Exco S'gor angkat sumpah Isnin ini

Exco S'gor angkat sumpah Isnin ini

Mar 20, 08 2:02pm, Malaysiakini.

Barisan exco kerajaan negeri Selangor akan mengangkat sumpah di Istana Alam Shah di Klang Isnin depan, kata Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Menurutnya, beliau akan mengumum nama-nama barisan exco berkenaan selepas majlis angkat sumpah tersebut.

Beliau memberitahu pemberita demikian selepas menghadiri majlis sambutan Maulidur Rasul di Shah Alam hari ini.

Menurut Bernama, majlis sambutan tersebut dihadiri oleh Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Khalid enggan mengulas lanjut mengenai komposisi barisan exco negeri, tetapi berkata: "Kami (PKR, DAP and PAS) telah dapat menyelesaikannya."

Mengenai jawatan timbalan menteri besar, Khalid berkata beliau akan menjelaskan perkara itu selepas majlis angkat sumpah ahli exco Isnin depan.

Para penyokong 12 badan bukan kerajaan telah mengadakan demonstrasi secara aman di Dataran Shah Alam semalam untuk mendesak Khalid supaya tidak melantik timbalan menteri besar.

Kumpulan tersebut yang diketuai oleh Ketua Pemuda Umno Selangor, Abdul Shukur Idrus, meminta Khalid supaya jangan melantik bukan Melayu ke jawatan tersebut serta mengekalkan kouta ahli exco Melayu seperti dalam kerajaan negeri sebelum ini.

DEB punca Melayu sokong pembangkang...

DEB punca Melayu sokong pembangkang...

Mar 20, 08 3:38pm, Malaysiakini.

Seorang pemimpin veteran MCA berkata keputusan pilihanraya umum 8 Mac lalu menunjukkan orang Melayu menyahut seruan reformasi dan menyedari Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) menjadi punca utama kronisme dan rasuah.

wong sai houKetua MCA PJ Utara, Dr Wong Sai Hou berkata, keputusan kali ini juga menunjukkan penyokong Barisan Nasional (BN) semakin kehilangan kepercayaan terhadap pemimpin parti masing-masing.

berkata, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mendapat kemenangan besar pada 2004 tetapi tidak menunaikan janjinya untuk membersihkan pertadbiran kerajaan.

Dalam satu kenyataan hari ini, beliau berkata, ia diburukkan lagi dengan kedudukan MCA, Gerakan dan MIC yang menjadi makin tidak penting, dengan Umno mendominasi BN.

Dalam pilihanraya umum kali ini juga, katanya, orang Melayu menyahut seruan reformasi menyedari bahawa Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) menjadi punca utama kronisme dan rasuah.

Supaya kekal relevan, katanya, BN mesti menangani semua isu-isu yang dibangkitkan sewaktu kempen pilihanraya umum lalu.

Wong pernah menjadi Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Kg Tunku selama dua penggal.

Bagaimanapun, dalam pilihanraya umum kali ini, beliau telah digugurkan dan digantikan oleh muka baru dari MCA, Sheah Kok Fah.

Sheah kalah kepada calon DAP, DAP's Lau Weng San dengan majoriti 7,977 undi.

Kematangan politik

Wong juga menyifatkan keputusan pilihanraya umum 8 Mac lalu yang menyaksikan BN kalah teruk, dengan "jelas menunjukkan bahawa rakyat telah mencapai kematangan politik yang sangat tinggi".

"Untuk pertamakalinya dalam tempoh 51 tahun, kita melihat pemilih Cina mengundi calon-calon DAP dan pemilih Melayu mengundi calon DAP," katanya.

Namun begitu, katanya, parti-parti komponen BN - Umno, MCA, Gerakan dan MIC masih terus meneruskan mengamalkan garis politik perkauman.

Ini, tegas Wong, jelas menunjukkan bahawa mereka masih belum sedar apakah punca kekalahan mereka dalam pilihanraya umum 8 Mac lalu.

"Jika masih terus memimpin parti masing-masing mengikut garis kaum seperi sekarang, memainkan sensitiviti emosi, lima tahun lagi, BN mungkin beralih menjadi sebuah parti pembangkang," katanya.

Dalam pilihanraraya umum tersebut, BN gagal mengekalkan majoriti dua pertiga di Dewan Rakyat apabila hanya memenangi 140 daripada 222 kerusi Parlimen.

BN juga turut kehilangan empat negeri - Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Perak dan Selangor kepada barisan pembangkang.

Manakala PAS pula berjaya mengekalkan penguasaannya di Kelantan, dengan tambahan kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN).

Cabinet: East Malaysians left out again

Cabinet: East Malaysians left out again

Xroy | Mar 19, 08 4:18pm,Malaysiakini.

I refer to the Malaysiakini report PM unveils 'trimmed-down' cabinet.

It’s the road down the drain which began with Dr Mahathir Mohammed and now continues with Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. If the trend continues, we are headed for the ditch. Mahathir almost wiped out all internal opposition to his rule including Musa Hitam, Razaleigh Hamzah, Anwar Ibrahim etc.

Now take a look at this new cabinet, look at the number of East Malaysians who hold key cabinet positions - they are almost totally absent. Hasn’t East Malaysia delivered to the Barisan Nasional? Aren't there good and dynamic East Malaysians (Pairin to name one) who could contribute effectively?

Without the East Malaysians’ help, the BN would have lost this elections and yet the MCA has more key positions in the cabinet than we have East Malaysians. Key Ministries need to go to the East Malaysians too but the defence, home, foreign affairs and education portfolios have all gone to Umno.

It is time the defence and home affairs portfolios go to Sabahans and Sarawakians for a change; aren't they Malaysians as well? Why is it they get only a smattering of the cabinet positions?

Now let’s take another look at our cabinet. Several have been dropped but you have Muhammad Muhammad Taib being brought into the cabinet by the back door. Why was Muhammad not given a seat to contest in the first place if there was intention to bring him into the cabinet?

Why bring him in through the back door? Everyone knows that ‘Mike Tyson’ would have knocked out any opposing candidate in his constituency. But he was not given a seat at all and I would like to think that this was in line with the thinking of the day that all those whose integrity was blemished should be left out.

The same reason why the all powerful Zakaria Deros was also dropped from the BN Selangor line up. But now, the bringing in of Muhd Taib through the back door only indicates that Abdullah had run out of options - having dropped all the people in his cabinet who did not share his views, he needed someone to fill in the gaps.

Anyone who has the slightest inkling of what leadership is will surely tell you that this is one of the weakest traits f a leader - not accepting the views of others especially his own men.

The appointment of the present cabinet indicates a huge problem not for Abdullah but for the country. The choices of the man at the helm do not seem to give us the confidence that they are the people who can deliver.

Not need for Tsu Koon to fade into obscurity

Not need for Tsu Koon to fade into obscurity

Penang Forever | Mar 19, 08 4:08pm, Malaysiakini.

Former Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon was a gentleman in every sense of the word when he not only conceded defeat but also worked towards ensuring a smooth transition of power to the new incoming DAP/PKRM coalition government in Penang on March 8. In contrast, Penang Umno were sore losers, venting their frustration by illegal demos against the new Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to create racial tension.

Obviously Penang Umno, long accustomed to Malay political hegemony over the non-Malays, could not accept a situation where it and its lackeys had been defeated via the ballot box. It therefore went along with the lies spun by Utusan Malaysia and Bernama on the marginalisation of the Penang Malays and the ultimate challenge to Ketuanan Melayu by the incoming administration.

This was because they could not refute Guan Eng's assertion at his first media conference for transparency in the award of future government projects based on open tenders, exposing a much abused and undesirable NEP practice of awarding projects to Umno/BN cronies which had bred widespread nepotism and corruption.

Hence their wildcard defence was to play the racial card in accusing the Penang government of wanting to abolish the NEP to sideline the Penang Malays when it was clear to all and sundry that Guan Eng had no intentions of doing so. Utusan and Bernama had completely blacked out the news that the first thing Guan Eng did after becoming Chief Minister was to visit Tanjong Tokong, an enclave of poor Penang Malays, to assure them of whatever economic help they would need.

Penang Umno was even prepared to cut its nose to spite its own face in calling on the federal government to stop mega-projects for Penang such as the proposed Second Bridge, the Penang outer ring road, etc in an attempt to sabotage the new Penang government. Koh has rightly come out to call on the federal govt not to renege on its previous pledges of economic development for Penang as reflected in those mega projects.

Lambasting Penang Umno on that score was something which Koh lacked the courage to do when he was Chief Minister in the previous Umno-controlled Penang state government. Now that Koh has finally got the big Umno burden off his shoulders, perhaps he should not waste his time in trying to revive a dead horse like the Gerakan for the simple reason that Umno would not appreciate it.

Even when Gerakan, MCA and MIC had representation in Penang, Umno tend to ride roughshod over them. Now with their total and complete annihilation, Umno would tend to despise them even more.

Gerakan leaders such as Koh, Kerk Choo Ting, Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dominic Puthucheary and others had high hopes of reforming the BN from within when their party joined the BN coalition in the early 1970s. The complete rout of the Gerakan in Penang in this year's general election will finally convince them that their motive has failed with Umno not wanting to tone down its racist policies, let alone give them up altogether.

In succumbing to Umno's racist policies, Gerakan over the years, lost the original multi-racial orientation it was formed with 40 years ago. When it was completely routed in Penang on March 8, Gerakan had ended up as a rump Chinese party, no better than the MCA, failing to defend Chinese rights vis-a-vis Umno in the BN.

While Kerk, Toh and Dominic have all faded into obscurity, Koh can still play a useful political role for the people of Penang in his individual capacity. Koh can still make use of his vast experience as a former Chief Minister and international connections to help the new DAP/PKR coalition state government get off the ground, work towards establishing a strong and clean government and consolidate this in the next 4 or 5 years.

Should this be successful, the people will reward the Penang government with another five-year mandate in the next general election. And much of the credit would no doubt go to Koh. I'm sure Guan Eng, scouting for talent and experience to help his new government in the Herculean task of good governance, will welcome the valuable contributory role of Koh as adviser.

It is high time Koh calls it quits with Umno which had no respect for Gerakan in the first place. If he can, Koh should also take Gerakan out of the BN, revert to its original multi-racial stance and merge with DAP or PKR as these are multi-racial parties in orientation.

This will give the much needed boost to multi-racial politics which is beginning to see a new dawn in the country after voters rejected the communal politics of the BN.

Kit Siang to push again for parliamentary reforms

Kit Siang to push again for parliamentary reforms

Mar 20, 08 3:49pm, Malaysiakini.

Opposition leader and DAP Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang has revived calls for a series of wide-ranging parliamentary reforms ahead of the new Parliament session expected to convene in May.

lim kit siang dap pc 130208 seriousOut of his 12 proposals to create a ‘first-world Parliament’, seven were the same which he had made after the 2004 general election. The 2004 polls marked his comeback to Parliament after a five-year hiatus.

"The political tsunami of the March 8 general election is an unmistakable mandate and demand for far-reaching changes in Malaysia after 50 years of nation-building, including the creation of a vibrant, vigorous and truly representative first-world Parliament," he said in a statement today.

Topping the list are the previous calls for:

- Live telecast of parliamentary proceedings

- Daily two-hour question time

- Opposition MP heading the Public Accounts Committee (tasked to ensure government’s money is well-spent)

- Some 30 specialist parliamentary select committees with a select committee for every ministry

- About 10 general parliamentary select committees to produce annual reports on progress, trends and recommendations on national integrity, IT, women’s agenda, environment, mass media, corruption etc.

- Allocation of certain days a week specifically to deal with opposition business.

- Research and constituency staffing for MPs.

While the newly-included proposals are:

- prime minister’s question time twice a week

- An opposition deputy speaker

- Modernisation and democratisation of standing orders

- Code of ethics for all MPs

- Ministers’ parliamentary code of conduct

Slow pace of reforms

Among Lim’s suggestions, the daily question time was extended by 30 minutes to one-and-a-half hours during the last Parliament sitting while several select committees have been set up.

The select committees include one to review the controversial amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, on national integrity, national unity and national service.

Lim, who has been the Parliamentary Opposition Leader since 1973 except for the term of 1999-2004, retained his Ipoh Timor parliamentary seat in the last election with a thumping 21,942-majority votes after defeating BN-MCA’s Liew Mun Hon.

However, with the March 8 election results, Lim and two other main opposition party leaders have decided to support PKR president and Permatang Pauh MP Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the new Parliamentary Opposition Leader.

In the just-concluded general election, PKR won 31 parliamentary seats, while DAP holds 28 and PAS 23.

According to tradition, the leader is selected from the opposition party with the most number of seats but based on consensus among all the parties involved.

Wan Azizah is expected to hold the post until her husband and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s ban from active politics is lifted mid-April and re-elected to Parliament.

"DAP MPs and I will give full support to Wan Azizah and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz who is now fully responsible for parliamentary affairs, to turn the Malaysian Parliament into a first-world Parliament - as it is better to be late than never," said Lim.

PKR Members - Please dont turn PKR into another UMNO kind of Organisation

PKR Members - Please dont turn PKR into another UMNO kind of Organisation

Posted by Raja Petra
Thursday, 20 March 2008, MT.

Dear PKR members and supporters

Allow me to congratulate you on your hard work with DAP and PAS that has led you to capture 6 states ( including WPKL) in Peninsular Malaysia.

Your dedication and hard work had pays off. All of you deserved the victory. I assume and I hope that the reason that you have been active in PKR is because you believe in its struggle.

Many of PKR members are actually disgruntled UMNO members. Why are they so unhappy … well there is many reason to it. Some didn’t like the way UMNO run the country, others don’t like what they did to Anwar and many because they were not rewarded enough while they were in UMNO. Many people joins political party with certain expectations. When their expectations are not met, they will switch camps.

On the local scene in Bukit Antarabangsa, it was quite a surprise for me when I saw some of my neighbours who were gun-gho supporters of UMNO in 2004 election, suddenly change colours. In 2004, they provide transport to ferry voters, they put up the flags and manned the various “pondok panas” for UMNO and it is the same people today that are doing it for PKR. I ask some of this people on why they switch camp and I get a mixed response but mostly the underlying message they were not rewarded financially from UMNO.

For PKR to survive and promote a clear multiracial and pure ideologies, it needs to make sure the members that joins the party do so with the right reasons. There is no point taking in opportunist that will eventually destroy the party. Today PKR is the bridge between PAS and DAP and it is hope that one day that there will be one strong party whose members shares a commonly acceptable ideologies. The members are responsible to ensure that the party leadership toe the line and stick to the principles of the party. The party leadership must not use dubious means to ensure that they meet the party goals. They must use the right and honourable approach and this will ensure the long term development of a healthy party.

Today, in Ampang and in many areas, PKR is opening up branches to recruit members. Many people came forward to help PKR by “investing” in the form of tent, food, meeting space in a restaurant (+a round of food on the house). How many of these people are sincerely honest. I was told that the operator of a big mamak restaurant in Bukit Antarabangsa has been lobbying Azmin and his PKR friends to sit on the board of Ampang Municipal Council. He now provides his business premises as a place for PKR leadership to campaign and to thank the public. What PKR is doing is actually copying UMNO culture.

In UMNO, if you sponsor a few things here and there and once people remembers you, then you will be rewarded in the forms of power, money and business. This is what exactly is happening. Now the Restaurant Operator in BA has been “investing” in PKR heavily, he expects to be rewarded. What happens if you do not reward him? He will become an enemy from within. This and many of other people of this nature will kill the party. For the information of the readers, the owner of this restaurant has escaped many actions from MPAJ previously even though repeated complains were made to the local authorities previously for using the 5 foot way for its business, using the parking lot as a place for his customers, cooking in the 5 foot way and many more. There is enough rules and regulations on business to be conducted. Here is a man who gets away by breaking every law in the city. Is this the kind of people that now PKR wants to consider to sit on MPAJ local council? I hope not.

I believe PKR top brains must change its strategies in order to meet its goals. The strength does not necessarily lies in numbers. The strength today lies in the Information Distribution which I believe is the main reason why PKR alliances won handsomely. Without doubt, the party needs members but it must not accept people that jump from one boat to the other. It must find new strategy in recruiting and trying to push its agenda.

My discussion with many friends shows that we feel that there is no need for PKR to set up so many branches in every “Taman”, kampungs etc. It can push its agenda via the local council, respectable NGO’s, Parent Teachers Associations, Resident Associations and many other organizations similar to this. People who volunteers for a non political and social activities are the best people. These people know that kind of association cannot reward them in anyway. They are honest and sincere. The same goes with Resident Associations. They are doing volunteer work. They don’t get paid. PKR should engage this people and work with them in spreading their good work and ideologies. They will less likely to ask for something in return compared to those people who has been investing and sponsoring the party. Even if they were to ask for something it will not be for their personal gains but rather for their associations which would then benefit their members who are actually the “Rakyat”.

PKR and its alliances must look at new method of appointing local authorities. I suggest that it should look at selection criteria professionally and membership to the party is not a must. They must not take people who ask and has been lobbying the party to join its local council. As currently there is a restriction in the laws on the local council elections, I suggest that local the state government advertise this position in the media.

Those who wish to serve will apply formally and there is no need to use back door connections. Determine a quantifiable criteria selecting a council member. This kind of actions and many other transparent decision making will actually strengthen the party. People are more educated now days. They now use their senses and computers in making a decision. These are the kind of people that PKR and its allies must focus and win their hearts.

I do hope and pray PKR and its alliances will form one party. This party will focus on the people as its agenda. Look at good common values in each individual parties and use them in the new party. Insya’allah ( With God Grace), a new agenda for Malaysia will prevail. The members of PKR must monitor the actions of their leadership. They must provide the check and balance in the party, to ensure that the party stays true to its cause.

Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan bin Abdul Rahman

MD MMed (OM) MBA (IT) Dip Ae Med CTM AME (17)

www.rights2write.wordpress.com

The countdown begins

The countdown begins

Posted by Raja Petra
Thursday, 20 March 2008, MT

Whoever crosses the finishing line first with 112 Members of Parliament wins. And it could be Anwar or it could be Tengku Razaleigh. If it is Anwar, then Barisan Rakyat will form the new government, and if it is Tengku Razaleigh, then Barisan Nasional will remain in office.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

OPPOSITION READY TO FORM GOVT

Anwar says it's possible with BN defections

Malaysian opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim says he is moving towards forming a new government with the help of defectors from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

"I don't know how soon we can form the new government, but we are moving in that direction," said the former Deputy Prime Minister, who was sacked and jailed a decade ago.

This comes as the opposition alliance said Anwar's wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, will be the opposition leader in Parliament, holding the post until her husband formally returns to politics.

A corruption conviction prevented Anwar from contesting the elections, but the ban will end in the middle of next month.

Dr Wan Azizah has said during the polls that she was her husband's proxy. She is expected to vacate her parliamentary seat after next month so that Anwar can contest a by-election there.

Anwar is expected to win easily and to officially take over the helm of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Dr Wan Azizah is officially the head of PKR, but Anwar is its de facto leader in his capacity as its adviser.

The post of the opposition leader in Parliament was previously held by the Democratic Action Party (DAP). But in the recent elections, PKR emerged as the largest opposition party - winning 31 seats to the 28 for DAP and 23 for Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).

The opposition alliance of PKR, DAP and PAS seized more than a third of parliamentary seats and four more states from BN.

Anwar said coalition lawmakers from Malaysia's eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo island had contacted him to discuss switching sides. The power bloc there could unseat the government if it changed hands.

"The MPs from there have come here to see me," Anwar said, adding that he was in no hurry to become the next Prime Minister, but that the opposition would already be in power if the polls had been clean and fair.

"I am maintaining that if there was no fraud in the election, we would have won. If we had 2 per cent more votes, we would have formed the new government," he said.

Anwar said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's future was in jeopardy and that the ruling United Malays National Organisation was affected by infighting and looming defections.

Abdullah has dismissed Anwar's plans and refuted opposition claims that ruling party members want to defect after the election debacle. - AGENCIES, 20 March 2008

********************

One day after the 8 March 2008 general election, Anwar Ibrahim flew to Sarawak and the following day he stopped over in Sabah before coming back to Kuala Lumpur. And the two-day flying visit to these two East Malaysian states was certainly not to catch up on the latest Iban or Dayak cultural shows. The three opposition parties had just swept 82 of the 222 Parliament seats plus now had control over five states and all it needed was another 30 seats to form a federal government with a simple majority of 112.

Sabah and Sarawak, which have a combined 53 seats in Parliament, make sense because about 80% of these seats are in non-Umno Barisan Nasional component members' hands. The opposition had made little in-roads in East Malaysia or else the opposition would by now have formed the federal government. One million 'new' voters from Indonesia and the Philippines ensured that Sabah would not be to PKR what Kelantan is to PAS.

There is little love-lost between East Malaysians and Umno. East Malaysians view Umno as a parti penjajah or a colonialist party. Many regret the move to allow Umno into Sabah, and although Umno is not quite in Sarawak yet, the many Umno flags flying all over the state give the impression that it is a matter of time before Umno moves into Sarawak as well. This 'visible' presence of Umno make Sarawakians very nervous and if they have to leave Barisan Nasional just to keep Umno out they would do just that.

“Kita orang Umno juga tidak suka Umno,” said one Sabah warlord who is an Umno division chief and a Member or Parliament. “Kita meyertai Umno kerana Umno berkuasa di Sabah tetapi kita harap Umno akan jatuh supaya kita boleh kembali ke parti asal.”

This sums up the sentiments of even those who can be viewed as Umno 'strongmen' in Sabah. “Saya mahu bertanding di atas tiket PKR tetapi Anwar Ibrahim beritahu kami jangan tinggal Umno untuk sementara waktu. Anwar suruh kami bertanding di atas tiket Umno dan kemudian, sekiranya pembangkang menang cukup kerusi, barulah kita keluar Umno dan menyertai pembangkang.”

Yes, there were many planned defections before the 8 March 2008 election but Anwar told them to stay put in Umno and Barisan Nasional and make sure that they win their seats first. Only if the opposition wins with a large enough minority and all it needs are those few extra seats to form the government should they leave the ruling coalition and join the opposition.

This was certainly a sound strategy because Sabah and Sarawak can always play the role of king-maker. And, considering that Sabah and Sarawak control about 24% of the seats in Parliament, they would be a most powerful king-maker indeed. And if Anwar agrees that Malaysia shall have two Deputy Prime Ministers and one of the two shall be rotated between Sabah and Sarawak, this would be enticing enough for the 50 odd Parliamentarians from Sabah and Sarawak to cross-over to the opposition to enable it to form the new federal government.

But Sabah and Sarawak are not the only discontented group. Even if just half the Sabah and Sarawak Members of Parliament cross-over this would be good enough. Thus far it is rumoured that 23 Barisan Nasional Parliamentarians have already agreed to cross-over. This means Anwar needs just seven more Parliament seats to form the federal government. And it will not be that difficult to find seven discontented Parliamentarians from amongst the 90 or so remaining from Peninsular Malaysia.

Anwar's job is cut out for him and he does not have to try too hard to find these discontented Parliamentarians. Umno President and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is on self-destruct mode and his own moves are helping Anwar by the day. It makes one wonder whether Abdullah is intentionally shooting himself in his foot to make Anwar's life as easy as possible. Could Abdullah be secretly helping Anwar to take over just so that another nemesis, previous Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, fails in his effort to help Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak take over?

It is no secret that Mahathir wants Abdullah out and that he plans for Najib to take over. It is apparent that yesterday's Cabinet reshuffle was a cleansing exercise to rid the party of the Mahathir-Najib elements. But what this has achieved instead is to create many powerful enemies within the ranks of Umno who, before this, played low-key for fear of losing their positions but now no longer have anything left to hold them back. Abdullah would have been best-advised to keep his friends close and his enemies even closer the way Mahathir normally does. Now, Abdullah has isolated and antagonised his enemies and has allowed them to regroup into a golongan kecewa or discontented lot.

In the run-up to the 8 March 2008 general election, Abdullah and Najib made a pact whereby 60% of the candidates will be Abdullah's men while 40% will be Najib's. Then, on the eve of Nomination Day, Abdullah deviously amended the candidates' list and kicked out Najib's men. Najib was caught with his pants down, not to forget Rosmah's twisted knickers as well.

Now, the golongan kecewa no longer need to pretend that they support Abdullah just to protect their positions. They can now openly side with the anti-Abdullah faction. After all, they have nothing to lose any more, anyway.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is not sitting pretty as well. Since 2006, he has been holding secret meetings with Mahathir to explore the possibility of getting support from the Grand Old Man of Malaysian politics in his bid to mount a challenge for the Umno presidency. Mahathir is not against the idea of Tengku Razaleigh taking over but he wants Najib to be part of the equation. Maybe Tengku Razaleigh takes over for one term and then Najib takes over from there.

But Najib is a liability and Tengku Razaleigh does not feel that this running-mate will augur well for his image. Najib is carrying just too much baggage which will be very difficult to whitewash. So, the almost two-year negotiations with Mahathir has not gone any further than how it first started. Tengku Razaleigh can, of course, declare Mahathir as irrelevant and he can mount his bid with or without Mahathir's endorsement. This is not Tengku Razaleigh though. He would like to mount his challenge but he would like to do it with Mahathir's blessing. He may have his differences with Mahathir but he would not like to belakangkan the man who has been Prime Minister for 22 years and who was in fact the founder of Umno Baru, the party that Tengku Razaleigh intends to take over.

Mahathir is member number one and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Ali, member number two in the members' registration list. This should account for something. Mahathir, therefore, should not be left out in determining the new power structure of Umno. How to get Mahathir to agree that he takes over from Abdullah but not with Najib as the number two and as the successor-in-waiting? This was Tengku Razaleigh's dilemma the last two years in his long-drawn negotiations with Mahathir.

But the time for negotiations has ended. Before the 8 March 2008 general election, Razaleigh had the luxury of time. After all, the party elections will not be till August 2008. But the way things are going, Abdullah may not last till August 2008. So Tengku Razaleigh has to move now or else, yet again, miss the boat.

Yesterday, in Kota Bharu, Tengku Razaleigh announced that he is going to make a bid for the Umno Presidency, which will then automatically make him the Prime Minister -- if Barisan Nasional can hold on to its 140 seats in Parliament. If he did not make this announcement then there is a possibility that no less than 30 Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament will cross-over to the opposition and the Barisan Nasional government will have to make way for the new Barisan Rakyat government.

The race is on and the countdown begins. Abdullah may not last till August 2008. Some have even boldly predicted that Abdullah may not last 30 days. Whether this is clairvoyance or wishful thinking we will of course know in time. But one thing is for sure, both Anwar Ibrahim and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah are in a race to see who will cross the finish line first and become the new Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Both Anwar and Tengku Razaleigh are acceptable to PAS and DAP. PKR, though, would prefer Anwar while many in Umno do not want to see Anwar become Prime Minister. So while both Anwar and Tengku Razaleigh are fishing in the same PAS-DAP pond, Anwar will have to look at PKR and the non-Umno Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament for support while Tengku Razaleigh will depend on the Umno Members of Parliament.

Whoever crosses the finishing line first with 112 Members of Parliament wins. And it could be Anwar or it could be Tengku Razaleigh. If it is Anwar, then Barisan Rakyat will form the new government, and if it is Tengku Razaleigh, then Barisan Nasional will remain in office. The earliest possible date for the challenge would be when Parliament convenes on 5 May 2008. If 112 Members of Parliament support a vote of no confidence on the Prime Minister then the Agong will have no choice but to appoint a new Prime Minister from amongst the 222 Members of Parliament. It is as simple as that. But whether they can get 112 Members of Parliament to do just that and which of the two, Anwar or Tengku Razaleigh, would lead that motion of no confidence is something we shall all have to bite our fingernails and wait to see what happens.

To the party members, it will make a a big difference as to whether Anwar or Tengku Razaleigh heads the new government. To the non-partisan voters, though, it does not matter which scenario prevails because both will bring about reforms. Anwar's agenda for reform is well-documented and needs not be repeated here. Tengku Razaleigh, however, is an unknown commodity and certainly quite an attraction to those who wish for changes but are not quite ready for a paradigm shift just yet.

Humans, just like all mammals, are creatures of habit and are resistant to change. Sure, the system has failed and it needs changing. But how much of a change should they risk? Should they go for an absolute change and take their chances with a Barisan Rakyat federal government of should they keep Barisan Nasional in office on condition that there is a leadership change?

Many want to first see how the five states under opposition control perform before opting for a complete change. Let them run these five states for five years and let us see whether we can trust them with the job of running the country, appears to be the popular sentiment. Not many are adventurous enough to dabble with the unknown. And it is not known yet whether Barisan Rakyat is capable of running the country. So Tengku Razaleigh as Prime Minister appears to be more comforting to most Malaysians than an opposition Anwar Ibrahim.

If Abdullah stays on then there would be no choice in the matter. If the only way to get Abdullah out would be to kick out Barisan Nasional then so be it. But if there is an alternative, and if this alternative involves a leadership change within Umno and Barisan Nasional, and if this new leader is the likes of Tengku Razaleigh, then this would be a 'gentler' and safer change than a paradigm shift.

Whether Anwar gets to form the new federal government will all depend on Tengku Razaleigh. If Tengku Razaleigh makes his move and appears to have some chance of success, then the people will wait and see what happens. But if Tengku Razaleigh does not make his move or appears to have no chance in hell of toppling Abdullah, then the people will look to Anwar for this change. And that is why, yesterday, Tengku Razaleigh was forced to announce his decision to challenge Abdullah. Now, Tengku Razaleigh has offered Malaysians two options instead of just one, Anwar Ibrahim. If Tengku Razaleigh had kept quiet and had waited until August to make his move, it may be too late. By then Anwar may already be the new Prime Minister of Malaysia. And as for Najib, well, he can always lead the Barisan Nasional golongan kecewa club which has grown very large indeed.