Untung lagi RM 900k...

Untung lagi RM 900k....

Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan pays RM1.1mil compound, cleared of charges and has been acquitted by the High Court on charges of money laundering and giving false statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).He previously claimed trial to charges of failing to declare some RM2 million he received from Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN). Where did he get the RM1.1 million from? Isn't LHDN interested to know?? - minah kerang

How MPs, ministers make 

big bucks via long service....

A lawmaker has shone a spotlight on how politicians can earn themselves handsome wages or pensions, just by serving a long time as an elected representative or being a minister.This is amid a pandemic, which has severely affected the working class' ability to put food on the table.

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Independent-Muar) said a cabinet member gets paid RM50,000 a month.

On top of this, a minister also gets a lavish home in Putrajaya, a car, a driver, a licence plate that is worth hundreds of thousands, an approved permit (AP) to bring in luxury cars, and a plot of land in Putrajaya, among others.

The former youth and sports minister said ministers can also claim for meal expenses, and holiday allowances.Those who are married can get between RM100,000 and RM200,000 for holidays per year, he added. "I'm not married, so my allowance wasn't that high," he quipped.

Gratuity pay

Syed Saddiq further revealed that when a minister steps down, they get gratuity pay which is based on the minister's term as an MP.

"If an MP has served four to five terms, even if they served as a minister for one day, their gratuity payout exceeds RM1 million," he said.

Syed Saddiq noted this gratuity payment is especially interesting as the government has changed twice, with several ministers stepping down and then being reappointed once or twice.

"(Putrajaya must explain) is gratuity paid only once, or each time they step down they get paid RM1 million, then when they get reappointed and step down again, get another RM1 million, and when Parliament is dissolved, they get it (RM 1 million) again. "All of this must stop," he added.

Multiple pensions 

Besides a payout for being a minister, Syed Saddiq said, politicians can also enjoy pensions from various sources. He said if a politician has served as an assemblyperson, an exco member, MP, minister or senator, the individual can enjoy pensions for each of these positions.

"If you combine all the pensions, it can exceed RM100,000 per month. "This is why many MPs don't want to retire despite serving for decades," he added.

The Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) co-founder suggested that the government set up a special committee to review both politicians' wages and political funding - as MPs need to be able to manage their constituencies financially.

"This discussion must take place. We ask the rakyat to tighten their belts, but we here in Parliament or in the government are paid handsomely. 

"It is unfair to the people," he said. - mk

cheers.

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Lebai potong double line patuh syariah...

Lebai potong double line patuh syariah....

Sekadar ambil tau saja kot...

Racists and Bigots.

It's a Malaysian thing?... 

Even here, in Crib, we have racists and bigots. We need to teach them not to be racists. Not to be bigots. If our schools do not do that. If our education system does not do that. And if our government will not do that, then we have to take it upon ourselves, individually or together, to do it. This is not the Malaysia that I know. This is not the Malaysia that I grew up in. The hatred and paranoia that is now around us all have nothing to do with race or religion. It has all to do with behavior. It is how parents are now bringing up their kids -  lacking respect and tolerance for others who are different from them.

 

Take me as an example. My primary schooling was all over the states - JB, KL, and Kota Baru  - multi-racial and co-ed schools. My secondary education was at MCKK - an all-male, all Malay place of learning. I was never conscious of any racial or religious pressure to make me act or behave in a certain way. I did remember the emphasis that as Muslims we need to remember that the Chinese eat pork and we Muslims do not, but never any reminder from my parents or my elders, nor my teachers and peers, that those who were different from us were pendatangs. 

For sure, when we went to the shops run by the Chinese, we call them Towkays. For us Malays then, the Indians were more fun than the Chinese for they laugh with us more easily and never took offense when we laugh with them, not at them. The Bhai, the Javanese, and the others that we sometimes meet in our lives were remembered because they were different from us. The Sikh with their turbans and the Javanese in the manner they spoke. I remember with affection that one of the ladies that used to look after me when I was young was a Javanese that I call Embok - which Google tells me a few moments ago,  is Javanese for ‘mother’. 

All these people were part of my life. All these people were also part of my parent's life, and together we lived content with our lot. For sure, some were better off than others. I remember that in Sentul where my grandparents lived, one of the children of the Chinese shopkeeper went to VI. There was also, almost at the very gates of my grandparent's house, an Indian Temple. No mosques in sight. The Indian Temple was forever busy with streams of Indians going in and out at various times for prayers and bells ringing. No Ustaz in sight. No Azam can be heard at any time of the day. And at times you will be forgiven to think that in Kampong Kassippilay, the Malays and Chinese were the Pendatangs. 

Today, those childhood memories are just that. Memories. For sure there is now that political behemoth Umno, threatening to suffocate us all with racism. There is Pas wholly beside themselves in their religious eagerness to convert and trample over us all with their odious bigotry. The Chinese, Indians, and the others are still around us, though in diminishing numbers and relegated to the status of pendatangs by political pariahs, and to their fault, these nons are accepting of their lot for they think there is nothing they can do about it all. 

My parents are no more, but I still teach my children what my parents taught me. We are all of the human kind. Do good, be good, and be nice to each other. And yet, even as I continue to do what my parents have done to me with my children, there are around me too many Malaysians fill with hate and bigotry for each other. 

But these are adults. And you can find some of them here among us spouting their anger, their hate, fear, and loathing that other Malaysians are calling them pendatangs. That other Malaysians are depriving them of justice, equal opportunities, and the ability to earn a decent living. And this hate, fear, and loathing, they have now passed on to their children. The scary part is that there are so many of them around us. 

And have I been scared of these differences between the Malaysian that I grew up in and the Malaysian that is now around me? Yes, I have. I am scared that there are people in Malaysia who think that I am a threat to the nation's security, that I am a religious bigot and the authorities back in K Hell are determined that I be punished for being so. 

These same authorities are asking the pendatangs to go home. Go home to where? Go home to where they come from? The last time I checked, these pendatangs come from the same place as I do. I was born in Segambut. So are some of them. I went to primary schools in JB, KL, and Kota Baru. So did some of them. For my secondary schooling, I was in Kuala Kangsar, and some of them taught me while I was there. And today, while I choose to live in Australia, these pendatangs are still living in Malaysia. So sekarang, siapa yang berhak mengaku mereka sebagai Anak Malaysia? Them or me?

I do not know what the solutions are to the malaise that now besets our nation and our people. But this much I know. I have taught my children to respect and accept others who are different from them. And I am sure their children will also be taught the same things. Maybe, just maybe, if the racist and bigots that are now among us are made to understand that we sink or swim together in this tiny part of the world call Malaysia, maybe they will begin to understand and celebrate unity in our diversity. And making them understand this, begins with you and me. - Hussein Abdul Hamid

cheers.

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Thieves probing thieves...

Thieves probing thieves....

MACC, cops must come 

clean on RM25m theft...

De facto law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s defence of the beleaguered Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki is contrary to rule of law, good governance, transparency, public integrity and accountability.

Azam has come under intense public pressure to go on leave to ensure that there is no interference in the MACC’s investigations following the arrest of three senior MACC officers for alleged abuse of power and malpractice over the loss of case items amounting to US$6 million (RM25 million) belonging to former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation director-general Hasanah Abdul Hamid.

This has triggered negative perception and public suspicion of interference at the highest levels when the MACC officers who were allegedly involved in the loss of case items were remanded 12 days ago and MACC only issued an official statement after the remand period ended.

This contrasts with the practice of MACC deliberately and quickly leaking to the media information of opposition politicians who had refused to support the government that they have been arrested or will be charged in court at a later date.

For this reason, Azam(above) must go on leave when he is seen as the stumbling block to an independent and lawful investigation without fear or favour and free from any interference. How can MACC be trusted to investigate itself over such criminal wrongdoings?

Further, this matter should be handled by the police when theft does not come under MACC’s jurisdiction but should be handled by the police. If this is so, then MACC has no right to investigate police corruption, which should be left to the police to investigate itself.

This US$6 million scandal has further entrenched and deepened the lack of public confidence in the integrity and credibility of MACC to conduct corruption investigations impartially, free from interference.

This is highlighted by MACC’s dismal record of repeated failures to act against alleged corruption by politicians who support the government, whilst being a willing participant to be weaponised as a tool to persecute opposition politicians.

While we await Wan Junaidi’s discussion with the prime minister on the status of Azam as MACC chief, both MACC and the police must come clean on the loss of corruption case items involving US$6 million in cash. - LGE,mk

Celebrity transwoman Nur Sajat 

seeking asylum in Australia...

The eight-month manhunt for Malaysian cosmetics entrepreneur Nur Sajat Kamaruzzaman has come to a close. The 36-year-old was detained by Thai immigration authorities at her condominium apartment on Sep. 8, according to Harian Metro, months after Malaysian authorities accusing her of cross-dressing at an Islamic school three years ago launched the manhunt. Sajat was reportedly charged for immigration-related offenses in Thailand and subsequently posted US$2,000 bail.

She has registered with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, or UNHCR, after her passport was “cancelled,” and was seeking asylum in Australia, the report said. She has been ordered to appear at the Thai immigration office every two weeks, it added. Neither the UNHCR nor Australia’s Human Rights Commission responded to queries at publication time. Sajat’s personal social media accounts were not publicly available.

Maj. Gen. Achayon Krathong, spokesman of the Immigration Police in Thailand, seemed clueless about Sajat’s case when Coconuts called for comment today, saying that he has to check with his team about the reports. Sajat reportedly told Thai authorities that she had been receiving death threats after announcing her intention to leave Islam. She also mentioned being hunted down by 122 officers from the Islamic religious authority in Selangor.

Malaysian authorities are working with the Thai government to extradite Sajat over charges she offended Islam by wearing a pink dress to a religious school in 2018, the local media outlet said. With international organizations now involved, the process might not be as straightforward. Hundreds are rallying support for Sajat and praying for her safety since word of her arrest got out.

“May Sajat be safe wherever she goes,” Twitter user Justalhafiz said. - Coconuts KL

cheers.

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Perpaduan kaum bermula di sini...

Perpaduan kaum bermula di sini....

 

A dunggu terrorist from Malaysia went to Somalia to join the Al-Shabab terrorists. He has been arrested by Somalia. Then our Foreign Minister says Wisma Putra is keeping a close eye on the matter and will ensure the man's welfare??

Hello Pudin, that fellow is a terrorist lah. That fellow wants to kill and murder people in other peoples' countries. He deserves to be arrested and thrown into jail.

Why should Wisma Putra waste our taxpayers money to "ensure the man's welfare"?  Kau orang tak ada kerja lain ke bro?

What welfare are you talking about? The fellow went there to kill human beings. Please engage brain bro. - Syed Akbar Ali

Najib hints at re-election bid 

despite graft conviction...

Former Prime Minister Najib Razak has not ruled out seeking re-election to Parliament within the next two years, he told Reuters in an interview, undeterred by a corruption conviction that would block him from running.

Najib’s graft-tainted party, Umno, clinched the premiership last month after it was ousted from power three years ago over a multi-billion-dollar scandal. Opponents had expressed fears that party leaders facing charges could secure leniency once back in control.

Najib, who served as premier for nine years until 2018, was found guilty of corruption last year and sentenced to 12 years in jail over one of many cases over the misappropriation of funds from now-defunct state fund 1MDB. He has denied wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict.

He is still a member of Parliament but the constitution bars him from contesting elections unless he gets a pardon or a reprieve from the country’s monarch.

But speaking to Reuters on Saturday, Najib challenged his disqualification saying: “It is subject to interpretation.” “It depends on interpretation in terms of the law, the constitution and whatever happens in court proceedings,” Najib said.

Asked if he would contest the next elections due by 2023, he said: “Any politician who would want to play a role would want a seat in Parliament.” - Reuters

So the return of Najib means the return of 1MDB version 2.0? Land of endless possibilities. We are a land of forgiving. We will forgive the thieves and the t@rrorists, especially those from Somalia and Afghanistan. Wow! sounds good. By the way, 'apa nak malukan'? - apa nama

It says a lot about how dysfunctional and corrupt the system is, if he is allowed to run. If he is allowed to run and he is re-elected, it would be a very poor reflection of the Malay maruah and psyche. It may also be the tipping point of no return to any semblance of normality for the country. - PoorCitizen

The sad truth is that Najib has a very good chance of winning his seat. This is the reality on the ground as his constituents are not bothered by the corruption conviction and his spouse's excesses. The rakyat have no moral compass in most cases. Throw them crumbs and they will vote for you. Sad but true. - DrPK

cheers.

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Keluarga Malaysia atau Keluarga Saya...

Keluarga Malaysia atau Keluarga Saya....

Malaysia Day gift from a robber for his brother. I heard that Nafas takes care of 

fertilizer and subsidies of billions of ringgit per year... - Hussein Abdul Hamid

 

Dulu,kini dan selama2nya...

CSR MOU saves the Prime Minister?...

In the opinion of veteran lawmaker Lim Kit Siang, the Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob would have been defeated in his first vote in Parliament on the appointment of Deputy Speaker.  What saved and spared him from being the shortest serving Prime Minister, according to the DAP Adviser and the Iskandar Puteri Member of Parliament, was the confidence-supply-reform (CSR) Memorandum of Understanding entered into between the Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan leaders on September 13. 

With the CSR MOU, said Lim in a press statement today, a new political landscape had been established that allowed the deputy speaker election to be postponed to the next Parliament meeting. The MOU saved Ismail Sabri his job but the PH walked away with the first fruit of the political wedlock with the government. In the next Parliament session, the Federal Constitution would be amended to create a third deputy speaker post exclusively for the opposition. But do we need three Deputy Speakers, more so now when government finances are weak? 

While Ismail Sabri was saved early embarrassment, his party Umno suffered a setback when no vote was taken on the proposal to appointment its Secretary General and Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan as Deputy Speaker replacing its Pengerang PM Azalina Othman Said. Had a vote been taken, the chances were Ahmad would not have made it.  So the creation of a third Deputy Speaker chair exclusively for the opposition would in future facilitate the election of a government candidate for the vacant Deputy Speaker post. 

Lim was being truthful and practical when he said even if plots and counter plots might lead to the toppling of Ismail Sabri, "any new 10th Prime Minister in such circumstances will not be Anwar Ibrahim."  On the part of PH generally and Lim himself specifically, the CSR MOU is a victory of sorts. They have been promised three reforms that form part of their 2018 election pledges namely the anti-hopping legislation, the 18-year voting age and limiting the Prime Minister's tenure to two terms. For Lim, the anti-party hopping law is a sweet victory as he has been fighting for it since 1978. 

He recalled that on March 21, 1978, he moved a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament for an anti-hopping law to deter political corruption and to ensure a cleaner political atmosphere, but failed.  The CSR MOU has its merit and should be given a chance to succeed. The pledge of transparency and bipartisanism in the making of laws and in parliamentary affairs will enhance the process of check and balance. Hopefully this will in turn help to bring back confidence in the country, bar the return of kleptocrats and eradicate corruption. - a.kadir jasin

Empty chairs 'listen' to MPs 

debate as Cabinet goes missing...

When opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was delivering his policy speech after the Agong’s speech, the government benches were almost completely empty, with none of the 74 ministers and deputy ministers present!

Isn’t the Ismail government interested to hear what the opposition’s views are on the burning pandemic and economic crisis issues? Is this the way to treat the opposition after Ismail Sabri’s drum beating on the grand co-operation between the government and the opposition?

It takes two hands the clap; without listening and participating in the debate, how would the cabinet be able to transform the much-heralded bi-partisanship into reality? Or has Harapan been taken for a ride by Ismail to stabilize his own wobbly premiership without any genuine desire to reform the country along the lines fervently hoped for by Harapan? - Kim Quek

cheers.

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Bagi saya masa 5 hari lagi...

Bagi saya masa 5 hari lagi....

The return of former Prime Ministers...

In the next general election, we could expect the return of three former prime ministers as candidates in their respective constituencies: Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Langkawi, Muhyiddin Yassin in Pagoh, and Najib Abdul Razak in Pekan.  Among the three, Mahathir is a constant, Muhyiddin the most expected, and Najib the most impossible.

We know this by the intentions and actions of the three. Mahathir has openly stated that his party, Pejuang, will be contesting up to 120 seats in the next general election – and this would undoubtedly include his candidacy.

Muhyiddin has told his party Bersatu that they are destined to make a comeback to take what was theirs. Najib, being plagued by his court cases, has never discounted the fact of a return and has always hinted that those who came out short would always have a chance to reinvent themselves – for him, it was “Bossku”.

Their quiet movements are also telling. It is an accepted rule in politics that you stand a higher chance of being re-elected and elevated if you had held a high position in the incumbent government. It makes sense, therefore, that Muhyiddin was appointed the National Recovery Council chairperson.

There have also been rumours that Najib was being considered as the special economic adviser to the prime minister with ministerial status. Mahathir, unsurprisingly, has been pitching for the National Operations Council position for months, eventually forming his own national recovery council.

A promise of a return is a good sign for democracy. Harbouring hope that they could be powerful again normalises democratic necessities like resignation, concessions, and peaceful transfer of power. These are what the three former prime ministers have done, albeit unwillingly. However, I would argue that there are general risks, specific risks, and underlying risks in allowing the return of the three former prime ministers into mainstream politics.

First, the general risk of collective amnesia. When bad prime ministers are no longer in power, we tend to forget the horrible things they have done during their tenure.  As the months and years pass, we start to grow a tolerance and acceptance for what they did. Worse, we start to carry an affinity for them with the tempting thought of “it was not as bad as what we thought”.

This is most apparent with Najib. The first few months after he lost power, the public was unforgiving, urging in a thumping chorus for him to be jailed for abuse of power. Though disgusted by the sensation of 'Bossku' at the beginning, shrewd PR and consistent campaigning for a brand refresh have softened the former prime minister’s image, making him more a human and less a villain.

At the start of the year, when Muhyiddin’s failings became more apparent, Najib started speaking our minds in his sharp criticisms. That is where many started sharing his social media posts and public statements. The dark humour carried through.

The same premonition could be seen in our acceptance of Mahathir three years ago. Campaigns by the opposition to overthrow Najib were laced in a near-sainthood of Mahathir, with little to no mention of his misgivings during his 22-year tenure. 

When Mahathir finally assumed power, his previous traits of being mischievous, scheming, and cunning were contributory to the downfall of Pakatan Harapan. You could expect something similar to take shape with Muhyiddin, who plays the crowd well. The image of Abah is soft but stern, with a subtle message of being faultless in serving your best interest, although the reality is the opposite.

His failures in handling the triple crises of health, economy, and politics would be reframed as a reasonable attempt, from a kind heart, and a classic lesser-devil narrative of “at least he was not as corrupt as the others”. When Covid-19 turns for the better, the gloomy days of Muhyiddin’s failed government would also be forgotten. Collective amnesia is oftentimes inevitable, but they carry specific risks for these three former prime ministers. This leads to my second point: the specific risks of moral hazard.

The sins committed by the three former prime ministers are not run-of-the-mill unsatisfactory performances - they were actions with severe consequences.  Mahathir’s offensive attack against our institutions like the judiciary, Parliament, police, government agencies, political parties, and others meant that abuse of power and corruption is no longer surprising for the regular Malaysian to see. Abhorrent practices of nepotism, race rhetoric and power-at-all-cost politics still reverberate today.

For Najib, his financial scandals were the largest white-collar scandals in the world. The billions of ringgit owed will be paid by our children for generations to come. The principle of Cash is King has polluted the political landscape to a point of no return.

Muhyiddin’s failings are similarly massive. Our Covid-19 management consistently ranked among the worst in the world. A systemic collapse of the health system turned avoidable deaths into unavoidable; unemployment skyrocketed and companies closed at an alarming rate; mental health and suicides are at a record high.

None of this ought to be easily forgotten and forgiven by Malaysians. Accepting these leaders for their actions would damage our collective moral fibre because we turn their sins into part of who we are. Lastly, the underlying risk of change-inertia is also concerning. If the former prime ministers return to the fore, our system will never truly change. 

Former prime ministers who lurk around waiting for an opening also bring legacy ideas and influence that inhibit our system from moving forward. You simply could not expect any of them to return as true reformists who would uproot the system they have built.

Perhaps we could never come to understand the pain of losing power. Sometimes, having the ray of hope to return to power one day is a way of nursing the pain. But maybe this could be done by serving as a one-term parliamentarian before fading into the sunset with their grandchildren - as an MP, and not PM. - James Chai,mk

cheers.

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Main 10 kolam lagi syiok...

Main 10 kolam lagi syiok....

Jawapan 👇👇 kpd Tok Imam VIP di atas... 

Government and PH sign historic 

bipartisan cooperation memorandum...

The federal government and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition have today signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) to ink their bipartisan cooperation, ushering in a period of political stability and to work on economic recovery efforts for the greater good.

Dubbed the “Memorandum of Understanding on Political Stability and Transformation”, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the bipartisan cooperation — the first in the country’s history — was in line with the royal decree outlined by His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah earlier today where all parties needed to practice “deliberative democracy”.

“The government is confident that this memorandum of understanding will not only be able to put aside all political differences but also to ensure that the country’s recovery runs holistically and inclusively.

“The transformation set to be introduced will not only strive towards good governance in the fight against Covid-19 and the economic recovery but also stimulate a conducive investment climate that will spur strong economic growth for the well-being of the Malaysian Family,” he said in a statement.

A deliberative democracy is a form of democracy where deliberation is central to decision making. Earlier today, the King repeated his appeal for bipartisan support towards efforts to revive an ailing economy and fight the pandemic after opening the First Meeting of the Fourth Term of the 14th Parliament.

Throughout the royal address, His Majesty emphasised the need to channel resources to help the people and businesses, and advised the government to spend “appropriately” on healthcare, aid, and support to get businesses back open.

Accordingly, Ismail Sabri said the MoU comprised six initiatives from empowerment of Covid-19 plans, administrative transformation, parliamentary reforms, Malaysian Agreement MA63, judicial independence, and the establishment of a steering committee.

Those present for the official signing were PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.

Also in attendance were Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Rais Yatim, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Seremban MP Anthony Loke, Senator Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin, Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Pulai MP Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.

Ismail Sabri then thanked all aforementioned lawmakers who unanimously decided to set aside their political ideological differences to jointly spearhead economic stability and the wellbeing of the greater “Malaysian Family”. – MMO

Opposition being fooled and trapped again – 

PH should realize UMNO is equally eager 

for reforms...

Pro-Anwar supporters or anti-Mahathir critics have been chanting mantras for months since March 2020 (the day Mahathir abruptly resigned, leading to the collapse of Pakatan Harapan government) that they cannot trust the two-term premier Mahathir. After being used and played, they argue that the PM-in-waiting Anwar should avoid the cunning old man with a 10-foot pole.

But how many times has UMNO president Zahid Hamidi played and fooled PKR president Anwar Ibrahim? Why don’t Anwar supporters advise the PM-in-waiting to avoid the UMNO crook with a 10-foot pole too? From overthrowing Perak Chief Minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu to toppling Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, UMNO has repeatedly used the Opposition to achieve its political goals.

Today, UMNO vice president Ismail Sabri, infamous for savouring turtle eggs, has become the 9th Prime Minister – something unimaginable just months ago. Had Zahid Hamidi not tainted with 87 charges related to money laundering and corruption, criminal breach of trust (CBT), the UMNO gangster would have become the prime minister, not Ismail Sabri.

Unless there is a secret cooperation to work strategically in the next 15th General Election to wipe out a common enemy – Muhyiddin’s Bersatu – it appears Opposition Pakatan Harapan has decided to bend over to be screwed by UMNO again, agreeing to sign an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri tomorrow (Sept 13).

While it is interesting to see the details of the MOU, the basis of the agreement would be reforms, including a 10-year term limit for the prime minister post, anti-party-hopping laws, and the inclusion of the opposition in the National Recovery Council. In exchange, Pakatan Harapan’s powerful bloc of 88 votes in Parliament would “not give trouble” to the fragile Perikatan Nasional 2.0 administration.

The fact that it is just a MOU, an understanding meant to be broken, and not a confidence and supply agreement (CSA), suggests that distrust and mistrust have ballooned since the nomination of “fried rice” crooked Ahmad Maslan as deputy House Speaker and the proposal to make the world’s biggest crook – former PM Najib Razak – as an economic adviser.

Anwar Ibrahim - Ismail Sabri

Yes, United Malays National Organization (UMNO) is trying again to play Pakatan Harapan, who in turn tries very hard not to look like it is being played. The writing is on the wall that UMNO is as untrustworthy as Bersatu in offering the so-called reforms. Hence, the Opposition should stop insulting people’s intelligence with half-baked justifications.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng argues that the Opposition cannot turn a blind eye to the people’s sufferings amid the Covid-19 pandemic and resolving them must take priority. Exactly what does Coronavirus got to do with reforms? Would the pandemic suddenly go away if Pakatan Harapan supports Perikatan Nasional 2.0, who had stolen the government?

When Ismail Sabri mooted bipartisan consensus after he was sworn in as the 9th Prime Minister, the Opposition was overjoyed, only to see the turtle-egg man unveiled a Cabinet that was a carbon-copy of the previous failed administration of Muhyiddin. It has created a perception that it was the Opposition’s endorsement that had emboldened Sabri to bring back the same incompetent Cabinet.

When the premier floated the idea of including Opposition in the National Recovery Council, they were again excited, only to see traitor Muhyiddin appointed as its chairman. Now that Sabri administration is luring the Opposition with reforms again, they are again delighted and eager to sign on the dotted-line. What if crooked Najib Razak appointed as an economic adviser thereafter?

How could Pakatan Harapan even consider being part of a failed team under Muhyiddin in the National Recovery Council? If Muhyiddin could not even fix the problem during his 17-month administration, what make you think he could solve it in 100 days? With Najib as an economic adviser and Maslan as Deputy Speaker, will the Opposition still support lame duck PM Ismail?

Let’s assume the vaccination programme could automatically solve the pandemic and economic problems, which it can’t, does Pakatan think they would be able to claim – or even share – the credit? Has Pakatan Harapan coalition, comprising PKR, DAP, Amanah and newly joined UPKO, considered the fact that they would get the blame rather than the credit, if things go south?

Worse, Opposition de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim would be accused of trying to use the cooperation with the corrupt government to avoid being charged with sexual assault brought by his former research assistant Muhammed Yusoff Rawther. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, meanwhile, would be suspected of trying to get away with corruption charges.

UMNO Lost 2018 Election

In reality, the current Perikatan Nasional 2.0 government do not need an MOU, let alone a CSA, to push for any transformation or reform initiative – if the Ismail administration is sincere. They just need to table those reforms in Parliament, and Pakatan Harapan will gladly support them simply because they will invite voters’ rejection for rejecting good reforms.

Therefore, it does not make sense for the opposition to be held hostage by the government in order to strengthen the so-called parliamentary institutions. Under the pretext of political stability, which Pakatan Harapan trumpets, will they close one eye and support the fragile government blindly if some racist and extreme policies are to be introduced as well?

Actually, the government, especially UMNO, is as eager as the opposition to push for reforms. After Najib-led Barisan Nasional stunningly lost power in the 2018 General Election, the first defeat in 61 years since independence in 1957, they felt for the first time how unfair the system had treated the opposition and how broken the system was, thanks to 22-year-rule under Mahathirism.

UMNO should still remember how their Barisan coalition won 79 seats, only to see it reduced to 54 seats after its allies in Sarawak abandoned it and become friendly with the opposition-turn-ruling-government Pakatan. The United Malays National Organisation was further weakened to just 38 seats when more than a dozen of its own MPs defected and joined Bersatu.

Had there been an anti-hopping law in the first place, at least UMNO would not be humiliated with mass defections. It was already bad that it had lost the federal government. But to lose all the state governments (except Pahang) due to frogs jumping ship was incredibly insulting. Even though it is in the driver seat now, what is the guarantee that the history will not repeat itself?

Bersatu president Muhyiddin, humiliated and frustrated for being forced to resign, making him the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the country, has sworn to return to power. Two days ago, the despicable traitor announced that he will lead his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Perikatan Nasional to make a comeback and lead the country again.

Flags - Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan

Bersatu, which had won only 13 seats in the 2018 election, has seen its party ballooned to 31 MPs as a result of traitors jumping from both UMNO and PKR. However, with UMNO’s pledge to wipe out the rival party in the next poll, Muhyiddin is equally desperate for an anti-hopping law. Even if Bersatu is lucky enough not to be annihilated, the party will most likely not win back its 13 seats.

Like it or not, Bersatu won 13 seats largely due to support from Pakatan Harapan, which it then betrayed in March 2020 when Muhyiddin plotted with enemies – UMNO and PAS – to overthrow the democratically elected government. Without UMNO’s grassroots and machinery, it could only depend on Islamist party PAS. But there’s no guarantee PAS will still partner with Bersatu.

With the increasing possibility that the next nationwide election will see a three-corner contests, the chances are high that the current political landscape – no single party will have enough votes to form a government – will remain. To make matters worse, Malay-centric political parties – UMNO, Bersatu and PAS – will be fighting for the same Malay vote bank.

The only reason Bersatu has not seen its MPs defecting to other parties is because it has chosen to cling to power by hook or by crook, even to the extent of working with crooks like Zahid Hamidi and Najib Razak again even after being backstabbed and betrayed last month. All Bersatu MPs are being fed and bribed with ministers, deputy ministers and chairmanship.

If UMNO fails to exterminate Bersatu but only manage to reduce its seats, which is absolutely possible because there are still tons of people who wanted to vote for Muhyiddin because they hate Zahid and Najib more, Muhyiddin would certainly hope that anti-hopping law is in place to ensure his party will not suffer the same fate of mass defections.

Thus, everyone actually wanted to see the anti-hopping law introduced because the political landscape has changed since 2018. With endless permutation in power sharing, PKR, UMNO, DAP and UPKO could return to power, the same way UMNO and PAS could return to opposition, while Bersatu could either be terminated, return to power or taste the life as opposition for the first time.

So, the burning question – why must Pakatan give away its 88 votes in exchange for something that its rivals also wanted? More importantly, if the details of the MOU are nothing but rhetoric without substance, the already weak and dumb Pakatan Harapan leadership will be seen as legitimizing and recognizing a government that was originally formed through the backdoor. Does Ismail Sabri still need to prove his legitimacy in Parliament? - FT

cheers.

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