Malaysian opposition shrugs off defection to ruling party

source: text- AfP via MSN Malaysia News, pix - klpos
Malaysia's opposition on Thursday shrugged off a senior member's defection to the ruling party, which came as a rare victory for embattled Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Ezam Mohamad Nor, a former member of opposition figurehead Anwar Ibrahim's Keadilan party, was welcomed back into the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) on Wednesday.

He had left the party in 1999 after the sacking of Anwar, a one-time deputy premier who spent six years in jail on corruption and sex charges before being freed and storming back onto the political scene.

Ezam, who had served as Anwar's political secretary, quit Keadilan last year reputedly after a power struggle with another top party official.

"Ezam's decision will have little impact on the party. We are on an upward trend now. We have had people who left the party in hard times and we survived," said Keadilan information chief Tian Chua.

"I suppose we must thank him for joining UMNO only after the general election. At any other time it might have had some impact but now it will not stop our momentum," he told AFP.

The three-party opposition alliance dealt a severe blow to the UMNO-led coalition in March 8 general elections, seizing control of five states and a third of parliamentary seats in an unprecedented result.

Anwar has said he is confident of attracting enough defecting lawmakers to topple Abdullah's administration, which has been thrown into crisis by the election drubbing.

"There have been even worse betrayals. I don't think this will affect Anwar that much ... UMNO is a sinking boat," Chua said.

Ezam's return to UMNO was splashed in the government-linked media Thursday, with prominent photographs of him handing his membership registration form to Abdullah.

"No conditions are attached to Ezam's readmission. He does not get any special treatment or privileges. He has also not sought any position. He just wants to serve and struggle for the party," Abdullah reportedly said.

updates/kemaskini:
Ezam Ready To Go For Umno Youth Chief Post If There Is Support - PETALING JAYA, May 29 (Bernama) -- Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth chief, Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, said he was ready to contest the Umno Youth chief post if his leadership could help raise the status of the Malays as a respected race.
However, he said, being new in the party might not allow him to make such a big decision.
Still, Mohamad Ezam said, he would discuss the matter with other Umno leaders before making decision.
"I have to discuss first with the leadership and with friends. If the post is for party and national interests and in the interest of the Malays, I will seriously consider," he said.
He was asked to comment on the possibility that his entry into Umno was to fill the post to be vacated by current Umno Youth chief, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

Azmin Ali: We're not worried - KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is not worried about former members joining Umno.
Commenting on the move by Anuar Shaari and Khairul Anuar Ramli, the two former PKR members who joined former PKR Youth chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor in submitting their applications to join Umno, vice-president Azmin Ali said they ceased to be PKR members a long time ago."This is irrelevant to me. I don't see this as a big deal as they were no longer party members." He questioned their credibility, saying that some of them were former Umno members who were with PKR, and then left to rejoin Umno."These characters kept on rejoining Umno. It is just a political gimmick," he said. He said the action of the three men was no indication that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto Pakatan Rakyat leader, had failed to get Barisan Nasional leaders to cross over. "The time-frame given was until Sept 16 and we are taking our time to ensure a smooth transition. "In between, if they want to have a sandiwara with non-PKR members, that is their choice. We are busy with our work in strengthening the administration of the five Pakatan states."

political animal: bullshit artist

caricature courtesy of Grea's websites on www.sangrea.net

When Mahathir lashes out at Anwar, will it catch fire?

When Mahathir lashes out at Anwar, will it catch fire? Bernama pic:Tun Dr Mahathir at the Perkim annual general meeting on Saturday
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 – The fight to drag Anwar Ibrahim into a political mud-fight began yesterday when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad went back to his playbook of 1998 and accused the de facto opposition leader of being a stooge for foreign powers.
Unlike 10 years ago, Anwar is not likely to be perturbed by this attack. He will not take the bait and will dismiss his one-time mentor as someone whose relevance to Malaysia has passed.
Anwar knows that he does not need to get into a street fight, as he is viewed by many Malaysians as the man who is ushering in a new dawn for the country while Dr Mahathir is seen as part of the old landscape.
Also, Anwar does not need to score points with Umno or convince them of his fitness to lead. If anything, it is Dr Mahathir who has to audition for their support as he sets about to force a change of leadership in Umno.
It was vintage Mahathir yesterday. He described Anwar as "a man of many parts", someone with a forked tongue.
"When he talks about Islam, Muslims will think he's a champion of Islam. When he is with the Jews, the Jews love him. When he is with the Muslims, the Muslims love him. When he is with the temple groups, they love him too.
“Everybody loves him. He is a convincing orator… If the Malays are willing to kowtow to the foreigners, then they can choose this person,” he said during a question-and-answer session after he opened the annual general meeting of Persatuan Melayu Tanjong (Penang Malays Association) here yesterday.
When someone in the audience wondered whether Anwar stood a chance to be the next prime minister, Dr Mahathir suggested that he would make a “good prime minister of Israel”. This was not a shot in the dark as the former PM knows that Muslims here have great animosity with Israel over that country’s handling of the Palestinian issue.
When the former prime minister sacked Anwar Ibrahim from the party and government 10 years ago, he repeatedly accused his one-time protégé of being a lackey of the West, especially the United States. But the difference between then and now is as stark as night and day.
This was evident at a recent seminar on the elections at Universiti Utara Malaysia. Among the panelists were Penang deputy chief minister Dr P. Ramasamy, PAS politician Mujahid Rawa and deputy minister Saifuddin Abdullah.
Saifuddin had a tough time getting his points across as he was booed consistently by the young audience.
Dr Mansor Mohd Noor, a political analyst who was in the hall, said: “There has been a change in the political environment in West Malaysia. Malaysians want to know about the vision of this country. Any attempt at character assassination or personal attacks will not go down well with the public. The focus is on integrity, good governance, just policies. If you cannot articulate all this, then your relevance is limited.’’
He noted that voters, including Malays, were upset that the Barisan Nasional attacked Anwar a few days before the polls as an untrustworthy politician.
“Many people believe that he was the wronged party in 1998 and had 6 years taken away from him. Calling him a foreign agent will be like selling an old newspaper. And not a credible one,” Dr Mansor.
Still, he believes that Tun Mahathir is attempting to show the Umno rank and file that only he has the fire in the belly to take on Anwar. His pitch – though old and out-of-date with many Malays – could find support within a party searching for a leader to stop the seemingly unstoppable march of the Anwar-led opposition. – The Malaysian Insider

Malays Will Be Made Tools By West If Anwar Becomes PM, Says Mahathir
PENANG, March 30 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the Malays will be made use of by foreign powers if they choose Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister.
Describing Anwar as a "a man of many parts", he said Anwar had a glib tongue and hence could draw the attention of people from different groups and backgrounds.
"When he talks about Islam, Muslims will think he's a champion of Islam. He's also good at talking to the kampung (village) folk and also to those at temples.
"We know the west believes that Anwar will become prime minister in the near future. They can then lead him by the nose," said Dr Mahathir during a question-and-answer session after he opened the annual general meeting of Persatuan Melayu Tanjong (Penang Malays Association) here Sunday.
Someone in the audience had asked him about western media reports that Anwar would soon become Malaysia's prime minister.
"If the Malays are willing to kowtow to the foreigners, then they can choose this person (Anwar). I am sorry... he had maligned me all over the world, accusing me of arresting him and throwing him in jail," Dr Mahathir said. -- MORE

Former M’sian premier Dr M scoffs at Anwar’s plan for political comeback

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed scoffed the idea of a political comeback by his renegade former deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ''He could win a few seats but making a comeback and taking over the government, that's a pipedream.”

Anwar has already announced he wants to run for office through a proxy in the forthcoming general election (widely speculated in March), and eventually a by-election in May. But as analysts have pointed out a pop politician can not take the top job without enough majority parliamentary support from his ‘barisan’ coalition.

And so far, Anwar’s party and its rag-tag opposition coalition is no match to the formidable machinery, media and money of the ruling 14-party ‘Barisan Nasional’ coalition.

The opposition coalition remains divided and has performed poorly in recent by-elections. Still, the opposition coalition is hoping to deny the ruling coalition a two third majority against a backdrop of widespread accusation of election irregularities.

Recent Developments - updated Feb 14, 2008 : Anwar, Malaysian Opposition, Aim to Erode Majority - bloomberg.com

Former M’sian deputy premier Anwar to run for office

Former Malaysian deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim looks set to make his political comeback through a proxy in the forthcoming general election (hotly speculated in March), and eventually a by-election in May, according to reports here, and here...

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has dropped tantalising hints to voters that he may contest a by-election in Balik Pulau, on Penang island, in May.

He was addressing a ceramah last Saturday in Kampung Terang in Balik Pulau, the island’s only rural parliamentary constituency, one of three locations he visited in his home state during a weekend of campaigning.

Speaking from a dilapidated wooden house that stands on eroding concrete stilts, he said: “In 1987, while I was in the cabinet, I insisted that this whole area be supplied with electricity and piped water. It was supplied but there has been little further improvement to this place since then. If the PKR candidate wins here in the coming election (widely expected in March), I may contest here in a by-election in May.”

The crowd of some 500 cheered. They obviously knew that this could see a dramatic transformation of the constituency from rural rusticity to something better. After all, the ruling Barisan Nasional had shown its munificent strategy in the Ijok by-election, for example.

Earlier, Anwar had pointed out Yusmadi Yusoff (photo - see dinmerican -ed.) to the crowd, a gesture that could be interpreted as a sign of his eventual selection to contest the Balik Pulau seat. Yusmadi, 32, was born in Balik Pulau and now practises law in Kuala Lumpur. He joined PKR last July, and had accompanied Anwar to the ceramah.

Anwar is barred by law from contesting the elections up to April 15, following his conviction and six-year jail sentence for corrupt practice.

First-Past-The-Post (FPTP)

The First-Past-the-Post system is the simplest form of plurality/majority system, using single member districts and candidate-centered voting. The voter is presented with the names of the nominated candidates and votes by choosing one, and only one, of them. The winning candidate is simply the person who wins the most votes; in theory he or she could be elected with two votes, if every other candidate only secured a single vote.

Along with the UK, the cases most often analyzed are Canada, India, and the United States.

Source: http://www.aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/es/esd/esd01/esd01a

SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS IN MALAYSIA: Since 1957, Malaysia has retained a multi-party political system whereby the political party which secures the majority of the Parliamentary seats (House of Representatives) or the State Legislative Assembly seats can form the Federal or State Government as the case may be. The system used in Malaysia is based on the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) System. This implies that the candidate who secures a simple majority will be declared the winner in that constituency.

Source: http://www.spr.gov.my/index/process.htm

This source helps us to understand more about FPTP.

But, The Voice of the Majority is not a Measurement of Truth

Najib denies knowing anything about Dr M’s agreement

Reiterating his support and loyalty to the prime minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Najib Razak said today he did not know anything about an alleged agreement that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stay as premier only for one-term before stepping down in favour of his deputy.

"No, I don't know. I really don't know about that,” said the deputy prime minister after opening a seminar for Felda mosque officials at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre. “However, I am committed to support (the prime minister) and remain loyal to the prime minister. I don't know. You (reporters) have to ask the parties concerned."

Najib was responding to reporters’ questions on whether he knew of the "gentleman's agreement" between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah. The agreement, according to the former prime minister yesterday, was made with Abdullah in 2003. However, Dr Mahathir conceded that he had no way of proving the existence of such an agreement.

The understanding, Dr Mahathir said, was for Abdullah to serve as a prime minister for one term before passing the baton to Najib. Dr Mahathir was quoted by AFP as saying, "That was my thinking since (Abdullah) was older than Najib, he should be PM for one term and then Najib should be able to take over."

Najib, also the Barisan Nasional deputy chairman, stressed he was committed to support and remain loyal to the prime minister. At the same time, he said his focus was on the coming general election and to ensure the BN’s victory.

Source: http://www.emedia.com.my/detailnews.php?nid=908&cid=N01

Related news analysis: Perjanjian lisan tidak valid!

LATEST DEVELOPMENT: Wed Feb 06, 08 5:16:44 pm MYT: PRU ke 12: Peluang tipis Najib untuk gantikan Abdullah sebagai PM. Apakah Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak berfikir, kesetiaan yang ditunjukkan beliau kepada Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi akan membantunya menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang ke-6? Mesej sebenar yang hendak disampaikan bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad adalah, jika Abdullah diberi mandat melanjutkan khidmatnya sepenggal lagi, Najib mungkin tidak berpeluang menjadi PM dan Presiden Umno.