerful economies. And the rest of the world feel the pain.

Socially new values undermine the stability of nations and their people. Freedom has led to the negation of the concept of marriage and families, of moral codes, of respect etc.

But the worse turmoil is in the political arena. We are seeing acts of terror everywhere. People are tying bombs to their bodies and blowing themselves up in crowded places. Trucks are driven into holiday crowds. Wars are fought and people beheaded with short knives. Acts of brutality are broadcast to the world live. Masses of people risk their lives to migrate only to be denied asylum, sleeping in the open and freezing to death. Thousands starve and tens of thousands die in epidemics of cholera.

No one, no country is safe. Security checks inconvenience travellers. No liquids on planes. The slightest suspicion leads to detention and unpleasant questioning.

To fight the "terrorists" all kinds of security measures, all kinds of gadgets and equipment are deployed. Big brother is watching. But the acts of terror continues.

Malaysia fought the bandits and terrorists at independence and defeated them. We did use the military. But alongside and more importantly we campaigned to win the hearts of minds of these people.

This present war against the terrorist will not end until the root causes are found and removed and hearts and minds are won.

What are the root causes? In 1948, Palestinian land was seized to form the state of Israel. The Palestinians were massacred and forced to leave their land. Their houses and farms were seized.

They tried to fight a conventional war with help from sympathetic neighbours. The friends of Israel ensured this attempt failed. More Palestinian land was seized. And Israeli settlements were built on more and more Palestinian land and the Palestinians are denied access to these settlements built on their land.

The Palestinians initially tried to fight with catapults and stones. They were shot with live bullets and arrested. Thousands are incarcerated.

Frustrated and angry, unable to fight a conventional war, the Palestinians resort to what we call terrorism.

The world does not care even when Israel breaks international laws, seizing ships carrying medicine, food and building materials in international waters. The Palestinians fired ineffective rockets which hurt no one. Massive retaliations were mounted by Israel, rocketing and bombing hospitals, schools and other buildings, killing innocent civilians including school children and hospital patients. And more.

The world rewards Israel, deliberately provoking Palestine by recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

It is the anger and frustration of the Palestinians and their sympathisers that cause them to resort to what we call terrorism. But it is important to acknowledge that any act which terrify people also constitute terrorism. And states dropping bombs or launching rockets which maim and kill innocent people also terrify people. These are also acts of terrorism.

Malaysia hates terrorism. We will fight them. But we believe that the only way to fight terrorism is to remove the cause. Let the Palestinians return to reclaim their land. Let there be a state of Palestine. Let there be justice and the rule of law. Warring against them will not stop terrorism. Nor will out-terrorising them succeed.

We need to remind ourselves that the United Nations Organisation, like the League of Nations before, was conceived for the noble purpose of ending wars between nations.

Wars are about killing people. Modern wars are about mass killings and total destruction countrywide. Civilised nations claim they abhor killing for any reason. When a man kills, he commits the crime of murder. And the punishment for murder may be death.

But wars, we all know encourage and legitimise killing. Indeed the killings are regarded as noble, and the killers are hailed as heroes. They get medals stuck to their chest and statues erected in their honour, have their names mentioned in history books.

There is something wrong with our way of thinking, with our value system. Kill one man, it is murder, kill a million and you become a hero. And so we still believe that conflict between nations can be resolved with war.

And because we still do, we must prepare for war. The old adage says "to have peace, prepare for war". And we are forever preparing for war, inventing more and more destructive weapons. We now have nuclear bombs, capable of destroying whole cities. But now we know that the radiation emanating from the explosion will affect even the country using the bomb. A nuclear war would destroy the world.

This fear has caused the countries of Europe and North America to maintain peace for over 70 years. But that is not for other countries. Wars in these other countries can help live test the new weapons being invented.

And so they sell them to warring countries. We see their arms in wars fought between smaller countries. These are not world wars but they are no less destructive. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, whole countries devastated and nations bankrupted because of these fantastic new weapons.

But these wars give handsome dividends to the arms manufacturers and traders. The arms business is now the biggest business in the world. They profit shamelessly from the deaths and destructions they cause. Indeed, so-called peace-loving countries often promote this shameful business.

Today's weapons cost millions. Fighter jets cost about 100 million dollars. And maintaining them cost tens of millions. But the poor countries are persuaded to buy them even if they cannot afford. They are told their neighbours or their enemies have them. It is imperative that they too have them.

So, while their people starve and suffer from all kinds of deprivations, a huge percentage of their budget is allocated to the purchase of arms. That their buyers may never have to use them bothers the purveyors not at all.

Madam President,

In Myanmar, Muslims in Rakhine state are being murdered, their homes torched and a million refugees had been forced to flee, to drown in the high seas, to live in makeshift huts, without water or food, without the most primitive sanitation. Yet the authorities of Myanmar including a Nobel Peace Laureate deny that this is happening. I believe in non-interference in the internal affairs of nations. But does the world watch massacres being carried out and do nothing? Nations are independent. But does this mean they have a right to massacre their own people, because they are independent?

Madam President,

TRADE

On the other hand, in terms of trade, nations are no longer independent. Free trade means no protection by small countries of their infant industries. They must abandon tariff restrictions and open their countries to invasion by products of the rich and the powerful. Yet the simple products of the poor are subjected to clever barriers so that they cannot penetrate the market of the rich. Malaysian palm oil is labelled as dangerous to health and the estates are destroying the habitat of animals. Food products of the rich declare that they are palm oil free. Now palm diesel are condemned because they are decimating virgin jungles. These caring people forget that their boycott is depriving hundreds of thousands of people from jobs and a decent life.

We in Malaysia care for the environment. Some 48% of our country remains virgin jungle. Can our detractors claim the same for their own countries?

Madam President,

Malaysia is committed to sustainable development. We have taken steps, for example in improving production methods to ensure that our palm oil production is sustainable. By December 2019, the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard will become mandatory. This will ensure that every drop of palm oil produced in Malaysia will be certified sustainable by 2020.

Madam President,

All around the world, we observe a dangerous trend to inward-looking nationalism, of governments pandering to populism, retreating from international collaborations and shutting their borders to free movements of people, goods and services even as they talk of a borderless world, of free trade. While globalisation has indeed brought us some benefits, the impacts have proven to be threatening to the independence of small nations. We cannot even talk or move around without having our voices and movement recorded and often used against us. Data on everyone is captured and traded by powerful nations and their corporations.

Malaysia lauds the UN in its endeavours to end poverty, protect our planet and try to ensure everyone enjoys peace and prosperity. But I would like to refer to the need for reform in the organisation. Five countries on the basis of their victories 70 over years ago cannot claim to have a right to hold the world to ransom forever. They cannot take the moral high ground, preaching democracy and regime change in the countries of the world when they deny democracy in this organisation.

I had suggested that the veto should not be by just one permanent member but by at least two powers backed by three non-permanent members of the Security Council. The General Assembly should then back the decision with a simple majority. I will not say more.

I must admit that the world without the UN would be disastrous. We need the UN, we need to sustain it with sufficient funds. No one should threaten it with financial deprivation.

Madam President

After 15 years and at 93, I return to this podium with the heavy task of bringing the voice and hope of the new Malaysia to the world stage. The people of Malaysia, proud of their recent democratic achievement, have high hopes that around the world – we will see peace, progress and prosperity. In this we look toward the UN to hear our pleas.

I thank you, Madam President."

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, speaking to reporters after chairing the supreme leadership council meeting of PPBM. — Bernama
Dr Mahathir not reneging on promise that Anwar will succeed him
Posted on 14 September 2018 - 09:35pm
Last updated on 15 September 2018 - 12:16pm
PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he is not reneging on the promise that PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be his successor as previously agreed by the Pakatan Harapan coalition. "On (the issue of) successor, we already agreed that it must be Anwar, I'm not reneging on my promise, but when ... of course is not very certain, I'm conscious that I am very old, I am 93 and in two years' time I will be 95 years old," he said. Dr Mahathir was responding to a question on this matter following Anwar's decision to return to Parliament by way of contesting the Port Dickson parliamentary seat. He was speaking to reporters after chairing the supreme leadership council meeting of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) of which he is chairman … for more, go to http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/09/14/dr-mahathir-not-reneging-promise-anwar-will-succeed-him 

Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim delivers a speech during a CEO conference in Manila on Sep 4, 2018. (Photo: AFP)

Stop pitting me against PM Mahathir: Anwar Ibrahim

27 Sep 2018 10:03AM (Updated: 27 Sep 2018 10:46AM)

KUALA TERENGGANU, Terengganu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday (Sep 26) urged people not to "indulge in political instigation" regarding his relationship with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Speaking at a gathering of Terengganu PKR leaders and members, Anwar said he was incapable of refuting all negative assumptions and rumours regarding his relationship with Mahathir, but called for support for the current prime minister … for more, go to https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/anwar-ibrahim-rumours-mahathir-malaysia-politics-10762454 

Good news for Malaysians and Malaysia! Comatose Umno still in dreamland!

Dr Mahathir Mohamad. (Bloomberg pc)
Dr M hopeful of reducing RM1 trillion debt in 1 or 2 years
Bernama
September 28, 2018 11:39 AM
NEW YORK: Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Putrajaya is hopeful of a substantial reduction in government debt within the next one to two years.
He said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration would prioritise efforts to restore the wealth of the country and rescue its economy within this time frame. “Now we are the government. The first thing we have to do is to solve some of the problems created by the previous government. “The previous government borrowed huge sums of money, more than RM1 trillion. It is tough on us, but in one or two years we can reduce the amount,” he said at a dialogue with members of the Asia Society here, moderated by former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd. Mahathir said no country should accumulate debt beyond its means, voicing surprise that the previous administration had allowed this to happen … for more, go to https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/09/28/dr-m-hopeful-of-reducing-rm1-trillion-debt-in-1-or-2-years/ 

Good news for Malaysians and Malaysia! Comatose Umno still in dreamland!

More than 100 days after the corrupt-to-the-core Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) was unceremoniously given the boot by the majority of Malaysians in the May 9 14th General Election (GE14), it’s still in comatose.

What unity government is the directionless Umno president Zahid Hamidi talking about? Umno-PKR-PPBM-PAS?

What’s your bargaining chip? Are you still talking to yourself in dreamland?

Both Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim are still in full control of Pakatan Harapan (PH). They are also not politically threatened. So, why must the reunited duo even think of welcoming Umno leaders into the PH ruling coalition?

Approving those who wish to join PH as ordinary members are about the only political reality they (BN members) face now.

Instead of planning and engineering Umno to regain its political strength for GE15, the dreamland Umno leaders are still issuing statements to sow suspicion among PH leaders to divide and weaken the ruling coalition.

Unity government? The only unity are the Malaysians who united to give the Umno-led BN the boot in GE14.

Umno leaders are dreaming for scores of “frog” politicians to hop over to Umno and BN. Please continue doing so Umno, and carry on with your business-as-usual dirty backdoor “political strategy” in the hope to regain control of Putrajaya (federal government administration).

Malaysians do pray and hope for Umno to not wake up from its political comatose so that it heads for political extinction - just like the dinosaurs!

PH is expected to grow from strength to strength naturally by the day and months in Putrajaya until GE15 - many thanks to an Umno, and the Opposition as well, that is unable to wake up to face political reality, think out of the box and implement real reformation and change to win back the confidence and support of Malaysians.

Yes, Umno. Please don’t wake up, keep on dreaming!

Read on for the details:

"Unity government? Keep dreaming, MPs tell Zahid
Robin Augustin
September 28, 2018 3:09 PM

PETALING JAYA: Two Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs have dismissed the possibility of Umno forming a coalition government with any PH component party, calling this a “bad idea”.

DAP’s Charles Santiago told FMT that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi could keep “wishing” for a unity government, adding however that it was unlikely to materialise as the people would revolt against it.

“In the May 9 polls, the people voted for a manifesto which vowed to set up a government that was different, and a rejection of Umno.

“People couldn’t stomach former prime minister Najib Razak and Umno,” the Klang MP said in response to Zahid’s comments reported by the New Straits Times.

Given Umno’s many decades in power, he said it was natural that the party should wish to return to government. However, he urged the PH leadership to make clear to the people that there was no room in the coalition for Umno.

“PH and its component parties shouldn’t underestimate the people’s resolve and expectations. We shouldn’t take this for granted or get trapped in Umno’s game.”

While he did not rule out the possibility that Umno members might join PH parties, he said the coalition needed to be careful about this to avoid turning into “Barisan Nasional 2.0”.

Meanwhile, PKR’s Subang MP Wong Chen said it was a bad idea for any PH party to form a unity government with Umno, adding that there was a need to differentiate between working with the party in Parliament and as a government.

“If there are good laws which need their support in Parliament, it’s okay to work with them, but not as a unity government.”

He also dismissed rumours that PKR would work with Umno, noting that Umno leaders had not expressed any desire for this.

“That question is best addressed to PPBM because Umno members are leaving to join PPBM.”

Rumours have been swirling of a possible PKR-Umno tie-up due to Zahid’s close relationship with PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim. In the 1990s, Zahid served as Anwar’s deputy in Umno Youth.

However, in a separate interview, Zahid, the former deputy prime minister, said while he had met Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad twice since the May 9 polls, he had not met Anwar at all.

Zahid’s remarks came in the wake of Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa’s revelations that discussions between the party and PPBM had taken place.

Universiti Utara Malaysia political analyst Kamarul Zaman Yusoff also played down the possibility of a unity government with any PH component, saying this would be opposed by the other parties.

He added that this was also unlikely as Umno would have the greater share of influence if it formed a unity government with any member of the PH coalition.

In a statement on his Facebook page, Kamarul said it was more likely that Umno MPs would be absorbed en masse into a PH component.

“My advice to Umno is to accept the bitter reality that it has lost and work towards making itself a solid opposition.

“Just wait until the next election to regain power and stop dreaming of becoming the government through the back door as this would destroy Umno’s influence.” - FMT

ANWAR: ‘NO NEED WHATSOEVER TO DISCUSS UNITY GOVERNMENT WITH UMNO’

Politics | September 28, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR – There has been no suggestion at all in Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the party to collaborate with Umno in forming a solidarity government, said de facto leader of the coalition Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He insisted that the matter had never arisen in PH, thus he felt it was irrelevant to discuss it.

“As its stands, we are committed to PH and there is consensus that there is no need whatsoever to discuss that (cooperation with Umno). That is the proposition now… we have discussed among leaders and that is the general consensus,” he told reporters, here today.

He was approached after launching two books written by national laureate who is also senior lecturer of the Faculty of Creative Writing at the National Cultural and Heritage Academy Datuk Anwar Ridhwan titled Cerita Saya: Memoir Sehingga Tahun Tragedi 13 Mei 1969 and Bangsawan Helah Berhena.

Anwar said PH maintained the existing decision to continue to plan national governance and boost the national economy and there is no other suggestion made.

Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in a special interview with NSTP recently was reported to have said that Umno hoped the establishment of a solidarity government between the party and any other political party in the government could be realised immediately.

In another development, when asked on speculation that there would be a five-cornered contest in the Port Dickson by-election, Anwar who is also the PH candidate for the Parliamentary seat said that he was open to any contest.

“This is a democratic country, anyone can contest,” he said.

Besides the Independent candidate, Stevie Chan Keng Leong, 51, and the Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) candidate Ahmad Kamaruddin, who had stated their intention to contest, former Selangor Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and former ‘reformasi’ leader Datuk Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor were said to have offered themselves to contest under the PAS and independent tickets.

On Sept 12, the incumbent for the Parliamentary seat Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah vacated his seat to make way for Anwar to return to the Dewan Rakyat.

In the 14th General Election, Danyal Balagopal won the seat with a majority of 17,710 votes, to beat Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk VS Mogan and Mahfuz Roslan from PAS.

The Election Commission fixed Saturday for nomination day and Oct 13 as polling day for the by-election. — Bernama/Malaysia Chronicle"

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tun Daim Zainuddin have a discussion on the current economic conditions and the strengthening of Bumiputera agencies, including a number of contemporary development.‬ — Picture via Facebook/Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar meets Daim for chat on economy, stronger Bumiputera agencies
Published 2 weeks ago on 08 September 2018
By Ida Lim
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today he had met with the federal government’s influential adviser Tun Daim Zainuddin to talk about issues such as the economy. Sharing on his Facebook page a photo of the duo seemingly having a light-hearted moment, Anwar said in a brief description: “Discussion with Tun Daim on the current economic conditions and the strengthening of Bumiputera agencies, including a number of contemporary development.” Both of them are former finance ministers for more, go to https://www.malaymail.com/s/1670795/anwar-meets-daim-for-chat-on-economy-stronger-bumiputera-agencies
Malaysia's Anwar on Trade War, Canceled Projects, Debt, Mahathir, Economy, 1MDB
September 12th, 2018, 12:44 PM GMT+0800Malaysia has been relatively unscathed by the sell-off in emerging markets. The Mahathir government is charting a tricky path at a time when global risks are mounting. However, Malaysia's prime minister-in-waiting, Anwar Ibrahim, told Bloomberg the economy is managing to handle the escalating trade war between the US and China. (Source: Bloomberg) … for VIDEO, go to https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-09-12/anwar-on-trade-war-malaysia-china-deals-debt-mahathir-economy-1mdb-video