From http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/15/nation/20100415124910&sec=nation

BN to field Kamalanathan for Hulu Selangor by-election (Updated)


KUALA KUBU BARU: MIC information chief P. Kamalanathan is the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election, Barisan deputy chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced Thursday.

Muhyiddin, who is the Deputy Prime Minister, made the announcement at the Barisan command centre for the by-election at Bukit Sentosa, near here.

"The choice was based on what the people in Hulu Selangor wanted. They wanted change," he said.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had called him from the United States on Thursday morning, and told him that the Barisan machinery must work hard to win the by-election for the parliamentary seat.

Earlier in the day, the MIC agreed to field Kamalanathan (pic) as the Barisan candidate for the parliamentary seat.

Source said party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu met Muhyiddin to endorse MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel as the sole candidate for the seat but Muhyiddin had objected, saying that reports from the ground were not favourable to Palanivel.

"Muhyiddin had inquired about MIC youth deputy chief V. Mugilan for the seat but Samy Vellu objected strongly, saying that Mugilan was unacceptable as he had betrayed the interest of the party," said a source.

Sources added that Samy Vellu had also indicated that the MIC was prepared to give the seat to Umno if Palanivel was not chosen.

Samy Vellu later received a call from Muhyiddin, asking him to consider Kamalanathan as a candidate and for Palanivel to be appointed a Senator and later made a deputy minister.

At the three-hour emergency central working committee meeting on Wednesday night at the MIC headquarters, it was unanimously decided that Palanivel should be the candidate and those who were offered the seat had agreed to reject it.

Kamalanathan, 44, is a public relations manager who is married to S. Shobana, a senior public relations manager at a private hospital.

He started his career as a clerical staff in Associated Pan Malaysia Cement Sdn Bhd in 1985 before becoming a public relation officer with Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council for six years. He was the Public Relations Manager for Carotino and another government owned company from 2001.

He obtained his certificate in public relations from the London Chambers of Commerce and Industry in England and also a diploma in language translation (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka), Public Relations (Institute of Public Relations), and Bachelors in Mass Communications from Edith Cowan University in Australia.
Kamalanathan was a Selayang municipal councillor from 2004 to 2006 and the national coordinator for Putera MIC and party information chief since last year.

From http://sakmongkol.blogspot.com

Hulu Selangor- kempen orang UMNO

Apa gambaran yang kita boleh bentuk apabila sebuah parti orang Melayu yang gagah seperti UMNO memerlukan bantuan Ibrahim Ali untuk menang? Apa pula anggapan orang kepada UMNO kalau cara kita nak menang ialah dengan mengumpat Zaid sebagai kaki minum dan kaki betina?

Yang pertama menyatakan UMNO sudah berada dalam keadaan sangat genting. Kita ni dah begkrap pemimpin ke? Dan besek?

Yang kedua, mendedahkan UMNO sebagai parti yang yang klas bawahan, tak ada isiu yang hendak di jual kepada rakyat. Jika pihak PKR buat perkara ini, ia tidak menjustifikasikan tindakan kita.

Kedua dua cara bukan lah gaya sebuah parti yang hendak menang pilihanraya secara bermaruah.

Saya telah menulis beberapa artikel memberi pandangan saya mengenai PRK HS. Setakat ini ramalan saya mengenai pilihanraya kecil semua betul walaupun ada pihak special branch yang menyatakan sebaliknya.

Saya akan membuat ramalan saya dalam dua tiga hari lagi setelah saya meninjau sendiri dan secara lansung apa yang berlaku di barisan depan. Tapi saya tahu keadaan di KKB tidak memihak kepada BN. Keresahan peneroka Felda jika tidak di atasi, akan membawa padah kepada kita.

Saya telah menyenaraikan beberapa perkara yang boleh menyebabkan kekalahan UMNO dan BN. Saya juga telah menulis mengenai bagaimana kita mendekati PRK Hulu Selangor ini dengan kaedah yang salah.

Jika orang tidak keluar mengundi, itu pun satu lagi bencana kepada kita. Di kalangan orang Melayu, mereka mahukan calun yang boleh menyedekahkan fatihah bila mereka mati. UMNO sekarang berkerja keras untuk Kamalanathan supaya di terima oleh pengundi Melayu.

Antara kaedah yang salah ialah berkempen menyerang peribadi lawan. Rata rata nya pemidato UMNO mengatakan Zaid kaki minum dan kaki betina. Ini tuduhan yang melantun semula kepada orang UMNO. Hampir semua pemimpin UMNO minum. Ada menteri yang saban malam berkelana di kelab malam hotel Shangrila. Yang kaki judi, bukan kepalang ramai nya. Sebab duit yang mereka dapat duit yang amat mudah di perolehi.

Saya orang UMNO tapi yang tidak betul, kita mesti dedahkan. PM mahukan UMNO di susun semula- penyusunan semula bukan hanya melibatkan penstrukturan nya, tapi juga mesti melibatkan amalan, perbuatan dan nilai murni yang mesti di dukung oleh parti UMNO.

Kita mesti menuntut standard yang sama keatas parti kita seperti yang kita mahukan dari pihak lawan. Barulah rakyat akan yakin kepada kata dan ucap kita.

Saya amat gembira bila Dato Ishak dari Negeri Semilan kata- kita mesti tolak semua kaki minum. Tapi gesaan itu mesti lebih di perlakukan keatas UMNO sendiri agar dimasa hadapan, kita akan bersihkan UMNO dari kaki mimun, kaki judi dan kaki betina. Kalau boleh kita nak UMNO ini parti malaikat. Dato Ishak mesti menyatakan dengan lantang dan tegas mengenai syarat ini di dalam perhimpunan agung UMNO tahun ini.

Orang UMNO pun lupa bahawa walaupun ada sifat sifat ini, Zaid pernah di pilih sebagai calun UMNO untuk kawasan parlimen KB dan pernah di angkat jadi menteri. Bererti ketika itu, UMNO tidak memandangkan sifat Zaid ini sebagai amat penting untuk tidak di pilih. Zaid di lantik menteri pada zaman Pak lah, seorang PM yang mempunyai ilmu agama yang tinggi dan bukan setakat melafazkan selawat untuk mukadimah ucapan.

Kenapa boleh terjadi demikian?- yakni walaupun kita tahu Zaid kaki itu dan ini, dia masih di pilih sebagai calun dan jadi menteri pula? Sebab Zaid yang ada sifat sifat tersebut berada dalam kumpulan yang sama- kaki minum dan kaki betina dalam UMNO. Orang macam Zaid biasa dalam dunia orang UMNO- ia luar biasa jika Zaid berada dalam jemaaah PAS. Bukan sedikit pak menteri kaki minum dan kaik joli dalam UMNO. Amat mudah kita tengok perangai matlaon UMNO ini- iaitu ketika perhimpunan agung UMNO. Seminggu sebelum PAU , semua GRO di kelab kelab dangdut di sekitar PWTC- Jalan Raja Laut dan Sentul habis di tempah. Siapakah yang 'booking' mereka? Tidak lain dan tidak bukan perwakilan UMNO dan kadang kadang yang menjadi kepala dang booking GRO ini ialah ketua bahagian dan menteri.

Maka nya, jika kita mendedahkan aib orang yang bersifat peribadi kepada khalayak umum, orang lain pun boleh mendedahkan aib pimpinan UMNO untuk pengadilan rakyat. Dan kita akan lihat bahawa kaedah yang kita bawa ini lebih banyak mendatangkan kerugian daripada keuntungan.

Kedua, UMNO silap besar jika membenarkan Ibrahim Ali berkempen untuk UMNO. Dia bukan UMNO dan Melayunya Ibrahim mustahil lebih dari Melayunya Zaid Ibrahim atau Melayu nya kita. Perkara yang bersangkut paut dengan orang melayu, kepentingan bangsa Melayu- tidak memerlukan Ibrahim Ali sebagai juara dan jurubicara orang Melayu. Itu kerja2 UMNO. Jika pimpinan UMNO 'sub-contract' tugas mereka kepada Ibrahim Ali, ini bermakna, pimpinan yang melakukan demikian harus sama di singkirkan dari UMNO seperti kaki mabuk dan kaki betina.

Kenapa kita mesti jemput Ibrahim Ali yang memperjuangkan sesuatu yang bertentangan dengan fikiran dan wawasan PM Najib? Ibrahim Ali juara dan juricukap kelas penindas dan kumpulan Melayu yang terbilang sedangkan PM Najib mahu merungkai semua amalan pilitik dan ekonomi yang di wakili oleh Ibrahim Ali.

Agenda kepartian, ekonomi dan politik PM Najib yang mesti di terangkan kepada rakyat Hulu Selangor untuk meyakinkan mereka, mengapa UMNO adalah pilihan yang lebih baik dari parti Zaid Ibrahim.


Posted by sakmongkol AK47 at 4:28 PM

Hulu Selangor Zaid & 1Malaysia From http://www.malaysia-today.net/

Did it matter to the Malays in Kampong Raja Uda that Charles Santiago is Indian? Should it matter to the Indians of Hulu Selangor that Zaid is Malay? Or are the Malays more matured than the Indians?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

My comrade-in-exile, private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, has bet that Datuk Zaid Ibrahim will win the Hulu Selangor by-election with a majority of 5,000 to 6,000 votes. I, in turn, have bet that Zaid’s majority will be between 3,000 to 5,000 votes. I will not reveal what the bet is but it looks like we both agree that Zaid’s majority will be around 5,000 votes, plus-minus.

Looking at the smear campaign that Barisan Nasional is embarking upon it appears that they have really nothing much to throw at Zaid. He has deep pockets. He has baggage. He is an outsider and a ‘parachute’ candidate. Why a Malay and not an Indian candidate? And all such trivia and petty issues.

So what if Zaid has deep pockets? Does this not prove that he is a self-made man? How many road or construction projects did the government give him? How many APs or permits did he get? How much sand or timber concessions was Zaid awarded?

Zaid used to head the largest law firm in Malaysia. So that made him rich. Is that not good? Should Perkasa and Umno not sing his praises and stand tall and be proud that there are at least some Malays who can make it on the ‘open market’?

So it looks like not all Malays need crutches if you go by Zaid’s success and track record. Does not Umno want more Malays like these, Malays who can succeed even when faced with stiff competition?

Earlier today, in a keynote speech to commemorate the 44th anniversary of Mara, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Malays must not be proud of always getting aid from the government. “Aid is like a crutch... to be given when we are weak. It is better if we can stand firmly on our own feet. Do not be proud with such aid. In truth, we are not masters because of aid,” said Dr Mahathir as he lamented the attitude of the Malay community who always looked for the easiest way of getting rich.

Even Dr Mahathir, the man who supports Perkasa, said that the Malays should not be proud of their crutches. This can be rephrased to mean we should be ashamed. Should this not also mean we should be proud of Malays who can make it without crutches? And in that case, going by this argument, should we not be proud of Zaid who made it without crutches?

So why are they whacking Zaid for having deep pockets? Why are they not singing his praises instead? Zaid did not rob the rakyat? Zaid did not pilfer the government’s coffers. Zaid did not steal the taxpayers’ money. Zaid worked hard to put bread on the table. And that is a crime?

Hundreds of other Malays have also become successful lawyers. I can name dozens whom I personally know and who are now very rich. I know many more Chinese and Indians who are now rich because of their successful law practice. And this is supposed to be a bad thing?

When Malays get rich the wrong way we lament and sigh. But when they get rich the right way we whack them. So what is it that we want? Ini pun salah. Itu pun salah. Tak pahamlah minda Melayu.

Actually, Malays are like crabs. They can’t walk straight and they are trying to teach others how to walk straight. Then, when you place crabs in a basket, they will bring down those who try to climb out. So, in the end, not one crab gets to climb out of the basket because they would pull each other down every time someone tries to climb out. I suppose this is why most Malays are basket cases.

And this is the real issue here. Malays just can't bear to see other Malays become successful. PHD: perangai hasat dengki.

So Zaid is Kelantanese. So what? Why can’t a Kelantanese stand for elections in Selangor? Terengganu once had a Kelantanese as the Menteri Besar. When it comes to Malays we worry about which state or which town they come from. Were Lim Guan Eng, Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Gobind Singh, and whatnot all born in the town they contested in?

Mat Sabu of PAS has contested in Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and all over the place and won most times. No one asked him where he was born or accused him of being a parachute candidate. If I wanted to contest the general election then where would I contest? I was born in Surrey, England. Does this mean there is no seat for me anywhere in Malaysia?

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was not born in Permatang Pauh. Yet she not only won that seat but became the Opposition Leader in Parliament as well.

We need to break away from this old pre-Merdeka culture where you must be born in that town to be able to contest a seat in that town.

In the old days it took five days and four nights to travel from the tip of the East Coast to Kuala Lumpur. Today, it takes only an hour. In the old days it look a week for a letter to arrive. Today, we can communicate in real time.

Times have changed. We now live in a global village and a borderless world. You can be born in the UK, like me, and still contest in Hulu Selangor, Ulu Kelantan, Ulu Terengganu, Kuala Kedah, or wherever. It does not matter. What matters is that you can serve your constituents.

And I believe Zaid Ibrahim can.

Zaid is not concerned about race. He is concerned about human rights and justice. He worries about the underdog.

In short, Zaid is colour-blind. And that is what matters. That is what we want the New Malaysia to be about.

For more than half a century since Merdeka the Malays in Kampong Raja Uda in Kelang, Selangor, voted ruling party. They never once voted opposition. For the first time in history, on 8 March 2008, the Malays of Kampong Raja Uda voted for Charles Santiago as their Member of Parliament.

Today, Charles Santiago is a Member of Parliament.

Did it matter to the Malays in Kampong Raja Uda that Charles Santiago is Indian? Should it matter to the Indians of Hulu Selangor that Zaid is Malay? Or are the Malays more matured than the Indians?

Yes, Zaid will help the Indians. But he will help deserving Indians and not Ananda Krishnan. Yes, Zaid will help the Chinese. But he will help deserving Chinese and not Francis Yeoh. And Zaid will also help the Malays in the Felda settlements and the Orang Asli in their reservations.

Maybe it is good that PKR finally fields a candidate with deep pockets. Then Umno can’t pay him RM2 million to cross over. Maybe that should be the criteria in future. Make sure that the candidate is not bangsat and therefore can be easily bought.

Zaid should be the new benchmark that the opposition uses in what the candidates should look like. That would ensure we will not see ‘cheap sales’ every month of the year.

Hulu Selangor 1Malaysia From http://www.malaysia-today.net/

Can the three of you work for all Malaysians and set your fight for Article 8 for Indian-only mentality aside? There are many of my Malay and Chinese friends who share the same struggle. But when people like you fight for a single race cause, they too will fight for theirs.

By Babulal

Dear Naragan, Shan, N. Ganesan and Frens,

I would like to take a moment of your precious time to hear what some of the more broadminded Indians' opinions are of the rebuttal of your response to RPK's article "I am part Orang Asli and Proud of It". In a way, I am fully in agreement with RPK's statements - and if you look at it from a wide spectrum, I hope you would agree with me as well.

No doubt I could feel the emotion in your articles and press statement, but it lacks any substance to resolve a national issue of this magnitude. Probably RPK's statements would provide a speed breaker to some emails we Indians have been receiving which were too race-centered and too narrow minded, esspecially echoing the call by Samy to please select another Indian representative to make it 4 representatives in Parliament - frankly it sounded more like him begging - utter shameless individual.

This is the very person who is the architect of the Malaysian Indians' blurred and uncertain future in this country and yet he could face the people and request his appointed representative be elected. What a mockery. And it is a strategy of Samy leveraging on the Malaysian Mudah Lupa attitude.

Another individual who has no backbone is Subra, who does not have a stance or any calibre to lead. Samy has promised change after 0308, but yet in the last MIC election, the results were "democratically" fixed - where the President lobbies for his "dream team" who are a bunch of maggots who can hardly speak proper Bahasa Malaysia and with any leadership skills.

With almost 30 years in the Malaysian mainstream politics, their President is yet to speak fluent Bahasa - what a shame. Will he be less Indian by speaking better Bahasa Malaysia? Malaysians need to wake up from BN's political game. MIC has failed Hulu Selangor, and they have failed miserably. Our marble playing Palani has had his opportunity for 4 terms and we need a change.

May I ask, why do you want another Indian rep? To sell we Indians all over again? I declare this, me Babulal, a Malaysian First, votes for Zaid Ibrahim and I am sure he will walk the talk and I don't care if his ethnicity is not the same as mine.

The facts and contents of RPK's statements have been twisted to suit the narrow objectives of the trio's self-centred ideology - let me tell you guys this, you do not represent the majority of Indians who want change in the system, nor do you represent the vast sidelined and discriminated people of Malaysia. Just like RPK said, I am also too fed-up of these racist Indians, fed-up of racist Malays like in Perkasa, fed-up of racist Chinese...... I want Pure Malaysians and will it be Zaid Ibrahim to lead us, would it be Zaid Ibrahim to be the first elected representative to denounce I am my race first, by declaring I am Malaysian First? I have full faith that he will. All kudos to DSAI for his selection.

I am beginning to wonder if the three of you are on the payroll of UMNO and MIC. You have swayed from the original fight of liberation from the discriminatory system. But this seem to have been set aside - in-fighting for power and control seem to be prioritised. Your splinter, MMSP launched by the PM, and don't you think we the Malaysian Gen-X and Gen-Y know what the PM and his wife are up to?

Can the three of you work for all Malaysians and set your fight for Article 8 for Indian-only mentality aside? There are many of my Malay and Chinese friends who share the same struggle. But when people like you fight for a single race cause, they too will fight for theirs. This is a simple survival quest - and you should understand that. This would, of course, fall on deaf ears if you have already been promised some huge payouts just to break up the struggle from within and sway the entire projection to racial issues - it is typical BN methodology.

About the case of the two suspected Indian criminal youths being shot dead recently whose father is an MIC branch Chairman. Ain't it a bit ironic when even MIC did not make much complaints about two of their own who were gunned down and yet you wanted RPK to make some statements?? Are you for real or just trying to stir up racial emotions? What is your struggle? To fight equality based on Article 8 or fight justice for repeat offenders/criminals with not only 1 previous convictions but multiple - they were collecting the number of convictions like some trophies - and you have brought this pure struggle of equality to fight for these "champions".

Why don't you request RPK or PR to build a monument for them? Would that now be appropriate? Don't they gun down criminals in India or anywhere else in this world? What is so special about Indian criminals in Malaysia? I have read on many occasions that even suspected Malay and Chinese criminals had been shot dead previously. I am aware that one is innocent until proven guilty in the court of law, but with MIC backing, it won't be long before they are back on the streets taunting innocent victims again. Face it, they are not going to be missed by peace loving Malaysians.

Lastly, I wish for the HINDRAF bickering to stop and the call to elect representatives of a particular race to end. I am fed up of racism and discrimination policies and yet some fools are sending emails requesting to choose a candidate from a particular race. Wake up and see the world.

HINDRAF stands for Hindu Rights Action Force but it does not stand nor preach the Hindu belief - in Bhagavad Gita (the spiritual scripture) - Lord Krsna says to Arjuna "that I am not this body, I am soul. Everyone is not this body. He's soul. So on the annihilation of this body...on the annihilation of the body the soul will exist". If you understand this that I am not this body but the soul, then you would see that everyone is equal, not the colour, creed, race and religion of a person - judge them by their stance. So I urge you to stop the propagation of disunity and racial intolerance but to act and fight as one - you stop, they will too.

I have questions for Samy & Gang. Answer all the scandals in MAIKA, AIMST, MIED .... I can go on and on and on .... I am sure that the MIC representative will lose on a bigger majority this time, and this person will be the scapegoat or the President's fall guy. This old man looks so haggard and yet he is so power crazy to stay on. He is flanked by thugs all the time, especially those driving around with 1818 number plates. All those with this number are of his clan and the lavish cars are the symbol of their ill-gotten gains. Just check them out in the election campaign trail and you will see it for yourself.

In my next article I will be talking about a maggot called Nallakarupan - another self-centred Indian who went on to form a party and is just too syok sendiri that he can be President. Does he have the calibre to lead? He speaks worse than my patti (grandmother) and from it we know his intellectual level - a champion of the Indian cause and he wants to save us from DSAI - I nicknamed him karuppu pandi - black pig.

Babulal
I am Not This Body, I am The Soul

Hulu Selangor From http://myzaidibrahim.wordpress.com/

As the shootout for Hulu Selangor draws near, the dirty campaign of UMNO has begun in full swing. Predictably, UMNO are not focusing on the issues of the rakyat. UMNO are focused on the only thing they know, and that is: to spread lies and misinformation.

According to The Deputy Prime Minister and his hired hands, one of the issues plaguing my candidacy is my disciplinary record, specifically of being suspended by UMNO for money politics. As a result of that, they conveniently use this to accuse me of everything under the sun: corrupt, greedy, wealthy, etc.
As always, the truth will set you free. It is perhaps something UMNO is unfamiliar with. Time and time again, they continue to underestimate the intelligence of the rakyat and try to confuse them with fiction, but the rakyat knows better.

I have defended myself from these accusations many times, but will do so again.

So here it is…

In 2001, I won the contest for the post of UMNO Division Chief for Kota Bharu. Took me three attempts and 10 years to do that but I did it.

That position left them with no choice but to field me as a candidate for March 2004 General Election. I won a hard fought contest for the Kota Bharu Parliamentary seat, although the 3 State Assembly seats in that parliamentary constituency was won by PAS. (Somewhat similar to the present situation in Hulu Selangor where the 3 State seats were won by BN in 2008, and now I am trying to win it again for PKR). I expected a more supportive reaction from UMNO considering the significance of the victory — it was the first time after 15 years of PAS rule, that BN at last won the Kota Bharu seat.

But it was not to be. They were ready to knife me again. By June 2004, there was again another contest for the UMNO Kota Bharu Division. Fortunately, I was able to retain the seat as Division Chief, uncontested.
But other positions in the party were up for grabs. During that contest , certain individuals issued complaints by way of signing false statutory declarations that I had given money to “my agent”, the late Datuk Zahari Wahab in exchange for votes, purportedly on my behalf.

On the 16th of October 2004, I was charged for money politics. I found this charge to be utterly ridiculous, because I won the seat uncontested. There was no opponent. So, how could I be charged for money politics, when there is no contest? But within UMNO, I guess anything is possible.

For the charges to have any merit, there must be a witness to support the charge of money politics. If accusations against my friend Zahari Wahab of giving money for votes had any merit, how were they certain it wasn’t for Zahari’s own campaign? At the time, Zahari himself was contesting for the Vice President of the Division. Even if it was true that Zahari had indulged in money politics, he might have done it for himself as he was the one contesting. By the time the 1st hearing came up before the UMNO Disciplinary board, Zahari Wahab had unfortunately passed away. Incidentally he too, was charged with money politics which I believe was also false.. But with his demise, the UMNO Disciplinary Board could not put forth Zahari to support their claims. They did not put forth any other witness to support these accusations, other than the false statutory declarations which I had no opportunity to challenge the maker of these statements. I described the proceedings as a sham and that upset them. They were determined to pass this judgment on me without any basis whatsoever.

It was clear that I was being framed. I challenged and questioned the system of how the Board arrived at their decision without any supporting proof or evidence.

In the end, the UMNO Disciplinary Board ruled that I was guilty of money politics. But, they were indeed willing to spare me any punishment, on the condition that I apologize to the UMNO disciplinary board for questioning their process and authority.

Under no circumstances was I ever going to apologize to the board. Any apology for my alleged actions to the board would implicitly be admitting my guilt, and I was not going to compromise on the principle of the matter and my innocence. When I refused to apologize, that was when the UMNO board suspended me for 3 years.

In 2008, when I was made a Minister, I did not wish for there to be any doubt as to my character and credibility as I undertook this important responsibility in what I consider to be a reformist Government. I wanted to clear my name of any suspicion of those charges. So, I requested the then Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to investigate me further, to clear my name once and for all. Till today, they have not come forth with any outcome. If I was really as guilty as so they claim, why did they make me a Minister? Because the truth is, I did not do anything as claimed by my opponents in UMNO; that is why I was made a Minister.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin suggested today that I was picked as the candidate for Hulu Selangor supposedly because of my deep pockets. My lovely wife and daughter, Alysha are very excited now; they asked me where did I hide my wealth and they insist that I take them out shopping. Now, I’m in trouble!

I suggest it is best for the DPM to hold his tongue. It is certainly not befitting of a DPM to stoop so low and make such claims. If he were to make such claims, then he must stand by those statements..

I was never wealthy, unlike other UMNO Ministers. I was a Minister for only 6 months. And before that I was never a crony of any one, nor obtained any concessions or APs or even blocks of shares. In the interest of transparency, I would be prepared to disclose to the public my possessions and my so called ‘wealth’; and that of my family and my children as well, on the condition that the DPM and his colleagues in Cabinet are willing to do the same of their own possessions, of their families, of their children, and their nominees.

During my brief tenure as Minister, (Tun) Pak Lah and I suggested that Cabinet Ministers should declare their assets. To show that BN Ministers are clean and not afraid of full accountability and transparency in their dealings . Many senior ministers opposed this idea. They opposed everything good that Pak Lah wanted to do. I wonder what the DPM has to say about this now.

If he hasn’t got anything useful to add, I suggest to the DPM that we move on and address the issues I have raised for the people in Hulu Selangor. And the issues facing the country. Lets have a fair fight and see who has the support of the people!

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One Comment on “Hold Your Horses, Mr Muhyiddin”
bigjoe99 Says:


April 15, 2010 at 7:26 am
With MIC in disarray, its clear the non-Malay votes of Hulu Selangor will go to you. That leaves only the Malay votes for you to tackle. Given that they are pre-disposed to think in terms of archaic electioning ways, they are under the impression you can’t reach the rural voters being urbane and intellectual. So its nothing surprising they will resort to dirty ways.

The first shot Muhiyiddin fired was that you were chosen because you were rich – from the man Mahathir called the ‘richest man in UMNO’. This campaign is full of LOL moments even before it really gets down to it.

This campaign has so much symbolism in it. You represent the vision of Tunku Abdul Rahman while Muhiyiddin, who is up and center for the first time in a by-election, represents the vision of Mahathir. You represent reform and what is possible for this country while Muhiyiddin represent old and no real future for all. There is just too much at stake.

The fight is only going to get dirtier. You can expect in the end, they will get Perkasa out in full force and call you names even Anwar would whinced at. Some old enemies will be brought out and stories spin such as ungrateful, dirty deals, unMuslim, associate with heretics, etc..You name it, they will dig and fabricate.

You represent too much hope for too many and destruction of old order for too many. Not stopping you this round is like hara-kiri for them. Whatever you feel that you have paid a heavy price in politics so far, those people, ridiculously, feel that they have more to lose from you and you have no right to take it from them. They are willing to go further, farther because they are desperate and scared people who fear losing the easier way they are used to.

I have always thought your ace in the hole is just your personality – you are easy going way whether its in the board room or among the less fortunate. Keep to that. Resist showing the intellectualism you good at and keep to the simple message – why would you want to hurt any Malays? What is there for you to do so? You are rich, successful, you help the less fortunate. Are you dumber than Muhiyiddin and Najib? Are you less Malay than Mahathir? All the answer is no – no to BN..

From http://bakrimusa.blogspot.com/

The Labu and Labi Team of Najib and Muhyyiddin (Third of Four Parts)

The Labu and Labi Team of Najib and Muhyiddin
M. Bakri Musa

(Third of Four Parts)

The Ugly and Dysfunctional Mahathir-Anwar Pair

As leader, Mahathir is essentially a one-man team, a loner. He exhibits the typical alpha-male monkey mode. An alpha monkey could tolerate other males in the colony only if they were to submit to him, or be seen doing so. Any hint of a non-deferring behavior or “dissing” would be dealt with quickly until the challenger is either driven out or fatally finished off. Such leaders have little use for a deputy, partner, or a team. Instead he needs a sidekick, in the manner of a Jim McMahon to Johnny Carson; someone to make the leader looks good and be the butt of his jokes.

Consider Mahathir’s relationship with his first deputy, Musa Hitam. It went well so long as Musa deferred to Mahathir, that is, by being submissive. In the beginning, Musa was exactly that. The moment he began to assert himself or received more attention than Mahathir, it marked the beginning of the end for Musa.

The same dynamics governed Mahathir’s relationship with his third deputy, Anwar Ibrahim. Like Musa, Anwar was only too willing to be Mahathir’s sidekick and to humor him, at least initially. And why not; Anwar was handsomely rewarded, as seen by his rapid ascent in the party and government. Mahathir never viewed Anwar as a threat seeing that he was very much younger and thus could patiently bide his time. That scenario would have successfully played out to the end had Anwar not succumb to the impatient goading of his many impatient and greedy supporters.

Mahathir’s alpha male traits were never more in display following UMNO’s highly contentious leadership convention of 1987 which saw Tengku Razaleigh nearly toppling Mahathir. In the aftermath, Mahathir had to do what every alpha monkey male would, that is, get rid of its challenger.

It did not surprise me that the deputies Mahathir was most comfortable with were Ghaffar Baba and Abdullah Badawi. Both played the role of the sidekick only too well, especially Abdullah Badawi. Unfortunately they, specifically Abdullah, only played the role, as Mahathir found out too late and much to his regret.

Ghaffar Baba also played the second fiddle role exceptionally well, leading many to underestimate him. His inability to speak English merely reinforced the public perception of his shortcomings; many also doubted his intellect. Nothing could be further from the truth. He had a formidable intellect; however being a kampong boy with no family connections, the best that he could aspire to was the Sultan Idris Training College.

Not only was Ghaffar well endowed with innate intelligence, he was also “street smart,” but he skillfully hid both under his characteristic and very Malay humility. Make no mistake, the late Ghaffar Baba could read the Malay psyche very well, a skill that Mahathir usefully tapped. In that respect he contributed considerably to the partnership with Mahathir. Ghaffar was no mere sidekick, as many saw him.

With his vast understanding of the nuances of Malay culture, Ghaffar could have successfully fended off Anwar’s challenge, but Ghaffar knew that his party was in desperate need of new blood. At the same time he did not wish to see the party that he loved so dearly be fractured by an intense rivalry at the top. It was those noble considerations that made him gave way to Anwar, and not, as many believed, his fear of defeat. Ghaffar exhibited class as well as courage in bowing out early in that tussle with Anwar; he put his party’s interest ahead of his own. That is a rarity among today’s politicians.

As for Abdullah, when a previously non-alpha male monkey takes over, it first instinct is to kill all the babies of the previous alpha male in an attempt to eliminate his predecessor’s genes in the colony. This was what Abdullah did by ‘killing’ off Mahathir’s many ‘babies,’ his pet mega projects.

Abdullah’s mistake was not realizing that Mahathir had not been ‘killed’ or banished from the colony. That alpha monkey was still in the same jungle, imperiously perched high up on another tree, the Petronas Twin Towers. He was still very much alive and influential. Abdullah never knew what hit him when Mahathir unleashed his fury.

Because he was essentially a one-man show, Mahathir’s legacy would be at considerable risk once he is gone. We saw that already when Abdullah took over, only that he was so clumsy and inept. Had Mahathir cultivated younger leaders a la Tun Razak to Tunku, or even a not-so-young but a capable one a la Razak to Dr. Ismail, Mahathir would have greatly enhanced the caliber of his leadership as well ensure that his legacy would endure.

I predict that once Mahathir is gone, his long tenure would merit only an asterisk in our modern history, as Mao Zedong is to China’s. Mao ruled for over a quarter of a century. It would be a gross understatement to say that he had the greatest (though not necessarily positive) impact on China and the Chinese. Yet today, if one were to ask the throngs of shoppers at Beijing’s many modern shopping malls who Mao was, the likely response would be, “Mao, who?” Not too long ago they even threw his wife into jail. Some legacy!


Sizing Up Najib and Muhyiddin

Najib is an aristocrat, the son of a former prime minister. He comes from a modern nuclear family: father, mother and the five sons, Najib being the oldest. He had a privileged upbringing, including boarding school and university abroad. Najib and his brothers had plenty of parental love, what with their stay-at-home traditional mother. Even though the late Tun was a busy man, rest assured that with only five sons, he would remember and celebrate their birthdays.

Muhyiddin is one of over four dozen children of a village alim with multiple wives. It would be unlikely for his father to even remember Muhyiddin’s name, much less his birthday. In dynamics, young Muhyiddin had essentially a fatherless childhood. He attended the village school and later a small town high school, before proceeding to the local university.

The wives they have chosen too are very different. Najib’s current wife, his second, is the poster girl for extravagance and vulgarity, a Malaysian Imelda Marcos, except that Imelda had a weakness only for shoes. Muhyiddin’s wife is the typical kampong girl; she views her job as being to be by his side; to be seen but never heard.

It is easy to imagine Rosmah being actively engaged in her husband’s business. I cannot even contemplate Muhyiddin seriously engaging his wife in serious matters. He is the typical alpha kampong male; he knows what is best and his word rules.

Their seven-year age difference means that Muhyiddin could not possibly succeed Najib in the usual transition process. Muhyiddin is the older, so by the time Najib retires, Muhyiddin would be too old to take over. The only conceivable way for him to get the top slot would be if Najib’s tenure were to be prematurely cut short, by unexpected death or sordid scandals. Both are not remote possibilities. Najib’s father died in his early 50s from leukemia, and that malady remains lethal even today. As a timely reminder, many a Third World leader had succumbed to fatal “accidents.”

Scandals would be the more likely career killer for Najib. He certainly has some nasty ones hanging over him, from the brutal murder of the Mongolian model to his admitted conversations with Anwar Ibrahim’s alleged sodomy victim. Then there are the steady streams of squalid incompetence during his tenure as Defense Minister, from stolen jet engines to newly-acquired submarines that would not dive.

It does not escape everyone’s notice that far from defending Najib, Muhyiddin seems to relish his superior’s travails. Worse, he does not even bother to hide his delight.

In Malaysian politics, followers could sniff right away rivalries at the top. They would then quickly realign their positions and shift their loyalties in the hope of latching onto the winning team. The game would quickly degenerate into a sport of running down the opposing camps, with temporary alliances forged, broken, and then re-constituted to meet the quickly evolving dynamics. Thus expect even more ugly revelations from all sides.

This is already happening. Many are shocked at the utter corruption and rottenness of the party and its leaders. While such exposés would be bad for the party, they would be good for the country, especially considering that the next general election will only be a few years away.

Many would conclude that the inevitable collapse of UMNO under Najib to be the fulfillment of the RAHMAN prophecy, the “N” of the acronym representing Najib. I argue otherwise. There is no alignment of the stars that would preordain such an outcome. Rather what we have here reflects nothing more than Najib’s lack of leadership and the dearth of talent within UMNO. Had Mahathir chosen Najib instead of Abdullah as his (Mahathir’s) successor, Najib’s and thus UMNO’s political demise would have come sooner.

Were that to happen, my only regret would be to see the inglorious end to what was once an illustrious Malay institution – UMNO. Tun Razak was one of the key personalities in setting it up. It took only a generation to destroy what he had worked very hard to create and build. It would the supreme irony that it would be his son who would be responsible for destroying UMNO.

That would be quite a legacy.

Parliament In Disarray from http://myzaidibrahim.wordpress.com/

In many of the better business books, descriptions on the most preferred quality and characteristics of a company’s CEO, tend to always stress on the importance of honesty and integrity.

While the nature of nations and businesses are vastly different, being different entities with different processes and aims, structurally they do have the similar needs for good management, efficient performance, quality output and progress. Seen in this light, certainly the nation, and all of its processes, must acquire ‘CEOs’ with the highest honesty and integrity.

Does this fact however hold true for Malaysia?

Looking at recent trends, I am inclined to believe, maybe not so. Whilst companies may need a CEO with all the finest attributes, it does not however look very necessary in Malaysia for a person to have such attributes, if one would like to become Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat or the Chairman of the Elections Commission, for example. In fact I am tempted to argue that it may not even be desirable for you to have such qualities if you wish to head such organisations in this country.

Before I elaborate, let me first confess of my excitement when Pak Lah first announced Integrity as the cornerstone of his administration a few years back. I thought this is what the country sorely needs. However unfortunately, after much fanfare and millions of Ringgit gone astray, all we have today is the Institute of Integrity and very little else. Maybe, ‘Integrity in Governance’ is not included within APCO’s Terms of Reference, perhaps that’s why….

I remember that in the good old days, JKR officers would even record the amount visitors spent on them for coffee and curry Puffs at the office canteen. In the good old days, judges were prepared for the sack but remained steadfast and true to their principles and convictions. A certain Central Bank Governor opted to resign rather than suffer the humiliation of having to take orders from politicians. Well friends, those days are long gone and it looks like as if persons of integrity may never hold the reign at any of our state institutions again.

Today if you like to remain in the helm you would have to play politics and do as what the political masters tell you to do, no complications please – integrity seems to be the hardest word.

Which explains why the Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speakers have conducted themselves in such fashion last week? The Speakers have lost control of the Dewan. Its absolute mayhem every day. The shouting matches and the wasting of hours of precious debating time is due to their lack of understanding of the role of Parliament and their own position and authority to regulate the proceedings in the House firmly and fairly. Their handling of the issues pertaining to Standing Order 36 (12) violations by MPs is shameful.

Yes members of the Dewan must not make misleading and deliberately untruthful statements. That’s the essence of Order 36. Whilst Erskine May correctly states that the rule is applicable to all members of Parliament, in terms of actual parliamentary practice based on proceedings in England and Canada and Australia, the rule not to “misled the House” is meant to ensure compliance by Ministers in Government to tell the truth and not lie to Parliament. This is what is known as Ministerial responsibility to Parliament, and the Rule “not to misled” is to ensure Ministers not to lie in Parliament. We can glean this principle by looking into the cases of John Profumo, John Biffen and the Westland Affair. If we read the British or Canadian Hansard, the reported cases involving the offence of “misleading the House” will always refer to Ministers who have lied or misled the House on the facts under their charge. Due to this demand for strict integrity in discharging one’s ministerial responsibility and accountability to the Parliament, British and Canadian Ministers must exhibit the highest sincerity and honesty while furnishing their replies to Parliamentary queries.

To translate this context within our legislative process then, as an example – should the Defence Minister state that the contract for the maintenance of our submarines amounted to RM270 million, and if other Parliamentarians can indeed prove that this figure is wrong, then the Minister concerned should rightly be referred to the Committee for action. Similarly, when at some point the Deputy Minister of Defence states that the commissions for the purchase of some submarines was in the region of RM450 million while on another occasion the Minister himself maintains that no such commissions were paid, it suggests to us that someone is possibly lying. These then are some of the prime examples where the radar of the Speakers of the Dewan should bleep loudly. Such inconsistencies in data are what that they should be interested in.

The central aspect of the Westminster system is the ability of Parliament to acquire accurate information about Government and about Ministers giving truthful and complete answers to Parliament. This is what Order 36 is meant to address. Not to punish any statements by Opposition leaders and members of Parliament for statements BN do not agree with or embarrassing to them. Not to punish different interpretations of the same facts or to punish political viewpoints. The Speaker must first rule whether the impugned statement is misleading on the face of it. Only then should he ask for a vote whether to refer or not to refer to the Privileges Committee. He must, on the facts or statements before him, decide independently and fairly whether a member has violated the rule before he takes a vote. So for instance, if he is satisfied with the explanation from YB Mahfuz that his statement APCO equals UMNO is merely an opinion then he should rule accordingly and stop the fracas. The Speaker cannot punish a member for giving an opinion. If he thinks there is some serious factual errors and made deliberately to misled the House, he must give his reasons after getting the explanation from the Member. He could ask YB Mahfuz to correct them and apologise, and that would be the end of the matter. Or if he believes there is prima facie basis for the complaints then he can bring the matter to a vote. He cannot let the majority decide whether a wrong has been committed by an Opposition member because they majority will always say yes. They always want to refer the Opposition Member to the Privileges Committee even if no wrong has been done. They always want to suspend an Opposition Member (better still if an Opposition Member joins them). If the Speaker is not willing to ensure the independence and impartiality of the Chair, then Parliament will become a dog house where yelling is the order of the day. There will be no time for debate on policies in Parliament. At this rate one wonders why should anyone be interested to be a Member of Parliament.

So Anwar Ibrahim now has to be referred to the Committee of Privileges and would probably be suspended for saying that there is similarity in the concept of One Malaysia and One Israel; and for suggesting the possibility that APCO may be responsible for these ideas? What crime or violation has he done? It is an opinion of an Opposition Leader. He gave his reasons to support his arguments and they were good, reasonable reasons. Parliament must not and cannot afford to stifle its member and punish them too, just because they have embarrassed the government. Any member is given sufficient latitude to speak on any subject without fear of civil actions by the authorities. That is what Parliamentary Privileges mean. British politicians over the ages gave their life to secure independence of Parliament from the Monarch and other ecclesiastical powers. Unfortunately our own Parliament willingly stifles its own Yang Berhormat.

If Anwar had given any factual errors, the Chair could just resolve the matter fairly by asking him to correct them. What were the findings of the Deputy Speaker when he made the decision to refer Anwar to the Committee? Was it in his findings that an error was deliberately committed by Anwar to mislead the House? There was no ruling on the facts, only an assertion that the Speaker has the power to do so. But the facts seem to stay with Anwar. We can differ and disagree perhaps only on the conclusions.

The reason the Speaker has chosen to refer Anwar to the Committee was apparently because Nazri had said so. And Nazri said so because the Cabinet said so. In any other civilized country, Nazri and the entire Cabinet would be cited for contempt of Parliament! Parliament has to make its own decision, and not dictated by the Cabinet. This is the meaning of separation of powers and the independence of Parliament. This is what the Standing Orders are for, this is what the Privileges given to Yang Berhormat are for. A Parliament with integrity cannot be seen to be shamelessly directed by the Executive, and the Cabinet Ministers. If this is the case, the Deputy Speaker then might as well dispense with the facade of the independence of the Parliament that they had spoken about and defended so vigorously back when they were backbenchers.

But you certainly cannot exercise independence and integrity if you build your career by depending on instructions with vested interests or unquestioningly taking orders, from parties with an agenda of their own, at the expense of the rakyat. How lofty positions can change us all.