From now onwards, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi will be casting a wary eye on all sides as rivals such as Tengku Razaleigh and Anwar sense his considerably weakened position, never mind that the BN is just eight seats short of a two-thirds majority.
After all, under his stewardship, the BN lost five states and received less than 50 per cent of the popular vote in the peninsula – its worst ever performance.
Meanwhile, folks like Khairy, Patrick Lim and even Nazri have been ever so quiet….
The only hope for Umno is if it introduces wide-ranging reforms. But the KL-based political commentator mentioned in the article below told me that Umno is incapable of that, so deep is the rot.
Here is an article I wrote for Asia Times:
Knives out for Malaysia’s Abdullah
By Anil Netto
PENANG – Malaysia’s politics is still in flux after this month’s watershed general election in which opposition parties made their sharpest inroads into the government since the country gained independence in 1957. And the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, comprised of 13 component parties, is still struggling to come to terms with the implications of the setback.
Although BN parties won 140 of Parliament’s 222 seats, it lost five states to the opposition, including three of the wealthiest and economically important ones in the federation. Now the ruling coalition is being unnerved by talk of possible defections of its parliamentarians to opposition ranks, which now has 82 seats.
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who predicted the BN would garner a two-thirds majority at the polls, looks considerably weaker inside his once dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party. Full article
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Agreed with your stand. Had he handed over ACA & EPU to parliment, it would have been even better a reason, for all sane minded voters to have thrown out, all BN electorates from parliment and state assemblies.
What,,,, we need to give full support is, to change some draconian statutes, that seem to be curtailing the movement for, better State Management cum Administration by, Barisan Rakyat Elected Leaders.
The overwhelming support for Abdullah in the 2004 GE was for the anti corruption stance he took. I think alot of newly registered voters who had wanted to protest against the victimisation of Anwar in 1999, and was prevented from doing so, saw some hope in him. After seeing it was back to business as usual, what is the rakyat expected to do? Wait forever?
I have some good words from our PM Abdullah. I don’t think we would have ever seen, this era of free open democratic politics, as had existed during the era of Tuanku Abdul Rahman and had it not been the greedy young turks, around him who distorted the MALAYSIAN FABRIC and way laid the democratic process, especially by Tun Abdul Razak. Not forgetting, the E Media’s successful role in sustaining peace we the, free, honest, loving, respectful towards religion and race society, were being led to almost, an anarchial, mistrustful and unreliable of each other, under Mahathir era, which bought… Read more »
If you have watch how Mohamad Ali fought in the ring, you would understand the position Pak Lah is in now. Ali is a very intelligent boxer. He was willing to wait for the right moment to punce on his opponent.The moment he sensed that the opponent is wounded or showing sign of weakness, he showed no mercy. He would attack and attack till victory is won. Now pak Lah is just like a wounded boxer or worn out boxer. His chances of a real fight back is very small. His opponent are waiting for him to stagger and down… Read more »
Hello, the writing is on the wall. But the self denial syndrome has blind seeing the writing..92% majority means the rakyat entrust you to do with almost full (or fool) authority. But again it did not happen overnight. It is a tedious journey to unseat the leader once ‘elected”. Was there elections? Not exactly. It is by either anointment or by ‘no challenge’ ruling. Arrogance has taken permanent residence in the minds of the national leaders until the 12 GE. AS the saying goes, pride goes before a fall, the higher you are, the harder the fall is ?? They… Read more »
Aiya, all the while don’t have the grey matter. Where got? If got, won’t lost so many states. Loud mouth gotlah like No erection and talk cock but also gone. How to think? or rather talk. Sorrylah if you are in their team u are not allowed to think lah. You know why? Because if u know how to think you u cannot be part of the team. Ur duty is to put the money in ur pocket and follow instructions. Cannot send him to school also. Why? the school don’t teach nomore cos they want their teachers to collect… Read more »
The saying goes that a “cornered animal is the most dangeroust creature” but as can be expected, PM Badawi has reacted by running around chasing his tail not knowing how to defend his crumbling empire (sic!) And yes, when a leader falls, his loudest supporters (Call them Ma-chai, cronies, ball carriers . boot lickers) run and hide while planning their next moves. Yes, Khairy, Patrick Badawi-Lim, Nazri Bumble Mouth and even Zam Zam Erection Ala Kazam are all so very LOUD in their silence and absence. Badawi sure has a lost all his grey matter – …but his handling of… Read more »