A little extra problem for Johor BN

No new post by my guest bloggers the past few days.

Hmmmm.....

Never mind, I think I better write a bit instead.

Just want to comment a little on this post by Rocky;

Syed Hamid is Mahathir's latest weapon against Najib, really?

For me the worst that Syed Hamid did to BN back then was this;

excerpts -

He was also the Cabinet minister who in 2008 ordered the detention of the Sin Chew Daily journalist under the now-abolished Internal Security Act "for her own safety". 

I believe that contributed a lot to the build up of the 2013 Chinese tsunami.

I remember very well the night when the Sin Chew girl was arrested as I received numerous angry messages from my Chinese friends, particularly those working with the Chinese press.

I also remember Syed Hamid's funny nickname among pro-opposition supporters at that time.

They called him Kodomo Lion, which was the mascot of a child dental and health care products brand name.

They were actually mocking him because his father Syed Jaafar Albar's nickname was Singa Umno (Lion of Umno).

I actually met Syed Hamid quite a lot in the early 2000s.

Personally, I don't mind him so much those days.

He was quite nice to me back then.

My opinion of him however turned a bit negative after the Sin Chew girl arrest incident.

That one was really stupid.

Anyway, that was almost a decade ago.

Now it seems that Syed Hamid may join the anti-BN people.

This is the headline of RPK's Malaysia Today;

Syed Hamid Abandons Najib, now supports Mahathir

It was actually a story by Free Malaysia Today titled; Syed Hamid wants the 1MDB issue answered in Parliament.

I suspect that it has something to do with him being very sore after removed as SPAD chairman recently.

Well, really,

I think if he was really so against Najib purely based on principles, he should have joined Dr Mahathir's team from the start and quit his government post without waiting for them to push him out.

Now is a bit late, I think.

Nonetheless, as other people say; better late than never.

The more important question now is; how much damage can he contributes against BN if he really joins up with the opposition?

Bear in mind that he has yet to say outright that he's joining them, okay.

What ever it is, let's just assume the most extreme scenario.

Well, Syed Hamid was the MP of Kota Tinggi for five terms from 1990 to 2013.

He was still leading the Kota Tinggi BN machinery in the 2013 general election even though he was not named as a candidate to defend his long held seat.

He actually did well as Kota Tinggi remained an Umno and BN stronghold despite the advances made by the opposition in Johor that year.

This was among things pointed out in this article;

• Malay unity, the key in Johor for GE14

excerpts;

BN even increased its majority in 2013 at similar constituencies such as Mersing where it won by 15,747, an increase from 13,763 in 2008; Tenggara by 17,169 from 14,049; and Kota Tinggi by 24,574 from 18,961.

Syed Hamid was only replaced by Daing Malek as Kota Tinggi Umno division chief later that year.

Before that, he was considered as one of the more influential Johor Umno warlords at the same level as TS Muhyiddin Yassin, TS Shahrir Samad, the late TS Mohamed Rahmat and a few others from his generation.

As far as I know,  Syed Hamid's influence at the grassroots level used to be very strong in Kota Tinggi, Pengerang and parts of Tenggara.

However, things may have changed now that he no longer holds any political or government post.

Still, it would not be such a good news for Johor BN if Syed Hamid suddenly turns around and says he's contesting Kota Tinggi for GE14 under Pribumi Bersatu.

Even though I expect his chances of winning to be slim, it will cause additional problems for Johor BN.

It would even signalled that even the previously BN's safe outright Malay-majority constituencies on the Johor eastern seaboard are no longer as safe as they used to be.

That's because the opposition has found a real leader to carry out their assault there.

At the very least, Johor BN would have to divert some of its extra resources to the area instead of focusing them at critical areas, especially in the north and south of the state.

Well, I believe the team of MB DS Mohamed Khaled Nordin is already making preparations for this eventuality.

Or are they?

Well, let's just wait and see.