Biased Malaysians

Hantu Laut

Many Malaysians were under the impression that it was wrong to take potshots during a debate.What Shabery Cheek did was not personal attack on Anwar's character, it was on past policies and practices when Anwar was one of the policymakers in government.Not exactly a wrong thing to do in a debate.

Watch the next American Presidental Debate and see whether you can pick out how many potshots the candidates throw at each other.

A full transcript of the third and final debate of US Presidential Election 2004 between George Bush(R) and John Kerry(D): is here.

It is not my job to defend Shabery Cheek but I do hope fellow bloggers in particular and Malaysians in general show some impartiality when making judgement and give credit where credit is due.

Anwar is a seasoned orator and should, undoubtedly, shines brighter than newcomer Shabery. Even with less experience and exposure I would say he has done pretty well.

Let us be honest how many politicians in this country would dare to participate in a debate on live TV. Many of them can't even read properly from a prepared text let alone go on live TV scriptless.Give him a few more years I am sure he would be just as good if not better than Anwar.

Such debate would be unthinkable under previous administration.

Anwar Playing To The Gallery

Hantu Laut,

There is no winner or loser in the debate last night.For a less experience politician Ahmad Shabery Cheek has done well against one of the country's most skilled orator.

It goes without saying that Anwar is a better polemicist and his speech is more memorable for its polemic rather than its substance.Anwar is not interested in facts and figures and as an experienced activist and politician he knew what his audience wanted to hear.He outshines Shabery in term of delivery and display of charisma.Anwar was more interested in playing to the gallery, his target audience the proletarian and the kampong folks.His figure of RM1 to 2 billion to subside reduction of fuel price is fancy mathematics to seduce the people to believe him, which he knew is untrue and grossly insufficient, a populist talk according to Shabery.

He failed to raise nuisance value against the government.

Shabery might have shocked most people with his hidden talent.Many have expected him to be eaten alive by Anwar.He came well-armed with facts and figures and reasons why government had no choice but to increase the price of oil.He tried to kill the myth that Malaysia is a substantial oil-producing country and have quoted Venezuela and Iran as countries that have the cheapest price of petrol but have double digit inflation.He,however, forgot to mention that even at the current price the government still subsidise part of the cost.Aside from taking cheap shots at Anwar, which was unnecessary, he had done well and came out unscathed.

Both came out well, Anwar may be the star but Shabery Cheek is the real surprise and a rising star.

Is Anwar Ibrahim Above The Law?

Hantu Laut

Malaysians in general and the Western media in particular would make a hero out of Anwar Ibrahim even if he is defiant of the law.

Is Anwar above the law or does he thinks he is above the law? Is he to be treated differently from other ordinary Malaysians? What makes he thinks he has immunity from being issued with an order to present himself at the police station for questioning? Are they not just excuses to provoke the police to arrest him so we Malaysians can make a hero out of him.

He is no Nehru,Ghandi or Mendela. If he had been selfless and as noble as those three gentlemen I would have great respect and sympathy for him, but he is not.His thirst for power has passed the threshold of decency, it's pure greed and self-glorification.

Many Malaysians still can't see through this man and where he is taking this country to.His dramatic and dreadful display of playing the victim to rile up his supporters into a frenzy has been his trade mark since his ABIM days.He has no respect for the democratic process, he glorifies demonstrations,intimidation and coercion as the right process to demolish an elected government. 

The government may be corrupted,useless and led by a lame-duck prime minister but, what's the hell, the people had made their choice.

We have rightly or wrongly, put our fate in a government we chose and change if we had to, must be through the democratic process, unless Anwar Ibrahim sees it fit to start a rebellion against the government, which he is trying hard to do by arousing the sentiments of his supporters, to create civil disorder, which may and can lead to general chaos or even rioting.

Just go to any of the popular blogs in this country and see for yourself the kind of comments his supporters and blogs that support him make.He has become a cult figure to them. Any negative comment on Anwar would turn them into wild animals ready to jump on you and tear you to pieces.These are people who speaks about democracy and clean government but can only behaved in most uncivilised manner.It wouldn't be my wild imagination how scary it would be to put thousands of his diehard supporters on the streets.

Does Anwar cares whatever going to happen to this peaceful nation.I think he wouldn't give a damn as long as he can gain power, by hook or by crook.

Anwar's deleterious way will be his downfall again.

Abdullah's Art Of War

Hantu Laut

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has done it.He has delivered his master stroke.

The handing over to Najib delayed to June 2010 would give him enough time to consolidate his position, rebuild confidence and keep away would be contenders from the fray.Sun Szu would be proud of his military like strategy.

Two of Sun Szu's stratagem in the planning of war based on James Clavell's simple interpretation are shown below:

18.All warfare is based on deception.

22.If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him.Pretend to be weak,that he may grow arrogant.

With Najib nicely locked in as his chosen successor he has eliminated the one man who is likely to challenge him for the presidency of the party.

It is unlikely for Najib to change his mind and challenge Abdullah as he had given Muhyiddin the cold shoulder. Muhyiddin has sought alliance with him to work as a team to challenge Abdullah.With poor public perception of his image Najib wouldn't want to upset the applecart.

The people's court of opinion had not been fair to him, they didn't give him the same benefits of the doubts that they have given Anwar.Dirty campaigning by Anwar had also added fuel to an already burning fire.

As well as being intellectually smart, Anwar is also a cunning creature, he took his case of sodomy to the Sharia Court, where the accuser would be required to produce 4 adult witnesses.Your guess as good as mine where this Islamic judicial edict stands in today's society as far as practicality is concerned.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir may have to bite his sharp tongue and resign to the fact that he will not be getting what he wanted, the good riddance of Abdullah.It may also be good for the country if Mahathir makes an exit from the political scene.His over-indulgence has done more harm than good to UMNO and the nation.

The motion of vote of no confidence by the oppositions in Parliament is not likely to succeed and will have no dire consequence on Abdullah's position as prime minister.It would merely be an academic exercise to fulfill Anwar's lust for power.

Malaysia a seemingly modern country has little to offer in term of political maturity. The stagnation in political adolescence make most of us look like blithering idiots.The recently concluded General Elections was a glaring example of political immaturity.

In more matured society and fully grown political system, opposition parties and society at large would have accepted the results of the elections and get back to work and the masses back to their ordinary lives.

In Malaysia, in spite of the fact that the ruling coalition had more than comfortable majority and the leaders duly elected, there were more political turmoil after the elections than before.The oppositions who claimed to champion democracy didn't behave as such.

Instead of giving democracy it due process and wait until the next elections to try taking over the government, the oppositions led by Anwar went on a wildcat campaign to spread hatred against the government.Abdullah's politicial liberalism has fueled Anwar intense and relentless political campaigning although elections have passed.

The political turmoil was not started by the DAP or PAS,the two main opposition parties, but by two men, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad and his arch rival and former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, both men have almost common mission, Mahathir to topple Abdullah as prime minister and Anwar to topple Abdullah's government.

Both men employ different political philosophy, Mahathir using the racial card lamenting on the erosion of Malay rights under Abdullah's regime and Anwar titillating equality for all races in the country, a farcical promise according to a Chinese friend.When he comes to power it will be ketuanan Melayu all over again he added.

How far that is true we would only know if Anwar becomes prime minister.

Malaysians will be in for more surprises from weak Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Weak according to whom wanted him out.