Curtain slowly closing on Anwar, PAS should seek a backstage exit

PAS victory at the Kuala Terengganu by-election managed to save Anwar the embarrassment from his futile attempt to psyche MPs to crossover to Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

September 16th crossover didn’t materialise. His reputation shattered but he could salvage some blame on Abdullah Badawi and Pengiran Pendikar Amin Mulia. The former for refusing to meet and discuss power handover. The latter for turning down a motion for a vote of no confidence at the Dewan Rakyat.

As soon as he was about to get into Act II of his crossover drama, one event after another befall on him. The walls surrounding Anwar are beginning to crumble. He is losing his plot. Many turn of events will effect badly on his political plan.

The curtain is slowly closing on Anwar.

His PR coalition lost the Perak state Government.

Two by-election elections are on the card. But the disappearance of independent turned PKR assemblyman for Bukit Selambau, Arumugam remains a mystery. It is now out in the open that 'spiderman' had webbed another nest without the legally required marriage license.

The other being Parliamentary seat of Bukit Gantang following the death of PAS Roslan Shaharum, a day after PR lost the state Government.

The defiant emotional reaction and derhaka spectacle against the Sultan by former Menteri Besar Nizar, former Exco members, Karpal Singh and supporters, and abuse of power by the DUN Speaker, Sivakumar will only lead to an eventual erosion of confidence by the public.

Anwar left the scene immediately for a conference in Qatar after announcing PR will not sue the Sultan.

Karpal Singh had to be left isolated by both PR and DAP for fear the insistence to sue the Sultan will have a damaging effect from Malay voters. A rejection of Karpal's suit will be nevertheless be political capital.

Anwar must be hoping the lawsuit against Zambery, though expected to be thrown out, could buy him more political rhetorics.

In the meanwhile, there are reports made against Sivakumar with the police, and SPRM. He violated the law and Karpal Singh concurred.

On his return, the distribution of nude pictures of Bukit Lanjan Selangor Assemblymen, Elizabeth Wong erupted.

The said pictures strangely leaked only to The Sun and Malay Mail. None of the explicit pictures are in circulation on the Blogosphere.

Anwar tried to lay blame on Barisan Nasional and some party members was making accusation at Khir Toyo for requesting Eli’s resignation. That was a cheap shot.

Eli Wong has the sympathy of many and is a victim. Her right to privacy was infringed on. But who victimised her?

While all eyes are looking and police are in search of former boyfriend Helmi Malek, many did not twitch an eyebrow to notice the attempt to unfold a drama by Anwar.

The day the news broke in Malay Mail on Monday, Eli Wong made a statement insisting to fight on. She is staying. By next day Tuesday, she changed her mind to offer her resignation.

Anwar and Khalid insist she not do so and Khalid suggested she take leave. Eli Wong is expected to return on February 27th and a decision on her offer for resignation will be announced.

When asked why the delay, Anwar answered it is too soon to decide. The delay in decision seemed a ploy for Anwar to take a breather, maybe to throughly inveestigate but most likely to script a story.

Today, it is reported Eli Wong insisted it is final on her part. She was reported saying it is to avoid further information of her private life being further explored.

It seemed beyond the public eyes is an internal PKR problem looming. Words in the canteen hall of Parliament are that of a conspiracy by Azmin Ali to takeover the Selangor Menteri Besar post from Khalid Ibrahim.

Eli Wong, as told by one source, is a collateral damage in Azmin’s attempt to embarrass Khalid.

It is said that Helmi is not Azmin’s cameraman nor is Gwo Burne, just kidding. There is another Malay name that cropped up. One PKR party worker at a service centre with a name ending also with the syllable 'mi'.

Did Eli Wong have another Malay boyfriend after Helmi? That is none of our business and she is a single lady. She is seen by many in the company of a Singapore-based academician cum PKR supporter. Another is a writer son to a PKR lawyer. But it’s her life!

Azmin, known to many is a blue-eyed boy of Anwar. The other, Ezam left to rejoin UMNO after being disfavoured by Anwar.

Did Anwar require that extra time from Eli Wong to handle this delicate situation between his blue-eye boy Azmin and financial supporter Khalid? Anwar’s office is at Khalid’s old PJ Section 16 bungalow.

Another twist to the Eli Wong affair is Tian Chua who release an outburst at an Agendadaily reporter asking of his relation with Eli Wong.

As one SMS from one Chinese PKR member reads, Tian Chua recently broke off from his Hong Kong fiance, Mable Au, an activist with the Asian Women Committee based in Bangkok.

These activists dominating PKR have been getting on the nerve of many of its loyal members. The reformasi supporters of 2000 are also defecting pissed from the presence of many former corporate players and recent newcomers.


To salvage the present situation, Anwar put up a drama in Parliament on Wednesday.

He revealed PKR Kulim Assemblyman, Lim Soo Nee cooperated with ACA to nab on former Kedah MB, Mahadzir Khalid attempting to offer bribe to defect. However, he claimed ACA did not make a case out of it. Det Khalid admitted meeting Lim but disclaim any bribe offer.

That was not convincing enough for the increasing number of Anwar skeptics. Khalid tried to create a distraction to announce suing Khir Toyo for defamation for revealing impropriety in his car maintenance claims and cattle korban. Earlier Brader Anwar Bin Ibrahim exposed claimed excessive claims by former BN Exco members and ADUNs.

If that was not convincing enough as distraction, Anwar made a police report on Gani Patail and Musa Hasan today.

But a bomb went off today.

SPRM, the new corruption agency, a proposal supported loudly by Pakatan Rakyat in parliament at the last sitting, announced there are sufficient document to charge Selangor MB, Khalid Ibrahim. Khalid's response is his usual stutter that is a copycat of Anwar's diversion.

What will Anwar think of next?

He knows very well if it is not handled well, the derhaka impression could spillover to the two by-elections of Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang. SPR announced if Eli Wong resigns soon, the Bukit Lanjan by-election will be held on the same day on April 7th.

Is there sufficient PKR resource and manpower to spread around?

To be or not to be. That is the question for Anwar.

Still hanging is his sodomy case with Saiful believed widely to be a sure done deal when trial begins. He is just playing time by picking fault on the case management issues.


Pondering over the mind of many is the scene of PAS Muslimah’s presence in support and hugging her during Eli Wong's press conference. Many conservatives in Pas would raising their eyebrow over this sight of comradeship with one deemed as of suspicious morality.

How much longer could PAS tolerate PKR deviating them from their Islamic state objective? In fact, a coalition with UMNO, which is in need for political survival, would further their Islamic state cause than being in coalition with DAP and cocophonic PKR?

Should PAS continue to defend and share its resources and machinery with a party increasingly building a new reputation as appropriately described by another acronym to PKR, Parti Kelentong Rakyat?

The vulgar versions best saved.

A PAS crossover should not be discounted. Lets not forget that Pak Lah had a Nik Aziz described Muqabalah with PAS leaders. They have a backstage exit if party members agree.

If that were to happen, an UMNO-PAS truce or coalition to many Malays is the next best thing to the British banned Malay Nationalist Party’s Melayu Raya vision.

This will realise the much said notion that Malays will unite when their position is challenged. When Malay unite, it provides political stability to the country.

* Updated with link provided 21/2/2009 9:00 AM