It was meant to persuade Dr Mahathir to stop his criticisms of the Johor Ruler and the State government.
Dr Mahathir has been at the forefront in the fight to end the excesses in Johor, which reached its climax with the enactment of the controversial Johor Housing and Property Board Bill which would have given the Sultan of Johor direct executive power, which is repugnance to the Federal Constitution.
Dr Mahathir's open criticisms, particularly over the large-scale selling of State land by the palace to foreigners had led others, including pro-establishment blogs and mainstream newspapers to do the same.
I was informed that the Khaled's administration had scrambled a crisis management action plan to deal with the crisis.
The action plan had identified that the key in diffusing the attacks was to neutralise Dr Mahathir's criticisms which was believed will be able to eventually shut down the other critics.
It was with that in mind that Khaled's people had approached the Dr Mahathir's camp to set up the meeting between the Sultan himself and the elderly statesman.
They believed that Dr Mahathir, despite his criticisms, has a soft spot for the Sultan of Johor and will eventually relent and ease off his criticisms if they meet in person.
So far, the Khaled's people had been told that Dr Mahathir is engaged with other matters and have no time yet for such a meeting.
What ever it is, I am confident that Dr Mahathir will not abandon Johoreans in this matter. His strength and commitment to save Johor, as far as I am concerned, is unquestionable.
Meanwhile, the harsh criticisms leveled at the Sultan of Johor and the State government over the various issues made known to the public of late had taken a heavy toll.
It was obvious that the State government's attempts to explain itself to Johoreans over the various related issues had failed.
The rumbling on the ground was real and getting louder.
The Khaled Nordin's crisis management action plan had also been devised to handle this.
The first step, I was told, was to neutralize Utusan, the Malay language newspaper which open criticism is causing the most damage among the rural Malays.
This move took top priority as the Sultan of Johor was recently about to embark on the annual Kembara Mahkota Johor trip which was to take him to several places in the rural Johorean Malays heartland.
It was understood that top editors of Utusan were summoned for an audience with the Sultan on the side of the recent Rulers' conference in Kuala Lumpur.
I was not informed what were offered to the Utusan editors but the most obvious result of that meeting was that the newspaper had given an extensive coverage of the Kembara Mahkota Johor.
Despite that, the crisis had adversely affected the mood of the just concluded event. Those who were present during the three-day trip of the Sultan had told me that the atmosphere was not as festive as it used to be in previous years.
Still it was a good move to neutralise Utusan as if it had continued with its criticisms, it could be fatal for the Johor establishment.
The next step is to engage another major media group - the NSTP, in particular the NST newspaper which editorial had been harsh on the State government as you can read here,
A dying newspaper's take on Johor crisis
and a brave article here,
The people must come first
which was written by the NSTP Group Managing Editor Datuk Jalil Hamid himself, seen here with PM DS Najib Razak,
As for the social media, particularly the pro-establishment blogs, which have been critical over the Johor crisis, I was told that a substantial amount of financial allocation had been set aside to neutralise them.
It was understood that the Khaled Nordin's camp was not particularly worried about criticisms from the opposition side as they were hoping that they will only go on the attack mode only when it nears an election.
I'm sure the good doctor does have more important things to do, like going to the toilet. Credit to the former PM for still agitating and fighting for principles, but the guy is almost 90 years old. Surely it's about time the other Johor warlords step in to stop this behavior before their interests and UMNO's are damaged beyond repair?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteAnon 23:59
DeletePlease write something proper and comprehensible and I will publish your comment.
aik? xkan harapkan orang kedah (Tun M) kot nak tolong johor setelkan 'taik' yang bersepah di Johor? Kata sebelum nih melayu johor moden, x macam melayu negeri lain. Sebab melayu johor terlalu moden kot yang depa syok dok pi jual tanah kat cina singapork?
Deletep/s: Masa Mukhriz bertanding untuk jawatan naib presiden UMNO aku ingat lagi majoriti cawangan UMNO Johor tolak mukhriz. Bila ada masalah nak pula minta tolong Tun M (Ayah Mukhriz). X malu ka?
ReplyDeleteNever mind ,if they want to neutralize everybody , but don't forget the rakyat has eyes to see ,ears to hear and brain to think , the fate of the government, state or federal , are in their hands ,they are the one's to decide.
Leaders may come and go ,but rakyat remained , selagi ada bulan dan matahari.
Now tt' eyes are open and can see. Niw tt can join pr whose eyes are opened ling ago
DeleteKhaled buat kerja bodoh.
ReplyDeleteHe is going to have to spend years to repair the damage. Kalau tak buat damage kan tak payah repair.
When the rakyat is pissed, the chief administrator will be pissed on.
Annie
ReplyDeleteMohon bertanya lagi ...
1. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin ini sebenarnya Menteri Besar kepada Sultan atau Menteri Besar kepada rakyat? Tindakan dia cuba me'neutralise'kan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, suratkabar dan bloggers mempamerkan bahwa dia berpihak kepada istana.
2. Bagaimana pula DSKN menangani persepsi rakyat dalam hal ini. Jika di masjid- masjid ketika ini mereka sudah tidak mengaminkan doa keatas Sultan dan kerabat, saya beranggapan the damage has been done. No amount of damage control can help the state government. Lagipun soalan-soalan mengenai tanah yang diberikan kepada istana yang bermain-main di fikiran rakyat ketika ini masih belum dijawab beliau.
3. Satu lagi, crisis management ini sepatutnya untuk krisis yang bukan dimulakan oleh Menteri Besar sendiri. Dan tugasnya untuk mitigate krisis atau menjangka sesuatu sebelum ianya berlaku, bukan selepas ianya terjadi.
Wurawari
The sign is obvious that UMNO and the palaces will lose its relevance, as far as the rakyat is concerned, in two or three generations to come. What better way to go that to amass enough wealth to compensate for the loss of standing.
ReplyDeleteWe will see more of this pilferages in days to come.
Annie, a garage and servicing facility for 80 cars is being built for the royalty at Istana Pasir Palangi at the cost of RM14.2 million borne by the Rakyat's money. The structure will be air-conditioned for 24 hours each day. The electricity, maintenance and the people employed will be borne too by the State Government.
ReplyDeleteThe Rakyat's money has been spent for the renovation and expansion of all the palaces at a cost of more than RM130 million, part of which is a loan from the Federal Government.
The State's Johor Civil Service have been made used of with threats of demotion. The State Secretary is ineffective in defending his colleagues at times of need for fairness and just resolution.
The Sultan is in control of everything in Johor. His sand business exports to Singapore by land and by sea is free from levy. So much loss for the State Treasury.
Contracts for the renovation and refurbishment of the Palaces are being given to the foreign Chinese contractors. This includes landscaping.
All lands alienated to the Sultan directly and indirectly are of freehold. Daeng Malik is the mastermind and has virtual power as the Sultan or Menteri Besar. Wait and see on the outcome of the reclamation works of the Forest City. The land was first alienated to KPRJ thence immediately transferred to Daeng Malik's company.
We need the Internal Security Act to stop this high end robbery. Tun Mahathir please help us in order for us and our children and grandchildren to survive.
The next move is to declare Hudud in Johor in order to remain relevant.
DeleteHampeh!
DeleteSiapa makan gaji buta? Pm atau bekas pm? Why umno elect some doing nothing but get paid?
DeleteOrang melayu di pendalaman bukan boleh di perbudakkan seperti dahulu lagi. Mereka lebih percaya kepada anak-anak mereka yang berhijrah ke bandar dan telah celik kepada kerenah pemimpin-pemimpin. Mereka mungkin menadah tangan mengaminkan doa khatib semasa khutbah jumaat tetapi berapa kerat sahaja yang faham dan ikhlas. Mereka cuma takut ditampar sekiranya ada talibarut pemimpin yang melihat mereka tidak menadah tangan. Harta yang Allah turunkan di bumi ini adalah untuk semua rakyat, bukan untuk segelintir kecil mengaut harta untuik berlibur dan bersukan.
ReplyDeletePercayalah, terus lah berdoa supaya keadaan ini tidak berlarutan, pertologan Allah pasti akan tiba, insyallah.
Annie
ReplyDeleteIf this is true, then -- as always and forever till the end of time -- the rakyat will be shortchanged by the leaders in government, the sultan and even the hopeless opposition whose voice in the state assembly haven't been heard.
Temagi
Diriwayatkan daripada Usamah bin Zaid r.a katanya: Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda: Ketika aku berdiri di hadapan pintu Syurga ternyata kebanyakan orang yang memasukinya ialah dari kalangan orang-orang miskin. Aku juga melihat para pembesar sedang ditahan kecuali penghuni Neraka, di mana mereka diarahkan terus pergi ke Neraka.
Delete"As for the social media, particularly the pro-establishment blogs, which have been critical over the Johor crisis, I was told that a substantial amount of financial allocation had been set aside to neutralise them."
ReplyDeleteIn that case how much they offer to neutralize you, Annie? he he
Utusan has been neutralized. The latest criticism by Dr Mahathir was not reported by Utusan.
Last time Utusan quarelled with Air Asia and it was neutralized also judging with the many ads of Air Asia published in Utusan.
I don't know whether diesel smugglers try to neutralize Utusan too who have continued with the reports daily on those smugglers.
It seems everybody has a price. Everybody needs to eat.
The crisis becomes worse under leaderless Najib.
Let the good doctor speaks his last breath. Tun had tried to forge a wedge between the Sultan and the rakyat before in his 22 years of reign as the PM. If u are not a Johorean, u will never understand the Sultan who is a ruler with a pot of gold! The Sultan may rule the state with an iron fist, but he always has a soft spot for his subject, irrespective of race and religion. Nothing to worry, Johor is in good hand and the rapid development of Iskandar Malaysia will be the envy of other nations in the region, if not the world. Daulat
ReplyDeleterapid development of Iskandar Malaysia? yes, but who benefited?
DeleteThe people who are complaining are those that did not get a cut in all the projects in Johor. That's the whole truth..dont blame the Sultan please.
ReplyDeleteAnon 13:01,
ReplyDeleteTahap anda berfikir, begitu 'mudah'!
Macam cara berfikir anak anak higusan, "kalau tidak beri yang dikehendaki, merajuk atau paling klasik menangis!
Hidup di alam dewasa dan matang lebih rumit dan softikated! Tidak terfikir kah anda bahawa mereka menentang kerana,
I. sayangkan negara dan golongan berkuasa supaya mereka tidak dicop tamak dan akhirnya dibenci rakyat!
ii. menyelamatkan negara daripada dicerobohi dan dicuri hasil mahsul secara terang terangan dan dihalalkan oleh golongan yang menjadi gunting dalam lipatan!
iii. Negara akan tergadai kepada kuasa asing sama ada secara politik atau ekonomi. Tidak nampak lagi dengan contoh yang jelas dan nyata, Singapura. Singapura dahulu adalah di bawah kekuasaan Kesultanan Johor. Baca sejarah mengapa kini Singapura menjadi negara asing dan di bawah kekuasaan Cinabeng lagi!.
Banyak lagi alasan. Cukup dengan 3 alasan di atas.
Dan paling penting apabila kita memakan hasil secara tidak sah, setiap darah daging yang tumbuh daripadanya, di situlah tempat maraknya bakaran api neraka!
So should we follow the system Mahathir set up then? Need to pay a visit to every level of UMNO, let them makan puas puas, then if you are lucky, after years of waiting,then you get the projects? Please be sensible la people. I dont understand the hate coming from Malaysians especially those who are not residing in Johor to be complaining left and right about the progress in Johor.
ReplyDeleteWhy must Mahathir instill fear in the Malays? Sampai bila melayu nak hidup dalam ketakutan, takut ketinggalan zaman? Why cant he encourage the malays instead? NEP tak cukup lagi? Effect NEP tak clear lagi?
Fine.. If Johor listen to the malays whining n stop the developments. Then tanah tu terbiar jugak kan? tanah kosong kan? there would be no progress. is that ok? asalkan melayu hidup comfortable is it? is that what you want?
what is the solution then?