Dirtier and Dirtier

I just wonder...how low can Malaysian politics go? Just last week the initimate Elizabeth Wong photos were leaked to the newspapers...obviously in an attempt to taint her character. Which newspaper? Aiyoh you know-lah...has to be them BN papers ma!! And who else but a stupid devil (toyol in this case...) would equate her victimisation with CSL's well-publicised tryst?? Well, if this is the intelligence of a aspiring future UMNO Youth Leader then there's nothing left to say now right? How about the 'disappearance' of the alleged perpetrator on the eve of the leakage...now please don't tell me you can't smell a rat here? Smelling like a certain private investigator who's whereabouts are still 'not known' hmm?

Obviously the newly-commissioned MACC and JACC will be BN's lapdog...just on Thursday the MACC barked loud and clear to follow its masters commands: this time against the Selangor Menteri Besar! Well I'm sure he has a lot of skeletons in his closet (after all he has done his time with UMNO) but to take the 'cars and cows' incident is stretching it a bit too far! Especially when you compare them to the two biggest scandals to-date - Lingamgate and PKFZ - which incidentally, has yet to be addressed after years in the news! 

PR is to be faulted too, but to a lesser degree. Hey the actions of the Speaker of the State Assembly may be a risky counterstroke, but I doubt it'll work in Boleh-land. Of course BN has decided to go to the judiciary to get the suspensions removed, but err, shouldn't the legislative and judiciary be independent of each other? Hmm, maybe elsewhere but as we have seen definitely not in Malaysia! 

How long more will the sagas continue on? How long more will the machinations continue? And urm, who's steering the ship? Don't the people in power know that the economic tsunami will hit us very soon? Already our new Finance Minister has admitted that the growth forecast for Malaysia for 2009 would have to be cut - oi hello, even the garbage man can tell you that!

Let me tell you my prediction here: negative growth - Malaysia in recession by 2Q 2009.

Kapish?

What A Ride!

Wow...how much difference a week makes! I was in Penang on working visit, but couldn't keep my concentration with all the drama occuring in the State below me!! Well, a lot have been stated over MSM and the Net so I'll just summarise my take on the whole event:

1. Like it or not, BN HAS taken over the state government...
2. The way they have done so is sickening to say the least...
3. The people have spoken their minds...just look at the protests!
4. The ball is now with the courts...erm, I'm not even remotely hoping...
5. The defectors have to come out and publicly declare why they have hopped! Or risk being cursed forever... But I pity the family and relatives who will risk similar treatment though they are innocent (I hope)...
6. Anyone gonna do anything about the EC? They have clearly overstepped their bounds!
7. The Sultan may have had his hand forced...Daulat Tuanku!
8. Reinforces the fact that BN is not fit to lead this country...hopefully more people will see it that way now!

Anyway let's hope that this event has another sting in its tail...for BN that is!

Hop, Hop, Hop, Hop to The Top?

Aiyoh, so many hoppers nowadays: no, no not grasshoppers, frogs or even kangaroos! I'm talking about political party hoppers...yeah just recently one UMNO State Assemblyman 'hopped' over to PKR but now there's talk of two 'hopping' the other way!

I cannot say for sure what their motives and intentions are but it certainly does not bode well for the people; come on, if you are to busy thinking where to hop to, the last thing on your mind would be the people who put you there in the first place right?

I strongly believe if someone wants to change alleigances, he or she should be honourable enough to resign and leave it to the people to choose either them again, or another to represent them.

Heck, with all these hoppers everywhere I won't be surprised if there's another general election soon!

KT Votes

As I write this now, voters in Kuala Terengganu are going to polling stations to vote for their new MP. It's PAS vs. UMNO, PR vs. BN, change vs. status quo. It's a neck and neck race, too close to call. PAS has got a lot going for them - well-liked candidate, issues galore, the 'change' momentum; BN as usual has to rely on bribery and money politics. 

Wonder how the result will turn out...guess we will find out in about 11 hours.

Update. 11.00 p.m.: PAS wins by 2,631 votes!!

Another Test

Well at least Anwar has decided not to set further dates for his so-called takeover of the Government...in my opinion they should just get down to concentrate on governing the states already in control and wait for 2013. Hopping MPs just does not inspire confidence!

Sad as the death of Kuala Terengganu MP and Deputy Education Minister Datuk Razali Ismail was, the vacancy of his seat would prove another testing ground for Malay grassroot support for the contenders - PKR/PAS (not PR here) and UMNO (not BN!!). What will succeed? Ketuanan Melayu vs. the Malaysian Agenda?

I guess we will know come January 17...for better or for worse...

RPK Free!

I can't believe it!!! Now at least Malaysia Today will be more interesting - sauces, spice and all!!

Perhaps there is some hope for Malaysia...perhaps...

Maybe it's the Government trying to curry favour with the people...too bad they still think that Malaysians are so easily hoodwinked by such little tokens.

Abolish ISA and we may see things differently!

VDay + 8

OK, it's a week since that historic 12th General Election. What has happened since then? Here's a summary of the news that grabbed headlines:

1. Bowing out gracefully? Or not?
Disgraced heads of MCA, Gerakan and MIC declined cabinet posts, citing the need to concentrate on rebuilding their battered parties. All except, you-know-who...he's really still sleeping and in dreamland! Most gracious of the lot is Koh Tsu Koon; the worst, as expected is Samy Vellu. That guy doesn't know when to quit, now does he?

2. Of Chief Minister and Menteri Besars
Lim Guan Eng's elevation to the top post in Penang went smoothly. So did the appointment of the PAS Kedah Menteri Besar. A row in Perak: DAP (in this case the Central Committee) was against the wishes of the Sultan to appoint a PAS assemblyman as the Menteri Besar. Lim Kit Siang was bashed left, right and centre on MSM as well as cyberspace; common space finally prevailed - the swearing-in ceremony will be held tomorrow. As expected, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was appointed Selangor Menteri Besar. A battle looms in Perlis, where Sleepyhead's choice Shahidan Kassim was snubbed by the Sultan, who has chosen another. Similar problem may be brewing in Terengganu, as Idris Jusoh's swearing-in ceremony had been postponed.

3. Burying secrets?
News of Selangor civil servants shredding secret documents caught headlines. Really, if there's nothing to hide...there's nothing to hide. Apparently Khir Toyo has got some skeletons in his closet. Let's wait for the outcome! And did he really sign a concession agreement with Puncak Niaga the day before the elections?

4. There is a God...
The Warlord of Klang dies of a heart attack. Fair justice and an omen, some people say. God has finally punished someone for his transgressions...too bad his family would have to live with the sins of the father. And what about his palace? Some say, turn it into a museum to showcase UMNO excesses...good idea, and would generate income for the state coffers!

5. Street protests not the Malaysian way?
Ha ha...this really takes the cake. A few months earlier, UMNO has come out condemning the street protests of BERSIH and HINDRAF - not the Malaysian way, they proclaimed then. So why the hell, the protests at Komtar on Friday? Because of the published reports (again of course in the MSM) of abolishing the NEP in Penang? Apparently, it is said that most of the protesters were not even from Penang!! That's UMNO for you...perhaps they should have been sprayed with chemically-laced water and tear-gassed! Now that would be fair justice!

6. Twists and turns
The forked-tongue of the MSM is all and sundry to see. But with five states under the Opposition, they have to be more careful; of course there's more targets, but they're lead by capable individuals. Even Bernama had to apologise for their 'misquoting' of Lim Guan Eng's NEP statement. Hey, an omission (I think, on purpose) of a few words - in this case - certain practises - brings about a abrupt change in meaning. I hope this buggers be brought to court and their pants sued off!

7. The end is near?
There has been constant speculation on the future of Mr. Sleepyhead. I think he knows that his time has finally come. The BN component parties may rally behind him (as a show of unity only-lah), but realistically the cracks are already showing. From the snubbing of his choices for Perlis Menteri Besar, to the most recent call of resignation by Mukhriz Mahathir, he must really have seen the writing on the wall. Unless he is really sleeping. Some say that he needs to appoint SIL as a minister before he leaves - that would probably hasten his departure. In any case, I'm sure UMNO will throw him out come the UMNO elections... Bow out gracefully or be humiliated out? That's his choice...

8. Economic worries
The stock market took a big hit of course, especially the Government-linked counters; and especially those with contracts and interests in the Opposition states. Worst hit is Equine Capital (PGCC, Patrick Badawi) whose mega project is likely to be under scrutiny; KPS and water related-stocks in Selangor, where the Pahang-Selangor interstate water-transfer project would now be under close scrutiny. Of course construction and property-related stocks in these states are under heavy pressure. Anyway I feel the local market will recover once all the political uncertainties have been cleared away. Hopefully, the increased transparency and crackdown on corruption (and abolishment of the NEP-practices) would prove to be the main investment-attracting changes this election would bring about!

So this is the tumultuous first week for Malaysia. Let's gear up for the second week!