Friday 21 November 2014

An old Johor story and Umno's weakness

This post

Shahredzan will say sorry "only if the AG wants to hear it"


by Rocky somehow reminds me of a rather interesting story told to me by an old friend from Johor.

It's about Shahredzan's father, current Media Prima head honcho TS Johan Jaafar.

It was either in 1996 or 1997.

Johan, who is a Johorean was said to be groomed to be the Johor menteri besar.

At that time Johan was the big boss of Utusan Malaysia.

His Umno godfather who wanted him to take over the Johor MB post was then Umno deputy president DS Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar at that time ruled the mainstream media with an iron fist.

If you don't believe this story, ask Utusan Malaysia editor Zulkifli Bakar for confirmation as he was at that time a journalist based in JB.

Better known as Zul Bakar, he is the one who asked that now popular cheeky question "Apa lagi Cina Mau?"

Ask him what kind of stories he was told to write about then Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

Whenever I think about the plot, I do wonder what would had happened in Johor if it had succeeded.

As everyone knew, Anwar was sacked and jailed in 1998 for abuse of power before the plot could take off.

Johan spend a few years in the wilderness after Anwar's fall before making a comeback and now head the editorial of pro-establishment Media Prima, the biggest media organization in the country.

Strangely though, his son becomes a rabid Pakatan supporter.

Kumpulan pro-Akta Hasutan didesak henti mengganggu peguam Syahredzan Johan susulan peguam itu menganjurkan kempen mansuh akta berkenaan. – Gambar fail The Malaysian Insider, 29 September, 2014.

Anyway, whenever I think of the story, it reminds me of one of Umno's main weaknesses.

Its leadership doesn't know how to differentiate between those who genuinely fight for its struggles and those who pretend to do so for their own vested interest.

Since the Umno general assembly is coming soon, let me elaborate more on this Umno's problem.

The party actually spend a huge chunk of its energy on internal fights for positions within the party itself.

The victorious factions will usually chopped off their rivals from the party.

It doesn't matter even if their rivals had contributed to the party in the fight against the opposition.

Not only they will chop off their rivals but also those they deemed to be aligned with their rivals, no matter how small the alignment.

Here is an example of it: The eradication of Datuk Ghani has begun

Well, if you keep cutting off your limbs because you don't like the way they were, then you will end up with no limbs at all.

That, I believe was what is happening in Umno now.

If those in power don't like you - off to the chopping block with you.

Soon all the good people will be gone.

All that's left will be the cronies and those who are milking Umno for their vested interest.

Kesetiaan dan perjuangan sebenar sudah mula tiada nilai.

40 comments:

  1. Dalam politik, bukan dalam umno sahaja..ada satu undang-undang yang tidak ditulis..." untuk naik anda perlu membunuh "...

    Mencantas, mematikan, menjatuhkan kena dibuat tanpa belas ihsan atau kompromi..

    Ianya lebih baik dari perjanjian atau persetujuan yang biasanya berakhir dengan pengkhianatan...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Itu cara orang tak ada iman.

      Delete
    2. Awak ni macam penjelmaan Machiavelli lah! Satu kesalahan tidak akan di perbaiki oleh tindak balas yang salah juga.

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    3. re, UMNO main weakness .
      It's leadership ,doesn't know ,to differentiate between those who genuinely fight for it's struggles and those who pretend .

      Lu cekap manyak betut Annie , lia olang manyak pelasan ,olang Bulayu tatak akan pilih lain punya lea aa.
      Sikalang UMNO punya leader sutak tatak UMNO lagi maa aa .

      Delete
  2. Hahaha, I like that one, Annie - "if you keep cutting off your limbs because you don't like the way they were, then you will end up with no limbs at all."

    UMNO's Hudud ah?

    However, I must point out that all political parties got whacking one another among the factions. MCA's one had caused them losing so many seats until they got only 7 in PRU13. PKR's one got Amwarul Al Juburi humiliated, the Kajang Move hopefully becoming the Sg. Buluh Move. DAP's one got the party's CEC not recognized by RoS for 2 years, risking it being de-registered.

    But what you write about UMNO's one is interesting. 2 days before Tun Dr Mahathir is due to speak at a PERKASA event on 23 November.

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  3. Much awaited that Tun Dr Mahathir speaking at PERKASA event on 23 November. I'm hoping it'll be a bombshell like no other. Sending some bloke sputtering to replacement and UMNO's rejuvenation.

    I don't know how else other than changing horses can the party get back to its original aims and objectives, bringing back the support it has lost since TDM's 2/3 Parliamentary majority. Never mind changing horses mid-stream. It'll be too late if it happens when the boat has sunk.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tun can talk as loudly as he want, nothing going to change. Najib will only listen to his master (he also listen to his wife). Mahathir is no longer the master of this country, it was overtaken by something bigger. Who? Find out for yourself.

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    2. His master? Who?

      Talk riddle riddle, budak kicik ka?

      Delete
  4. Ooooooo, the Shahredzan bloke is the son of a former Utusan boss. I thought some Shahrizat kind of ancestry claiming some link with Iran or something when cracking jokes at a conference in India. Might have developed his Al Juburi posture when the father was in the wilderness for being Al Juburish.

    I love that Al Juburi title. That which Mat Sabu beri when Anwar was in UMNO. Now Mat Sabun is licking Anwarul's assol. I must confess that my love for the Al Juburi title came out of hate for Anwarul's divisiveness on the Malays and the Malaysians in general.

    Anwar may be jailed for 10-15 years. But the momentum against UMNO is rolling. Really, UMNO must find a new head. One who appreciates that achieving a developed nation status regardless of the rights and the interests of the Malays only please the pendatang. And they are not going to change much from the Chinese tsunami situation of PRU13. The title ungrateful ingrate has not been used for nothing. Remember, even MCA-owned The Star is Opposition-inclined at times.

    Yet in the process of rushing to developed nation status, the interests of the Malays get marginalized. And BRIM this and BRIM that won't mend the huge dent on UMNO's image Al Juburi has created these 16 years he has been in the wilderness.

    Some one wondered in the previous post's comments why the delay in Anwarul's appeal decision. I have been wondering, too. Obviously the announcement of the decision will be made after the PAU. Hope to God it'll not be an unfavourable decision.

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    Replies
    1. I think if Muhyiddin is at the helm, he'd call the MCA and tell them to rein in the DAP-leaning blokes in the Star. Like he would of any Oppo Hippo-kinked blokes in the UMNO owned news organs.

      He's a no-nonsense kind of fella. He looks like one, too. He made History compulsory in schools. A huge feather in his cap. We can hope for solid nation-building measures under his leadership.

      Delete
  5. You previous post "The eradication of Datuk Ghani has begun" says those in control of UMNO Johor are "beraja di mata, bersultan dihati". I think that's correct. In more ways than one.

    I'd like to say more. A whole lot more. But risk becoming seditious. So I'll avoid saying them. I'll repeat your message that if things don't change in Johor UMNO leadership, it'll lead to disaster. Khaled being a one-term MB is not the issue. Johor UMNO's downfall is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saya dah malas nak balik Johor sekarang nih. Banyak mengarut di negeri tuh. Di KL ni pun dah macam macam orang cakap - pasal pasir, pasal tanah dsb nya. Sungai Seget masih busuk menaus. Bukan saja air nya, tapi juga suasana di sekitar nya.

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  6. Waaah, Annie, I think you are very knowledgeable on Johor UMNO politics. Deep insight on wide-ranging issues on Johor UMNO.

    And very smart, too, in not exposing too much on the sensitive sandy issues. You sound wise and much older in thoughts than the 30s I've imagined you to be. At the risk of sounding like a male chauvinistic pig (the term MCP is not much used these days, eh), I'd venture to say that you even sound a well-experienced, well-connected elderly male.

    Working as a team at times, eh? Whatever it is, your concern for Johor UMNO is well founded, I think. I join you in expressing that concern. I sometimes feel like going to Timbuktu and teach. Like my Geography teacher used to say when berating us for not listening to what he said. But this is my country, Malaysia. Besides, I'm scared of the AK47-touting Tuaregs on horses, and Swahili sounds a very foreign language to me!

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  7. With heartfelt apologies to my Malay friends I would like to say that many of us Chinese in the MCA are all too aware of what Ms. Annie presented in this posting. Since Mr. Anwar's time many of his favoured colleagues have been put in important places even if there were other better qualified people for the job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Appreciate you acknowledging the problem, my friend. We need to continue expressing our views to make the politicians understand what's at stake.

      I'd concentrate in doing so here. Perhaps you'd like to also put such views in the MCA-heard blogs.

      Delete
    2. Side step a bit, I hope you tell your MCA comrades to vote for BN in the next GE.

      We know what some of your MCA comrades did last GE.

      Delete
    3. Anon 10.03 - why? How do you know that? Aren't votes supposed to be secret?

      Delete
  8. The party actually spend a huge chunk of its energy on internal fights for positions within the party itself.... DR M already said it and most of us knows what UMNO fate in GE 14. It a BAI BAI u know what I mean. PAU 2014 they talk only and baliz zzz then ithen the fate is SEALED.

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  9. What kind of bull thinking is that Syahredzan saying he would apologise to Gani only if the latter "wants to hear it." Does not sound good upbringing.

    "But what's important is I think more than apologising I have actually taken the time to clarify the article which led to the misconception about the AG," he said. Clarifying is as good as apologizing? What kind of mentality is that. And he is a lawyer. Having weird, warped and demented arguments.

    This is the kind of blokes the Opposition is made if. I shudder at the thought of this kind of people getting into power.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The bloke looks like a grinning nincompoop of a lawyer who messes up civic culture.

      Delete
    2. I like the word nincompoop. To use his word, I might "clarify" it as dog's poop.

      Delete
    3. Siapa yang tahu body language - di gambar nya pun dia nampak senget, betul tak?

      Annie ni pun pandai pilih gambar lah.

      Delete
    4. Yeah, the kind of blokes that the Opposition is made of. Anwar's demented argument was that he won PRU13. Even demonstrated here and the on it. Crazy bugger..

      The more reason why UMNO must pull up together to unite. Or blast the other out of existence to avoid further disunity and nuisance. The "other" meaning the one comprising vested interests and disregarding UMNO interests.

      Delete
  10. POLITICAL STRENGTH A RESULT OF GOVERNANCE COMPETENCE OR IDEOLOGY?

    WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KAMPONG SMALLHOLDERS NOW AND THOSE OF 50 YEARS AGO?

    HAVE THEY BEEN TAUGHT TECHNOLOGY AND SKILLS SO THAT THEIR INCOMES HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY - LIKE THOSE WHO RECEIVED KONTRAKS OR HIGH PAYING GLC JOBS?

    WHO DO YOU THINK THEY WILL VOTE COME GE - BN OR PAKATAN?

    Gloomy prospects await Malaysia's economy as the global price of rubber and palm oil continues to decline, but the hardest hit are the nearly half a million rubber tappers and smallholders already struggling with the ever-rising cost of living.

    If previously some could earn up to RM1,500 a month, many now said they could only bring home a meagre sum of between RM500 and RM600 – roughly a 66% drop in income since early this year.

    For Zulkifli Husin, 61, the owner of a rubber plantation in Kampung Peradong, Jelebu in Negri Sembilan, his life is as the Malay proverb says, "kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang" (living from hand to mouth).

    See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/tappers-hit-by-up-to-66-drop-in-income-as-rubber-prices-slide#sthash.MW6CrttV.dpuf

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wah you promoting Malaysian Outsider Oppo Hippo blog ha? Always suspicious what they say in it?

      Other saying about Pak Husin I believe, MI saying it I don't. Twisting info like mad.

      Delete
  11. Cukuplah cerita fasal UMNO. Macam dinosur jugak, tak lam lagi depa pupus lah.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tapi kamu dah memang dinosur. Pergi Trengganu ambik gigi kamu yang Professor tu jumpa minggu lalu.

      Delete
  12. If what Tengku A Rahman said in his book - as claimed by Red Bean kind of comments - is true, that he was toppled by UMNO insiders that led to the race riots 1969, I don't mind another such act, though I don't want another 13 May.

    I haven't read that book, though. I dislike that man a lot. For a number of reasons, among them being the giving away of Singapore to Lee Kuan Yew FOC.

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  13. Yes if what is happening in Umno now goes unabated ... those in power don't like you - off to the chopping block with you ... Soon all the good people will be gone and the crooks rule, maybe some Machiavellian measures are justifiable?

    Ok, we must not think of murder like done by a Deputy Minister to a rival in Gemas a few decades ago, but some other measures that'd topple the leader(s) of those crooks.

    Evidence of corruption, womanizing, sodomizing, etc planted in the right places or exposed in some explosive or highly attention-seeking situations like jumping from a parachute bearing words to that effect on the targeted buggers.

    We might even ask Virgin Airlines Sir Richard Branson to go on a balloon carrying such words. Don't ask the often controversial Tony fella as he will only distract, hehe.

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  14. Fo those who like Bill Murray here's what he said that has relevance to Annie's post -

    “Political parties work to cripple their opponents. They spend all their time in office trying to paralyse the work of the others. They try to stifle. It’s cruel, cruel.”

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  15. Johan Jaafar tu sebelum jadi Ketua Pengarang Utusan tahun 90-an, dia merupakan Pengarah Bahagian Penerbitan kat DBP. Masa dekat DBP tu dia aktif dalam pementasan theater khususnya lewat tahun 1980-an. Banyak theater-theater yang bagus dan berkualiti yang beliau pentaskan. Ada juga theater-theater yang diadaptasi daripda karya-karya besar.
    Kalau korang pergi kat DBP, poster-poster theater tu masih ada lagi terpampang kat dinding-dinding di sana. Hampir kesemuanya pengarahnya adalah Johan Jaafar. And Anwar at that time had a knack for Malay literatures and arts, that's why both of them became buddies. Anwar at that time was MOE minister. Masa tu boleh dikatakan zaman kegemilangan kegiatan seni dan kebudayaan di sekitar Kuala Lumpur. Banyak karya-karya yang bagus dihasilkan pada waktu tersebut.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bukan kah salepas Anwar masuk bidang budaya, bermula lah budaya kuning? Inggeris nya Yellow Culture.

      Nanti lapang aku akan tulis suatu sajak kuning. Akibat Anwar masuk.

      Delete
    2. Sajak Kuning. Untuk Anwar. Dan yang sekutu dengan nya -

      Dari jauh ku pandang kuning
      Ku dekati, gobar di hati
      Aku maju, setapak demi setapak
      Aku tiba, nampak berasap
      Bahru di gubal, bahru di buat

      Aku pegang, lembik
      Aku rasa, panas
      Aku cium, bau busuk

      Anwar baru lepas buat kerja
      Celaka

      Delete
    3. Penerangan berkenaan Sajak Kuning -

      Sajak itu timbul di suatu majallah berjodol Budaya Kuning bila Anwar keluar dari UMNO dulu.

      Delete
    4. Kang kena marah aku nih. Di kata out of topic ke hape.

      Tapi dia orang tu tak sedor. Dah bosan bosan keroje, kena lah ada sikit jenaka

      Takde sense of humour ke korang? Masa rehat minum teh, ketawa le sikit, ok?

      Delete
  16. "Strangely though, his son becomes a rabid Pakatan supporter."

    Yes, rabid is the word. Why Pakatan supporter?

    1. Maybe he didn't learn history. Otherwise would know the value of Ketuanan Melayu as reflected in the system of Constitutional Monarchy, the roles, functions and responsibilities of the YDP Agong, the Malay Rulers, the Rulers Council etc that comprise some 10% of the Constitution. Yet Anwarul Al Juburi talks about the so-called Ketuanan Rakyat, highly seditious and traitorous when taken to mean not wanting the above said Ketuanan Melayu.

    2. He does not know, was not explained and ingrained in his head by his one-time Utusan boss father, the fate of the Malays who were practically ignored economically and educationally by the bloody British colonialists during nearly 100 years of British colonial rule and after independence. Pakatan Rakyat hardly mentions of such Malay interests, DAP has been against NEP, questioning the Special Position of the Malays, caused the race riots of 1969, etc, etc.

    3. Maybe when the father was in the wilderness after Anwar Al Juburi was sacked, later imprisoned, the father poisoned the son's mind against UMNO and the Malays.

    So, what do we do? We keep on whacking such blokes. Promote UMNO and the rights and the interests of the Malays in the process. We form the majority in the country but still backward economically and educationally. We want our share of wealth, educational advancement etc and we must try to get everybody to respect and abide by the Constitution.

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  17. 17.09

    Do you know why even though we form the majority in the country but is still backward economically and educationally? Even with NEP for the past over 40 years?

    Answer: Because we expect advancement without effort... we want our share of wealth etc.

    Yet, when Malays who broke free of the NEP crutch speak (and there more and more of such now) of how they succeeded with own effort, they are branded as tiada jiwa Melayu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 23:47,

      Do you know what I think of you for writing that? Shit.

      1. You said "we" but you are not a Malay. DAP Red Beans and their kind use all sorts of tricks to deceive. And offend. Damn you.

      2. Using the word crutch, tongkat, "crutch speak" and "expect advancement without effort" shows you are non-Malay out to offend. Shit you.

      3. No Melayu will say Malays who have succeeded with their own effort will be branded as tiada jiwa Melayu. You cannot produce one single Malay name, address and phone number who says so. I challenge you to do so. But I know you are ball-less and cock-less and will not produce those of a genuine Malay saying that. You eunuch, male servant of peasant stock whose genitals been cut off to prevent you from disturbing the Emperor's concubines.

      4. Malays have no culture of doing business, only a culture of berdagang or exchange goods for daily necessities or barter trading. Not like Chinese who have the culture of doing business for thousands of years, of taking risks, of weights and measures, of prices, of taking profits, of accumulating wealth, etc. Chinese children hear of business talk even since in their mothers' stomachs - kilos and ounces, prices, profits, savings, buying properties. And will hear so, do business, or aspects of business even if just as employees, until they are dead.

      5. Even with the culture of business, there have been many thousands of Chinese in Malaysia who failed. The bankruptcy notices in the newspapers are full of Chinese names.

      6. Even the Chinese rubber smallholder or vegetable grower think of what they do as a business, calculate every single sen because it's their culture, their way of life. Yet you go see in the kampongs and Chinese New villages how many of them are still leading miserable lives.

      7. Even billionaire Robert Kuok got and used the sugar monopoly tongkat given to him by the Malay-led government after Medeka. Vincent Tan got the Social Welfare lottery license tongkat given by Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin, easy money, became multi-millionaire, yet still asked for football betting license tongkat which Najib decided not to issue.

      This post has been overtaken by a new post and not many read the comments here any more. Otherwise I'll write yards to shit you some more. You shit fellow.

      Delete
    2. So, are the Arabs better at business than the Malays?

      Seems to me that the Arabs have had no qualms about doing business with the Chinese. Or the Indians. Or the Mat Sallehs.

      Of course, when you have oil wealth to back you up, the world is your oyster and you can do business with anybody, without complaining about "handicaps, backwardation etc.

      Fast forward another 50 years and I am sure that there will be many more excuses to trot out!

      Delete
  18. 23:47

    "We form the majority in the country but still backward economically and educationally." - was from the last para of your 17:09 post.

    Should this Malay lady, the author of the following article, who has made her mark as an international class boutique hotelier - be lauded?

    This little Malay ripple that joined the tsunami

    Read more: http://www.fz.com/content/little-malay-ripple-joined-tsunami#ixzz3JlCOLZjF

    PS. You have been defecating so much and continually, that it is a wonder that you have not succumbed to dehydration.

    ReplyDelete