Tonight, let us explore another option open to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, faced with an ultimatum by the Umno Supreme Council’s “926” emergency meeting that he abandon his mid-June 2010 power-transition plan and to relinquish his posts as Umno President and Prime Minister in March next year = his decision to be announced before the start of the Umno division meetings on October 9.
This may be described as his sixth option as I had last night referred to five options he would have to mull over in the next 12 days.
If Abdullah is not prepared to take on the Umno warlords by contesting for the Umno President’s post, be a lameduck Prime Minister for the next 12 months, immediately resign as Prime Minister, advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament to hold new general election or co-operate with Pakatan Rakyat to establish a new federal government, there is one more option open to him.
This is to accept the Umno Supreme Council ultimatum that his premiership ends by March next year but ending his hitherto lacklustre premiership in a blaze of glory in the final six months by leaving a lasting legacy for future Malaysians by being a courageous reformist Prime Minister.
Abdullah can begin his six-month programme of reform in the next Cabinet meeting by choosing to act in at least ten areas, viz:
1. Police – Establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) by the end of the year, based on the Bill proposed by the Royal Police Commission, in order to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class service to restore to Malaysians their fundamental freedom to be free from crime and the fear of crime.
2. No more foot-dragging with judicial reforms by ensuring that a Judicial Appointments Commission is established by the end of the year and that the country is not plunged into another era of judicial darkness and scandal with the appointment of the first Umno Chief Justice in the 51-year history of Malaysia.
3. A total revamp of the Anti-Corruption Agency, which has proved to be an utter failure with Malaysia’s Transparency International Corruption Perception Index plunging from No. 37 in 2003 to No. 47 in 2008, when we should have improved to at least No. 30 according to the National Integrity Plan – with the formation of a completely independent anti-corruption commission by the end of the year.
4. Far-reaching parliamentary reforms including the introduction of a full-fledged Parliamentary Select Committee system whereby every Ministry is shadowed by a Parliamentary Select Committee.
5. Repeal of draconian Printing Presses and Publications Act to ensure press freedom and an independent media.
6. Immediate release of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the Hindraf Five and all other Internal Security Act detainees and the repeal of the ISA.
7. Declaration of Malaysia Day on September 16 every year as a national public holiday.
8. 20% oil royalty to Sabah and Sarawak to be devoted solely for the development of the people in the two states and not for the enrichment of a handful of political parasites.
9. Meritocracy as a national policy to reverse brain drain and to retain the best and brightest to transform Malaysia into a competitive global player in the international economic scene.
10. Full acceptance of “Bangsa Malaysia” as primary nation-building objective and not ketuanan Melayu or any other communal, retrogressive or obsolete concept.
[Speech (3) by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang at the DAP “Abolish ISA” ceramah at Serdang, Selangor on Sunday, 28th September 2008 at 9 pm]
#1 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 7:37 am
What reform?? No need la! Aren’t we comfortable here in BN?
#2 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 8:02 am
A commentary in The MalaysianInsider attributes the premier’s present predicament to his young advisors, better known as Fourth Floor Boys, for wrong political strategies and misplaced priorities. See link here – http://tmi.interunix.my/index.php/component/content/9768?task=view#pc_2399
There is lot of truth that a leader is often as good as his advisers.
This is because no one man – no matter how smart and intelligent – can think of everything, and the collective deliberation of several persons would have explored with more breath and depth of any issue than the brilliance and knowledge of one man, let alone one not that brilliant or knowledgeable!
A savvy leader will choose the right advisers, not one or two but several tiers of such advisers……
And what is the “right” advisers?
The quality of the deliberations by advisers must be good because of the quality of the adviser participants who will speak their minds without fear or favour to tell the leader what he should hear rather than just what he likes to hear.
Even then there should not be just a select few but several tiers of advisers from which a leader can canvass differing opinmions to weigh before deciding.
Advisers should have the experience and maturity and appointed on basis of merits rather than just familial ties and academic qualifications.
Their first priority should be loyalty to the leader and the nation’s good to which the leader’s position is co-extensive. It is disastrous if advisers’ loyalty is to their own business interest and personal aggrandizement.
As an arbitrary figure I would impute as much as 80% of a leader’s achievements or failures to the quality of his advisers.
I would reserve 20% for the leader’s intrinsic merits and wisdom of judgment.
This is because even competent advisers – with expertise in their respective fields – can all be wrong, dwelling too much on trees than the larger forest, the details than the balance of the macro picture. Especially so when a judgment call is required based on values, or rather competing values, when the choice of one value represents a sacrifice of another. How the man chooses is what a sum total of what he is in these circumstances.
Within the ruling party, many are banking on Najib now rather than Pak Lah for leadership to re-unite UMNO because rightly or wrongly it is believed that Najib has more and better and several tiers of advisers.
What has been said applies not just to UMNO or BN’s leaders but equally to even Anwar’s and other PR’s leaders.
#3 by ctc537 on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 8:53 am
ysp, you wrote a superb piece.
Many people say some of the contents of history books used by secondary school students do not reflect the true history of the country. Malaysians in general and students in particular have to understand the Federal Constitution in greater depth, so that to save our country from being ruled by leaders in the likes of TDM. The Sultan of Perak (or Raja Nazrin Shah) has suggested that schools be taught the Federal Constitution.
I understand that TDM had lofty goals. He wanted the Malay race to be among the world’s major races alongside peoples like the Germans, Russians, Caucasians, Japanese, Chinese, etc. His obsession with these lofty goals has led him to undertake mega development projects during his years in office. He built the KLIA, KL Towers, Petronas Twin Towers, Putrejaya, North South Highway, Penang Bridge, Pulau Langkawi, the sending of a Malaysian astronaut to ISS, etc. All these projects were designed to attract world attention and to demonstrate to the world know that Malaysia Boleh.
But it could be he didn’t realise that we Malaysians were still one of the third word countries and the people were not highly educated and technologically advanced and as hard working as the Japanese. But TDM has my sympathy. In retrospect, we can see that TDM wanted Malaysians especially the Malays to make rapid progress like the world’s advanced races so much so that he made mistakes that he possibly still doesn’t realise to this day. The downgrading of English in our school system is one of the greatest mistakes which has done damage to the nation in more ways than he can realise.
Pak Lah is also partly to blame for the mess we are in today. .We can’t point the finger at TDM alone. This is only personal opinion.
#4 by Swordsman on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 9:05 am
Obviously most of the bloggers who posted comments on this article seemed to have missed YB LKS’s real intention in posting this 6th Option.
We all know that Pak Lah, as his normal self, is incapable of even implementing one of the areas cited in the article.
With this article, LKS is throwing the gauntlet at Pak Lah. Pricking his conscience so that he may ask himself some soul searching questions as to what kind of legacy he would like to leave behind as the 5th PM. Would he want to be remembered as the “loyal” UMNO member who placed UMNO’s interests above the national interests and that of the Rakyat? Or to be remembered for having done something that is “right” and “good” for the Rakyat? Or as the Saviour of our nation by destroying UMNO/BN with his incompetence and ineptness in political leadership and governance?
Pak Lah has already destroyed UMNO beyond the point of redemption and he might as well pursue this course of “destruction of UMNO” by taking assertive actions to bring about changes for the good of the country.
Pak Lah may have been sleeping for the past 5 years, but like the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty who woke up from the kiss of the Prince, he may suddenly wake up when God’s light shines into his inner self and realises HIS call of duty to serve the Rakyat.
If only Pak Lah had read this article, LKS would have achieved half the success by stimulating and challenging him to implement the 10 areas if he wants to go down in history with a respectable legacy. The other half of the success rests on the WILL OF GOD.
May GOD bless us ALL with Pak Lah taking unexpected and radical actions for the good of our nation.
#5 by taiking on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 9:37 am
Kassim seems to have his head misguiding his sense when he said “Whether Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi step down or not, it is non of the business of DAP as it is the family matter of UMNO.”
That whoever-he-may-be idiot who sits on top of umno will be the pm of malaysia. He must not only be acceptable to umnoputras and ordinary umno members he must also be acceptable by all malaysians. We all have a right to know the likely outcome of what is going on in umno now between badawi and najib and to voice our opinion.
Still caught in the arrogant and denial and oppressive mentality, he certainly and obviously is.
Back to uncle kit’s view in this thread. He has seen the coming and going of 4 prime ministers. Perhaps he is the only MP who has that experience. He would stand in good stead to propose the possible line of actions for badawi’s consideration.
Besides, one must remember that players in the field often cannot think sensibly like the manager on the bench by the field. Further, badawi is indecisive and obviously seems lost. He needs help.
#6 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 9:45 am
If he gets even one thing done well, I would be let his legacy rest. As is, he is going to let his legacy go down in the crapper. His SIL knows that and is desperate to get UMNO Youth presidency otherwise he will be washed down the toilet too.
But let realistically look at the list and say what is Najib-Muhiyiddin going to do? I say they will push for Judicial Appointment forward, they have no choice in the matter BUT it will be filled with people they can control. Everything else will be downhill from there. The ACA will be asked to make more headlines catching corrupt people that are not key to the party survival and they will impose discipline on the warlords underneath them and call it a victory.
No fundamental change is coming. More likely the disintegration of criticism will be their goal. Blunt the sting and consolidate power is the most likely choice.
#7 by ktteokt on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 9:54 am
If AAB cared to implement these changes, he would have done so from the very first day he became “Prime Minister for the people” and not wait till his position became so shaky to do so! Do you think by doing so, he can salvage his position in the nation and in UMNO?
#8 by PHUAKL on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 9:59 am
Dear Progressive Friends
Here’s a limerick I wrote (also posted elsewhere):
There’s a party called UMNO
Prominent in local political
folklore
Originally led by the noble Tunku
Its current leaders seem mostly to
be rent-seeking “dungu”
Unless it truly reforms, it’ll
soon be shown the door!
Phua Kai Lit
#9 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 10:11 am
I agree with Ling Mazen & teacher!
Pak Lah’s best option would be to dissolve parliament and hold a fresh election. Let the people decide who falls and who stays and who will become the next government of Malaysia. For him, it’s all too little too late.
#10 by waterfrontcoolie on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 10:14 am
ctc537, you gave too much to TDM, he just wanted his cronies to make as much as possible through all those projects! He didn’t care about those average Malays, only his Mamak cronies! There was nothing great about the PIRATIZATION programmes in the country. Just look around all those who headed those projects. You don’t business acumen jsut the connections and the Treasury would pay on your behalf all your investments! Great ? B…ls.
Come another round, we would have to send malaysians to work as migrant workers !!
#11 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 10:22 am
waterfrontcoolie…hehehe… I heard China will be looking for workers for their moon project soon.
Well, at least one Malaysian has the necessary training & experience to work in space, thanks to the over rm40m spent by our “longsighted’ government.
#12 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 10:58 am
Sdr. Lim is wrong that this is NOT Badawi’s last chance to correct his legacy. When Najib and Muhiyiddin goes after each other throat which is eventual, Badawi is the only person that can act as go-between. He can bid his time to come out looking like senior advisor to the party…
#13 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 11:23 am
One can throw Pak Lah any number of gauntlets to effect at least one reform for the sake of legacy, but (realistically) can he?
It is not that he is not desirous or willing to do it but can he even if he wants to within the limited time?
Even before now the bureaucracy has not been carrying out instructions as directed.
Now, the transition period, it is worse.
As I said in the earlier thread, “this transition is a depressing period. The surface forms of power still subsist; bureaucracy still churns the paper work for his signature but real executive authority slips away. Decisions bureaucrats disapprove will be purposely delayed (waiting for the next man); diplomats and business men go through the motions of deference but reserve their real negotiations and importunations for the next man.”
I
#14 by lextcs on Tuesday, 30 September 2008 - 8:00 pm
well…it came sooner than expected…the dow crashed single day historic 700 pts….the house of reps really split on bailouts….this time the NEOCONS couldnt have their way so the took it out on wall street….the game’s not over yet….next will be shorting the dollar…we will see the expedite devalue of the dollar (its about time)…..pegging will do us no good now….next stop for those treasury bills holders is to make a big rush to federal reserve and redeem those bills…the herds follow suit and thus we will see the fall of United states of America….and we think wolfowitz will help out our beloved anwar once he seizes power over here….think again.
#15 by ctc537 on Wednesday, 1 October 2008 - 7:23 am
To solve or alleviate the people’s economic hardship, the best option left for AAB is to call for snap-election so that the new government, whether it is led by BN or PR, can get on with the urgent task of tackling the country’s economic problems. The problem is what if the outcome of the election is a difference of less than 20 seats in favour of either side? We will be back to square one, and political instability continues.
We just can’t fathom why Pak Lah was found dithering in the past. Maybe he is different this time around when the whole nation is banking on him to make that vital decision for the country. Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all Muslims in the country.