Merdekaaaaaa...

Tunku last Merdeka message 1988...

Realitynya Malaysians Loves Malaysia...

Kesian kat cucu2 kena kelentong dengan Tok Lebai...

Bila pingat emas kita dirompak...

A deputy minister was tested positive while PM Ismail Sabri 

himself is quarantined for 14 days for being a close contact.

At press time, the ringgit was 4.2375 against USD  

Ringgit to fall? What if our 

"advisors"were crooks?...

So the Ringgit is falling again.

It looks like for many years now we have accepted that the US Dollar will be above  RM4.00++  permanently. All the Advisors and Civil Servants will not even understand what I am trying to say. Here is DBS Research saying the Ringgit may reach RM4.40 against the Dollar.

When the Ringgit falls the prices of things especially imported goods, raw materials, manufacturing items etc will go up. This is called 'imported inflation'. 

Already the prices of foods have been going up. Malaysia is not self sufficient in food. Our bumiputra policy restricts deep sea fishing licenses. So non-Malay fishermen (aka Chinese) who are ready and capable of operating deep sea trawlers are restricted from deep sea fishing licenses. So there are not enough deep sea fishermen in our country.

So are all the ikan tenggiri in the South China Sea dying of old age? Not at all. Instead Thai trawlers catch ikan tenggiri and land their catch in Haadyai. Then they are loaded onto lorries and exported to Malaysia. 

It is actually our own ikan tenggiri. Ikan tenggiri is now between RM40 - RM60 per kilo. So terima kasih banyak2 kepada Tuan2 ketuanan Melayu dan Dasar Ekonomi Bebal.   

If you are also stupid like Erdogan then you will burn our Foreign Exchange Reserves and use it to 'support the Ringgit'.  It does not work. Erdogan burnt up US$128 billion worth of Turkey's Forex Reserves to support the Turkish lira which had crashed. The lira still crashed further.

It has happened a long time ago - tetapi all the Malays have forgotten. Or they may not even know what the hell I am harping about. - Syed Akbar Ali 

Ini adalah angka² kes pada hari Sabtu, Ahad dan Isnin selalunya akan turun pasai 

saringan berkurangan. Toksah nak perbodohkan rakyat dengan angka² kes turun tu...

cheers.

Kita tengok apa Derih boleh buat dalam 5 hari...

 

Pemimpin2 muda macam inilah yang sepatutnya berada dalam kabinet Mail Sabri. Bukan Shahidan Kassim, Noh Udang, Zahidi Zainul, Mat Jargon atau Peja... - dr.ts

Sapa nama doktor yang rawat Zahid Hamidi tu? Doktor ajaib betul. Satu hari saja dia rawat Zahid, dah baik tulang belakangnya. 100% baik you!!! Kena pi cari itu doktor ajaib... - dr.ts

Ismail Sabri’s inane, recycled cabinet...

Looks like the main thing that bothered Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob when he pondered the cabinet was who to make his deputy, given the threat hanging over him from Senior International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who reportedly threatened to pull support if he was not given the position.

A puzzling new appointment to a recycled cabinet with hardly any new faces was that of – surprise, surprise – Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, a person who faced molestation charges against an underaged girl, who was made Federal Territories minister. More on that later. First, back to the issue of the deputy prime minister, or the lack of one.

If Ismail Sabri did not appoint anyone from Bersatu as deputy prime minister, then not just Azmin and his cohorts would pull out, but possibly, all Bersatu MPs, which would leave the prime minister high, dry and stranded. He was in quite a pickle for if he did not appoint anyone from Umno, offence would be taken from that quarter.

The only consolation and saving grace for that was main opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan had offered to support him in a confidence vote, which is a big thing because that amounts to 88 seats from PKR, DAP and Amanah, the three PH partners.

Even if Bersatu pulled out its 31 MPs, PH’s votes would pull him through. Why, even if part of Umno/Barisan Nasional with 42 seats withdrew, he could potentially swing it easily if PH supported him – and if Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) with 18 stood by him.

Azmin Ali

What would that make Ismail Sabri? A toothless tiger without a base from his own party, a tiger without a hill – no domain. That just won’t do. But that non-binding pact with the opposition was just about enough to keep Azmin in his place, and the potential challengers from Umno to just stay put. For the time being at least. Smart.

Thus, Ismail Sabri, like his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when he first became prime minister, did not name a deputy prime minister, but chose to name four senior ministers.

The first among equals was of course Azmin, and his name was the first on the cabinet list. Azmin has to be satisfied with this – his threat to pull himself, and perhaps, 10 to 12 others out is not likely to result in the fall of the government.

For Ismail Sabri, it would serve him best if he did not appoint a deputy prime minister now – remember what happened to Muhyiddin when he appointed Ismail Sabri as his deputy? Forty-five days, later, he became prime minister. Also, delaying the deputy prime minister announcement will give him more choice further down the line.

Tellingly, next on the senior minister’s list is newly promoted Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who switched back to defence. He has been strategically placed to become Umno or Ismail Sabri’s possible candidate for future prime minister, the way Ismail Sabri pipped Azmin for the deputy prime minister’s post to become prime minister after.

Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin

The other two senior ministers are GPS’ Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (works) and Bersatu’s Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin (a senator, education). They do not really figure in the fight for the deputy prime minister’s post, not least because they are not from Umno.

If Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was not destined to become prime minister after coming close twice, his one-time good friend who betrayed him and is now his sworn enemy, Azmin, is perhaps not destined to be deputy prime minister after being twice so close. How fate plays its cards!

But, the sum total is that Ismail Sabri is firmly ensconced in the prime minister’s seat. He was not in any danger given PH’s support for him, provided he focuses on fighting Covid-19, and ensures economic recovery, judicial independence and institutional reforms.

Perhaps, Ismail Sabri wanted more insurance, and was not comfortable with the hold that PH would have over him if he relied on the coalition for his survival as prime minister.

He could have been braver and gone for a greater cabinet mix, but a good politician seldom takes risks that he really does not have to take, which makes him less of a statesman, often – a detriment to the nation. But, survival is the name of the game when the numbers are poised delicately on the edge of a blade.

Shahidan Kassim

It is a rather inane cabinet, with almost all ministers retained and some minor reshuffles. The one notable entry is a bad one: Shahidan Kassim into the powerful Federal Territories Ministry. In November 2018, he was charged in court with molesting a 15-year-old girl. 

The report said he was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (physical sexual assault on a child by touching any part of the child’s body). If convicted, he faced a jail sentence of not more than 10 years and whipping.

However, in April 2019, the charges were dropped when the victim withdrew her complaint. Berita Harian reported that the decision by Kangar sessions court judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamad was made behind closed doors after hearing three witnesses, including the alleged victim.

“This case is over... There is no issue of appealing, and there were supposed to be six witnesses called in to give their statements,” the Arau MP’s lawyer Zamri Ibrahim was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, Shahidan refused to comment on the decision then, saying: “I am fasting, I am a Muslim, and I abide by the decision.”

Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu aka Peja

An inane cabinet aside, Ismail Sabri has made his first major gaffe as prime minister – why, oh why does he have to appoint Shahidan as head of an influential ministry where there are plenty of opportunities to grant favours? This ministry needs to be led by someone who is known to be incorruptible and competent.

There is nothing else earth-shattering in the cabinet announcement. Some shuffling has taken place here and there, and another new arrival is Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid as head of the Rural Development Ministry, which controls Majlis Amanah Rakyat. A former Kedah chief minister, he previously served in the cabinet of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

As a concession to Muhyiddin, Ismail Sabri let in the former’s adviser with ministerial status (appointed only on August 6) Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu as youth and sports minister, another puzzling appointment.

Overall, it is largely a cabinet of appeasement of all parties, which does not upset anyone’s apple (durian?) cart, and for that reason, it is not likely to be effective unless Ismail Sabri can shake and stir things up.That’s not his style. – P. Gunasegaram,The Vibes

Shahidan Kassim and 

Young Malay Girls...

In 2008, Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad was Secretary-General of Umno. Abang Lah was prime minister, and I was then in Kuala Lumpur.In early March I met with Radzi in his PWTC office to discuss Shahidan Kassim, who was then, the Perlis Menteri Besar. I informed the Sec Gen (who is also from Perlis) that there have been disturbing reports made by parties known to me, about Shahidan Kassims's sexual activities with young Malay ladies and I had been asked by these people to bring the matter to the attention of Abang Lah.

Radzi said that he was also aware of these reports and said that he personally knows of a Thai lady who has had a child out of wedlock with Shahidan Kassim and that he was in the process of getting a DNA test to prove paternity. Radzi also said that he was aware that on at least two occasions, Malay girls impregnated by Shahidan, have had abortions at the Perlis General Hospital. In fact, on that very day itself, he had brought the lady Doctor who had done the abortion, to KL, for the doctor to personally inform Abang Lah of the matter.

Long story short, a meeting was arranged between Abang Lah, Sec Gen Radzi and the lady Doctor at Abang Lah’s house a few days later and the matter of Shahidan having a child out of wedlock, the two abortions, and other unsavory sexual activities of Shahidan Kassim while he was Menteri Besar of Perlis, were brought to the attention of Abang Lah.

Unfortunately, for reasons best known to himself, Abang Lah choose not to dismiss Shahidan as MB of Perlis, and he instead decided to shoot the messenger. A few days later, I was again at Radzi’s office, this time to help him pack and clear his office as Abang Lah has asked him to step down as Umno’s Secretary General.

What of Shahidan Kassim?

There were other reports made of his philandering and his abuse of young Malay girls to satisfy his deviant sexual needs. A 15 year old Malay teenager from Arau, Perlis, made a police report in which she related how she was told by her teacher that Shahidan had wanted to see her after he saw her perform with a band at Stadium Tuanku Syed Putra. According to her, when she went to the Shahidan’s car, he invited her to play in Kuala Lumpur and offered her a RM4,000 fee. She alleged that during the discussion, he held her hand and caressed her shoulder without her consent. The student said she immediately ran out crying. 

On 20 October 2018, a police report was made by the teenage girl, 15, alleging that Shahidan had molested her. The report was withdrawn by the victim’s family on the same day. It was speculated that the family has taken the decision due to bribery.

In 2021, Shahidan’s initial selection for the women, children, and social development affairs Parliamentary Special Select Committee (SSC) had to be rescinded and replaced by another MP after his appointment was widely condemned and objected as he is claimed to be ‘tainted’ with his child molestation case in 2019. And now, he was appointed Federal Territory Minister by Mail Bera. Enough said. - Hussein Abdul Hamid

cheers.

Kabinet Tebuk Atap 2.0..Walhasil balik asal...

Ismail Sabri telah mengumumkan jemaah menterinya.  Kabinet Ismail Sabri masih mengekalkan kabinet Mahiaddin dengan sedikit pindaan dan kemasukan empat "muka baru" dan dilihat kabinet itu untuk mengukuhkan kedudukannya sebagai perdana menteri...

Antara muka baru yang dibawa masuk Noh Omar,  Mahdzir  Khalid, Shahidan Kassim, Ahmad Faisal Azumu dan Idris Ahmad.  Noh, Mahadzir dan Shahidah bekas jemaah menteri di zaman Najib dan mereka dilihat sebagai penyokong kuat Ismail Khalid. Begitu juga perpindahan Annuar Musa ke Kementerian Komunikasi dilihat lebih untuk mempertahankan Ismail Sabri dalam persediaan untuk pemilihan dalam PAU akan datang. - mso

PM Ismail Sabri’s lineup of his cabinet has revealed the following:

1. Ismail’s “new” government is status quo of Muhyiddin’s PN government.

2. Azmin continues to be ranked as next to the PM, despite not been made the DPM.

3. Muhyiddin’s pull on Ismail is greater than that of the leadership of Umno. 

4. Harapan’s “agreement” signed with Ismail had only served to prevent Azmin from being officially crowned as the No.2 in the Ismail government. Nothing more than that.

5. There will be no “reforms” (as understood by Harapan) in the Sabri leadership other than rhetoric.

Harapan would be well advised to review its strategy towards the Ismail regime following any possible euphoria from the signing of the above mentioned agreement. - kim quek

Tahniah Bonnie...

'Recycled' cabinet: How to deliver 

in 100 days after failing for 17 months?...

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has criticised what he described as a "recycled" cabinet put together by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. This was after Ismail Sabri today unveiled his cabinet line-up, which only saw five new ministers and four new deputy ministers. The remaining 26 ministers (excluding Ismail Sabri) and 34 deputy ministers were either kept in the same portfolio or reshuffled.

"The country is facing a raging crisis due to Covid-19 and economic hardship that is crushing the people, particularly the lower class. "But the measure taken (by Ismail Sabri) is only to recycle ministers who have failed to show that they can resolve problems effectively," he said in a video statement.

Anwar noted that Ismail Sabri had given both new and reappointed ministers and deputy ministers 100 days to deliver. However, he questioned how it would be different when the bulk of them had failed to deliver when they were in the previous cabinet led by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

"The prime minister gave them 100 days to show their performance. "But for one-and-a-half years, they failed to show any progress that we can be proud of," he said. Anwar described the new cabinet as a "major disappointment".

The PKR president added that the "uninspiring" cabinet would not be able to win investor confidence, be it domestic or international. "The change that we had hoped for did not happen," he said. Anwar said the opposition will be vocal about the government's performance if there is still no solid and effective plan to address the Covid-19 pandemic and the people's livelihood.

Ismail Sabri, who is the Umno vice-president, was sworn in as the prime minister last Saturday after Muhyiddin lost his majority. He had been careful not to rock the boat as his majority is similar to Muhyiddin's, shortly before his ouster. The cabinet members are expected to be sworn in next Monday. - mk

No bouquet for the new PM's new cabinet...

My first impression of the cabinet announced by the prime minister Friday morning is one which is not impressive. Well, I took longer than one–tenth of a second. In fact, I sat in front of TV for the entire duration of the announcement made by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. But I admit I passed verdict even before the PM concluded naming his line-up.

Not impressive is to put it lightly. Former BN finance minister II Datuk Seri Johari Ghani terms the cabinet line-up "uninspiring", because "I was actually hoping that the prime minister would form a bipartisan cabinet to govern during this current crisis, or at least introduce some fresh young faces to inject more energy and enthusiasm." That was how FMT quoted him as saying.

I don't claim I can read minds but I think Johari calling the cabinet "uninspiring" is also putting it lightly. After all, he is from Umno, a party which is very much in government. The prime minister played it safe and obviously his decision will not be enough to satisfy public demands, or should it be desires, for meaningful changes.

His cabinet line-up is largely the same with minor reshuffle. A musical chair, as many are saying, with ministers swapping ministries. Like his predecessor, Ismail also did not name a deputy prime minister (perhaps disappointing his allies from Sarawak and Sabah who have said now is the time for a DPM from Borneo). And like Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the prime minister is also parading four senior ministers. And he has also unveiled quite a number of deputy ministers, the bulk of whom went to Perikatan Nasional. Many ministries even have two deputy ministers.

No need to be a political scientist to see that It is a cabinet for survival. Ismail picked ten from Umno (need I say, his own party) to be ministers. And with one minister each from MCA ad MIC, BN have 12 ministers. So, this is a BN-driven government? More or less. But Perikatan Nasional (i.e. Bersatu and PAS) is not very much behind with ten ministers. GPS has three.

I would say it's the same look and same DNA as that of the Muhyiddin administration. And as bloated. Only one fewer than the 70 ministers and deputy ministers in Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional government. Like the former prime minister, the current prime minister is also in "accommodating mode". Bear in mind it was Umno which helped in forcing Muhyiddin to resign, propelling Ismail to be his successor. And it was Perikatan Nasional and GPS in particular which provided him the numbers to be PM.

As Ilham Center Chief Operating Officer Mohd Azlan Zainal sees it, the prime minister does not have much choice but to go with the same faces available to ensure stability. Ismail's focus, according to the Ilham man, is obviously on strategic ministries -- finance, health, MITI, home affairs and defense -- to continue unfinished tasks of the previous administration.

And PAS vice president Idris Ahmad replacing former mufti Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri as minister in charge of Islamic affairs is, according to Azlan, seen as the prime minister's effort to boost his government's Islamic image among the Muslim population which somehow did not work out well during the previous administration.

The only bright spark, as seen by many, is the appointment of Khairy Jamaluddin as health minister. Khairy is obviously the choice of many Malaysians for his "efficiency and competency" as minister in previous administrations, be it Barisan Nasional or Perikatan Nasional.

Many had also expected the prime minister to appoint Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as minister, especially after she quit as Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker a few days ago. Azalina is favored by many Malaysians for the same reason they hold Khairy in high regards. But Ismail did not do what many expected him to do. Now there's talk Azalina will be Speaker to replace Datuk Azhar Harun. But as it is, that is just speculation.

Anyway, we have now what we have. A cabinet named based on the prerogative of the prime minister. And we have many a Malaysian coming up with "gems" in airing their views on the cabinet. Take a look at social media and we have comments like: "This is not old wine in new bottle but old bottle old wine."

Then there's: "Do we expect ugly ducklings to turn into beautiful swans?" Also this: "Same old nasi lemak wrapped in fresh banana leaf." And this: "Can we expect to get mangoes from coconut trees?" This one is catching on: "Our PM is an environmentalist. It's a recycled cabinet."

According to Umno man Johari, the prime minister can expect no "honeymoon" period as he has a year or so before the next general election "to rectify multiple failures in governance by the Perikatan Nasional administration". Ismail knows this. He has told his ministers to prove their "worthy performance" within the first 100 days of their appointment. Good. The big question is, will heads roll if performance is not up to expectation? - Mohsin Abdullah

Datang sorang nurse ni tutup camera 

alasan KJ dah letak jawatan...

A few days ago, a vaccination centre staff in Johor cited Khairy Jamaluddin's resignation from the government to stop a man from recording his Covid-19 vaccination - a policy Khairy had introduced. In the video incident(above), the female staff - who was off-camera - was overheard telling the man that he could not record his vaccination.

"You cannot record. KJ has already resigned. Health Ministry's procedures say that you are not allowed to record video," the officer was heard saying, referring to Khairy's moniker. A hand believed to be hers was then seen blocking the man's handphone camera before the video was cut off. Taking his complaint to Twitter, the vaccine recipient said the officer was rude when ordering him to stop his video recording.

Last month, Khairy ordered all vaccination centres to reverse their 'no photo, no video' rule following scores of claims that vaccine recipients were given blank shots. Fast forward to today, Khairy is now the health minister - with expectations that he will still be in charge of Covid-19 vaccinations. - mk

cheers.

Yes DAP, Yes Anwar...

 

Parti Lebai,PAS, juga sambut baik pertemuan ketua parti pembangkang dalam PH dengan PM Mail Sabri semalam.Timbalan Presiden PAS Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man menyifatkan langkah itu membuka dimensi politik baru ke arah berpolitik secara matang dan sejahtera. Hari tu bukan main semua dok ratib "No DAP, No Anwar". Di samping itu masih bisa kah lagi ugutan Azmin untuk tuntut kerusi TPM bila Mail Sabri jumpa 3 tokoh PH ni? Pandai juga Mail cari peluru. Nak selamatkan jawatan menteri kenalah buat baik dengan PH sekarang ni... - dr.ts

Nampak dak game plan depa...

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will announce his Cabinet at 11.00 am today.The PM's Office (PMO) told the media that the ministers and their deputies will then be sworn in before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Monday from 2.30pm onwards. Kabinet buruk tu lambat nak umum pasai banyak kena repair... - dr.ts

Neutralizing Azmin and Zahid - Consensus between PM Sabri and Pakatan Harapan...

Conveniently, newly installed Prime Minister Ismail Sabri met top leaders of Pakatan Harapan (the largest Opposition coalition) today (August 25). Accidentally, the meeting took place after Azmin Ali, armed with 10 MPs, threatened to withdraw support for the fragile government – unless he is made the Deputy Prime Minister. Coincidentally, Sabri and the Opposition struck a deal.

And suspiciously, UMNO president Zahid Hamidi has been hospitalized due to a fall at home last week, allowing him to avoid attending court hearings. It was a mystery that the crook hurt himself so badly on August 18, but still could attend an audience with Agong (King) the next day (August 19) and again present at the Istana Negara (national palace) for Sabri’s swearing-in ceremony on August 21.

 

In politics, nothing happens by accident or coincidence. If it happens, you can bet it was planned or designed that way. Azmin made his move to grab power after Sabri’s Cabinet list was deliberately leaked. And it was purposely leaked to test reactions from Sabri’s enemies in his own government, just before the final draft of the Cabinet is presented to King Sultan Abdullah for approval.

Zahid, on the other hand, was obviously faking his illness to test whether his “puppet” PM Sabri would close one eye, allowing the corrupt UMNO government to once again intimidate the judiciary to drop all the 87 charges related to money laundering, corruption and criminal breach of trust (CBT). It was already bad that PM Sabri’s balls were being squeezed each by Azmin and Zahid.

It will become worse if the prime minister loses power when former PM Muhyiddin, the biggest ally in the government, suddenly withdraws support if Azmin is not made a deputy prime minister. The issue is not merely about the tussle for the No. 2, but more about other new demands that Muhyiddin’s party Bersatu has in store for “turtle egg” Ismail Sabri.

 

The Deputy PM is just the appetizer. Muhyiddin, or at least the greedy Azmin, wants the crown jewel – Ministry of Finance – as well as other lucrative and strategic ministries from “proxy” PM Sabri. However, at the same time, Zahid and his influential mentor, former premier Najib Razak, also wanted the similar ministries to grow their power and influence in the UMNO party.

Zahid Hamidi and Azmin Ali.

Either way, Sabri is trapped between two power-hungry devils. Assuming he still has the support of 31 Barisan Nasional MPs when he tried to defend Muhyiddin’s administration during Zahid’s onslaught to topple Muhyiddin, he is still short of 80 votes in Parliament. At the last count, Zahid had managed to swing 15 UMNO MPs against Muhyiddin, leaving Sabri’s faction with only 27 MPs.

 

It means, at best, Ismail Sabri is extremely weak with support of 27 MPs. Muhyiddin has demonstrated that he has 35 MPs (31 Bersatu MPs and 4 independent MPs), in addition to 18 MPs from PAS Islamist party currently aligned to him. In total, Muhyiddin commands 53 MPs. Even though Zahid and Najib’s 15 MPs are small, they are sufficient to trigger a collapse of Sabri administration.

 

Sure, Zahid may not command the same 15 MPs anymore after UMNO is returned to power. It would be harder to justify the need to kick one of their own out. Still, UMNO vice-president Ismail, like his predecessor Muhyiddin, has a slim majority, as the government bench has only 114 MPs in the 222-member Parliament, where two seats are vacant after the death of 2 MPs.

Toppling the government is as easy as getting 4 MPs to withdraw support. Zahid and Najib certainly have more than 4 MPs on their side, if not 15 or 11 MPs. And coincidentally, on the other side, Opposition Pakatan Harapan has 88 MPs. Together, both PM Ismail Sabri and Pakatan Harapan have a total of 115 MPs, more than enough for a simple majority.

 

But why should the Opposition help Ismail Sabri? Has de-facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim gone mad for agreeing to work with the corrupt government? Have DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu gone insane over the idea of propping up the clueless and incompetent prime minister? Haven’t they got sick and tired of being used by UMNO?

 

The short answer – they have a common enemy. The long answer – unless they work with the lesser of two evils, they could see Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak or Zahid Hamidi return to power or even the most hated man, Azmin Ali, becoming prime minister. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, hence PM Ismail Sabri is Pakatan Harapan’s friend, at least temporarily.

Bipartisan Consensus - PM Ismail, Anwar Ibrahim, 

Mat Sabu, and Lim Guan Eng.

 

In reality, it’s more complicated than that. As much as Anwar hardcore supporters dislike the truth, it’s crystal clear that the PKR president does not have the numbers, no matter how much he recites the mantra that he has a “strong, convincing, formidable majority” to form a new government. Even with Mahathir’s support, Anwar only managed to get 105 MPs behind him.

On one hand, Anwar has been played by former protégé Zahid again and again. On the other hand, he could not convince Sarawak-based Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to support him. To make matters worse, none of PKR traitors wanted to return to the party, despite the collapse of Muhyiddin regime and the welcome carpet laid by PKR leaders.

 

With less than 2 years before the 15th General Election, Pakatan can either do nothing and wait for the election, or try the first baby steps towards working with UMNO – minus crooks like Zahid or Najib. The support from Pakatan’s 88 MPs would free Sabri from being held hostage by Bersatu and Zahid faction in UMNO. It would neutralize both Azmin and Zahid.

As much as Gabungan Parti Sarawak hates DAP for being a direct competitor in the state, Anwar isn’t popular in the rural Malay areas, the crucial vote bank delivered by Mahathir during the 2018 General Election, which ultimately led to the opposition’s stunning victory. Without Mahathir, Pakatan Harapan has no choice but to find an alternative Malay-based partner.

On paper, there are only three options – UMNO, Bersatu or PAS. Having been betrayed by Bersatu president Muhyiddin, who pulled out of the democratically elected Pakatan Harapan government and formed Perikatan Nasional backdoor government with enemies – UMNO and PAS – last year, it’s not possible for Pakatan and Bersatu (let alone PAS extremists) to work again.

The fact that PAS has chosen Bersatu, abandoning the previous cooperation between UMNO and PAS, which was glorified as “Muafakat Nasional” under the pretext of Malay-unity, has now provided more reason for UMNO to work with Pakatan Harapan. It’s worth mentioning that PAS president Hadi Awang is a bigger cheerleader of Muhyiddin than Ismail Sabri, let alone Zahid Hamidi.

So, even without different factions in UMNO, the party has every strategic reason to explore potential cooperation with Pakatan Harapan. There will be more clashes and disagreements in terms of seats allocation and distribution for the coming election among UMNO, Bersatu and PAS than between UMNO and Pakatan. And the next election will see UMNO against Bersatu-PAS for Malay vote bank.

Based on the latest political landscape, it’s immature to say Pakatan Harapan is dumb to be used by PM Sabri to stay in power. To be fair, both sides are using each other. In the short term, Sabri is using Pakatan to ensure neither Azmin nor Zahid could threaten him. Pakatan, in return, will get reforms after a 90-minute discussion on confidence and supply agreement (CSA).

Although Anwar did not specifically mention a CSA, he said both parties have agreed today on several matters, including strengthening Parliament, ensuring judicial independence and institutional reforms in the country’s governance. Those jargons suggest that the reforms sought appear to be quite similar to those offered by Muhyiddin in his last attempt to cling to power.

But why didn’t the Opposition take Muhyiddin’s offer on August 14 then? First, it was not a sincere offer, but a dubious deal hastily hatched at the last minute to buy support. Second, Muhyiddin had betrayed Pakatan Harapan. Third, based on his track record, the former prime minister simply cannot be trusted to honour the reform deal.

Is Ismail Sabri trustworthy? Compared to Muhyiddin, Sabri is in a bigger trouble and weaker position. Naturally, the premier does not have as much leverage to play the Opposition because he has only 27 MPs, compared to Muhyiddin’s 100 MPs back then. It is understood from sources that Pakatan Harapan has asked for wider reforms beyond that offered by Muhyiddin.

The fact that UMNO vice-president Khaled Nordin and other leaders have welcomed the bipartisan consensus, and even said that there should no longer be any prejudice against the Opposition, is a strong indicator that long term cooperation could be cooking. It could provide the necessary “launch-pad” in case no party has the majority to form a new government after the 15th General Election.

Most importantly, not a single UMNO leader, including the outspoken Najib Razak, has condemned the latest bipartisan consensus, despite United Malays National Organisation’s previous chest-thumping declaration of “No Anwar, No DAP”. UMNO is more desperate, not to mention it has more to lose than Pakatan Harapan as they have to explain to the grassroots why PM Sabri is surrendering to their decade-old arch-enemy. - FT

cheers.

Keluarga Malaysia or Keluarga UMNO?...

Jet peribadi PM Mail dah jadi Rapid Bus.Lepaih ni hangpa tengok samada Mail menubuhkan kabinet untuk berkhidmat kepada "Keluarga Malaysia" atau "Keluarga UMNO"... - dr.ts

Approach PH ini tentu disukai oleh rakyat yang dah bosan dengan politicking,mau kedamaian dalam suasana pandemic ini.Tapi bagi mereka yang tak pernah ada istilah damai akan terus mengejek2nya. Is this a political ceasefire or what? Yes Anwar,Yes DAP... - dr.ts

Tendang PAS dan BERSATU pun tak apa lagi..

Kill race politics and bring us together stronger as a nation...- dr.ts

Kluster lari dari mahkamah...

Trick ni P.Ramlee dah lama pakai...

Zahid terjatuh,Hakim minta doktor pakar 

datang mahkamah sahkan.Power betul Hakim ni...

Azmin could become PM if his 

threat for Deputy PM succeeded...

On his first day as the 9th Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri has already screwed up spectacularly. As part of a PR exercise to project himself as a caring leader, his first official visit was to Kedah on Monday (August 23). The itinerary for the visit was to several flood-hit areas and meet with families affected by the disaster, which has claimed four lives.

 

But old habits die hard, let alone 60 years of UMNO culture of apple-polishing, rent-seeking, corruption, favouritism, nepotism, cronyism and whatnot. “Turtle Egg” Sabri, still could not believe his fortune, was immediately swarmed by UMNO bootlickers, tagging along for a free ride on the official government jet to the state of Kedah.

Joining the large group on board the Malaysian Air Force One was former Kedah Chief Minister Mahdzir Khalid and several UMNO MPs, including Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, Ismail Mohamed Said, Hasan Ariffin, Mohd Salim Sharif and Noraini Ahmad. Netizens were up in arms over the wastage of taxpayers’ money, especially when the country is plagued with Covid-19 pandemic and ailing economy.

The problem with UMNO leaders is that they just have to flaunt their “connections” by posing and publishing photos with the man who walks the corridors of power. The SOP is to flatter the prime minister, especially one like Sabri whose intellectual skills are below average, in preparation to win positions and projects. But the blunders on the executive plane were just the beginning.

PM Sabri was also criticized when he was seen accompanied by an extraordinary large entourage comprising more than 50-car convoy during his visit to the flood-hit areas. And you know the infamous corruption synonym with UMNO is back when a huge “Welcome and Congratulations” billboard was erected right in the middle of the disaster area.

To make matters worse, social distancing was clearly violated when hundreds of people were seen following Ismail Sabri during his PR stunt during his walkabout to inspect the flood-plagued areas. The prime minister was also under fire after photos of him chairing a meeting with UMNO leaders without observing the health SOP – not wearing masks.

Azmin Ali - Sad and Worry

As the newly installed incompetent prime minister and his band of arrogant UMNO leaders continued to be drunk with power, Azmin Ali has started making his move for power and positions. After the draft of Cabinet leaked on social media, with Azmin and his top loyalist Zuraida Kamaruddin expected to be demoted, it only makes sense for Azmin to demand for the No. 2 position.

According to the leaked Cabinet list, Azmin Ali, the second man under Muhyiddin administration, would be demoted to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry from his previous powerful and lucrative Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). Zuraida will be demoted to take care of energy and natural resources (from housing and local government ministry).

 

During the infamous “Sheraton Move” last February, Azmin had led 10 PKR MPs including himself to defect to Bersatu, while Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin simultaneously pulled his party out from government – leading to the collapse of the democratically elected Pakatan Harapan ruling government. After the betrayal, they formed a new government with enemies and oppositions.

While Muhyiddin became the 8th Prime Minister, working primarily with the corrupt United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and extremist Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), Azmin became de-facto Deputy Prime Minister. However, the backdoor Perikatan Nasional government collapsed after just 17 months, when Muhyiddin was himself betrayed by ally UMNO.

The plan, at least that was what Azmin had been led to believe, was to groom the PKR (People’s Justice Party) biggest traitor to take over the “Iron Throne” one day. It was the prospect of becoming the country’s youngest prime minister that had kept Azmin extremely loyal to Muhyiddin. But his dream was crushed after UMNO President Zahid Hamidi led 15 MPs to pull out.

By hook or by crook, Mr Azmin, who was caught with his pants down engaging gay sex at Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Sandakan, Sabah, must fight back and cannot afford to be demoted in the new administration of Ismail Sabri. Otherwise, not only he will suffer political humiliation, his 9 loyal MPs will definitely abandon him. Like it or not, only power and positions glued them together.

If there’s one thing that Azmin has learned from the downfall of his former boss Muhyiddin and the unexpected rise of “turtle egg” Ismail Sabri, it is that anyone can threaten or blackmail the prime minister as long as one possessed 5 MPs. And Azmin has 10 MPs, meaning he has twice the firepower to extract concessions from PM Ismail Sabri.

Zahid Hamidi and his mentor, former PM Najib Razak, might think they were brilliant in forcing Muhyiddin to resign (August 16), only for him to partner again with the same traitors who had toppled him just days ago. But the game of musical chairs is being played repetitively using the same support of 114 MPs in the 220-seat Parliament (after the death of 2 MPs).

Flight To Kedah - PM Ismail Sabri and UMNO MPs 

In short, PM Sabri must have at least “110+1” MPs to command a simple majority support in Parliament. And Zahid had shown that with just 11 MPs who retracted their support for then-Prime Minister Muhyiddin, the fragile government crumbles. Using the same page from Zahid’s playbook, Azmin could also topple Sabri’s government with his army of 10 MPs.

Theoretically, Azmin can demand to be installed as the new prime minister, and UMNO will have little choice but to agree in order to stay in power. It will be an endless game of power grabbing. After UMNO betrayed Bersatu and installed Ismail Sabri, Bersatu too can pull out and install Azmin. UMNO can then withdraw support again and install Hishammuddin Hussein.

In retaliation, Bersatu will pull a similar stunt and install Hamzah, only to see UMNO retracts its support and install Zahid, and the game continues until the cows come home. Of course, the game is not limited to UMNO and Bersatu alone. Sarawak-based GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) and PAS Islamist party, both in possession of 18 MPs each, too can demand for the prime minister position.

In fact, MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association), MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) and PBRS (United Sabah People’s Party), three component parties of Barisan Nasional, can trigger the collapse of the extremely fragile government of Sabri. Together, the three parties have 4 MPs, sufficient to erase the simple majority currently enjoyed by UMNO.

Perhaps that explains why MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker has suggested today that someone who is sensitive to the needs of Chinese new villages be appointed as Minister of Housing and Local Government. Obviously, he was trying to lobby for the ministry, which belonged to MCA until the portfolio was taken away by UMNO in 2013 when MCA lost badly in the 2013 General Election.

Unless UMNO, who is back to power after its Barisan Nasional coalition stunningly lost power for the first time in 61 years since independence in 1957 just three years ago in the 2018 General Election, reaches out to the Opposition for support, Azmin Ali may get his wish granted. UMNO probably thought Azmin would be satisfied once he is appointed as the Deputy PM.

But why should the ambitious man stop at just the deputy prime minister, a position that is not even provided in the Federal Constitution, when his dream is to become the youngest prime minister? It’s absolutely possible that the vengeful Muhyiddin could be the hidden hand behind Azmin’s demand for the No. 2 as part of a plot to seize back the power from UMNO.

Actually, Ismail Sabri becomes the 9th Prime Minister because he was in the right place at the right time. It has nothing to do with his charisma, let alone intellectual skills. After all, he was the same clueless and incompetent Senior Minister under Muhyiddin administration who had made uncountable policy flip-flops, SOP U-turns, double standards and whatnot.

As revealed by UMNO secretary-general Ahmad Maslan, Sabri was the third choice behind party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and deputy president Mohamad Hasan. Apparently, Zahid pulled out, most likely due to his corruption trials, while Mohamad Hasan was not a Member of Parliament. Therefore, in terms of the party hierarchy, UMNO vice president Sabri became the lucky man for the job.

It’s worth mentioning that before Zahid and Najib executed the plan to officially pull the plug to topple Muhyiddin regime, Sabri had been abruptly appointed as Deputy PM at the eleventh hour due to pressure from UMNO. Hence, Sabri was well positioned as the No. 2 to take over the government in anticipation of a power change. It was part of the plan all along.

Likewise, using the same game plan, could it not be Muhyiddin’s plan to push Azmin as the Deputy PM in anticipation of a similar power grab? Azmin’s command of 10 MPs was nothing but a convenient excuse to force the lame duck Sabri hands over the deputy prime minister on a silver platter. If the plan succeeded, Azmin could be on his way to become Malaysia’s first gay prime minister.

Muhyiddin’s biggest mistake in his lust for power was his arrogance and reluctance to reach out to the Oppositions. He thought he was invincible. Had he been friendlier and more tolerant towards the opposition parties after he seized power last year, he may not have to resign. When he offered the Senior Minister to Anwar Ibrahim in exchange for support, it was too little, too late.

It appears that PM Sabri, drunk with power, is following Muhyiddin’s footstep. Sabri’s refusal to even study the prospect of a unity government, despite the royal wish from King Sultan Abdullah, would come to haunt him, the same way Muhyiddin was checkmated. UMNO’s arrogance of power is actually good news to the Opposition as voters can see UMNO’s true colours – again. - FT

cheers.

Malam pertama pun belum,dah bergaduh pulak...

For UMNO this is BN. 

For BERSATU this is PN.

While PAS is shitting bricks...

Hero biasanya kalah dulu...

Initial thoughts on PM Ismail Sabri...

Inevitably, in these one or two days the preview of what is to come under the Umno-led Perikatan Nasional government will become clearer. Firstly the cabinet appointment. It's obvious that the key jobs would go to Umno leaders and there's so much that the Prime Minister  Ismail Sabri Yaakob, could do to shrink the cabinet without angering the hopefuls among his supporters. His predecessor, Mahiaddin Md Yasin had made favour buying a way of staying in power. 

The cabinet appointment and the appointment of key executives will also indicate Ismail Sabri's attitude toward the Court Cluster, principally the decision on the Attorney General.If he dismisses the current AG, Idrus Azizan Harun, we should scrutinise every move of the new person. AG is key person in the corruption trials of the former Umno ministers and leaders. 

A Prime Minister does not have to interfere with the court to influence the outcomes of these trials. The person who decides on the direction of the trial is the prosecutor and the AG is in charge of prosecution.Remember the discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court of Riza Abdul Aziz in May last year of money laundering involving US$248 million (RM1.08 billion) linked to 1MDB? It was made on the application by ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram.

Ismail Sabri can prove his independence and sincerity to serve the people by excluding the Court Cluster from his administration, reduce the size of the cabinet and rope in professionals as well as community leaders into the government. I would not dare speculate that he would set up a national unity government. He either tries to heal the wounds of the nation by being the Prime Minister for all Malaysians or create greater discord by making his government a kleptocratic Umno government. - AKJ

Will Ismail Sabri’s government survive?...

So, Ismail Sabri Yaakob – a man who until recently was on nobody’s list to become prime minister – has now emerged as the winner in Malaysia’s game of thrones contest. When it comes to who gets to be prime minister, those words in Article 43(2) – someone who is likely to command the support of the majority of members in the House – must necessarily carry more weight than what the majority of Malaysians might wish for. That’s the Constitution and we have to live with it. It’s futile, dangerous even, to expect the King to act in any other way. The question now is whether Ismail Sabri’s government will prove more stable than the previous one. It might just be, barring any major missteps.

First, it is unlikely that any of the 114 members of parliament who indicated their support for him will change their position. They would be seen as duplicitous and disrespectful of the King.

Second, the UMNO court cluster, which caused former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin no end of problems, has been neutralised. It will be difficult for them to go against what is after all an UMNO-led government without coming across as self-serving. Ismail Sabri’s appointment also marks the beginning of the end of UMNO president Zahid Hamidi’s political career. Ismail Sabri will, no doubt, use the power of the prime minister’s office to quickly consolidate his position within UMNO. All the court cluster can hope for now is some sort of a deal that would minimise their exposure to all the criminal charges they are facing in exchange for fading into the sunset.

Muhyiddin too has little room to manoeuvre. He recently hinted that his party’s support for Ismail Sabri is conditional on the latter keeping the court cluster out. Revenge may be sweet, but he is simply posturing. The reality is that neither he nor Zahid is in any position to threaten Ismail Sabri; both the Malay rulers and the people will not stand for another attempt at regime change.

This also applies to the Opposition. They had an opportunity to make a deal with Muhyiddin – significant reforms in exchange for a confidence and supply agreement – but they rejected it. Anwar apparently refused to consider it because he felt sure that he had the numbers this time around. It was a huge strategic blunder. The Opposition will have to live with the consequences and the knowledge that they facilitated UMNO’s return to power. In the meantime, there can be no more talk of trying to overthrow the government at least for now.

Anwar’s failure yet again to win support to become prime minister must surely call into question his continued leadership of both his party and the opposition coalition. Clearly, the Opposition has lost its way and voters have lost faith in them. If the Opposition is to regain the momentum, a new leadership team must be put in place as soon as possible. The priority now must be GE15.

Whether Ismail Sabri will prove to be a more competent administrator is another issue. For one thing, he was Muhyiddin’s point man on the pandemic, and he made a mess of it. If he is smart, he will bring in a new team headed by someone with real credibility and turn it over to the professionals. Likewise with the economy; bring in a team of credible industry leaders and economists to help turn the economy around. These are the two issues of immediate concern to Malaysians, and they will judge him by it. Beyond that, he would need to keep the racial and religious rhetoric down and stop the crackdown on dissenters.

If he can manage all that, don’t be surprised if he goes on to win another term come GE15. Malaysians, after all, have short memories as Dr Mahathir can attest. Besides, after the last few years of upheaval and chaos, voters long for normalcy again.

The real worry is that UMNO will now go all out to ensure that it will never lose another election.  Ismail Sabri will almost certainly consolidate his party’s position, tighten its grip on all the levers of power and use every means at his disposal to restore the hegemonic system that was in place until GE14. They will not be taken by surprise again. Malaysia is not likely to experience another election tsunami again for quite a while. - Dennis Ignatius

cheers.