Out with the old, in with the new


by Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Dec 31, 2012

Puppet shows, ‘Punch and Judy’ politics, farcical presentations, tragicomedies, drama queens, flip-flops, U-turns, dress rehearsals and of course, pornographic productions can be used to sum up current Malaysian politics.

It is amazing what the subconscious reveals. When MCA keeps asking if Hadi Awang or Anwar Ibrahim would make the better prime minister, you know what the ruling coalition are thinking – that BN is doomed.

Why would one of the main component parties in BN talk about opposition candidates for the post of prime minister? If they thought they stood any chance of winning GE13, they would be discussing which BN candidate should lead the country, rather than which opposition politician would make the best PM.

In November 2011, the Umno information chief, Ahmad Maslan, talked about a hung parliament: “If there is a hung Parliament scenario like Australia, let’s say 112 government seats to 110 opposition seats, it is the worst thing that could happen.”

This showed that Umno had no confidence of victory at the polls.

Ahmad Maslan warned the Malays of the DAP’s Christian zeal: “The Malay language will be lost, say goodbye to the Malay Sultans, the opposition DAP do not even respect the royal institution … they have never accepted royal titles even though they have been offered them.”

Last week, it was alleged that the MCA president Chua Soi Lek also talked about a hung parliament, when asked to comment about a rival in his party.

An online newspaper had reported that the blogger, Syed Akbar Ali had written: “Revisiting the issue of factionalism and lack of support, he spoke bluntly about the Ong Tee Keat faction trying to sabotage him in Melaka. Dr Chua feels that if there is a hung Parliament after the general elections, Ong Tee Keat may just pack his bags and leave. Like Chua Jui Ming.”

One year after Umno raised fears of a hung parliament, MCA has voiced the same anxieties.

There are other indications of the lack of confidence in BN.

The sporadic acts of violence against the opposition are acts of desperation by a defeated Umno which has acknowledged defeat before the election has been held.

In the past, the usual spokesperson in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s cabinet would be quick to come to his defense, whenever someone makes serious allegations about him. This time, they are quiet. Has Najib issued a gagging order?

Despite revelations by the carpet seller, Deepak Jaikishan about Rosmah Mansor and Nazim Razak, interfering in the investigations into the death of the Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, both the police and the attorney-general’s offices have taken no action.

Deepak also claimed to be the victim of a business deal, involving a Defence Ministry project, which had gone foul. One would have expected the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate these allegations, but they, like the police and the attorney-general’s chambers, are quiet.

When the former inspector-general of police (IGP) Musa Hassan complained of interference in the police force, by the Home Minister and other senior politicians, there was no response from Najib.

Many allege that former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad are behind these revelations. Why would he support moves that would give an advantage to Anwar Ibrahim, his arch-enemy? Mahathir has been strangely silent about Deepak and Musa’s claims. Why would he give the opposition a chance to take over Putrajaya, undo his legacy and end his dynasty?

Najib is gradually being undone by his greed and vanity. If only he had paid Altantuya her meagre commission, then none of this mess would haunt him. If only he had paid Deepak his monies from the corrupt land deal. If only he had paid Musa Hassan his dues which most former IGPs received in the past.

Luxury goods up for grabs?

Last week, the Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali arranged for the auction of thousands of luxury goods owned by Tunisia’s deposed dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family. People have been queuing-up to have a brief glimpse of the dictator and his wife’s ostentatious life. There were fast-cars, jewellery, works of art, shoes, handbags and other accessories.

For years, Malaysians have heard stories about multi-million ringgit rings, expensive handbags, fast-cars and other dizzying displays of an opulent lifestyle by our politicians, their spouses, and their children. When the time comes, will Malaysia’s new prime minister arrange an auction of goods, like the Tunisians have done?

So what would you look for if the opposition were to win and there was an auction of luxury goods formerly owned by BN politicians and their cronies?

Would it be Rosmah Mansor’s handbags and rings? Her badminton racquets? Her lycra tracksuit? Her clothes?

Or would it be Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s grand piano which allegedly belonged to Liberace? Or Taib’s selection of Rolls-Royces, gems or yachts? Or would you be interested in his son, Sulaiman’s fast cars?

Would you include the items which were ‘lent’ by their cronies, such as the Hummer 2 SUV lent by Michael Chia to the de facto Law Minister Nazri Aziz’s son, Nedim? What about Nedim’s luxury watch which would cost more than the average Malaysian could earn in several lifetimes?

The one item that I would love to see is Mahathir’s little red book, which is alleged to hold the dirty secrets and alleged crimes of his cronies, his corrupt politicians and the other people who were easily bought. Allegedly, he positively encouraged corruption and wrongdoing so he would be able to hold them to ransom at a later date.

The book should make interesting reading, but judging by the number of scandals that have rocked Malaysia over the past 30 years, it would not be a book that one could read in an evening.

Happy New Year to everyone.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak’, this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

  1. #1 by chengho on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 2:31 am

    Pakat Pakat still dreaming with gossip .

  2. #2 by chengho on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 3:29 am

    Hmmm major botch up in Dapter poll, must be failed in mathematic exam , how to run a country , what a joke of the year

  3. #3 by Noble House on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 3:59 am

    This is a well observed prognosis and should make interesting read:

    http://www.financetwitter.com/2012/11/time-to-switch-camp-good-bye-najib-and-auntie-rosy.html

  4. #4 by monsterball on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 4:39 am

    Najib is already done.
    Mahathir may have a hand to do him up…to force Najib to resign and save his UMNO b party.
    To add to his scheming character…he said…..5 years under PR must be avoided because PR will destroy everything that Umno b has done.
    All smart Malaysians had a good laugh at that comedian lousy act.

  5. #5 by monsterball on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 4:40 am

    What is chengho mumbling about?
    Make no sense.

  6. #6 by lee tai king (previously dagen) on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 8:35 am

    Chengho’s recent revelation here is apt: i.e. that umno treats the business of governing the country like a game of poker. Cintanegara gave us rambutans and chengho tells us about Keadah2 Kerajaan Poker-style.

  7. #7 by sotong on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 10:10 am

    You need a new team to properly clean up the mess so the country and ordinary people could move forward.

  8. #8 by Bigjoe on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 10:34 am

    Its still comes down to basically a Grudge Match. Its a question of how many in Malaysia really have a taste for real Grudge match – hard hitting, long drawn out, keep coming back again and again. The stuff of Rocky legends, the stuff of Battle of Termopylae, Battle of the Red Cliff, Anzac, Imjin, Arnhem.

    UMNO/BN don’t fight a real fight, they fight dirty and they fight only when odds are in their favour..The opponent has to want it many, many times more to overcome the odd.

    Will be put together with Thermopylae, Red Cliff etc. or will it be Alamo, Little Big Horn or our chase for Olympic Gold?

  9. #9 by monsterball on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 10:51 am

    Sad chengho is such a young lad.
    Had he been much older,he may have been a BN Minister by now and PR would have steamroll into PutraJaya with no problems.
    Back in Sabah….SUPP is giving problems to Anwar.
    At the brink of disappearing into thin air….SUPP joined PR and now dictating terms to Anwar.
    I am sure all PR parties will want Anwar to tell the President…go fly kites.

  10. #10 by chengho on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 12:05 pm

    Dapter CEC polls resul blunder , eh sure blunder or by design or even not efficient , too much Hangover from gangnam style , still one man control party , leg is there

  11. #11 by boh-liao on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 12:06 pm

    How come DAP CANNOT conduct an erection properly 1?
    What a botch-up in DAP’s CEC erection result
    At least no cover up, brave enuf lah 2 let all C DAP’s incompetence

  12. #12 by monsterball on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 2:39 pm

    hi chengho..at lest DAP does not hide their election blunder….and not one DAP candidate has complain anything. Why are you so busybody type la.
    boh-liao reminds me of my tying mistakes….erection and not election.
    Taking his comment as it is….I am quite sure DAP blighters can get erections….one way or another…with modern medicine……correct….chengho???

  13. #13 by cseng on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 3:17 pm

    During cultural revolution of china, Mao Tzedong has famous little red book, whenever the communist land into disputes, they refer to his little red book, is like a holy book, then.

    So our Chairman Ma-Hadir also had a little red book too?

    Chengho, what are your points? forgot your medicines this morning?

  14. #14 by chengho on Friday, 4 January 2013 - 4:19 pm

    Erection we can fix Sir , the technology available

  15. #15 by boh-liao on Saturday, 5 January 2013 - 11:32 am

    Ya, man, erection veri important 1, esp party erection
    Ppl seemed 2 readily forgive DAP over its CEC erection mess, even praised DAP’s transparency, accountability, bravery in admitting mistake, etc
    What if the same mistake were committed by our erection commission (EC) during d coming GE13?
    Will d same grp of ppl as forgiving 2 EC as well?
    Although 2 err is human, dis sort of error should not hv happened (considering a few rounds of checking of results) – it does reflect incompetence, sloppiness, unprofessionalism

  16. #16 by chengho on Saturday, 5 January 2013 - 12:44 pm

    People actually laugh about it , after 3 weeks suddenly u realize some spreadsheet mistake , probably clone computer with clone software problem
    If U cannot run ur own party election , what to expect from u to run a county , u will blame spreadsheet again

  17. #17 by monsterball on Sunday, 6 January 2013 - 11:19 am

    One subject….chengho keep rubbing in.
    “Honesty is the best Policy”…drum it into your coconut head.

You must be logged in to post a comment.