Following the bombshell by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee yesterday announcing that its two MPs Dr. Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) and Eric Enchin Majimbun (Sepanggar) would move a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, many questions are swirling for answer, including whether it is possible for a no confidence motion to be moved in Parliament on Monday when it looks procedurally impossible as up to yesterday no such notice of motion had been submitted to Parliament.
In fact, although a proper motion of no confidence has not been submitted to date to Parliament, it is not impossible to duplicate a no confidence vote in Parliament on the Barisan Nasional government on Monday.
Whether a no confidence motion could be moved, debated and voted upon in Parliament on Monday, however academic it appears, is however not the foremost question created by Yong Teck Lee’s announcement yesterday.
The most important question from the SAPP action, which has dealt another mortal blow on the Barisan Nasional government after the March 8 “political tsunami”, is:
Will the declaration by the two SAPP MPs of no-confidence in Abdullah as Prime Minister trigger support from other BN MPs in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia or will the incipient revolt by disaffected BN MPs be crushed with SAPP expelled by BN today with the engineering of a SAPP Baru?
The Barisan Nasional supreme council will be holding an emergency meeting in 90 minutes’ time at 2.30 pm over Yong Teck Lee’s shock announcement yesterday.
Even if SAPP is expelled from Barisan Nasional and a SAPP Baru engineered from SAPP elements who dissociate themselves from Yong Teck Lee’s action, and the incipient revolt of the other disaffected BN MPs from Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia snuffed out with a “regime of white terror” by a show of power and intimidation, the Barisan Nasional government will only further alienate itself from the support and sympathy of the people of Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia by ignoring the long-standing popular grievances of Malaysians all over the country.
#1 by Godfather on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:21 pm
Hence my anti-BN approach brings with it my propensity to sideline the truth if it conflicts with my approach. Or even bury the truth as there is “no price that is worth paying” as long as the BN is damned.
#2 by Jeffrey on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:23 pm
I think you have to figure it out yourself. I have said enough for the day. :)
#3 by Lee Wang Yen on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:23 pm
Dear Godfather,
Based on the paragraphs highlighted by Jeffrey and you, when he says that you are willing to sideline truth so long as BN is damned, he is not saying that you’re willing to make false accusations against BN. He is just saying that you’re willing to sideline all valid criticisms against BN’s enemies (e.g. Anwar, PAS etc). Brushing aside valid criticism against BN’s enemies is what Jeffrey meant by ‘sidelining the truth’.
#4 by Jeffrey on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:25 pm
You can’t say it is not (what’s the word?) – “abbreviated”.
#5 by Lee Wang Yen on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:25 pm
Though Jeffrey sometimes uses long sentences (sometimes these are inevitable), his writings are mostly very clear.
#6 by Jeffrey on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:28 pm
Alas Wang Yen, I have long come to recognise that logic/objectivity and emotions can’t mix. Then again that is trite.
#7 by Lee Wang Yen on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:30 pm
So it seems to me that Godfather has misunderstood Jeffrey’s terms ‘sidelining the truth’ as referring to Godfather’s making false accusations against BN.
That seems to me like a clear misunderstanding, since Jeffrey’s ‘sidelining of the truth’ came accross to me as clearly referring to ‘brushing aside valid criticisms of BN’s enemies (e.g. Anwar and PAS)’.
#8 by Godfather on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:31 pm
I didn’t go to Cambridge, so I don’t think Jeffrey’s writings are “mostly very clear”.
#9 by kingkenny on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:31 pm
Dear Jeffrey,
from what I observe, you are not able to understand the feelings of the Rakyat in this new chapter of Malaysian politics after March 8th. Were there so much of information given to the public during the last 5 years? And especially during TM’s tenure? And what do you think of the beautiful TENC boutique in KLCC? The pattern is carrying on from generation to generation, albeit with no blood relations. For 51 years.
You have to understand, DSAI belong to his ‘generation of politicians’, he has his own people to satisfy and so does DAP in the PR framework. The Chinese now I believe are more mature, no matter where DAP goes, you can expect the supporters will follow suit. We are indeed a minority community, what we can have is A STRONG VOICE ONLY. If he does not deliver what he promise, it not only spell the end of him but also his pals, PR in general.
“Extreme antipathy”, “pathological state to gloss over and forget” and ethics does not apply to a ‘guilty’ thief.
#10 by Godfather on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:34 pm
Lee Wang Yen:
“No price that is not worth paying” has to mean that the truth must be buried if it conflicts with the ultimate aim of displacing BN. That’s fairly simple English.
#11 by Jeffrey on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:34 pm
//I didn’t go to Cambridge, so I don’t think Jeffrey’s writings are “mostly very clear”// Neither did I but that’s a personal & cheap shot to refute someone’s point.
#12 by Lee Wang Yen on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:36 pm
Please don’t be intimidated by harsh and unjustified accusations of you, Jeffrey. Your contributions to this blog are invaluable.
#13 by kingkenny on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:38 pm
Dear Jeffrey,
and also, you cannot have two sets of law in one place. You must choose one and start to abide by it. You can bet our “extreme antipathy” will not be lessened were a new government to form tomorrow, the welfare of the People is first and foremost.
#14 by Jeffrey on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:38 pm
a reference to a commenter’s alma mater “Cambridge” is personal and does nothing to prove your point or refute the other – what to borrow Undergrad 2′s “abbreviated” expression – ‘a cheap shot’ in context of an argument.
#15 by Lee Wang Yen on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:39 pm
Dear Godfather,
Yes, it does mean that truth must be buried. But in Jeffrey’s immediate context, ‘truth must be buried’ clearly refers to ‘brushing aside valid criticisms against BN’s enemies’, not ‘making false accusations against BN’.
#16 by Jeffrey on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:40 pm
//the welfare of the People is first and foremost// – Kingkenny.
Correct, correct, correct! :) Not interest of BN’s politicians – or even some of PR’s!
#17 by Lee Wang Yen on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:46 pm
If you ask me to choose between a short, pithy and sarcastic comment that does not justify assertions made in the comment and a lengthy one that takes great care to spell out what the author really means and what bases or reasons he has for making certain claims, I’d prefer the latter.
Of course, it depends on what one is really interested in – truth or rhetoric.
#18 by kingkenny on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:51 pm
Justice and welfare of the people. The is in the interest of all Malaysians.
To save lives, “extreme antipathy” measures should be taken.
#19 by Jeffrey on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:52 pm
Repost:
Thanks Wang Yen. I am Ok lah with harsh and unjustified accusations. All are welcome : I try not to take accusations personally. After all we’re different people, in approach, the way we think and articulate. We’re only discussing, sometimes arguing – occasionally getting at each other’s throat – in cyber space for the higher Cause of Communication and Sharing between us Malaysians using medium that YB Kit offers – hopefully for a better Malaysian for us and other children. It will however be beneficial if we try to be as objective as possible and not get too much emotions worked up.
#20 by kingkenny on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 7:56 pm
A rhetoric has no basis or can it justify some accusations made to BN, likewise, the truth if exposed, should not be able to justify the suffering of the people. Lest, I understand incorrectly, that most of us here fairly agree on the many misdeeds of BN.
#21 by AhPek on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 8:26 pm
Jeffrey you are a gentleman and I think Godfather is too.Really what has come to pass is a contest between a detached debater and a passionate debater.Simply awesome,that’s how I see it and at the end of the day educational.
#22 by Jong on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 8:27 pm
This is interesting, attention is directed here:
http://bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com
#23 by Anak_Penang on Friday, 20 June 2008 - 9:02 pm
If i have to choose between this beautiful nation Malaysia, and PM Abdullah, you should know what’s my choice.
This nation really needs a good leader to move forward !!
#24 by Godfather on Saturday, 21 June 2008 - 1:58 pm
The REAL agenda, if you people must know, is that Jeffrey and others are not really out to discredit DSAI, but PAS.
They have been bitterly disappointed with the joint election manifesto, but it became worse after March 8 with the formation of Pakatan. They could not believe that DAP is in an alliance with PAS. The believe that PAS is the mortal enemy, and that BN is the lesser of two evils compared to PAS. They believe that it is much better for DAP to continue to be opposition barking dogs, and hence they are constantly on the lookout for every misdemeanour or misstep of PAS. Then they demand retribution, they demand that DAP make a stand right there and then. No negotiations with the mortal enemy, they say. No compromise.
That’s the real agenda, folks. Everything else is just a smokescreen. I was just toying with the theoretical lawyer and his Cambridge poodle on this thread.
#25 by Rakyat Teraniaya on Saturday, 21 June 2008 - 3:22 pm
Whatever the outcome may be, PR must continue its fight to topple the worthless and corrupt BN!
LONG LIVE DAP! LONG LIVE PKR! LONG LIVE PAS!
LONG LIVE PAKATAN RAKYAT!
KELUAR BARISAN MASUK PAKATAN!
#26 by myint3 on Tuesday, 24 June 2008 - 11:06 am
In the front page of Daily Express dated 24 June 2008 (today):
Shabery : SAPP members shouldn’t follow Yong
A short excerpt from the report:
“Kuala Lumpur : Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) were voted in on the Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket in the March 8 election and as such should be more responsible and uphold the BN discipline, said Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
He said it was not the BN way to question its leadership.
“Like in a family, it is not right for a member to talk bad about the family to outsiders, what more to cooperate with enemies of the family just because they promised better things.
If the SAPP MPs feel they need to serve the people, they have no other choice but to remain in BN. They must take a different path from their own leader, who has gone against BN top leadership,”
Ahmad Shabery, who is also Kemaman MP, said SAPP MPs must make a stand whether to accept their leader’s action or respect the wishes of the people for them to serve under BN.“
I almost fell off from the chair reading that report. Hogwash! Baloney! These are the first words that came to mind. Minister of Information indeed! I think the designation of Minister of Disinformation would better reflect his function.
Is he new in the game or has the machinery in the ministry failed him that he failed to get the right information? He is reminding the SAPP MPs that they were voted in on BN’s ticket. Therefore, they should not jump ship. Hmm… Let me see whether I can recall what happened in Sabah approximately 13 years ago during the 1994 State election. Oh yes, Many PBS MPs who were voted in on PBS’s ticket jumped to BN!
BN didn’t think it was a problem then, why should it be a problem now?
Mr Shabery’s comment is a personal insult to all Sabahans. How low he views our intelligence. This culture of “leap frogging” was encouraged and perpetuated by BN and now when they have a taste of their own medicine, they are crying foul. Get a grip of yourself man! Have some dignity.
I think BN is an old senile man that is fighting desperately to cling on powers. His body is ravaged and decomposing from all the years of living in decadence. He is starting to spout nonsense.
#27 by edgoh on Sunday, 29 June 2008 - 6:25 pm
Because more and more ordinary citizen see the trust on Pakatan Rakyat and Datuk Seri Anwar is getting stronger. Therefore the losers have no choice but to use dirty tactic against Datuk Seri Anwar. In the eyes of God, Anwar is my brother of trust and what ever he does is for the benefit of us. Therefore I pray hard for God blessing and protection over Anwar. God love is upon him. Trust in God.