Monday, 8 September, 2008
Khir Toyo is an idiot.
But you knew that already, didn’t you? In his attempt to appear heroic in the eyes of the UMNOputras, former Chief Minister of Selangor, Dr. Khir “my name suggests I’m an immigrant myself??? Toyo urged UMNO President and lame duck PM Abdullah Badawi to step down so as to avoid another May 13 incident. He warned that if something is not done quickly (read: Pak Lah handing in his resignation), people (read: the Chinese) might go to the streets and demonstrate.
Now before someone corrects me and says, “He didn’t say the Chinese would demonstrate???, I would reply, “Learn to read between the lines.??? Who else does he mean? The Malays? Why would the Malays go to the streets? It was a Malay in Penang who sparked this whole “immigrant??? fiasco. It was his UMNO Malay brethren in Penang who stood by him and hailed him as a warrior. So why would the Malay go to the streets to demonstrate? Street demonstrations are usually held by the injured party not the party who committed the injury. No, Khir Toyo is trying to provoke the Chinese especially those in Penang to do something stupid and then Khir Toyo can say, “There, see? I told you so!???. Then UMNO can call in the police, tear gas the protestors, declare Emergency Rule in Penang and perhaps detain a few Chinese “immigrants??? under ISA.
Except for one little detail….
The Chinese, no, make that Malaysians of all races will not fall for that trick anymore. It’s been two weeks since the “immigrant??? statement was made but so far, the Chinese community in Penang have remained calm. Kudos to the DAP-led state government for not rising to the bait. Kudos also to Pakatan Rakyat for quickly issuing a joint statement condemning UMNO’s deplorable tactic of racial baiting in order to stay in power. I implore the peace loving Chinese in Penang not to do anything stupid. Listen to your DAP leaders. Listen to Anwar. This is all an attempted provocation by UMNO to instigate a racial riot so they can continue to be in power. Sickening? Yes. Surprising? Sadly, no.
By the way, what is the rationale of Dr. Khir asking his party’s leader to step down so as to avoid a racial riot? Where’s the logic in that?
And as for the highly anticipated 16th September “New Dawn???, looks like it has been pushed back. Maybe 20th September now. Why the delay? Because some of the MPs who promised to crossover went to Taiwan for a “study trip???, that’s why.
The BN controlled media will have a field day next week, I’m sure. They will call Anwar a liar and his credibility will suffer somewhat but only in the eyes of the people who already hate him. He’s gone through that since 1998. Nothing new there. What he and his allies must do now is to spread the word in these next few days that the takeover of government will be delayed.
The fact that there will be a delay is almost a certainty. No less than PKR deputy President Dr. Syed Husin Ali himself has admitted that 9/16 may not happen because of this Taiwan trip (see report below). But what UMNO/BN has done is to merely delay the inevitable. Fall they shall.
Report from Malaysiakini (8/09/08):
There are apparently several defectors among the 41 Barisan Nasional parliamentarians who boarded a flight for Taiwan today for an agriculture study tour.
PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali revealed this at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.
“(Opposition alliance) Pakatan (Rakyat) is not crying wolf with our claims of taking over. I can authoritatively state that we have the numbers,??? he stressed.
He was speaking to reporters at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall after the launch of think-tank Centre for Policy Initiatives website.
Earlier in the morning, Syed Husin attended a three-hour top-level Pakatan Rakyat meeting, which is believed to have focused on the takeover plan.
However, Syed Husin said the date for the proposed change of government is likely to be pushed backed from Sept 16 due to the Backbenchers Club sending their MPs on the eight-day trip.
Another eight BN MPs will be flying to Taiwan tomorrow to join their colleagues.
“Some of those who will crossover are in this trip, and we have to wait till they return before we can unveil all of them together,??? said the PKR leader.
“It will not happen on Sept 16. So the date might be 17 plus one or plus two or plus three but it will not be much longer than that,??? he added.
Target is 40 MPs
Syed Husin was clearly unruffled by what may transpire with the MPs while in Taiwan, even though he disclosed that attempts to tempt back potential defectors will happen.
He also shared that in order to have a more stable replacement government, they are likely to secure 40 legislators rather than just the bare minimum of 31.
Another Pakatan Rakyat leader, PAS secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaffar also conceded that the takeover date has been altered because of the Taiwan trip.
“We have the numbers, but the numbers include those who are now currently on their way to Taiwan.
“This trip will have an effect on our plans for Sept 16, because we need the physical presence of those MPs to make it (the change of government) effective.
“Although Sept 16 is basically still on track, we view their absence as an obstacle to our plan. We are still discussing and planning on how to work around this problem,??? he said.
Kamaruddin said the hastily-planned trip indicated that after Pakatan Rakyat leaders themselves, those in BN were next in being the “strongest believers??? that the crossovers would happen.
‘They’ll provoke unrest’
Meanwhile, Syed Husin related that the process of change will get drawn into a period of confirmation of allegiance.
“I believe the king is neutral in regards to political affiliations. His Majesty might want to meet the MPs in question personally to ascertain their support.
“Since those in BN now have signed support documents for their coalition. And we have them signed up to (support) us too,??? he said.
Syed Husin said once the king knows that Pakatan Rakyat has the numbers, he will consent to the new government.
Responding to a question, he noted that BN will not concede defeat and hand over the reins easily.
“Don’t think Ahmad Ismail is an isolated incident in Umno. He has the backing of all 13 divisions in the state, including the prime minister’s division.
“They will precipitate and provoke unrest, and hope that leads to the declaring of martial law. This will lead to mass arrests. But this is not 1969. People are more cautious now,??? he said.
Ahmad, the Bukit Bendera Umno division chief, courted controversy when he made derogatory remarks against the Chinese and refused to apologise.
Mahathir to Return to UMNO to Oust Pak Lah?
Published Monday, 8 September, 2008 Malaysia 0 Comments
Tags: Abdullah Badawi, Mahathir, politics, UMNO
This UMNO blogger claims that Mahathir will rejoin UMNO soon in order to get rid of Pak Lah.
It is from his blog that I first read this news. Nothing in Mahathir’s blog yet at the time of writing (2pm Monday) but can Mahathir apply for membership just like that? Pak Lah is still president of UMNO and no matter how weak he is perceived to be, he still commands the party and no one would dare go against him if he decides Mahathir’s application for membership is to be rejected.
Okay, for the sake of argument let’s just say this rumour becomes true. Mahathir is back in UMNO. So what now? The blogger speculates that Mahathir will put his support on a possible Ku Li-Muhyiddin Yasin tag team to challenge Pak Lah and Najib. Again the question remains, will anyone follow that old man? He went off in a huff and quit the party a few months ago and urged other UMNO members to do the same to protest Abdullah Badawi’s weak leadership. Only his wife and his confidant Tan Sri Sanusi Junid followed him. Everyone else stayed put in the party. I bet that was embarrassing for him.
So now he is shamelessly “licking his own spittle??? (from the Malay saying, “Menjilat ludah sendiri“) and wants to return to UMNO in order to get rid of the party president? And he expects the top guy to just sit quietly and allow his rivals to get the better of him? Seriously?
That’s why I think this rumour is just a rumour no matter how vehement the UMNO blogger claims it is true. Until I hear confirmation from Mahathir himself, I’m going to regard this simply as the fantasies of an UMNO member clutching at straws for any piece of good news…no matter how improbable.