Leaked PKR meeting revealed Bersih 2.0 to revive Anwar's sagging urban rating

There are quite a few dedicated anti-Anwar blogs in the blogosphere. The most famous would be AIDC and their well researched pieces and ability to unravel facts unknown to the common folks.

Other than that, there are few that this blogger will never miss like X-PKR, Gelagat Anwar and Malaysian Story. They usually present a unique and unheard of information and angle to an issue. Their information is quite reliable and seldom ahead of the pack of bloggers.

Another reason is this blogger knows the writers and their credibility. But we can’t share and reveal it. Just trust us.

ABITW normally post our own material. But, sometimes we do publish material from elsewhere. This posting is another exception and we intend to pick one story from Gelagat Anwar. It is related to Bersih 2.0.

Dato Ahmad Maslan has been travelling and speaking around the country telling his audience that Bersih 2.0 has nothing to do with the demand for a clean and fair election but about Anwar and his personal problems.

He is not wrong. It’s just that his version is meant for the rural folks. Furthermore, that same line have been played before over and over again. It is not sensational and exciting enough to convince the urban and Internet savvy crowd or to attract media publicity.

Allow me to give him a hand with a sensational tilt from the latest information in Gelagat Anwar.

According to the blog's latest posting here, there was a PKR strategic meeting held recently and Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Ketua Umum or General Leader was present.

One of the hotly discussed topic was Anwar’s popular rating, be it with regard to his sodomy case or sex video with a prostitute.

Unlike in UMNO, PKR’s closed meetings are conducted openly with no holds barred. The Ketua Umum can be criticized without being labeled as traitor or not being thankful. Such honesty should be emulated in UMNO, which usually dedicate much time bodek-ing the bosses.

In that meeting, one member asked the Secretary-General, YB Saifuddin Nasution of Anwar’s current rating. PKR employ Merdeka Centre to conduct bimonthly survey on public trust towards Anwar. The respondent number is about 3,000 and conducted at different areas, according to the observation and data requirement.

Saifuddin tried to deflect the question and mumbled about the survey is not reflective of the true level of rakyat’s trust towards Anwar. He gave excuses of good coverage of political rally and the good and solid grip on the new media. He goes further to say that there is still time to bring back the public’s trust.

The member repeated the question, “Mr Secretary-General, I asked about percentage. Please answer that!”

With a reluctant sad tone, Saifuddin revealed the last survey conducted:

• 37% for rural area covering Sabak Bernam, Sekinchan, Sungai Besar dan Jeram. From the same respondent, the trust level to PAS rose by 57%.
• 31% for urban/town and city area covering Shah Alam, Kota Damansara, PJ Selatan and PJ Utara. From the same respondent, the trust level to PAS reached 61%.
• 27% for Selangor Chinese voters while for PAS is 46%.
• 18 % for Selangor Indians, while for PAS is 23%.

Upon hearing the numbers, a chorus of silence filled the room till few members asked on the course of action required to ensure Anwar’s rating remain at it’s best.

Saifuddin ensured the members that the fall in the rural area is not worrisome because Anwar’s “cells” in PAS will ensure support for Pakatan Rakyat remained unchallenged. He was also not worried with the fall in the urban area because the trust of Chinese in Selangor for DAP is at it’s highest of 67.8%.

On the urban rating, Saifuddin said it will return with the success of Bersih 2.0. Opps … did he say that?

However, the PKR leaders in the meeting were restless and worried. It means PKR is dependent on the strength of PAS and DAP. They have lost their bargaining chip.

Not realising that before 2008, PKR had only one seat in Parliament, they were pondering as to what happened to PKR’s strength?

Can Anwar remain an effective leader if the rating described the true situation of PKR? Didn’t Dato Zaid Ibrahim raised this but to Anwar chagrin, he was ousted out of PKR in favour of his "sweetheart", Azmin Ali?

Before the meeting ended, Saifuddin reminded everyone present that the data revealed must remain confidential. It is important to preserve the morale of the whole PKR machinery. Knowledge of such information would weakened their confidence.

Throughout the meeting, Anwar looked disturbed and weak. Does Anwar still have the command and aura?

They will never believe if we are to tell them. It will be the same response as what this blogger got when telling a group of high ranking PAS leader two years ago that Anwar has no chance of saving his arse from the crime of bashing Saiful’s.

The important point from this inside story is as we had reiterated before, Bersih or Bersih 2.0 was never about electoral reforms. From this piece of information, it looks like Bersih 2.0 is really about Anwar trying to save his arse.

Ahmad Maslan is right.