Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Is There A Move to Discriminate Zahid?


A Kadir Jasin

JUDGING by the roil in the cyberspace, the Barisan Nasional’s victory in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar on June 18 does not appear to calm the nerves of the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Mappadulung Daeng Mattimung Karaeng Sanrobone), Mohd Najib Abdul Razak.

[REMINDER: No anonymous comments will be published.  Please use Google Account, OpenID or Name/URL. Pseudonym is accepted. Be respectful. No swearing. Thank you.]


Pro-Najib’s bloggers at home and abroad had revved up campaign that former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, wants to replace (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin with (Datuk Seri) Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in a proxy war with Mohd Najib.

By way of explanation, there are two types of pro-Najib bloggers - ones who are paid by Najib’s outfit and those who are not paid but are on his side.

During the by-elections, they trained their guns at Muhyiddin with allegations of infidelity. That probably was meant to stop Muhyiddin from campaigning or to blunt his assault. In any case, Muhyiddin did not campaign openly against the BN.

The Mahathir-Ahmad Zahid narrative could not have surfaced so soon after the latter led the BN to victory in the parliamentary by-elections if it was not been orchestrated by Mohd Najib’s inner circles who handle bloggers and editors of the mainstream media.

Ahmad Zahid, by the virtue of his position as Deputy Prime Minister, was the BN director of operation for the by-elections. He did well for the party but had also taken the advantage to promote himself.

Zahid upstaged Najib in the by-elections
Banners and social media postings bearing his name and pictures outnumbered Mohd Najib’s. There appeared to be a taboo against displaying Mohd Najib’s pictures in the two places.

Now that the by-elections had been fought and won, Mohd Najib can start fiddling with his next task – reshuffling the cabinet.

It is in this respect that the Mahathir-Zahid blog postings come handy. They provide justification for Mohd Najib to act against his new deputy.

Since the sacking of Muhyiddin as DPM in July last year, Ahmad Zahid had emerged as the strongest and the most popular Umno leader with the potential of challenging and replacing Mohd Najib at some future time.

Some say he is genuinely more popular than Mohd Najib. This has not escaped the attention of Mohd Najib’s inner circles that do not really favour Ahmad Zahid because they fear that he might not play ball with them.

Their choice is Mohd Najib’s cousin and Defence Minister, (Datuk Seri) Hishammuddin Hussein. He is weaker and can, therefore, be more easily manipulated.

So they started sowing the seed of discontent and distrust against Ahmad Zahid by letting out bits and pieces of negative news about him including questioning his English language fluency, his past association with (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim and, more recently, his “secret” meeting with Dr Mahathir.

Ahmad Zahid may still be genuinely loyal to Mohd Najib but if ever the crunch comes, a loyal deputy is less reliable than a blood relative.

So the talks that Hishammuddin would be “promoted” and Ahmad Zahid “demoted” in the coming cabinet reshuffle make sense.

Crystal-balling the Reshuffle

For a wider look at the exercise, let me publish an article by the same member of the Kedai Kopi Assembly (KKA) whose two commentaries were recently published here. He wrote:

“THERE are two vacancies in the cabinet; one, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, as the holder (Douglas Uggah Embas) stood for state elections in Sarawak recently and was appointed deputy chief minister replacing, Alfred Jabu, the long serving DCM representing the Dayaks.

The other is Minister in the PM Department responsible for the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), Abdul Wahid Omar. He refused to continue to serve. 

The rumours are two “mamaks” will join the cabinet because  Najib is more comfortable with people of Indian heritage.

It is speculated that Shahrizat Jalil or Kak Ijat to her fans, would get back her old portfolio as her husband (Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail) had been acquitted of the NFC scandal involving RM240 million of which Kak Ijat said she knew nothing about as she never talked to husband about it although they stay in the same house and, presumably, share the same bed.

The new Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali used his discretion to discontinue the case after receiving a letter from defense council, Shafie Abdullah. Apandi told the DPP to stop case and agreed with defense counsel that the accused be acquitted after defense counsel spoke to AG.

The former AG, Abdul Ghani Patael decided to prosecute the accused and the court ruled that the case must go on. The new AG overruled that decision after receiving Shafie’s letter to him. 

In the “bolehland” of Najib and the AG, all appears to be “boleh” (possible).  So there is no reason now not to bring back Kak Ijat as all about her family’s business is “clean” now.

During her absence from the cabinet, their son applied for scholarship to go to Harvard Kennedy School and another “mamak” at the Khazanah approved it because Kak Ijat was said to have written a letter in support of the application.

Maybe the “mamak” at the Khazanah thought Kak Ijat was poor although she is an adviser to PM and enjoys the same salary as when she was minister.  So the son and his wife went to America with rakyat’s money. We all know it is easier to get admission for masters than for 1st degree.

The Indian Muslim Factor

I have nothing against the “mamaks”. From time immemorial, the Indians and later the “DKKs”, have always have strong influence on the Malay Sultanates, the British Administration and later the Merdeka era.

Also references to ethnicity and “asal keturunan” should not be considered offensive since the PM himself declared that he is a Bugis and DPM a Javanese.

Let us face fact. Under Najib, “Mamakputra” with the high-powered “mamak connections” enjoy better privileges than “Umnoputras”. Why should the Malays and the Bumiputras be angry? Mamaks in UMNO are more Malay than Malays. First Lady’s advisors and key officers are also “mamaks”.

Present Chairman of Tabung Haji (Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim) is a “mamak” and is a very successful salesman for second hand cars. He was so good that he could convince the board of TH to subscribe to 1MDB bonds and later bought land at TRX to help out 1MDB.

And when the land purchase was criticised, he said he had a ready buyer and TH would make RM5 million in profit. Now we all know that it was all salesman’s talk. The purchaser never appeared. He forgot that to make an RM5-million profit, he must sell higher than purchase price plus RM5 million and more as TH has to pay RPTG and other expenses.

With time, people forget his promise and now we are told that the PM might bring him into the cabinet and maybe take Wahid’s place as he has been a successful businessman so can advise PM on the economy, which is now in a mess.

By appointing two ministers from the Peninsula, Sarawak will lose one cabinet seat unless PM enlarges the cabinet but it’s OK as, according to PM, in the recent state elections they supported him and 1MDB has nothing to with them. Only the Peninsula people have to pay 1MDB debts. So much for the Sarawakians supporting the PM during the state election. Hope people in Sarawak and Sabah will learn.

Rumours also say the PM will give up Finance Ministry and pass to his cousin, Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.  He wants his cousin to clear 1MDB mess and give more power to him politically. The DPM, Ahmad Zahid may be sent to Education and Najib takes over the Home Ministry.

Remember before he was sacked from the cabinet, Muhyiddin Yassin was at Education when he was DPM. It seems that those the PM does not trust would be sent to Education. PM takes over Home Affairs so nobody will arrest him. Defense is vacant. Shafie Apdal was once Najib’s deputy in the ministry.

Will the Zahid be happy if he is relieved of the powerful Home Affairs?  There is nothing he can do.  He was told to keep quiet. If he does not keep quiet, he won’t be PM. He is actually in a precarious situation. Muhyiddin is Deputy President of UMNO with no powers but will take over from Najib as President with serious implications for Zahid.”

Wallahuaklam.

25 comments:

Zalman A said...


"PM takes over Home Affairs so nobody will arrest him."

HA HA HA!

Sofian said...

Love your Blog. This is a beautiful piece.

kampong lad said...

1. mamakputera
2. umnoputera
3. bumiputera
4. ....bubuh sendiri la.

dt rahman pekan said...

president Obama is d only person who has d secret code 2 activate d nuclear 'red button'. however I honestly feel that najib does not possess d 'red button' resignation code.

so much hv been xposed abt d excesses of d family that it is suididal 4 him 2 abdicate now. only devine intervention can salvage d 'razak/rahah' name. lies n untruths hv a shelve life. it can only b xtended by more lies n untruths. power of incumbency gives one almost unlimited space 4 maneuvering . this is exactly what najib n his coterie of apple polishers/advisers r doing now. however there is a saying that remind us that 'we propose but God disposes'. 'we can plan but God is d best of planners'.

granted that ds zahid does not hv d xperience n d westernized oral skills as compared 2 najib. however he has d religious credentials n business skills 2 compensate 4 d shortcomings. he is a survivor in d rough n tumble of Malaysian politics n najib knows that at this juncture, he is very dependent on zahid n his supporters.

my take is that sooner or later zahid has got 2 make his move n d timing has got 2 b right. he can dream on if he xpects 2 get it on a golden platter.

pls do not discount ts muyid completely. apart from TR, he is d only 'leader' that has d qualities of both najib n zahid.

safiai saad said...

Salam Sdr kadir,mind bending to say the least about your current topics.
I dont know how to begin but certainly this article is surely thought provoking.
I am concerned about your story line, it seemed to me that we are going more psywar rather than political acument.
Honestly I hope the story has the evidence at least the evidence in the making.
thats all I got to say, I rest my case, Sdr kadir,selamat menjalankan ibadat Puasa.

Pakcik said...

What about Tokpa? Heard he is quitting from the cabinet?

A KADIR JASIN said...

Anonymous, thank you very much for pointing out the spelling mistake. It has been corrected. Thank you.

A KADIR JASIN said...

1. Debater Safiai Saad, among other things, wrote: "I am concerned about your story line, it seemed to me that we are going more psywar rather than political acument.
Honestly I hope the story has the evidence at least the evidence in the making."

2. Indeed. Najib's bloggers and faceys (Facebook users) are already undermining Zahid, and the brouhaha about the RM12-million involved in the released of four kidnapped Malaysian fishermen did not help Zahid cause when his explanation contradicted that of the IGP. Until today we still don't know who is telling the truth and who is lying.

3. Pakcik, if it's true that Tokpa is also leaving, then what's left in Najib's cabinet is not much. Like Wahid, Tokpa is a good man in a bad place, a right man in the wrong place. Najib would appoint only loyalists and apple polishers.

4. Rahman jpc, among other things, said: "only devine intervention can salvage d 'razak/rahah' name. lies n untruths hv a shelve life. it can only b xtended by more by more lies n untruths."

5. Based solely on Najib's conduct, the "Razak/Rahah" name has sadly gone down the drain. But they have other children. You knew Tun Abdul Razak when he was on his death bed in London. You also knew the young Najib (and Hishammuddin) when they were schooling in the UK. You knew them because you're an officer at the Malaysian High Commission there. Maybe the Pekan voters would like to hear your stories. And why should they not. You are after all a Pahangite like Najib.

6. kampong lad, it's no laughing matter. It's true that "mamakputras" are more Malays in their behaviour than the "umnoputras". They have to in order to be accepted and trusted by the gullible Melayus.

7. When I was editing the NST, we published an extensive polemic on the "Mamaks" and the "Mamis". But these days you have to be vigilant less you're accused of being racist and disrespectful. You could even be accused of being seditious.

8. Before Merdeka, the issue of ethnicity was widely discussed. The term Mamak was not widely used. They were mostly referred to as India Muslim and the products of the intermarriage between Indian Muslims and the Malays were referred to by writers of the day as "DKK", which stood for "darah keturunan keling" . The intermarriage between Malays and Arabs resulted in the "DKA" - "darah keturunan Arab". The latter were very influential in the political, religious and literary fields. Then there were the "usuerpers". They were Indian Muslims who changed their "son and daughter of" identification to bin and binti, when the British introduced the identity card during the 1948-60 Emergency.

9. I hope this aspect of Malaysian multi-ethnicity is sufficiently taught in schools and studied in the universities. This is part of our heritage after all.

Wallahuaklam. Thank you.

Zed-85 said...

Sallam Dato'

I think some may interpret this piece as an attempt to collide both of them together.

However, If, lets say we put ourselves in Najib's position. By now, he would have come up with an exit strategy.

If I am Najib, with all the investigations undergoing all over the world, I would choose Hishamudin to succeed me. That would make a lot of sense.

Be it Zahid or Hishamudin, both of them are not really PM material.

Geng Mamak said...

Once upon a time, they whispered to TSMY and told him to make his move but he did not. When he finally decided to make it, it was too late. Are they whispering to Zahid now ?

Your support base in politics is never permanent. It can be diluted anytime. Look at all past leaders. Tell me who still has that support base they once had ? Only leaders of today can still work on growing their support base with the help of power and money. A good example is Najib himself.

Is Zahid thinking hard ?

Unknown said...

Salam Datuk,

Zahis was a protege of Anwar Ibrahim. He is wealthy bcos of Anwar Ibrahim and he will continue to be wealthy.

The pro Najib people are worried about Zahid as they still believe he is in constant contact with Anwar Ibrahim. Hv we ever heard Zahid make negative comments of Anwar till now ?. But Zahid did make a few negative comments of Tun M.

I dare say Zahid is a proxy for Anwar in UMNO.

We only have to wait for the rumble.

Zalman A said...


Bangsa Melayu kita tidak ada masa depan- kecuali mereka buang sikap hipokrasi dan menjadikan iktikad Islam sebagai panduan hidup. kedua, budaya kemajuan mesti diterapkan dalam jiwa orang Melayu.

Ini bukanlah penyelesaian baru. 90 tahun dahulu, pendita Zaaba telah menyebut mengenai perkara ini. Dia pun telah memberi beberapa pendapat bagaimana menyelamatkan orang Melayu.

namun nampaknya, kepimpinan yang diberi kepada agama dan pembentukan budaya Melayu , tidak berapa berjaya. ianya memerlukan kepimpinan yang baru. Dalam kalangan orang agama , pemimpin yang membekukan bangsa Melayu mesti jangan diberi tempat dalam masyarakat kita. biarlah mereka memondokkan diri mereka, jangan kacau orang lain.

https://senapangsakti.wordpress.com/2016/06/21/dna-melayu/

Yangretibase said...

Assalamualaikum DAKJ,

Since I am not very well versed in English, I find it very difficult to comprehend your last paragraph of your splendid piece, especially this part "Muhyiddin is Deputy President of UMNO with no powers but will take over from Najib as President with serious implications for Zahid".

I feel very highly obliged if you could assure me the possibility of Muhyiddin Yassin having the chance to become UMNO President which means he still stands the opportunity to become Prime Minister?

I am sorry to say that I doubt your point.
Wassalam.

Grabitt now said...

Datuk,
TSMY believed in his boss's promises and was then chopped.
If Zahis continues to believe in his boss's promises and occasional handouts which are all meant to gull and quieten him, then expect the same fate as TSMY
Politics is grabbing the window of opportunity, leave it too late, then its too late.
Z...d must show and prove he is not so greedy, that he can accommodate the opposition, and reverse his boss's draconian NSC bill and sedition cases as proof that he is more democratic and can work with the alternative media, with the opposition, with the rulers and with rakyat. Then you can bet there will be a dramatic swing in support to him. Try to take over the boss's seat using the same hammer and tactics on the rest will be his downfall.

Zalman A said...


Salam Datuk,

The Opposition continue their sheer foolishness in trying to one-up each other, rather than forming a solid front.

They are doomed.

Mappadulung Daeng Mattimung Karaeng Sanrobone can sleep easy and peacefully.

There a new kind of bangsa Melayu that will take shape under his continued rule - one that is weak, backward, deliberately kept stupid, and who takes pride in upholding the kind of "Islam" that embraces massive corruption with both arms, while being in uproar if the roofs of houses have air vents that look like crosses.

This is called "social engineering", I believe.



UNHCR kerajaan penjajah baru.. said...

Presiden2 UMNO sibuk mencuri, hal ehwal negara dan keselamatan negara tidak terjaga. Terbaru UNHCR mengumumkan 150,000 orang india myanmar sudah sampai ke destinasi terakhir.
Walhal orang putih australia tak bagi pun pelarian yg karam bot untuk mendarat.
Ini adalah isu serius.
Semua ini berlaku semasa si lembut jadi Menteri Dalam Negeri konon. Sepupu Najib.
Nur Jazln dah bantah UNHCR.
Ini tak cukup.
Perancangan dan tindakan yang jelas perlu diambil seperti Australia untuk mengeluarkan mereka ke negara ketiga.
Macam Tanah Melayu ini tidak berpenghuni, sampah yang dibuang oleh budis myanmar dibiar berlonggok di Tanah Melayu.
Tiru Australia. Bayar nakhoda kapal supa jangan singgah di Maaysia.
Bayar meereka supa keluar kerana UN pariah dah suruh kita bagi kerakyatan.
Ayuh jangan kita biarkan Tanah Melayu ini di cemari kerna kelemahan Presiden2 UMNO.

Aku said...

Kadiag, salaam.

Dari tulihsan hang, nampak uruih kelola kerajaan dah pindah dari 'tingkat 4, putrajaya' ke ipad. Langkah ni nampak bagi kebebasan luag biasa untuk depa yg nak api2kan pebencian kaum, terutama pada kaum China. Orang melayu semacam lupa yg mendajai orang melayu, adalah orang melayu sendiri, tak kira laa dari suku Sulawesi ka, Jawa ka, dari India ka... kata2 nista macam 'DAPigs' sangat biadap, dan serlahkan pendidikkan tahap longkang.
Kekeliruan/kebejatan ni munkin akan melengkapkan lagi satu aspek jatidiri kebanyakkan orang Melayu yg dah masyhog, sebagai penyokong dan jagoh dunia dalam bidang risyuah dan penipuan.

Aku

Kawanlama said...

Assalam Datuk & terima kasih atas satu lagi cerita 'dongeng' rekaan penulis bertaraf wartawan negara...he heh he good try Datuk.

Sorry later no cure said...

See how the wind blows. H'sham neutralises the army head, appoints someone else. Twitter king already bought over or going to abandon Z ?
Z all alone like the former deputy, and sooner or later gets kicks out.
Best piece of advice for him is go for it now, or doomed forever.
He has the best support now not only within umno, Dr M will work with him.
Hope he's not a fool, time and tide waits for no man.

Tebing Tinggi XVII said...

Good afternoon, Datuk.

Please permit me to go off-topic for a bit.

2 reports today:

- "Jho Low owns firm linked to 1MDB scandal" (Reuters report, published in the Singapore Business Times)

- "Ex-PetroSaudi exec's lawyers quit" (Singapore Straits Times)

To quote the SST in the report:

"The Singapore lawyers for Xavier Andre Justo, the Swiss national embroiled in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) saga, have dropped themselves from acting any further, potentially sinking the high-profile High Court suit in Singapore which he filed last year.

"A court order issued on Monday by Assistant Registrar N. Ramasamy approved the application by law firm Damodara Hazra to cease acting for both Justo and his firm Justo Consulting in the suit against The Edge media group owner Tong Kooi Ong and two others.

"The court order also allowed the lawyers to serve notice on Justo by dispatch to the Bangkok prison where he is held..."

How will these developments play out?

sukasamasuka said...

Datuk.

Congratulation UK!

UK votes out of EU, according to Sky News.

That is the conclusion of the REFERENDUM.

Perhaps, we can do similar exercise for Sabah and Sarawak too, after 50 years remaining in Malaysia.

Can the new "Opposition Front" bold enough to offer Referendum as one of its election manifestos? Be different, so you can be counted. If the Oppositions behave like UMNO/BN and expect different result, then you are all just fools, not worth a dime to take over Putrajaya....

"Hope people in Sarawak and Sabah will learn."...indeed, we have learnt the hard way, thank you, but again, it's not to late to learn whether we should be together in the next 50 years, if you will.

If UK can do it, so can we.

sukasamasuka said...

Datuk.

"24th June, 2016....Mufti confirms classifying DAP as 'can be slain' kafir harbi.

Pahang mufti Abdul Rahman Osman has confirmed stating DAP is against the implementation of Islamic principles, and therefore falls under the category of kafir harbi.

It is an Islamic belief that kafir harbi refers to non-believers who can be slain for waging war against Islam."

(http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/346463)


PM dari Pahang korup dan gila makan duit/harta rakyat dan negara.

Hassan of PAC dari Pahang, buat kerja gila.

Who is this Mufti from Pahang?...lagi gila!

Waghih said...

AsSalam Datuk ...

Cantik spin tu ...sodap dibaco .
Jgn lupo Tun M pun mamakputra .

Zahid dah lamo bersamo DSN , sojak dari pemudo lai .
DSN menaruh soponoh kepercayaan kepado Zahid dalam jawatan Timbalan PM , Montori dalam nogri dan jugo pengarah prk KK dan SB .
Pokok ehhh Zahid deliver results .
Itu yang ponting .
Dah tontu DSN akan jago baik2 the goose that lay the golden egg ( bak kato omputih ).

Untuk mamak lak ...
Tak kisah lah mano2 mamakputra ...
Mamak kerala ko ...
Mamak bangla ko ...
Mamak nepal ko ...
Mamak rohingya ko ...
Asalkan mereko ni ISLAMPUTRA kito patut sokong soponoh sebagai jamaah kito .

Haghi baik , bulan baik ni kito pun mesti hati baik .
Tapi Mamak kerala yg bernamo Tun M tu sajo yang tak numjuk hati baik ...

Masyallah ... den doakan kebaikan pado dio lah..

Waghih.

Zed-85 said...

Sallam Dato'

Maaf kerana off topik, (untuk perbandingan politik negara maju dengan negara pemikiran mundur.)

David Cameron, PM UK resign. UK telah keluar dari EU (European Union)

Cameron bersungguh-sungguh mahukan UK berada dalam EU dan keputusan rakyat adalah sebaliknya

Oleh kerana keputusan rakyat dalam perkara yang amat besar dalam sejarah UK bertentangan pendirian dirinya, beliau resign.

Sebenarnya, mandat yang diberikan kepadanya masih lagi ada tetapi disebabkan perubahan yang amat besar yang perlu dilakukan untuk masadepan UK, beliau rela-hati melepaskan jawatan demi untuk rakyat UK.

Referendum ini menunjukkan bahawa negara orang kafir UK, perkara yang penting dan masa depan UK adalah ditentukan oleh rakyat. Kuasa mutlak adalah diberikan kepada rakyat UK.

Inilah sebenarnya erti Kemerdekaan.

Dalam referendum di UK, iaitu negara kafir, tidak ada gambar-gambar orang berikan alat elektronik percuma, berikan duit dalam sampul surat, hudud, dan etc bukan-bukan.

UK tidak mengamalkan ideologi "Cash is King".

Buyong said...

Orang tua2 kato "Bodoh tak buleh diajau, coredik tak buleh diikut". Hati kau dah golap jang.

About Me

My photo
I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).