Could it be enemies from within who’s spooking Anwar?...

Could it be enemies from within who’s spooking Anwar?....

Reading the mainstream media reports and the social media chattering, I sensed that the Prime Minister’s (PM) own supporters are spooking him. Stories are told of conspiracies and plots to topple him. Some of these speculations, storytelling and hearsays are being manufactured and circulated to demonise PM’s purported enemies.

One such spook who fashioned himself as corporate leader and advisor to the PM even accused former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of being behind the belligerence of the Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

But in doing so, they exposed their own fears and lack of confidence in Anwar as PM. They make him out to be weak and vulnerable. Almost invariably, the purported conspirators and plotters are the very same people who were accused of disposing him more than two decades ago.

In reality, these so-called conspirators and plotters are nothing by way of power and influence when compared to him. How could they then topple him? Unless of course these speculators, storytellers and soothsayers believe that the PM is so utterly weak, helpless and powerless.

Or they are creating these dreadful spectres (ghosts) in order to spook him so that he becomes more dependent on them. For context, I dare say that Anwar is as powerful as the sixth PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Like Najib, he’s both the PM and Finance Minister.

When Dr Mahathir was the Pakatan Harapan (PH) PM (2018-2020), he wasn’t a finance minister. The same applies to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Dr Mahathir was abiding by the PH policy that PM should not hold any additional portfolio.

By sidelining the PH policy, Anwar controls both power and money. Yet his fanatical supporters are continuing to churn out stories that he is in eminent danger of being toppled by his powerless adversaries. Or maybe they know something that we the outsiders don’t!

With tens of thousands eager supporters and well-wishers reported to have thronged his Malaysia Madani open house in Kedah – an enemy state – his mainstream and social media promoters should sound more confident. Give him courage and stop frightening him with ghosts and demons. – Datuk A. Kadir Jasin

What does maaf zahir batin

mean for Sanusi?...

The Kedah menteri besar had poured scorn on the open house organised by the prime minister when the festivities are all about wiping the slate clean, among others.Maaf Zahir dan Batin, an often repeated but meaningful phrase during the Hari Raya festivities, seems to be lost on Sanusi Nor. The Kedah menteri besar poured scorn on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to host Hari Raya open houses in the six states where elections are to be held in a few months.

Sanusi claims it was a political move to campaign for the upcoming polls.He has even said such events were a waste of money, although Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail dismissed the notion, citing the price of ketupat and lemang to back his argument.

Despite the criticisms, Sanusi showed up at the open house, on grounds that the sultan of Kedah was attending it. He was also quoted as saying that “today is a day of peace”. (Funny how he did not figure that it was to be a “day of peace” earlier.)

But why create ill feelings, distrust animosity and hatred towards the intentions of others in the first place? You can’t hold grudges and you are not supposed to. Is that not the whole point of Hari Raya Aidilftri? To forgive and forget.

You simply do not harbor ill will even toward your worst enemy. If anything, Anwar, PH and Barisan Nasional are merely political enemies, at worst. That would be the essence of Maaf Zahir dan Batin. And how can one beg for forgiveness if the same person does not offer the same courtesy?

This is you wanting to swipe your slate clean and to start afresh. This is how it should be. But this is how one separates a politician from a leader. It all boils down to sincerity. Lead by example, so that we know you mean every word of Maaf Zahir dan Batin instead of treating it as an empty phrase to fill a greeting. Otherwise, don’t bother saying it.- Clement Stanley

Three rationales why Bossku’s royal

pardon hits a major stumbling block...

Now that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s royal pardon is ‘rejected’ (no discussion by the pardons Board on the matter), the question is “Why?” Anyone observing closely the drama will be able to piece together the jigsaw puzzle that this is nothing but a ploy to de-stablise the unity government helmed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX).

The fact that UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman supports the unity government – and this being the humble request of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah himself – makes it difficult for BN to exist as a coalition.

The dissenters will have to live with it that the palace wants a unity government to run the country for a full five-year term. As pointed out by Tian Chua in an earlier article, the unity government set up by PMX has to be pragmatic with the inclusion of Zahid as a key cabinet player.

It is also not easy for Zahid to play the balancing act between supporting the wishes of his party and yet being a member of the unity government since the palace is involved. A change of Agong next January should technically not affect the stability of the unity government set up by the present King.

Therefore, the UMNO faction that once supported former PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin – including MCA – has no choice but to tag along with Zahid till at least the end of the full parliamentary term (2027). Voters do not want yet another snap election.

Why royal pardon?

Put simply, the campaign for Najib’s royal pardon is a poorly concocted game plan which was bound to fail. The party was already told that UMNO as a political party has no locus standi to appeal for Najib’s royal pardon.

However, the fact that the campaign still went ahead shows that the real reason was to destabilise and discredit Zahid as UMNO president. Once Zahid is removed, the next president may not necessary support the unity government.

In their attempt to shake Zahid’s position, Najib’s loyalists have unwittingly mixed their loyalty to the party with their loyalty to a former comrade. In fact, reliable sources had earlier hinted that the present Agong is unlikely to grant the royal pardon to Najib due to possibly a number of reasons.

Firstly, the incarcerated former Pekan MP has only been in prison for less than a year. This – being a case of public interest – would make a mockery of both the palace and the nation if Najib’s crime was granted a royal pardon.

Secondly, Najib’s first appeal was already made last year, hence a subsequent appeal could only be granted once every two years.

Thirdly, the SRC International case is not the only case that Najib is involved in. With a number of other on-going cases – if Najib were to be found guilty – he would have to serve the full prison term. One can only receive a royal pardon once – not twice or more.

Therefore, Najib for now would have to sit still until his opportunity for a royal pardon comes knocking on the door – and that is – also if he shows true remorse. Above all else, this is not about the Agong’s whims and fancies but the wise King is well-aware that Malaysians are fed up with the prospect of another national poll so soon after the recent one on Nov 19 last year. – focusmalaysia