If you are a regular reader of this blog, you would know that I have been very critical of the Johor government and the way of Umno there ever since DS Mohamed Khaled Nordin took over the menteri besar post.
You can just type "johor" at the search section on the right side of this blog page to know what I think of things in that state.
I told my friend that I have highlighted most of the defects in Johor and it is now up to Khaled and his people to do something about them.
As far as I'm concerned, I have done my part.
I'm not an attack dog of anyone to keep on barking the same story day in and day out.
I criticised Khaled and his people because I care about the future of my home state and not because I have a personal agenda or to profit from it.
But of course they had marked me as an enemy because I criticised them.
I know that some of my previous blog postings on Johor had been discussed in their meetings and in fact Khaled himself had personally asked people for my identity.
Well, it doesn't matter to me.
At least I know that they received my messages.
It's now for them to decide what to do with those messages
If they choose to ignore my criticisms, then they just have to wait till the next election to experience the repercussions.
It's now half way through the current term. There is just slightly more than two years before the deadline for the next general election.
There is little time left for Khaled and his people to fix things.
I may be critical of them but I have no intention to pile on extra pressure for them to mend their ways during that short period they have left.
I also have no intention to provide the opposition with extra ammunition by keep on harping on the weaknesses of Khaled's administration.
As it is, I know that he is currently struggling to keep things under control due to pressure from all quarters.
Then there is also the ongoing Umno rebellion which is draining support for the party.
Seriously, I don't want to add to Khaled's troubles for now.
I'm not like some of those Umno bloggers who attacked former Johor MB TS Abdul Ghani Othman just weeks before the last general election in 2013 to make sure he leaves Johor.
They never care whether their attacks were actually harming Barisan Nasional itself.
What ever it is, I still think BN is better than the fractious opposition parties when it comes to managing Johor.
Having said all that, if Khaled and his people want to continue the way they are now, then that's their choice.
My reading of Johor at the moment is that, the state will still be in BN's hand after the next general election but the coalition will lose its two third majority in the state assembly while more parliamentary seats (up to 14 from the current five) will go to the opposition.
There are a total of 25 parliamentary seats in Johor.
Current opposition's parliamentary seats in Johor are DAP's Gelang Patah, Kulai, Kluang and Bakri as well as PKR's Batu Pahat.
The parliamentary seats which are in danger of falling to the opposition in the next general election are Ledang, Segamat, Labis, Muar, Tanjong Piai, Johor Baru, Pulai, Tebrau and Khaled's own base of Pasir Gudang.
BN's majority of over 20,000 in Pasir Gudang during the general election in 2008 was reduced to less than 1,000 in 2013.
Yes, if Khaled and his people think they can carry on with the way things are now, there may be more opposition parliamentarians from Johor than those from BN after the next general election.
Oh, by the way, if Khaled is reading this, I hope he realised that his political secretary's favourite tactic of pouring Malay sentiments into Malay-majority hotspots on the electoral maps will not help in fixing things.
Johor Malay voters, especially those in the urban area, needed more than just racial rhetoric's to persuade them.
And one more thing, Khaled, please tell your boys to stop flashing their luxury cars around and playing golf in KL. Don't make it too obvious. People are talking, okay.
As a long-time resident of Johor (I studied at English College in JB when it was still named "English College"), I have watched developments in Johor with interest.
ReplyDeleteYou have pinpointed the present Johor MB.
My question to you is this - how many MBs has Johor had since Merdeka? Why don't you do the roll call?
What has Johor achieved from Merdeka till now? Have Johoreans' lot significantly increased from 1957 till now?
Even now, there are a significant number of Johoreans and Johor residents who travel daily to work in Singapore. Why is this persisting in 2015? Hasn't the Johor economy reached a stage where it can provide good jobs for Johoreans and other Malaysians who have chosen to live in Johor?
It seems to me that you are passing free with criticisms. You have not suggested any concrete measures about the situation can be fixed for the benefit of ALL Johoreans and Johor residents, regardless of race or religion.
You are no doubt aware of the headwinds that are affecting the Malaysian economy which has resulted in, among other things, the plunging value of the Ringgit.
Globalisation, open markets and free trade have placed a premium on skills, talent and Infrastructure. Those who get these right - they benefit. Singapore is an example.
So, I repeat - what are your suggestions to fix what you think has gone wrong in Johor? Bearing in mind the timescale from Merdeka till now.
Haigh, why is this Tebing Tinggi with capital Ts writing such a long comment? Last time complained people writing long ones. Cakap tak serupa bikin DAP kind?
DeleteNow selective short attention span? Or got treatment from the Specialist and now commenting with decency and decorum in here?
Good if so. Will be argued in the normal manner so long as he/she comments in the normal manner.
Will do so in due course.
Read my past postings on Johor for my suggestions and bear in mind that support for BN had been solid in Johor until the Chinese tsunami in the last general election which means that BN must have done good things in the state all those years after Merdeka.
DeleteIs this Tebing Tinggi guy contributing towards this post at all? I don't think so.
DeleteHe began by saying he is an old timer, then he asked Annie to do a roll call on past Johor MBs. Instead of doing it himself as an old timer and saying out his points, if he had any on that score.
And he asked many questions, hardly giving out his views. Then he criticized Annie for being free with criticisms. Accusing Annie of not suggesting any concrete measures and Annie has rightly pointed out the many suggestions she had put out in the past that he should read.
He just pointed out that many Johorians working in Singapore and high falutin' talk about headwinds, yet not a single view or suggestion as to what should be done.
Red Beanish of a different kind, I'd say.
"which means that BN must have done good things in the state all those years after Merdeka."
DeleteReally? That's your argument?
And what's your argument, 17:07?
DeleteYes, the Tebing Tinggi bugger is DAP Red Bean-ish. He hits and runs. Won't dare come back and argue. Wants to just distract attention from the blog post.
DeleteLet's see if he/she does after this dare.
Resident in JB since "English College" days konon.
Anon 4 Nov/15:28 & Anon 4 Nov/19:43
DeleteBring it on, dudes. If you want a debate, let us debate.
I am not "chickening" out. Are you?
Hahaha, good the Tebing Tinggi bloke is responding to the challenge.
DeleteBut be sure you won't resort to short-attention-span mode you displayed the last time you appeared in Annie's past post - complaining people making long comments, ok?
Now I challenge you to state what your points were in your first comment in here. You did not state views but merely asked all sorts of distracting questions.
I am waiting.
Anon 5 Nov/07:22
DeleteGood try, but no cigar. Sorry, dude - go try and pull that "challenge" on someone more credulous.
Why don't you take a shot at answering my "distracting questions"?
We can do this dance any time, brudder.
What is happening is symptomatic of what is happening elsewhere, the Sultan selling land to Chinese. That was why the Malays got rid of feudalism.
DeleteMalays have to continue fighting for equality and fairness. The cheek of TMJ wanting to take Johor out is exactly that.. no freedom Johor land to sell to chinese
The Tuanku Sultan? What does he say about all these?
ReplyDeleteAre we not a constitutional monarchy?
Delete
DeleteWa tak tau lea aa ,apa macam tinggi punya olang tengok sama ini Johor maa aa . Kechik punya olang sutak macam sutak tak ada tempat ,semua celita busat-busat punya maa aa .
Busat punya olang bolih buat apa saja maa aa , lumah punya tempat pon bolih jadi niaga punya tempat ,kechik punya olang bolih tengok saja maa aa . Kalau kechik punya mau niaga kueh ka lepan lumah mesti tatak bulih punya ,besut punya olang juat keleta tatak apa punya .lea aa . Johor Balu satak macam tatak law maa aa .
Manyak susah maa aa ..
No need to bring the Sultan into any political discussion.
DeleteHe is above politics.
Malaysia is definitely a constitutional monarchy, like Britain is. Our constitution was patterned on the British written and unwritten laws, magna carter and all. Suited to our local conditions.
DeleteBritain has the Queen. Malaysia has the YDP Agong, elected every 5 years by the Malay Rulers. The Queen does not get involved in politics. So does the YDP Agong. Ipso facto the Malay Rulers. They have positions that are higher than politics.
"an attack dog of anyone to keep on barking the same story day in and day out"?
ReplyDeleteI don't mind being one. I would even bite if I can. And I'm not "of anyone". Just my own self, as a free agent. I support UMNO/BN but want Najib replaced.
I have a lot to say about Johor. So much that it's sickening. Unwanted issues also. And at times just tell myself it's not worth spending the time, might as well just concentrate on Najib's 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion.
But will say a bit about Johor especially now that the Tebing Tinggi fellow has shown up. Coming up.
Anon 4 Nov/14:04
DeleteWhat is the "bit about Johor" that you want to ventilate now that yours truly has "shown up"?
Is it about "meritocracy", "competition", "economic self-sufficiency", "going it alone" or what?
That some of your previous blog postings on Johor had been discussed in the relevant JB meetings and that Khaled himself had personally asked people for your identity does not necessarily mean they have marked you in a derogatory sense, Annie.
ReplyDeleteIf any marking, maybe they are thinking of an award for you - they have been quite free in issuing of Datoships etc, haven't they? You must have said things in a constructive manner, or even puji a bit here and there.
But surely they are not so "unfreedom minded" like Najib's boys and "hidden hands" are they?
But good that you have your record of what you have done for your state. Ask not what ...........
This may be a drastic suggestion for Khaled re the urban voters. Help get the 1MDB and the RM2.5 billion resolved by supporting Muhyiddin.
ReplyDeleteThe urban voters are not stupid, they are pretty well-informed, the warong and whatsap chit chat do make regular rounds. Even kids now say Ya Allah, gitu banyak duit, dari mana, nak buat apa? And the elder ones say Muhyiddin orang Johor.
Of course there was hesitation to join the Najib bandwagon when Muhyiddin was dropped from the cabinet. But there are many dissenting voices among the UMNO branches and quite a few Bahagians. And after all there is the "extraneous factor" or "hidden hand" Johor style also playing a part.
If he throws his lot with the Muhyiddin camp, he sure will get the sympathy of the majority of Johorians, irrespective of the UMNO Bahagians that have benefitted from the RM2.6 billion.
After all, even Shahrir Samad of Bahagian Johor Bahru, who has admitted receiving RM1 mill from Najib, showed support for Muhyiddin by saying that things will hot up again if UMNO HQ takes action on him.
Is Khalid vying a high post like VP such that he would not go against Najib in the matter of Muhyiddin?
DeleteNot supporting Muhyiddin would surely lose UMNO/BN many votes at PRU14. Semangat Johor is like semangat Pahang, Trengganu etc - not parochialism but just the idea of orang Johor mesti sokong orang Johor. It's simple logic the average voter understands and wants to see.
If Khaled gets his boys to agree to support fellow Johorian Muhyiddin, even delegates from other states voting at party general elections would find him doing the logical thing, appreciate it and give him their votes.
DeleteLead, for goodness sake - don't just go by the wishes of those who may be hoping for the RM2.6 billion. Explain to them, persuade them to see the need to support a fellow Johorian.
Annie,
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese were really duped by Oppo esp by DSAI that they can win the election during GE 13 so came out in full force and even those stay overseas came back to vote.
But through their own ignorance,being urban voters,they voted in contstituences where the number of voters in one urban constituence was equievalant to 3 Parliament seats in the rural areas and that were the reason the Oppo claimed they won election with 52% popular votes but lost the GE
Come GE 14,I think it will be a difference scenerio,the Chinese realised that even 100% of them vote Oppo still Cinese based party cannot win the election,what more with the present situation of Pakatan Harapan,without PAS.It cannot be denied PAS played important roles in Oppo breakthrouh in Johor during last election
Apart from the bickering that the Oppo facing now,the simple minded semi urban voters who voted for the Oppo last time were not that happy with their Reps as they mostly concentrated on issues at National level but their task as MPs in their own areas neglected
Thus I had the feeling that Johor will still be the bastion for BN.....What more with the sign that PAS may be BN friendly during the GE.
I'm hopeful of at least PAS-UMNO "friendliness" at PRU14.
DeleteWhy there 3 levels of government? Member of parliament, state assemblyman and councillor?
DeleteThe above appears to be a sincere question and deserves a sincere answer. That's why Annie's blog is good - ask sincere questions and you get sincere answers.
DeleteWhy there are 3 levels of government - because our country is a federation of many states. At the top is the federal government, then the state government, then the municipal councils.
The federal government is made up of representatives of members of Parliament of the party(or group of parties) that win the majority seats in the general elections.
The state government is made up of representatives of members of the State Assembly (Assemblymen) or Dewan Undangan Negeri that win the majority seats at the state level.
The Municipal councils are made up of Councillors appointed by the party(ies) that rule the state.
Parliament makes laws for the country. State Assemblies make laws for the states. Municipal councils make laws and by laws for the major towns and cities.
The federal government is made up of Ministers led by the PM. They make policies and rule through the Ministries and government agencies under them like the Police, the Army, the MACC etc.
State governments are made up of State Executive Councillors led by the Menteris Besar or Chief Ministers. They make policies and rule through the departments and agencies. The Police, MACC etc in the states follow the policies of the states but where necessary, they follow the policies of the Federal Government. For example, Penang State government wanted to have some kind of "people policing" the state, but the Police there followed the policy of the Federal government which does not allow that and directed the organization be disbanded.
Municipal councils make policies like on housing rules, road and drainage cleaning, garbage collection, etc.
Well, Johor is working on Sunday now. Muslim friendly state, just like in the middle-east, where Friday is considered holy and Muslims go to Mosque for the weekly prayers, just after noon. So far, no religious authority had come out with statistic, whether there is an increase in the Friday congregation or not. That was the main objective when they decided to switch the off-day, anyway.
ReplyDeleteHRH the Tengku Mahkota had hinted that Johore is better-of on its own, out of the federation. In that case, maybe we would not have to worry about Johore falling to DAP, next GE. As a Sultanate, there is no need for politicians, altogether. Whether or not, Najib resign, nobody in Johore cares.
The leading Constitutional Law expert in the country, Professor Emeritus Shad Saleem Faruqi, Professor of Law at UiTM, has pointed out that there is no provision for secession in the Federal Constitution.
DeleteMore can be said but for now let it rest at that.
"Those Umno bloggers ... never care whether their attacks were actually harming Barisan Nasional itself."
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is, in the case of Najib, they care very much and believe that UMNO/BN will loose PRU14 if he is not replaced.
Shits to idiot politicians
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/cMfMKwb5U0M
I like this comment. though lazy to go to the link.
DeleteWonder what % of them are idiot politicians. Those Oppo Hippos practically all are. Those in UMNO, many also are - especially those supporting Najib, 1MDB and and the RM2.6 billion.
Tough to fix. 2/3 majority may be gone or win with simple majority or worst case scenario defeat with also simple majority. Facing another more stronger Chinese tsunami with the support from urban and sub urban Malays. Will see a new MB in making.
ReplyDeleteThat's why many people want Najib replaced. And Muhyiddin takes over - he is Deputy President now.
DeleteIf Muhyiddin takes over, sure UMNO will be strong and Johore's prospects of maintaining status quo at PRU14 are good. Khaled won't have to grapple with the huge problem of the UMNO rebellion in Johor if Najib is replaced.
Those who mark us as enemies because we criticise them are Hitlerites. Or in the modern context, are Kimmies - like the dictatorial North Korean leader Kim. Their names are often Kim Il Sung or Jong or something. Actually they are Kim Ill, period.
ReplyDeleteAt the federal level, they are not only marking those who criticise them, but now want to investigate 7 UMNO members (presumably including Muhyiddin and Tun Mahathir) with a view to bringing them up for discussion by the UMNO Supreme Council or Presidential Council or whatever, and maybe by the party Disciplinary Board.
ReplyDeleteBut all those are farcical, party-faction motivated. Isa Samad and a few others were found guilty of money politics, banned from holding party positions but Khairy Jamaluddin was found guilty, too, yet was not banned. Now about to miss PMship by 40 that he declared he wanted to be but still hopeful despite being declared corrupt by the Disciplinary Board.
Even communist Russia and communist China are not that dictatorial these days, yet UMNO wants to be, right this very minute. Najib must be desperate as the 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion issue has sapped his popularity hell of a lot, such that many have been calling for him to resign or be replaced by UMNO.
They are not telling who the 7 are because they want to make others scared.
DeleteIf not Hitler, must be communist tactic.