YB Azman, the State Assemblymen for Bagan Pinang died last Friday. May Allah bless his soul.As it is, Anwar is rearing to go for an 8-1. Hadi and PAS have fired the first salvo to raise the issue of the presense of 5,000 postal votes in the 14,000 voters Bagan Pinang DUN area. But quietly they have roped in former army high officials in their fold to do their house to house campaigning.
Although it is disrespectful to certain Malay custom to start dividing the decessed's "property" when the grave soil is still fresh, one can quite understand their excitement. Pakatan have made in-road into Negeri Semblan and in particular, the Telok Kemang Parliamentary area. What was once a BN stronghold, has PKR and DAP representatives at the State Assembly.
The current and viewed as the most unpopular Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Dato Mohamad Hasan said he is leaving it entirely to the Division Committee to offer several candidates to the PM. Is it really true he is abstaining from interfering? The Division is due to meet on Thursday to decide. But political pundits are placing their money on Tan Sri Isa Samad, the former Menteri Besar.
Khairy - viewed suspiciously by Isa as part of the invisible hands in the grand design to topple him from his Vice President post in 2004 - could only offer a timid advise to choose the right candidate. Strangely, the unofficial UMNO Bagan Pinang blog is full with paraphenalia of Khairy. However, the Bagan Pinang branch is headed by Isa. He is also the Division head for UMNO Telok Kemang Division who returned unanimously recently.
The voices on the ground are loudly and clearly calling for Isa to be selected as candidate. Sentiments for Isa can be partly due to the belief that he was made scapegoat and money politics was merely an excuse in the 2004 party election. Isa had unexpectedly came out the highest in a tight VP race against Muhyiddin, Ali Rustam, Muhammad Taib and other powerhouses in 2004.
Many believed that Isa had to be brought down in a grand design to strengthen Tun Abdullah's faction stronghold on Negeri Sembilan to make passage safe for Khairy. Isa's UMNO membership was suspended for three years by the Disciplinary Committee and automatically removed from his Vice Presidency post.
Those familiar with the case against Isa described the disciplinary process as questionable. Isa's defense and rebuttal to the accusation was rejected outright and not given fair consideration. The proof's presented were clearly frivolous and unsubtantiated.
The committee seemed to have been instructed from "upstairs" to find Isa guilty and dish out a severe punishment. This was not unusual during the early reign of Abdullah. Dato Ibrahim Ali was arbitrarily removed as Division head. Blogger Zaharin Yassin was sacked by the Majlis Tertinggi despite recomended by the Disciplinary Committee for temporarily suspension and after a deal was made to secure his apology.
While in Negeri Sembilan, Mohamad Hasan or Mat Hasan as he is usually refered to failed miserably as Menteri Besar. He was seen as giving control on the state and party matter to his elder brother Azman. In a recent closed door state UMNO pow-wow with Muhyiddin, he was openly criticised by participants for his family cronyism practises to place his family members all over the place.
The general feeling is he is the most unpopular Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan had ever had. He is only counting days. Even in a recent UMNO Rembau annual general meeting, he was howled from the floor during his speech. Sources informed that the howler was removed and beaten up by his Divisional goons.
Consensus within Negeri Sembilan believe that Negeri Sembilan BN's poor showing in the last General Election was attributed to the anger in the treatment of Isa, the resentment towards Abdullah and Khairy, and Mat Hasan factor. BN is administering the state with only a three seat majority.
Isa's Telok Kemang Division to lost three ADUN seats to Pakatan. It could be out of sentimental factor that Isa is sought after to stem this slide. Many in the party long for the day that Negeri Sembilan was a BN stronghold state under the "reign" of Isa.
The decision is left to Najib but it is a tricky one. Political pundits are saying the choice is Isa Samad or lost?
Najib can't afford to keep using the excuse that BN lost in a strong opposition area. Before the current situation, BN are usually near invincible during by-elections and would only lose to big name opposition candidates.
Another tricky part is Isa represents the preservation of a war lord culture and inhibits Najib's plan to meremajakan UMNO by injecting fresh new blood. As it is, many believed that former Ketua Pemuda Telok Kemang and son, Najib Isa is a choice and so are one or two other.
Maybe Najib has to face up to political reality on the ground and make Bagan Pinang an exception.
An Isa win could destabalise the internal state politics within UMNO. Mat Hasan could take that as a signal from above to oust him, although it is unlikely for Isa to make a return as MB.
Perhaps the way out of it is to maintain Mat Hasan as MB but Isa as Ketua Perhubungan UMNO. Isa is a seasoned and popular campaigner for the rural constituents. His role could play could be confined strengthen UMNO and BN in Negeri Sembilan. Mat Hasan be brought to Federal level or if no more viable, replaced in the next General Election. That would put Khairy's position in an uncomfortable spot in Rembau
The biggest question would be: Is Isa qualified to meet the current political senario? In addition to the tattered image of money politics, there are those that see Isa as a misfit today. The revival in support for Isa is seen as factional reaction against Mat Hasan.
Isa will certainly have to explain what he meant by those 2,000 delegates answerable to him at Padang Mahsyar said on the last day of the UMNO General Assembly of 2004.
Many worry that PAS would capitalised on his money politics past. The saving grace this time around is PAS will not dare play character assasination against him. It will be severely retaliated, especially if BN is on the losing, as what Mahfudz received in Permatang Pasir. A personal attack on an established politician could backfire. As veteran, Isa is quite capable of taking and dishing back insult even with Anwar Ibrahim.
Some amendment proposed for the new UMNO Constitution seek for local Division to choose their election candidates. Helicoptering candidates seldom lead to disaster and stifle local machinery.
Isa is unquestionably the popular choice but it leaves the party stuck in old school way of doing things. Something Najib wants to move on from.
But this is where realpolitiks or the reality of politics. After all the analysis, rhetorics and intelectualism, it will come down to votes delivery. When it is down to the crunch like this, it is a question of winning.
After all, isn't Anwar an ex-convict indicted for abuse of executive power to instruct police officers to turnover allegations made against him?
In the meanwhile, Khairy may have to just keep quiet and helplessly look at the prospect of Isa returning from the dead.
* Edited 9/9/09 10:30 PM
he is a good candidate.but like you have said it,"luah mati bapak,telan mati mak".....simple solution is that to choose what the ground forces requested.He is a good leader and politicans.as for kj,just leave him slip into oblivion and if PAS, PKR or DAP starts character assasination,we shall kill them with the same ammo..and eye for an eye.
ReplyDeleteAt least we now know your pontification on money politics is a biggest load of crap. Who cannot forget Isa Samad's famous padang Mahsyar speech. Your getting sloppy in your spinning, learn from the pros how to do a good stitch job :-)
ReplyDeleteIf BN nominated either Isa Samad or his son Najib, it will be 8-1 to opposition.
ReplyDeletego TS Isa go....
ReplyDeleteanon 8:16 pm
ReplyDeleteYou must learn to diferentiate an opinion piece and a reporting piece.
This is a neutral reporting piece and merely presenting the fact as it is. All the facts are there even the padang mahsyar remarks.
That is what the grounds are talking. But the party reformaist are uncomfortable.
Where did you get the notion I am spinning and forego my position on money politics?
Well what is your opinion then on TS Isa Samad making a comeback? Will you support him, stay neutral or condemn him as vigorously as you have condemned others accused of the same crime by your own party.
ReplyDeleteIs it one rule for your political enemy and another rule for those who are viewed as an ally?
its ok if you dont want to post this, we understand ...
umno strength have always been the grassroot leaders and members. Granted, umno must rejuvenate with young and capable leaders but you dont hear any squablings in TSMI division unlike in permatang pauh. Choose him please
ReplyDeletemattau
A Short note on Anwar Ibrahim
ReplyDeleteAnwar’s biggest problem is that he is hooked on public attention. The real reason why he is really pissed off and wanted to take revenge against Umno is because Tun put him in prison..
He loved every minute of reformasi because he was at the centre of attention but away in prison, he was dying from public attention deficit and that really made his anger grow
Even his CIA handlers are starting to find this trait annoying you see he is not the only one they have lined up for Malaysia, he has a British counterpart that is working for the same agenda, to destabilise the most prosperous and forward looking Muslim state on the planet, Malaysia. In fact Sept 16 was self sabotaged by Anwar because he realized he could not be in full control due to strong resistance from within his coalition
Remember the Indonesian Karate man who was arrested in Malaysia for solicting prostitues?
His friend is sponsoring the Indon riots
Karate man was arrested here and the official line is that he was looking for girls, the real story is that he was looking for young boys, Anwar may want to deny this link but these two boy lovers are linked by fate, their insatiable love for men have made them kindred spirit. Anwar uses his Indonesian network to generate the current hatred for Malaysia, as part of his global assignment…
Anwar’s links in Indonesia goes to the same operatives in Indonesia where the CIA is known to be very active
Anwar is part of the machinery that have been feeding hate messages into Indonesian Media, every maid brutality case is meticulously and religiously forwarded to the Indonesians to be played up by the Media
If there is no good news then bad news is the only news, that is Anwar’s operating tactic in Malaysia, the same approach is being used by the CIA in Indonesia to damage Malaysia’s reputation and the bond between two well known and resolute Islamic countries,
the long term strategy is to discredit traditional Islam and plant one of two of America’s version of Islam in all Islamic states, the hate-propelled Islam of Ben Laden and hi Wahabbi movement and the Orientalist Islam, which is the same as the agnostic movement in the Christian Church where God is just a discussion point, a focal point for their logic driven moral compass
DEACON1957
Given the current political scenario, UMNO will be committing political suicide if it chooses TS Isa who is already tainted, no matter how much his supporters argue about his loyalty, strength, ability to garner support, his good deeds as ex-MB, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt's important that UMNO close ranks in Bagan Piang/NS. In this context, the most honourable act is for Isa to reject any offer to contest, give way to a clean candidate, and show full support and commitment to the selected candidate.
If UMNO and Isa fail to do the above, then the party may suffer a far more devastating blow than it did in previous by-elections. We should already notice by now that DS Najib's efforts to win the support of Chinese and Indian votes did not translate into votes for BN in previous by-elections. We can expect the same thing to happen if UMNO fail to learn this harsh lesson.
Anon 2:39 PM
ReplyDeleteYou don't read so well do you?
This is not an opinion piece. It is for you to make your own conclusion. You do not need me to make a stand for you, do you?
Where is my stand? Well, I already stated Isa was framed. And, I still see he has to answer for the Padang Mahsyar remark.
What I hope is if Isa realised he can't make it, he should pass it to others and support the campaign.
If he could, he should be given the chance but subject to the condition that he ...
Voice,
ReplyDeleteI am the UMNOist, Minang, Classless, Egalitarian and Meritocrat. UMNO should nominate me as candidate for Bagan Pinang By Election.
Shahrom Sutan Panjait
Isa ialah calon yang paling sesuai dan boleh menjamin kemenangan BN.
ReplyDeleteTapi kalau memandangkan pattern mindset gomen sekarang ..mereka akan gunakan congak sekolah rendah. Consultant yang digunakan untuk membuat dasar-dasar setakat ini tidak melonjakkan imej BN. Ini dapat kita tengok kalau calon lain yang dipilih..
Mereka lupa bahawa kehilangan kerusi BN pada PRU lepas adalah disebabkan oleh calon Payong terjun ( kononnya lineup yang akan mengukuhkan kedudukan greenhorn yang nak jadi PK sebelum
4o tahun..Akibatnya terbarai BN.
Pilih calon lain..BN akan kalah kerana pro Isa akan memberikan undi kapada calon lawan.
Isa is a veteran .. from ole school tapi school of hard knocks. Dia dikorbankan oleh TunDol for some reasons or other.
You should listen to Isa..full of wisdom , humor, humility dan lain-lain yang merapatkan pengundi kapada UMNO.
Indians Continue Killing Indians
ReplyDeleteDeath Toll : 2
Raped : Many
Sodomised : At least 2 boys
Cheated : 78
PETALING JAYA: The father of a woman who was arrested over the murder of a businessman has also been arrested. . . Both father and daughter, who were on the same flight from India, were picked up by the police upon their arrival at the KL International Airport at about 7pm on Wednesday.
KUALA LUMPUR: Actress K. Sujatha committed suicide for reasons best known to her, her family’s lawyer insisted at the inquest into her death. . . . Vell Paari, the son of MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, had bought the actress an RM420,000 condominium, was a guarantor for her car loan and had financed her two brothers’ education.
SEVENTY-EIGHT Indian nationals who sought refuge in the Batu Caves temple last month have been flown back home by the Indian High Commission, Malaysia Nanban reported. . . He said they were brought in from India to work in Kota Tinggi in Johor, but wanted to return home after being given simpler work with lower pay due to their inexperience at skilled jobs.
KLANG: A commotion broke out at an orphanage at Solok Lanjut in Taman Gembira near here when parents and guardians heard rumours that its founder was involved in the rape of a nine-year-old girl.
The angry crowd broke down the orphanage gate to look for the 45-year-old man. A woman S. Shanti, 46, claimed that her teenage nephew, who had been accused of rape, was actually framed by the founder.
The crowd, mostly single parents and poor people who had placed their children in an orphanage under the man’s care, smacked, spat and hurl profanities at the man while he was being taken to the magistrate’s court to be remanded.
Lets hope that TS Isa can make it and makes it big. After all UMNO needs a victory not some shallow moral pontificating, especially when the whole world knows that the pontificators have nothing to pontificate about. As Lord Denning once said, those who seek justice must come with clean hands...
ReplyDeleteI am for Isa Samad, there are two Samads that we don't need, Shahril Samad and the brother khalid gereja samad. No offends but that the truth......
ReplyDelete