916M: DinMerican: Abdullah’s Resignation: Pakatan’s Ploy for Power?

Abdullah’s Resignation: Pakatan’s Ploy for Power?

Although it is a little dated, I think John made a few observations which will be worth thinking about. Forming a new government is not an easy undertaking. It requires painstaking work full of inherent risks since the other side (UMNO-BN) is not to go down without a fight. Anwar Ibrahim told us that he has the numbers to form the government. There is no reason for me to doubt the PKR leader. Even Nik Aziz, the Menteri Besar and PAS’s spiritual leader, did not harbour any doubt.Technically, we could have formed the government on September 16, 2008. So as far as I am concerned, Anwar kept his promise to deliver the numbers, which he did.

The reality of forming the government is something else. We have to do it in an orderly and constitutional way. The Prime Minister refused to meet Pakatan leaders while the Speaker, Dewan Rakyat ruled against any attempts to debate the issue. In the meantime, our country is facing a possible recession, given the financial and liquidity crisis in the United States which has spread to Europe and parts of Asia. PR has decided that the move for a change of government must take a back seat since our economy is entering a difficult phase with a recession looming in 2009. Let us read what John thinks about the subject of the change of government.—Din Merican

by JohnLeemk@Dartmouth

(dated September 18, 2008)

September 16 has come and gone, with no change in government. While I will leave an analysis of the implications of this for another time, the mechanism by which Pakatan Rakyat would take power is worth examining. After all, September 16 falls smack in the middle of Parliament’s recess, which will last for about two weeks more; how can the government fall when Parliament cannot meet to pass a vote of no-confidence? Most speculation here suggests that Pakatan leaders would meet with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong submitting the names of MPs supporting the new government. But I think a very plausible, if not likely scenario is the Prime Minister simply tendering his resignation.

After all, most analyses assume a hostile takeover. But the last thing Pakatan wants is instability and resistance from the politicised institutions of our country. To form a new government, Pakatan would want more than just the support of a slim majority of MPs; it would require some sort of acquiescence from at least a few of the elite in the current government. If the present government does not acquiesce, if it fights tooth and nail to hold on to power, it will jail MPs indiscriminately, do anything it can to prevent a vote of no-confidence in Parliament; it will commence a scorched-earth campaign to ensure Pakatan can get nothing of value when it takes power, while salting away its own ill-gotten gains in offshore bank accounts.

So ultimately at the very least we must have a Prime Minister willing to let go of power, and willing to step down. And if we are willing to accept that Abdullah Badawi will let himself be voted out of power, why not go one step further? I think there are grounds to believe that he may simply resign before things get to that stage.

If Anwar Ibrahim, the Leader of the Opposition, can broker a deal with Abdullah to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of power, both men will benefit immensely. Thus far it seems clear that history will not judge Abdullah very well; at best, his attempts to reform the government were stillborn and half-hearted. But if Abdullah becomes the first Prime Minister to make way for a real change in government, if he places institutions above politics and personal gain, his reputation will be significantly rehabilitated.

You may say that this is not much, but look at it another way: he is definitely going out as Prime Minister, with no concrete accomplishments to his name. It is unlikely that he will last until 2010, with so many within his own party baying for blood. Whoever succeeds him as Prime Minister is unlikely to lavish him with praise or mark his administration with pride; Abdullah’s term as premier will at best be seen as a benchwarmer for his successor, and at worst, be seen as setting Malaysia down a dangerous and poorly-planned path. Considering the relative vehemence of calls for him to step down, it is probable that his leadership would be vilified by the government-authored history books; Abdullah would be lucky if his term was just ignored and forgotten.

On the other hand, if Anwar takes power, Anwar does not have much to gain from going after Abdullah. He will be too busy fixing broken institutions and dealing with the day-to-day problems of governance to make Abdullah-hating a priority; it would be especially unseemly for him to denounce the man who so generously made way for him to accede to the premiership. Accusations of corruption and impropriety on Abdullah’s part aside, the fact is, Abdullah is hardly criminally responsible for our nation’s problems today; even if the new Pakatan government tried to hunt him down, it would not solve any fundamental problem. If anything, Pakatan will probably see to it that Abdullah goes down in the history books as a visionary Prime Minister who presided over the rebirth of democracy in Malaysia, and whose attempts to reform our institutions were blocked by shortsighted bigots in his own political party.

You may think this kind of historical rewriting is unlikely or unseemly, but it has already happened: the case of Dato Onn Ja’afar comes to mind. Dato Onn today is seen by everyone — including the government historians — as a man ahead of his time in trying to found a multiracial party. What we don’t remember is his bitter return to racism after his own party failed; some historians actually blame his rhetoric for spurring UMNO to outdo him in fighting for ketuanan Melayu.

The raw material for Abdullah’s reimaging as a visionary ahead of his time, blocked by dunderheads in his own party, is already there: his attempts to reform our institutions, his redefinition of ketuanan Melayu into a positive ideology empowering the Malays to stand on their own two feet as equal partners with other Malaysians. Abdullah can easily go down in history as one of our best Prime Ministers, given the right spin. The only thing is, he has zero chance of this happening if an UMNO man succeeds him, while it is very likely he will eventually be hailed as a great patriot if he makes way for a Pakatan leader.

For Anwar, Abdullah stepping down solves a lot of key headaches. For one, there is no need to go through the vote of no-confidence; the Agong has complete discretion in appointing the Prime Minister if the post falls vacant (one of the very few real discretionary powers the Agong has). Anwar can meet with the Agong and submit a list of MPs who have agreed to support him, and once the Agong actually appoints him as PM, it is very unlikely that MPs would be falling over themselves to pass a vote of no-confidence against the Pakatan government.

The matter is smoothed over even more if Abdullah states that he has made way for Anwar, and that Pakatan has enough MPs on its side to make things work. With that statement, the Agong appointing Anwar would be a simple enough formality. There’s not even a need for Parliament to meet, and if the handover occurs this month, the Parliamentary recess gives Anwar breathing room to form a Cabinet and start governing, building momentum on his side and further forestalling any Barisan move to topple him. It’s a huge logistical win for Anwar if he can accomplish it.

Moreover, Anwar and Abdullah will have ammunition at the ready to face down their opponents from UMNO. I quit because you wanted me to, Abdullah can say. It’s clear I didn’t have your confidence, as you can see from the defection of your colleagues and your own voracious calls for me to step down. And the King himself appointed me, Anwar will say. Do you really want to question the King’s decision? Spinning themselves out of this situation will be fairly straightforward, I believe, especially with public opinion on Pakatan’s side.

So is it any wonder that Pakatan’s agenda at the moment is to meet first with the Prime Minister, before seeking an audience with the Agong? I would not be surprised at all if a deal like this winds up being cut eventually. It benefits both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition; it benefits the country by bequeathing it some stability and smoothness in the transition; everyone comes out smelling like roses.

Ultimately it is not to Pakatan’s benefit to form a government speedily but haphazardly. A Pakatan legislator I met three weeks ago told me that they were then sorting out a smooth transition with institutions such as the Police and military. The excuse of stability they presently cite may seem weak but I believe it holds water.

History hinges on Abdullah’s decision: to quit or not to quit? His position is growing increasingly untenable. It’s a question of when, not if, he will step down as a lame-duck Prime Minister. But one successor offers the real potential of fixing the country and its government, and the temptation of going down in history as a great Prime Minister ahead of his time. The other successor offers more of the same under a different name, and the probable vilification of Abdullah’s name in the history books. I think Abdullah would be a fool not to make way for Anwar, if Anwar has any Barisan MPs at all on his side — and that I think he does.

http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/abdullahs-resignation-pakatans-ploy-for-power/

916M: KhalidIbrahim: Pakatan Wary of 1969

Pakatan wary of 1969, says Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Selangor Menteri Besar

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz | October 25, 2008

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said the opposition Pakatan Rakyat is treading very carefully towards forming the federal government, lest certain quarters be provoked to completely suspend the country’s system of democracy. MCPX He said the suspension of Parliament and the state of emergency called – and since then still technically in place – after the wins by the opposition in the May 1969 general election offer sombre lessons for those seeking drastic change. Khalid said that while Anwar Ibrahim, who is parliamentary opposition leader and PKR de facto head, harbours strong ambitions of leading the change of government, he is also painfully aware that such moves could lead to a change in the very system of governance itself. “We are (still) working towards it. Anwar is very careful – we have to be very careful. Because any rushed action may end up in curtailing the democratic process. We do know Malaysia had that experience in 1969,” he told MalaysiaIndru editor Ji Wi Kathaiah in a recent interview. “It is not in our interests that by seeking to acquire government, people are deprived of democracy,” he added. “He has got an idealism such that if you can get to rule the federal government, it would be better,” Khalid added in reference to the five Pakatan-led states. “But I am of the opinion that we have to be careful, that by taking over government, you do not trade in democracy,” he stressed. Sept 16 deadline missed Anwar, formerly the deputy premier and finance minister, has declared he had enough supporters from the ruling BN coalition to topple its government. Pakatan Rakyat, which controls 81 parliamentary seats, needs another 31 MPs for a simple majority to form the federal government. Since then, Anwar has missed the September 16 self-imposed deadline. While asserting that Pakatan still has several other options to explore, he conceded several days ago that he was running out of options in trying to upset Barisan rule. “I am not saying we have no options left, but I’m saying it’s getting to be much more difficult,” Anwar was quoted as saying. Khalid said while he has decades of experience as a captain of several government-linked companies and in corporate takeovers, politics is a whole new ball game with many more risks to consider. However slim the chances that the Barisan government would repeat its crackdown on dissent as seen about four decades ago, they still warrant caution on the part of Pakatan, said Khalid. “Well, you calculate the probability. You may say it is a small probability. But however small it is… I’m among those who are not seeking to wrest control of the government at all costs. The people have to come first, and everything else should follow. “Of course, we have a situation where once we do it, we have to go back to the people and decide whether you want us to be in power or not. There may have to be elections as early as possible in order to gain legitimate recognition of this new government. “But of course, in politics, the game is fluid. I do not have any experience in this. Logically, I can think. But politics is not logical. Taking over a corporation, I can handle. But taking over a government, you are handling different groups of people” he said. In the one-hour interview, Khalid also spoke on the latest developments surrounding the Wives of Selangor State Assemblymen and MPs Charity and Welfare Organisation (Balkis), the state of the ten ‘exco bungalows’, and plans for state officials and elected representatives to declare their assets and liabilities. He also spoke of the state government’s plans to create a system of checks and balances at the level of local government to minimise corruption. http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/tan-sri-khalid-ibrahim-speaks-to-malaysiakini/

916M: MagickRiver: A Deepavali Prediction

Monday, October 27, 2008

A Deepavali Prediction

A dear friend I’ve known for more than 40 years showed up yesterday with a beautiful companion. I already had several other visitors who came to spend a mellow Sunday afternoon at the river. As usually happens when a group of convivial friends assemble on my scenic veranda, we soon were discussing the political impasse that has brought deep furrows to many a Malaysian brow.

There was talk of the obscene manner in which the Umno old guard was throwing their financial support behind Najib’s quest for prime ministership out of sheer desperation. Their fear and panic are quite understandable. Indeed, they are essentially fighting to save their own skins, and certainly not because they give two hoots about the welfare of this country. The possibility of a Pakatan Rakyat government is all too real to them – notwithstanding the jeers and taunts of ill-wishers and establishment pundits who point fingers and wag tongues at the apparent “failure” of Anwar Ibrahim’s 916 takeover plan.

Umnoputera capitalists who built their business empires on the fast track during Mahathir’s 22-year reign, are petrified by the thought that a new government will implement genuine reforms of the judiciary, the Anti-Corruption Agency and the police; unmuzzle the mainstream media and – in the process of a massive spring cleaning – uncover a terracotta army of cobwebby skeletons, thereby exposing them to prosecution and public humiliation, leading to enforced exile or even imprisonment.

Anyway, my old friend said something that pricked all our ears. Apparently, he has been consulting a medical astrologer named Dr K who practises traditional Indian horoscopy in combination with powerful astrological software. Not only can he generate detailed horoscopic charts on his computer in a matter of seconds, he also happens to be unerringly intuitive in his interpretation of the data.

In February 2008, weeks before the general election of March 8th which altered the political destiny of Malaysia, this astrologer had dropped a hint that the nation was in for a couple of years of extraordinary upheaval: by the end of 2008, he said, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his son-in-law would be removed from power by their own party. At the time, my friend was skeptical about this prediction – it seemed so totally unlikely.

But now, seven months after GE12, Dr K’s prediction is beginning to manifest with uncanny accuracy. So my friend started taking seriously what Dr K had told him in February this year. The astrologer’s specialty is medical diagnosis and prognosis, but his methodology could easily be applied to corporations and entire countries.

And what Dr K had predicted, in addition, was that Umno’s power succession plan was ill-fated and would end in utter disarray. By early 2009 there would be a vote of no-confidence against whomsoever inherited the PM’s job, resulting in Parliament being dissolved and fresh elections called. A new government would be voted in and Umno would take on the role of parliamentary Opposition.

This would not spell the end of Malaysia’s political and financial turmoil – but if we successfully navigate our way through the turbulent sea changes of 2009, Malaysia will rise like a phoenix from 2010 onwards. Dr K concluded: “If you were thinking of taking all your money out of Malaysia, that would be a foolish move. From 2010 onwards this country will shine like a beacon of peace and prosperity in the world.”

I’ve always felt that this country was born under a lucky sign. And that the day will soon come when all of us can celebrate our unity in glorious diversity – and the wealth of genetic resources that is the true legacy of having been visited and influenced by so many different cultures, ancient and modern. Happy Deepavali, folks, one and all!

http://magickriver.blogspot.com/2008/10/deepavali-prediction.html

916M: WilliamLeong: The Morality of Members of Parliament Crossing the Floor

The Morality of Members of Parliament Crossing the Floor
September 15th, 2008
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Response to Bar Council and Others

The Bar Council, Harris Ibrahim and Sean Ang are reported in the New Straits Times on September 10, 2008 to have said that Members of Parliament crossing the floor to join another party is legal but immoral. It is therefore necessary to draw the attention of the public to several fundamental principles with regard to the issue on the morality of MPs crossing the floor. Crossing the floor to sit as a member of parliament in another political party is nothing new in parliamentary democracies. It has been described as the height of treachery. It has also been praised as the stuff which parliamentarian heroes are made of. The great Sir Winston Churchill is perhaps the most famous parliamentarian to cross the floor and switch allegiance on more than one occasion. There is no dispute that crossing the floor for money or personal gain is both immoral and a betrayal of the voters’ trust. However, when the MP crosses not for personal gain but in the interest and welfare of his constituents then he should be commended.

The Arguments for Immorality

The argument that crossing is immoral is that the MP was elected on his erstwhile political party’s ticket and that is amounts to a fraud on his voters. This argument is founded on two assumptions. The first is that the MP’s seat belongs to the political party. The second is that the MP was voted in based on his party’s platform and policies. The assumptions are wrong and the argument has failed to take into consideration several objectives and purposes of certain fundamental principles of a parliamentary constitutional system. Upon a proper understanding of these fundamental principles, it will be seen that far from being immoral, the ability for MPs to cross the floor is not only moral but part of the democratic process.

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The Electoral System and the Power of the 222

The argument that the voters have elected the MP on the party’s ticket and that the seat belongs to the party and not the MP arises from a confusion over the nature of the electoral systems in use. There are two major electoral systems in the world’s democracies:

¨ The first is the constituency-based electoral system. By this system, voters in each local area or constituency elect an individual candidate. The person who wins the majority of votes in each constituency becomes a member of parliament. The party with the majority of MPs forms the government. In this system, the individual MP and not the party holds the seat. This means the MP can cross the floor and still keep his seat.

¨ The second is the proportional representation system. By this system, the electorate in a large area, for example, a province or a country votes for political parties. The political party chooses the people who will become MPs. Each party is allocated a number of seats proportional to the number of votes it receives in the election. In this system, the seat belongs to the party and the MP who crosses the floor cannot keep his seat.

The electoral system used in Malaysia is the constituency-based system. Therefore, the argument that the MP has stolen his party’s seat when he crosses the floor is not supported upon a proper understanding of the constituency based electoral system. The constituency based system provides for individuals and not political parties to be the candidates for election to the Dewan Rakyat. This is shown by independents, persons who do not belong to any political party, to contest. The candidate is elected not only on the policies and political ideology but also his personal character and capability. The policies and manifesto of the individual candidate will substantially be similar with the policies of other candidates from his party but there will also be differences according to the specific needs of the constituency and the candidate’s own capabilities. The party ticket is therefore a grouping of individual candidates professing to hold similar policies and ideology. However, the constituents are voting for the individual candidate based on his policies, his personal capabilities and personal commitment.

The party ticket argument also fails to give effect to the provisions of Articles 43(1) and 43(4) of the Federal Constitution. Article 43(1) provides that the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong is to appoint the Prime Minister who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Dewan Rakyat.

Article 43(4) provides that the Prime Minister is to tender the resignation of his cabinet if he ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Dewan Rakyat. The effect of our electoral system and the operation of these two articles are that the constituents have given the power to the majority of the 222 members of parliament to decide who, from amongst them, is to be the Prime Minister. The tenure of the 222 and their power is fixed. It continues until the next general election. The tenure of the Prime Minister, however, is not fixed and not immutable. It is subject to the Prime Minister continuing to enjoy the confidence of the majority of the 222 throughout the term of the Parliament. By its very nature, the confidence enjoyed by the Prime Minister is capable of being lost and changed. This can be due to many factors including where the Prime Minister is unwilling or unable or inept in performing his duties or has failed to properly implement policies or no longer enjoys the confidence of the people or if there is a shift of public opinion as to the desirability of keeping him in office. The power to remove the Prime Minister in practice includes and requires the Members of Parliament crossing the floor. It is this ability to cross the floor that ensures that only a capable Prime Minister can hope to see the end of the Parliamentary term. The failure for the MP to act is that he will be unlikely to be re-elected by his constituents at the next General Election. It is thus the MP’s moral duty to cross the floor if necessary to ensure that an inept Prime Minister does not remain in office.

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The MPs Duty and Good Conscience

The argument that the MP betrays his voters by joining another party glosses over basic principles governing an MP’s duties and his need to exercise independent judgement. The word “democracy” comes from the Greek word “demokratia” which means “government by the people”. The MP is elected to be the voice of his constituents and not to be the voice and handmaid of his political bosses. The MP and his constituents are the conscience of the Executive. The Honourable K. Rozzoli, Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly has described this as follows:

“A democratically elected Parliament is the only true voice of the people and accountability to the people it serves is the basic plank of a democratic system, however, no matter what forms of statutory accountability we bring to bear, true accountability lies in the conscience of both the people and their representatives.”

The Honourable Speaker also explained that an MP’s duties owed to his constituents prevail over that to his political party:

“The primary duty of a member is to his constituents who live within the electorate…The second duty is to help people outside the electorate… The third duty is to the Parliament, both to the institution itself and to the general dignity and process of the Parliament… The duty which exists to one’s political party is, I believe, not a duty. It is something we assume as an extra curricular activity.”

The paramount duty of the MP is therefore to act in the interest and welfare of his constituents and the next in the order of priority is to the Parliament. The Parliament, is the second pillar of government. It is one of the three institutions in the concept of the separation of powers of the government. It is to act as a check and balance to executive power. The Parliament is the avenue, through the principle of parliamentary privilege, by which the people may explore alternatives to the Executive’s proposals, to expose a wrong or an injustice. The people vote their parliamentarians to guard their liberties and to query the activities of the Executive and its servants. It is in the ability of the Parliament to challenge the Executive that provides the real restrain to an overzealous or unwise use of authority. The Parliament is therefore not created to be “a rubber stamp” of the Executive. The parliamentarians have a duty to be independent minded and are not put there by the people to be “yes men” for their party bosses. The British had more than a hundred years ago derided members of parliament who followed party orders without questions. William Schwenk Gilbert in “Iolanthe” lamented:

“When in that House MP’s divide

If they ‘ve a brain and cerebellum too

They ‘ve got to leave their brains outside

And vote just as their leaders tell ‘em to”

In more mature democracies, it is not unusual for members of the House of Commons to cross the floor or those members who generally support the Government to speak and vote against the Government. It is not unusual for members of the US House of Representatives or Senate to sit on either side of the House in a division. It is because of this that a democrat like Joe Liberman can follow his conscience to endorse a Republican John McCain as presidential candidate. It is because of this that a President Nixon can be impeached for Watergate. The problem in Malaysia is that no BN MP has in 51 years crossed the floor of our Dewan Rakyat. The Government controlled media had ensured that any vote against the ruling party or even a dissenting voice is labeled as an act of treachery. The idea of BN MPs crossing has therefore been quickly castigated as immoral without examining whether good conscience demands that the MP cross the floor resolutely according to the needs of his constituents’ interest or to remain in sterile stupor according to the dictates of his party bosses. The Watergates of Malaysia shall until then be destined to remain unearthed, unheard and unseen unless and until those elected to be the voice of their constituents find the courage to act according to their conscience. For so long as members of parliament from the ruling party conduct themselves as the proverbial three monkeys of “hearing no evil, seeing no evil and speaking no evil” about their party bosses, then the independence of Parliament does not exist. There is no check and balance by the Parliament of the Executive and only a “rubber stamp”. The political tsunami that swept away the shackles to an independent judiciary must now also free the legislature from its bondage.

Constitutional Convention and Expression of Public Morality

The ability for members of parliament to cross the floor is the expression of public morality and not of immorality. Article 43(4) of the Malaysian Federal Constitution provides that the Prime Minister is to resign his cabinet upon ceasing to command the confidence of the majority in the Dewan Rakyat. Our Constitution is modeled on the British Westminster Constitution. It is a collection of constitutional conventions and customs. It is the outcome of centuries of constitutional evolution. It has distilled and crystallized the essence of the expression of public values and public morality. The convention to provide members of parliament with the ability to cross the floor and thereby bring about the removal of a government is thus an expression of public morality.

The ability to allow MPs to cross the floor recognizes that there may be a significant shift in public opinion that does not require fresh elections but needs to be reflected in the Parliament. The ruling party may be unable or unwilling to implement policies promised to the electorate. This can then be given expression through the MPs crossing the floor. It is this ability that curtails the power of party bosses and makes for a more vibrant political atmosphere. It provides for greater democracy and greater sensitivity to public opinion during the Parliamentary term otherwise it inculcates the Executive to become an authoritarian regime relying in the knowledge that it does not have to account to the people for the next five years.

The improper use of the ISA, the Sedition Act, the requirement of police permit to prevent the people from exercising its right of free speech and freedom of assembly and the abuse of power to shut dissent must not have to wait for general elections every five years. It is the duty of the 222 to ensure that the Executive power remains in check. It has become even more imperative that the BN MPs be able to vote according to their conscience. Yesterday, 12th September 2008, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Selangor State Exco member and Member of Parliament for Seputeh, Ms Theresa Kok and the reporter from Sin Chew Daily News, Ms Tan Hoon Cheng who published the Ahmad Ismail speech have been detained under the ISA. Now is the time to act, the nation cannot wait for five years.

The Tectonic Shift after 308
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Since the March 8 General Elections, the Barisan Nasional leaders have shown they are unwilling, unable or indifferent in addressing the challenges facing the nation. Despite, the global shortage of food and the increasing price of essential food products, the Barisan National leadership has refused to dismantle the monopoly given to Bernas in the privatization of the distribution of imported rice. With the global economic slowdown and rising inflation and the US going into stagflation, the BN leadership increased petrol prices by a massive and unprecedented increase of 70 sen causing inflation to jump to 8% per annum. It then did a flip flop by reducing the petrol price to 15 sen but this is too little too late to stop the galloping inflation led loose by the irresponsible increase. The property sector and the construction industry have come to a standstill due to the substantial increase in the price of building and construction materials. The SMIs are crying for help as the sudden jump in operation costs in electricity, petrol and transport costs threaten to put them out of business. Violent crime continues unabated after the General Elections. Murders, rape and robberies haunt the people every day. This indifferent and inept performance has led to a shift in public opinion of tectonic proportions after the March 8 General Elections. The Barisan Nasional leadership has failed. They have shown to be unworthy of commanding confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament. Good conscience demands the BN MPs who still wish to hold true to the duty to their constituents have an obligation to cross the floor. It will be immoral for them not to.

Conclusion

The ability of the Members of Parliament to cross the floor and by doing so bring about a change in the government is part and parcel of the democratic process. It is a form of check and balance. It ensures that the sitting government must continuously be sensitive to the needs and opinion of the people or risk being removed before expiry of its term. The famous words that a democracy is said to be a “government of the people by the people and for the people” must include the right of the people to remove the government when it no longer represents the people. When Members of Parliament cross the floor acting according to the dictates of the people and not the dictate of the party bosses, they are acting morally and not immorally.

William Leong Jee Keen

Member of Parliament for Selayang

Treasurer General

Parti Keadilan Rakyat

13th September 2008

916M: WRLR: Malaysia’s Anwar Says No Hurry to Oust Government

10/23/2008 04:32 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged Thursday he won’t be able to bring down the government any time soon, but said he is in no hurry to take over given the nation’s economic problems.Anwar had previously claimed that he would get enough ruling party lawmakers to defect to unseat the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by Sept. 16.

However, he missed his self-declared deadline. Anwar has asked Abdullah for a face-to-face meeting to discuss voluntary power transfer, but the prime minister has refused.Anwar told reporters he is still aiming for a “peaceful orderly transition” but said his options have diminished. Abdullah also has refused to call a special Parliament session to hold a vote on confidence in his leadership, he said.Anwar said this amounted to the opposition being denied “constitutional legal options” to bring down the government.”We have lost two options … (but) there’s 10 to go. … We are working on it,”

Foto by : WRLR
Anwar said. He has refused to reveal the names of lawmakers purportedly willing to defect, saying they will be subject to coercion if their identities are revealed before the time is right.”We are not in a terrible hurry. Particularly in the present economic downturn we need to engage with government leaders to ensure that they take the right measures,” he said.Malaysia’s stock market has plunged 37 percent this year amid the global financial crisis.

The government also expects its economic growth forecast of 5.4 percent for 2009 to dip, partly because of lower demand for key exports such as palm oil and crude oil. Some analysts predict growth of only 3.4 percent.Anwar’s People’s Alliance coalition won an unprecedented 82 seats in the 222-member Parliament in March elections, gaining ground as the government’s popularity plummeted amid racial disputes, a weak economy and corruption accusations.Anwar refused to set a new deadline to topple the government but said it will be done “with an element of surprise.

“He dismissed suggestions that his goal was becoming tougher to reach after Abdullah recently announced he will hand over power in March to his deputy Najib Razak, who commands much greater loyalty from ruling party bosses.Anwar said Najib’s position is shaky amid accusations of abuse of power.

“This is the first time in history where you have a prime minister designate hounded and haunted with serious allegations,” Anwar said.The most recent accusations involve the purchase of military helicopters while Najib was defense minister. Najib has denied suggestions that the prices were inflated.Anwar said his opposition alliance, if it takes power, would curb expensive projects and cut operating expenditures, channeling more funds instead to develop education, public transportation and housing. – AP

Posted by WARTAWAN RASMI LAMAN REFORMASI at 3:50 AM

http://wrlr.blogspot.com/2008/10/malaysias-anwar-says-no-hurry-to-oust.html

916M: MagickRiver: The Crumbling Empire Strikes Back!

The euphoria that swept across the nation one day after the 12th general election created a ripple effect of unmitigated optimism that carried us through Anwar Ibrahim’s triumphant return to Parliament as Opposition Leader right after he trounced Arif Shah at Permatang Pauh on August 26th.

However, the road to Putrajaya appears perilously booby-trapped.

September 16th came and went and suddenly the political atmosphere just got denser and duller and heavier. How did I feel about 916? As an unabashed and unapologetic admirer of Anwar Ibrahim’s extraordinary intelligence, political savvy, oratorical skills, effortless charisma and, above all, his amazing wife Azizah and their lovely children (though I’ve only met Nurul Izzah thus far), I would have rejoiced wholeheartedly at Pakatan Rakyat’s successful takeover of the federal government – along with, I think, at least 25 million other Malaysians.

The actual date was immaterial. I believe Anwar came up with September 16th to emphasize and include our brothers and sisters in Sabah and Sarawak. As a meme, 916 has undeniable power because of its association with 22-karat gold, the purest form in which it can retain its solidity; the number also reads the same upside-down.

It’s been a little more than a month since the mammoth Malaysia Day Rally at Kelana Jaya stadium on the eve of 916. The seeds of hope and a powerful desire for genuine reform were undoubtedly planted amongst the 30,000 who attended – and the millions more who viewed the speeches on YouTube or read the blog reports. Anwar says he requested a private meeting with Abdullah Badawi to negotiate terms of a peaceful Pakatan Rakyat takeover but was refused. Instead we witnessed a spate of ridiculous and infuriating ISA arrests. Raja Petra, Anwar’s most outspoken ally, was forcibly removed from the scene, while 50 Barisan MPs were shipped off to Taiwan to experience earthquakes and typhoons.

Anwar then requested, as Opposition Leader, that the incumbent PM convene a special parliamentary session to establish if the Pakatan Rakyat had enough MPs to form the next government. Again, Anwar was rebuffed. All hopes now revolved on Anwar being granted an audience with the Agong. That didn’t happen. Instead, there was talk that the Agong was doing an umrah in Mecca.

October 13th was the day Parliament reconvened after a long break. We waited to see if anyone would propose a vote of no-confidence against the PM. Nobody did and Anwar himself opted to focus on Badawi’s 2009 Budget, criticizing it as irrelevant in the face of ongoing tectonic shifts in the financial world. At a press conference, Anwar insisted he still had the numbers to form a new government, but added that the Pakatan Rakyat had decided to move slowly rather than risk triggering a violent reaction from Umno loyalists who have mastered the martial art of pre-meditated mengamuk (running amok).

Anwar’s detractors would like us to believe “the moment has passed,” and that the window of democratic opportunity is once again shut tight. Just ban Hindraf and Makkal Sakthi will fade away. Arrest RPK and resistance to tyranny will wilt. This is the first time I’m doing it in print but I just have to go bwahahahahaha.

Meanwhile, things that resemble overfed maggots have been stirring within Umno. The hidden hand of Mahathir can be seen behind fractious factional splits (he’s not exactly a subtle despot). Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin is rumored to be quietly funding Najib’s bid for Umno presidency. Indeed, it’s safe to speculate that the Umnoputera billionaires’ club has rallied behind Najib, to protect their own vested interests.

And, going by the inscrutable utterances issuing from the Conference of Rulers, the monarchs, too, appear to be wary of radical change. After all, apart from having some of their constitutional powers pared down by Mahathir’s amendments, they have all been fairly comfortable under Umno/BN. Most of them have directorships in a variety of businesses and they never have to pay a single phone bill. Even so, they aren’t entirely immune from the vicissitudes of life. One was recently faced with bankruptcy proceedings.

The fact that the Agong meekly confirmed Zaki Azmi’s appointment as Chief Justice hardly reassures reform-minded Malaysians that any significant changes are about to occur. After all, Zaki is up to his eyeballs in Umno business – which doesn’t necessarily disqualify him from doing a laudable job as CJ, but given the murky circumstances surrounding Lingamgate and the absolute refusal of the grotesquely compromised Attorney-General to hang his head in shame and resign – this is yet another indication that “business-as-usual” is the only reality some folks know.

In effect, it would appear that the crumbling Umno Empire has struck back, and that the future is now bleaker than ever.

Is it? I’m not buying that perception at all. I’ll concede that the joy of witnessing a national rebirth and transformation may have been delayed somewhat – and the most painful aspect of this postponement is having to endure our feeling of helplessness and frustration over the fact that the ISA detainees and their families will be unable to celebrate Deepavali this year, perhaps not even Christmas, who knows about the Lunar New Year?

In our jubilation at the prospect of seeing a Pakatan Rakyat government with Anwar Ibrahim as PM, we have overlooked a particularly influential segment of society – the moneyed, privileged class (in effect, the Sadduccees, for those biblically inclined). These are the ones who live comfortably insulated from the nitty-gritty world in their gated cities and superluxury condos. Most have benefited from lucrative contracts or clever investments made during the Mahathir era – so they were never too bothered about silly things like the ISA and police harassment and water cannons. So why should they bother now? One despot behaves pretty much like another – whether his name is Herod Antipas, Constantine, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mahathir Mohamad, Saddam Hussein, George Bush, or Najib Razak. In any case, despots are known to throw lavish parties – they’re certainly funkier hosts than semi-ascetic leftwingers like Nik Aziz, Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang.

No doubt, most despots have blood on their hands (or they wouldn’t qualify as despots, would they?)

You and I may rankle and rant at the idea of a moral degenerate ascending to power as PM – but morality, as the privileged class knows full well, is all so very… relative, isn’t it? No vegetarian, non-violent contemplator-of-navels ever attained the world-conquering status of a Genghis Khan, as far as I know. So why make such a big fuss about a few billion ringgit vanishing into this or that offshore account, a few troublesome mistresses snuffed, a dozen greasy Indian heads bashed in by police truncheons, and a few hundred loudmouths locked away in dungeons of iniquity?

Well, I see these turbulent days as the build-up to a quantum shift into a whole new octave of being wherein our hardwired survival programs and reptilian fear conditioning will no longer apply. If you’re a devout Muslim or Christian you’ll probably call it Khiamat or Judgement Day. A Hindu might think of it as the end of the Kali yuga and the arrival of Maha Avatar Kalki (or perhaps the conclusion of the 7th manvantara); while a Buddhist may anticipate a Maitreya incarnation that will facilitate planetary enlightenment.

The more eclectic and esoterically inclined will call it the dawning of the Aquarian Age, the advent of the Water-Bearer – who symbolizes dissemination of true knowledge, leading to the decentralization and democratization of sovereignty and power.

In short, Ketuanan Rakyat as preached by Anwar Ibrahim.

Astrologer Stella Woods reports that Pluto moved into Capricorn on January 26th, 2008 – and will remain there until 2024. She believes “there will be a backlash and rebellion against [authoritarian] control, with people refusing to conform, leaving the system and insisting on the ethical use of power. Scandals and corruption in government and large corporations will come to light and the reputation of many of our cherished institutions will be tarnished. In fact many old forms of government and ways of doing business are likely to disappear altogether.”

Go on, Pluto, move your ass, good dog!

http://magickriver.blogspot.com/2008/10/crumbling-empire-strikes-back.html

916M: Haris Ibrahim: Open letter to the politicians who have pledged to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat

Dear Yang Berkhidmats,

I have absolutely no idea who you are but you are there, your names etched in Anwar Ibrahim’s memory, and because he has given you his word, there they will remain until you throw aside fear and step out of the shadows into the sunlight of service above self.

As I write this, it is almost noon on the first day of the festivities, 1st October 2008. I can only imagine all of you mingling with the dignitaries and VIPs at PWTC, among them ambassadors and high commissioners of other countries.

I can be sure the rendang tasted good, the kuih-muih were mouth-watering and the air bandung was rich. I wonder whether you spared a thought for the 64 detainees languishing in Kamunting, served food that caused RPK to vomit and also gave him diarrhoea.

I wonder too, even as you greeted the PM and other politicians, whether you felt a twinge of guilt because you intended but have changed your mind / still intend to cross over, and so you feel dishonest wishing them well and enjoying the camaraderie.

Perhaps those of you still intent on leaving BN felt nervous because these others will condemn you as traitors and hypocrites for behaving so well at Raya but all the time knowing you are leaving.

Most of all, I wonder whether my Anak Bangsa Malaysia brothers and sisters who are there on my behalf and that of countless others are okay.

They have turned up because they are committed to dismantling the ISA, made treacherous by BN. They have turned up at the PWTC because every appeal we have made to the PM and your other comrades has fallen on deaf ears and hardened hearts. The more the cries for justice, the more people fighting for truth and justice are harrassed, warned and arrested!

I wonder if the presence of my brothers and sisters in black, red, orange, etc. with significant words emblazoned on their T-shirts caused pride and admiration to swell up in your hearts because they are so very brave.

Or were you embarrassed because the foreign dignitaries were around? Or were you ashamed because you have the power but failed to do something, choosing instead to watch the iron hand of your masters crash down on ordinary people?

Do you have a friend, a relative who went through incarceration? Are you aware what it is like not only for them but also their families and other loved ones?

There is the waiting and waiting to see once again a much-loved face.

There is the long-drawn silence and the utter, utter loneliness of a never-ending night.

There is that bewildering, loveless state that comes from deprivation of touch, warmth and human embrace.

There are the struggling attempts to stave off the cruel methodology practised by authorities to break the human spirit.

There is the wasting away of the body.

But worst of all, worst of all is that terrible dying of the self, that inner turmoil of a suffering soul when visits of loved ones are deliberately curtailed, when the lies relentlessly fed by authorities are slowly accepted and internalized, when hope gives way to disillusionment, despair and the belief that tomorrow has absolutely nothing to offer and so it is better to just lie down and die.

Raja Petra Kamarudin knows this so well.

He had experienced before what the human spirit can and cannot endure. And that is why he said in all seriousness, “Give me liberty or give me death.”

YBs, his message is not just for MT readers like me. It is not just for Anak Bangsa Malaysia and our society at large. It is for you, too.

Please take that message seriously.

I know you have your own reasons for holding back but I ask you to search your hearts and your conscience.

Ask yourselves whether there is justice in this land.

Ask yourselves whether BN is a people’s government or a government that oppresses its own people.

Ask yourselves where BN will take this country to in the next one year, the next six months.

The way it is going – allowing the Ahmad Ismails, the Molotov-cocktail culprit and other law-breaking individuals to go free but incarcerating RPK, Hindraf and others who speak up for a better Malaysia – it is clear we have little hope for better change.

Ask yourselves how you can get this regime to repent and make good and go beyond paying lip-service to the tenet of ‘Maaf Zahir dan Batin’.

Ask yourselves, if it was your father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, offspring, relative or friend, would you not be outraged that the fairness of a trial is denied them?

If you are honest with yourselves, you would have to say without a shadow of a doubt that BN has already brought Malaysia to the edge of a precipice and it will take very, very little to push this country over and into the abyss of final destruction below.

YBs, never again may we have the chance to escape the dictatorship of the unjust.

Never again may we be able to wrest this country away from the stranglehold of the corrupt, the bigoted, the self-serving, the wicked and the ones whose hearts have turned to stone.

Never again may we be able to protect ourselves from those who seek revenge but not righteousness, who take so much for themselves but serve little.

None of us has any right to let this situation continue. We have a responsibility to our children and children’s children to hand over to them a nation whose government will not divide and rule, will not pollute minds and destroy identities, and will not reduce people to helpless individuals who think they can do nothing without government help.

It is an insult to Anak Bangsa Malaysia of Malay origin to say they are never able to catch up with the others. They can. It is an insult to Malays to tell them they need crutches perpetually. They don’t.

UMNO has not given them that chance to prove themselves and never will because staying in power means having to deceive the Malays into thinking they need UMNO forever to survive.

Buying into BN propaganda and believing the MSM lies have been detrimental. What Malays and all others need is an untainted education that teaches values, that teaches an abiding respect and acceptance of one another in a land that has so much to offer but whose future is being hijacked.

Truly, YBs, the ball is in your court.

None of us can get you to come out of the shadows. Not Anwar. Not Pakatan Rakyat. Not RPK. Not Marina. Not Hindraf . Not any of the bloggers. And not civil society. No, not even God for God doesn’t use force but gives all men free will.

It is not betrayal to cross over for your very own party has betrayed the cause for which you entered politics.

Your party has betrayed the trust and goodwill of the people of Malaysia. Billions that belong to the rakyat have gone astray. The rights of indigenous people have been whittled away. Corporations have siphoned off the land of the poor.

How did it come about that so much of Malaysia belongs to so few?

It has taken me a long while to come to this position of accepting crossovers because all along I have decried such moves as acts of convenience without consultation and the consent of constituents.

But I realise now that if the motive is right and noble, not for self but for society, a responsible constituency should stand by you and forgive that you acted first and asked for consent later.

YBs, I appeal to that finest part of you. Let your highest thoughts, your noblest efforts be to uphold justice and for the betterment of all Malaysians.

The abolishing of the ISA and the release of RPK and 63 other detainees – this has become the pivotal point at this moment in our history.

This nation will either go down because the detainees are in OR this nation will rise up because the detainees are out.

For us to have the one and not the other, we have to have you on our side now.

So YBs, please, step forward and show yourselves.

Cross over for the release of the detainees. Cross over so that sanity and sanctity will return again to Parliament, so that the Federal Constitution will regain its rightful position, and so that we shall live in peace again.

Haris Ibrahim