Desperates resorting to sabotage

Yesterday's Utusan Malaysia carried a news of all Kedah state assembly and parliamentary representatives pledging an oath to support all Barisan Nasional candidates.

The pledge was made by UMNO Chief Liaison for Kedah, Datok Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah after Kedah's UMNO Election Committee meeting on Monday.

So happen, Kedah politics was also one of the conversation subject at a durian brunch session we attended Monday morning. The talk is of much sabotage and blocking within UMNO Kedah.

Naturally, we checked the story with few people on the ground and swap info with some media friends to verify. It looks like few desperados have resort to cah keting (sabotage) in Kedah.

One of them identified to be involved is Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Utusan Malaysia report below:

Their attitude is - if they can't get to be candidate, other's should not be candidate and allowed to move on in their political career.

All them have a common enemy in one much talked to be the next Menteri Besar of Kedah i.e. Dato Mukhriz Mahathir.

While we remain with our previous opinion [read here] that Mukhriz  should remain at federal level, but market talk and survey conducted said Mukhriz will give BN a greater edge to win back the seat.

He is more appealing fresh face that voters want. However, there is no official position from PM and he has yet to promote Mukhriz seriously for fear of such act.

For Khairy to do such a thing, it is most unbecoming of a position holder with the status of a party "Vice President." It is tantamount to a member of the UMNO Supreme Council sabotaging his own party.

Khairy is said to be in a desperate position and maybe facing a dilemma in his political career.

Despite winning the Ketua Pemuda UMNO position, he was appointed to any Ministerial position. His deputy, Dato Razali Ibrahim was instead appointed as Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports.

However, Razali is not a problem for Khairy for he unlikely to challenge his Ketua Pemuda. He does not have the balls. But one never know since Khairy and his boys insulted Hishamuddin by not attending few of his invites.

A signal for war.

To make matter worse for himself, Khairy is not in a winnable candidate position in his constituency of Rembau.

As told by a former Deputy Division Chief, the words being said by voters on the ground is "Khairy tanding, kalah" (If Khairy run, he will definately lose). Khairy has a poor service record and in the rural areas, that matter most than one's debating skill in Parliament.

Khairy can be quite adaptable to his surrounding but anglophile Khairy does not come out as sincere and natural to the kampong folks. At times, his conduct may have offended their unpredictable sensitivity.  

If he runs, he is likely to face Badrul Hisham Shahrin or popularly known as Chegu Bard of PKR.

It is said that Chegu Bard was bought off in the last general election of 2008 using a double agent working within both UMNO and PKR.

But not this time.

Chegubard has been working the ground and is accepted as alternative to the voters in the event Khairy is adamant at defending his Parliamantary seat. If an acceptable BN candidate is placed, Chegubard may not survive in this UMNO heartland.

He has already building up allegation against Khairy for defaulting on a RM20 million bank loan with Bank Pertanian. Thus far, sources said Khairy had guaranteed a loan for his mother's leather factory.

Whether it is true or not, one will expect Chegu Bard to unleash more information as election draws near.

This put Khairy in a difficult spot. A Youth Chief never not contest in a general election and win.

He may opt for other places like father-in-law's old seat at Kepala Batas, Seberang Prai. However, that does not guarantee victory.

Furthermore, prospective candidate like local boy, Dato Reezal Merican have been working the ground for quite sometime.

It will also be embarassing for the Youth Chief for UMNO Rembau Division to contest in an area other than in Negeri Sembilan.

His position as Ketua Pemuda also rest with himself getting a Ministerial position. If he comes out without any parliamentary or state seat, he could face serious challenges to a position he has fortified himself with the young.

Smart as he is being claimed to be, his adolescent foolishness seldom surface. Instead of solving his problem, Khairy has decided to sabotage his former Pemuda rival, Mukhriz in Kedah.

He has been operating through former Pemuda UMNO Kedah Chief, Mohd Rawi bin Abdul Hamid. Rawi is also state assemblyman for Air Hangat, Langkawi. [Read profile here]  

Initially, when Mukhriz's name was bandied around for the Kuah state seat to replace poor performing former UMNO State Liaison Secretary, Nawawi Ahmad, Rawi indicated to few sources that he has no problem and has expressed willingness to support. That was until Khairy became insecure and resort to sabotage.

Khairy may be looking at Mukhriz as his competitor for future Premiership. He has been telling around that he will be Prime Minister by 40.

Dato Abu Bakar Taib, the veteran politician and current member of parliament for Langkawi sniffed Mukhriz name surfacing in Langkawi again.

He survived to run for the 2008 general election when Mukhriz was sniffing around Langkawi for Parliamentary seat.

Bakar is feeling insecure too.

He is already 70 and in his fourth terms as member of Parliament since 1999. The highest he got in government was as Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture for 1999-2004. [Read his profile here]

Bakar Taib was the man wht brought down the then Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid and Dr Mahathir's loyalist in a straight fight for Division Chief of Langkawi.

If Mukhriz became Menteri Besar and decide to run for Langkawi Division Chief, Bakar will not have a chance to win against another Menteri Besar and one with the aura of Tun Dr Mahathir.

In the game of survival, he need to do anything necessary to stay in the power game, including sabotaging Mukhriz from being nominated to MB post.

Another obstacle for Mukhriz will be Datuk Mohd. Johari Baharum or as many refer him as Jo Derhaka.

He was the successor to Tun Dr Mahathir as Division Chief Division of Kubang Pasu who in turn orchestrated to deny the man from being elected repreresentative of the Division (G7) to attend the UMNO General Assembly in 2006.

Jo Derhaka paid money to delegates to vote out Dr Mahathir.

He may have pledged his loyalty to Pak Lah, because he was retained as Deputy Home Minister for 2004-2008 and remained after 2008 as Deputy Agriculture Minister.

In 2007, Jo Derhaka was alleged to have received RM5 million from organised crime criminals to secure  release of several criminals

During the 2008 general election, he continued his derhaka mode to proposed Saad Man, another derhaka to run for the Jitra state assembly in the Kubang Pasu parlimentary.

As Dr Mahathir's former political secretary, Saad Man was caught attempting to sabotage Dr Mahathir's nomination form for the general election of 1991. [read here]

He is not likely to be nominated since the his 2008 campaign was a major embrassment as his wife Ku fatimah campigned against him on a PAS platform. [Read here]

Jo Derhaka is only 57 but he knows his days is numbered. Zaini jaafar haev been identified to replace him for Parliament

He can sense that he may have to do his time for his past action against Dr Mahathir and Mukhriz. He sabotaged Mukhriz for the Ketua Pemuda position of Kubang Pasu in 2007 and placed with Zulkifli Ahmad, a rice trader.

And he can sense that Mukhriz will not forget that and will not be a soft gentleman forever. He still has Dr Mahathir in his blood.

Jo Derhaka has to continue to derhaka his old boss. He is left with no choice but to view Dr Mahathir as perennial political enemy and deny Mukhriz.

There are other accomplice in the plot to deny Dr Mahathir from being elected for G7. There is then Liaison Chief, Dato Mahadzir Khalid or usually called Det Khalid, and former Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Osman Arof.

Both may not be a factor to deny Mukhriz this time. Like Khairy, "letak Det Khalid, kalah Kedah". He knows that and will not further blemish his history.

While Osman is out of the game completely.

There is one person that can possibly be a problem for Mukhriz and he is Kota Seputih state assemblymen, Dato Abu Hasan Sarif or Tok Abu.

He was in that plot against Dr Mahathir but deep behind in the background. Although he almost lost his Kota Seputih seat due to repeated absence, the period  has expired and no by-election will be necessary. However, he managed to put a case and won.

This time four time assemblyman for Kota Seputih may have to go but Tok Abu is Division Chief and the warlord of Jerlun. Mukhriz will be replacing him and he must have his agreement.

He could feel insecure if eventual Menteri Besar Mukhriz decide to be a member of Jerlun. And there are other warlords, Man Pin and Man Aziz to contend with to.

If Khairy is really serious to deny Mukhriz, he will approach Tok Abu and perhaps another warlord of Kedah, Dato Ahmad Lebai Sudin of Kota Sena.

He can be more dangerous should he join Khairy. He is not interested to run for any seat and only wants to remain as Division Chief.

And he rather be king maker to determine who run for his area and control the allocation for his area. Perhaps, that is the reason Dato Mahfuz Omar can keep winning at Pokok Sena.

Ahmad Lebai Sudin is a true UMNO warlord that should have run out his time but he is still unshakeable. In rural politics, even opponent candidate need to kow tow and negotiate for votes from such a man.

This kind of person is easier to deal with than those yearning for power and position.

Will Khairy dare to go all out against Mukhriz when PM finally go all out for Mukhriz?

The party wants to win back Kedah and will be serious against any form of sabotage. It could be the excuse they are looking to use to flush out warlords and remove party sabotaguer. In 2008, Khairy was involved to sabotaghe Mukhriz and a car linked to his boys was spotted distributing laced drinks.

He should remember that father in law is not around anymore to save him. PKR will be dead by the time he wish to jump ship.  

Hopefully all this is not true and Khairy will be down in Kedah to help Mukhriz campaign. He need the help to carry the whole of Kedah.