Thither Malaysia's Costliest Buy-Election

Hantu Laut

Though, traditionally, has always been an UMNO keep, he is not taking any chances, must win this insignificant by-election at all cost.

Losing it may have serious repercussion on his political future.

Prime Minister Najib knew the backwaters of this country like the back of his hand. No need for too many long pedantic speeches, he knew what the people want, what they expect him to bring and what he should leave behind after his departure.

.....but as Mahathir implied 'the people knew it's not his money'

Nevertheless, if the end justifies the means ?

Why not?

Money, money, money. The oppositions averaged the cost at RM19,000. per voter!.....and still counting.

Read:

Malaysia's Crucial By-Election

It may look like an obscure election in an obscure state, but nobody else thinks so

Read more.

Proton And Harley-Davidson

Hantu Laut

I was right in my condemnation of the quality of Proton cars.The MB of Pahang and Kelantan had also come out and said their Perdanas incur high maintenance costs.

The high costs were not merely because of Proton poor quality there must be some element of hanky-panky. The individuals in charge of sending the cars for service and maintenance must be in cahoots with the dealers.

Federal and State departments should stop buying Proton cars to send a clear message to Proton to pull up their socks to improve the quality of their cars. It's government owned and funded by taxpayers. Those guys in Proton are resting on their laurels and are quite happy to produce crappy machines. 

If Proton wish to continue producing low quality cars and expect to sell well, I suggest they send their marketing boys to Harley-Davidson to learn all about marketing hype. How to sell crappy machines at premium prices.

Harley-Davidson image marketing was so good it managed to fool the world's big bike lovers to buy their crappy over-sized and under-powered machines at mind-boggling prices.It's a growing cult of machismo show-off on fat ugly machines.

Real bike enthusiasts don't buy Harley, they buy other high-end bikes, Japanese or European.

Harley recently bought over M.V.Augusta, one of the finest and highly regarded high-end bike manufacturers sold for a song by the myopic management at Proton a year ago.

Let's hope Harley don't introduce their crappy engineering to those superb machines.

The purchase of those Mercedes Benz cars by Trengganu is now a fait accompli and the Prime Minister should let it be and allow those cars to be used by the assemblymen.

Sometimes, favours don't come free, you have to buy them.

Maybe the Menteri Besar of Trengganu should enlighten the Prime Minister why he was so generous to the councillors even at time of economic downturn when government should be tightening its belt.

One thing for sure, he knows the Prime Minister can't remove him, he was appointed by the Sultan.

Dikasi Betis Nak Kepala

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Who is to blame for the Trengganu Menteri Besar indignation that he was right to approve the purchase of those Mercs as official cars for his assemblymen? One should ask the Sultan of Trengganu who appointed him to the post.

I couldn't agree more with him on why he abandoned the Protons in favour of the Merc.Almost all Proton models are not known for its quality.My only question is the timing right to splurge on this kind of luxury when the economy is on the decline and the people are going through the worst patch of their lives as the economy worsen and the costs of living continue to spiral upward.Shouldn't people like him lead by example and go on austerity drive, if he ever heard of the word.

Most people wouldn't really care if the economic climate had been more favourable.

When political leaders goes round telling the rakyat to tighten their belts and not overspend, the rakyat expect them to show example and do the same.What they spend are taxpayer money not their own money and an act of prudence is expected of them.

Menteri Besar Ahmad Said thinks just because he was appointed by the Sultan he can do anything he likes without giving any due respect to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. He has probably forgotten that he is an UMNO Menteri Besar and should abide the party rules.If he is Pakatan Menteri Besar than it's up to him to deal with matters of state under his jurisdiction.

An unnamed Federal Minister said the Cabinet wasn't happy with what he did but is helpless.

After making demand that Abdullah return the Wang Ehsan to Trengganu, he deems it fits to go on a spending spree.

Trengganu:No End In Sight

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There seems to be no end to the crisis in Trengganu. Now it's back to where it started, the 22 assemblymen are still backing Idris Jusoh as MB of Trengganu.

State Umno Secretary Rosol Wahid acting as spokeman for the group said their support is unwavered and remain firm behind Idris but would leave the matter to the Prime Minister.

Trengganu receives between RM800-RM1 billlion in oil royalties annually. The royalties goes through the MB office and how the money was to be spent is decided by Puterajaya.Substantial amount are being spent every year to host the Monsoon Cup.

Has money got to do with the on going tussle for the menteri besar's seat?

Meanwhile, nothing has been disclosed out of the meeting between the PM and the Agong.

Related articles:
Trengganu MB Crisis
Discretion 'not absolute'
Ruler Has Right Over Choice Of MB

Siapa Biadap Sekarang ?

Hantu Laut

When Lim Kit Siang told DAP assemblymen to boycott the swearing in ceremony of the Perak menteri besar they called him "biadap" (disrespectful).Although Kit Siang later apologised to the Sultan and the Regent, UMNO insisted he makes a public apology.

The crisis in Trengganu is set for a showdown between the Prime Minister and the Sultan, who is also the Agong, supreme ruler of the nation, nominated once in every five years on rotational basis by the Ruler's Council.

The palace have appointed Ahmad Said as the new Menteri Besar of Trengganu and rejected PM Abdullah's choice of Idris Jusoh who purportedly enjoys majority support of the state assemblymen.

Abdullah has sent directives to all UMNO assemblymen not to attend the swearing in ceremony at the palace and warned Ahmad Said not to accept the appointment and that he would be sacked from the party if he does. The crisis deepens, Ahmad Said accepted the appointment and was sacked. Is Abdullah "biadap" ? I would say no.

It depends.For the man in the street Abdullah would be seen as "biadap" but for those who understands the constitution of the state and the Malaysian constitution he is not.

The sultan has erred in his judgment by appointing a menteri besar of his own choice.
Although there are provisions in the state constitution which allows him to exercise such rights, it must be done in good faith.

It was without any doubt that Idris Jusoh, appointed by the PM enjoys the support of the majority and would, therefore, by letter of the constitution be the menteri besar.

Support of the majority has nothing to do with those of UMNO divisions in the state.Even if he gets zero support from all the divisions and gets majority support from the state assemblymen, constitutionally he is still entitled to be menteri besar.

If the Sultan insisted on swearing in Ahamd Said, legally he becomes the Menteri Besar until he goes to the assembly and is removed by "vote of no confidence". A new menteri besar supported by majority members of the house would have to be sworn in. If the house is divided than a fresh state election would be called.

Constitutional monarchs should stay within their ceremonial status and play that role and not that of an absolute monarch. An absolute monarch has no constitution or body of law above him.

Of course Abdullah could have erred on the side of caution, be more discreet and as a show of respect just let the Sultan appoint the menteri besar with out any confrontation and later remove him by vote of no confidence. He would than not be seen as "biadap".