Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Dirty Politics: Najib vs Anwar, Perak May Fall
Very few political campaigns have been completely free of dirty politics. Slander,libel,forgery and other potentially damaging criminal acts to embarrass political rivals are the instruments of choice in this dirty game.Some are of the notion that they should use any and all means necessary to guarantee a win and do not feel guilty of their unsavoury ways.Dirty politics range from invasive investigations and revelation of an opponent's personal life, their families and friends to past misdemeanours.
In the recent US Presidential Election, Democrat's candidate Barack Hussein Obama had been the target of dirty politics.His opponents alleged he is a Muslim as his middle name 'Hussein' connotes an Islamic name.Even the New York Times, in abhorrent bad taste, jumped on the bandwagon and came up with a caricature of him in Islamic garb.Fortunately for Obama, the American people didn't buy the story. He won the presidency and created history as the first black president of the US.
In Malaysia, dirty politics have broken all the rules of decency and in some cases even the rule of law. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had been accused of sodomy by the victim himself and police report was lodged against him and he has been charged by the police and awaiting trail.Most Malaysian don't believe the story, majority believed it was politically motivated and part of the government ploy to stop him from gaining power. Najib was the suspected master mind of the plot as the victim had been seen in his house before the expos'e.
Najib is even in a bigger mess than Anwar. He was alleged to be romantically linked to a beautiful Mongolian model who was cruelly murdered and her body blown up by explosives by two policemen who had been official body guards to him and his wife.The indomitable Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the most sensational and controversial Malaysian blogger, had signed a Statutory Declaration implicating Najib's wife in the murder.The main accused Razak Beginda, a close friend of Najib was acquitted by the court adding more speculation to a conspiracy to alter the course of justice away from the real culprits.
In Najib's case, although he could well be victim of dirty politics, majority of Malaysians seemed to believe the story.Why is Anwar seen more innocent ? Was it sympathy because of the bad treatment he got under the BN government or he is just a better actor than Najib. Could it be the many years he spent in prison for what he called trumped-up charges by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad that deflects whatever wrongs he may have committed?
The political impasse in Perak is a battle between Najib and Anwar.The politics in the state will get dirtier until one side is vanquished.
Two seemingly corrupt assemblymen charged by the ACA and awaiting trail suddenly become hot shits for UMNO. Will the court case on 10 February for the two accused be foregone conclusion. They would be found innocent ?
How UMNO going to explain accepting two assemblymen awaiting trail for corruptions when they are in the midst of cleaning up their own house from corruptions or was it because they already knew what the outcome of the trail would be.
On the other hand, why was the Perak state assembly Speaker so eager to accept the resignations of the two assemblymen by ignoring their objections to the letters which they claimed were pre-signed and undated.Why didn't he call the two assemblymen for clarification.Wasn't he showing bias and partiality because he is from PKR and appointed by PKR to that position?
Adding more intrigue to the fascinating world of dirty politics is the Election Commission's decision not to allow the by-elections.This would be the first time the EC rejects call for by-election.Whether they are empowered to do so we have to wait for the court case taken against them by the Perak state government.
In the meantime , Najib is still in the driver's seat, Anwar is the back seat driver and Perak in a limbo.
In latest development it was reported more Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen have absconded.DAP's Hee Yit Foong has resigned from her party and former UMNO Bota assemblyman Nasaruddin had disappeared and expected to return to UMNO.Perak Menter Besar Nizar Jamaluddin is seeking audience with the Sultan to dissolve the whole assembly and call for fresh election.
Najib Tun Razak may see the Sultan to form a new government.
Perak getting very messy.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Ignorance, Stupid or Playing Dirty ?
That was a shock to me.The Election Commission(EC) announced no by-election for the two vacant state seats in Perak.Where did they get the idea they are empowered to make such decision? It would be interesting to find out from the EC which section of the Election Ordinance allows them to act accordingly.
Not only the EC have to be taken to task, the Perak state assembly Speaker V Sivakumar has shown extreme bias and partiality by accepting the letters of resignation despite the fact that the two assemblymen had written to him denying the validity of the letters.Upon receipt of such letters the Speaker should have called the 2 assemblymen concerned to see him to get clarification.Even if the letters were signed by them they have the right to retract the letters.
If Pakatan supporters think they are going to get a better government than they would be disappointed,, the actions of the speaker and the rest of the Pakatan gang are no better than what the BN is practising.
'Two wrongs don't make a right' the EC has also acted appallingly by going beyond its power. The EC is a servant not the master.Its role is to carry out what was decided by 'State Assembly' in the case of state assemblymen and 'Parliament' in the case of MPs.
What would happen if the Agong upon the advice of the PM agreed to dissolve parliament tomorrow and call for fresh elections can the EC ruled otherwise and say no we don't agree ?
Perak gave EC 48-hour ultimatum, what choice have they got, what can they do, get the artillery and go to war with the EC ?
The only choice is the court and that can move at snail pace.
Is Pakatan thinking of the big D....? Otherwise why the ultimatum?
It looks more like a game of 'tit for tat'.A wrong trying to right the other wrong.Both sides playing dirty politics.
Only God,Prophets,Saints And Fools Have No Price.Others...?
People lie for a number of reasons.When we were young we lied out of fear of being punished.Most grew out of it as they get older.In marriage we lied to our spouse to keep the peace or prevent her or him from getting hurt.These are white lies. They do no harm, not intended to do harm but more to save a situation.
Some people claimed they never lied and that itself is a lie. No one, no matter how impeccable his character is must be telling a lie if he says had never lied in his entire life.
The March 2008 Elections had given the oppositions strong foothold in the politics of this nation, it has also brought along some seedy and shady characters. In some areas the people were so disillusioned with the BN even character like Al Capone or a dog for that matter would have been voted in.
Only God, prophets, saints and fools have no price.Every man has a price.We all have different appetite for material comfort.In India a few bottles of Johnny Walker Black Label whiskey can buy you state secrets. In Malaysia, sometimes, a tip of RM50 can get you pardoned by a policeman for a traffic offence.In the US a vacant Senate seat can be sold for $1 million.Unfortunately, for Illinois Governor Rod Blagogevich there were no takers.He shot himself in the foot.
In PKR, the politicians are priceless.They are invaluable.They can't be bought or sold.They have the highest degree of integrity even RM50 million can't buy any of them.This country would sure be cleaned of corruption once PKR and Pakatan takes over the government.
The Malaysian Insider reported that ....Ipoh Barat PKR division head Fauzi Muda, in his statutory declaration made before Commissioner of Oaths Yong Yoke Thye, here today, claimed that he had received an offer of RM50 million from the BN to bring in at least two Perak State Assemblymen, particularly from the PKR, to join Umno or become an Independent after the March 2008 general election.
Fauzi also claimed that he was recently offered RM5 for himself and another RM5 million each to the two Perak State Executive Councillors (Exco members), namely the PKR Assemblyman for Changkat Jering, Mohd Osman Jailu, and the PKR Assemblyman for Behrang, JamaluddinMohd Radzi, to defect.
Also reported in Malaysia Insider from the PKR stables........Kedah state executive councillor V Arumugam today claimed he has been a victim of a kidnap plot and other threats since he was elected in the general elections, saying he believed these are attempts to get him to defect from Parti Kedilan Rakyat to the Barisan Nasional.
He claimed that he was the target of a kidnap attempt last Oct 17 but did not give details. He said the incidents began after the elections with several phone calls last March 31 that threatened his family’s safety and a threat tied to a brick that broke the windscreen of his official Proton Perdana with the number plate BKL 4000 on Dec 17.
Arumugam also said he was worried for his and his family’s safety if he kept the threats a secret and urged the police to investigate all his police reports and take immediate action to secure his family’s safety.One Melayu attached too much sanctimoniousness to himself and the other, an Indian playing out his high drama of Tamil's sandiwara.
These things happened many months ago and only exposed at the height of their orgasm for cheap publicity.These two jokers need to go to a special school and learn the art of lying.The BN/UMNO may be wicked and devilish in their ways but they are not that stupid.
Dream on lads! There was no 'Wizard of Oz' offering you the goodies, it was the 'Wicked Witch of the West' playing with your imagination.
They have learned well from their master, who ran to the Turkish Embassy seeking refuge from BN assassins.It is almost a year now and he is still walking around everywhere in full view of the phantom snipers.
Give me RM50 million anytime and I am not ashamed or shy to take it and drop the PKR like a hot brick.
Good luck to those who chose this den of liars.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Frogs Without Ponds: Anwar Ibrahim Smarter
Malaysian politics never failed to fascinate.The buying and selling of politicians from both sides of the fence is now becoming a matter of life and death.Recent development shows Anwar Ibrahim is the better card player.
I wrote in my previous post 'We Are The Champions' about how past Sabah state governments stopped their assemblymen from defecting by asking them to sign undated letters of resignation which was later deemed illegal.
The speaker of the Perak state assembly has received letter of resignation from the two PKR assemblymen. Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mat Radzi denys he has resigned and said he was made to sign the letter last March.The speaker has accepted the resignation of both assemblymen. By-elections would have to be called after notification to the Election Commission.Is the letter legitimate and legally binding ? The question now rest with the speaker and eventually the court if the two assemblymen decide to challenge the legality of the letter.
In the meantime, the two assemblymen have two options, leave as it is and lose their seats or rush to the court and try get an injunction to stop the by-election until the case is heard and decided by the court.Injunction may or may not be granted.The decision rests with the judge.
The speaker of the assembly wasn't wrong in accepting the resignation as long as he is convinced the letter is genuine.
I believe the letter is valid and legally binding because it was a precondition and it wasn't signed under duress.This is my personal opinion, the law may have different interpretation.
Between being arrogance, cock-sure and being pragmatic Anwar Ibrahim has the edge over the politicians in UMNO. A smart politician that doesn't take things for granted, never trust anyone and cleverly bolted the doors to the stables so the horses can't flee and flee, if they have to, at their own perils.
Anwar, the big fish in a small pond is smarter, maybe, a little less democratic, but than can you blame him ?
On the other side ,UMNO with it cock-of-the-walk attitude, pathetically naive and wanting to be seen democratic did not take preventive measures against the political frogs, degenerates and mercenaries.
Umno may have caught the frogs without the ponds at the moment. Going by precedents on similar cases in Sabah before, Pakatan's hold on power is precariously hanging in the balance.