Testing Dr Mahathir's prediction

In the run-up to the Umno election in 2013, I set-up a poll to check on who among the possible vice-president candidates most preferred by readers of this blog.

The outright favorite turned out to be Kedah Menteri Besar DS Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mukhriz won more votes in the poll than that of the other candidates combined.

I had actually expected the outcome even before I set up the poll.

The poll was however not an indicator of the party election outcome as I believe readers of this blog were mostly non-Umno members.

Despite that, I was heavily promoting Mukhriz in this blog with the hope of him winning the post.

At that time, I was worried that if Umno fails to offer someone fresh at the top echelon, the party and BN may lose the next general election.

It was just a few months after the less than satisfying results of the 13th general election (GE13).

My sentiment was that Umno and BN needed to offer something new to the electorate than that dished out during GE13, one of which was a clear willingness to improve such as getting some fresh faces with clean reputation as top leaders.

Mukhriz, for me, fits the bill.

His success in leading the recapture of Kedah from Pas was perhaps the brightest spark from the otherwise dismal BN's performance in GE13.

I had in fact met Mukhriz close to the Umno election and said these exact words,

"Datuk, kalau Datuk tak bertanding dan semuanya status quo, apa lah yang baru yang Umno dapat offer kepada pengundi lepas ni? What are there to inspire people like me who is not an Umno member but support its struggles?"

A few days later Mukhriz announced his candidacy for the Umno vice-presidency.

Unfortunately, he lost. Barely that was.

I believe Mukhriz lost due to the power of the Umno divisional warlords who wield considerable influence in determining the voting pattern of party members in their little fiefdom.

The key words which came from top party leaders at that time was "Maintain the status quo".

And maintain the status quo that Umno did.

I have to admit that I was very disappointed.

It was clear at that time that Umno and BN will be going into the next general election offering the same package.

I believed many others shared my feeling.

Nonetheless, I put the fear of BN losing the next general election at the back of my mind and continue to support the status quo that Umno wanted.

I got no other choice.

That was until Mukhriz's father, former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a few days ago posted this,

UMNO dan PRU 14

and its follow up today,

TIDAK WAJAR MINTA TOLONG DR MAHATHIR

Honestly, I am worried about Dr Mahathir's prediction that BN may actually lose the next general election.

He is after all the most successful Umno president and prime minister of this country.

Dr Mahathir must have some grounds to come up with that prediction.

Suddenly, my fear of a possible BN defeat in the next general election came to the fore again.

Still, I would like to test Dr Mahathir's assertions among you all dear readers of this blog.

I'm setting up a poll to check on your voting preference in the next general election in the event the status quo of BN and Pakatan remains till then.

You can cast your vote at the top right corner of this blog page (unless you are reading this using your smart phone).

Everyone has only one vote.

I think the outcome of the poll may give everyone a clue of whether Dr Mahathir's prediction of a possible BN defeat was correct or otherwise.

Semua orang tolong undi ya.

Terima kasih.

The right side

Reached home earlier this evening.

Received a note just now from a close friend inquiring whether I had switched side.

He was concerned after reading that I didn't feel obliged anymore to defend the administration of PM DS Najib Razak.

Nope, I haven't switched side.

I'm still as always : trying to be on the right side.

It's just that for now, I didn't feel like going out of my way to defend the PM as what I had previously done.

I believe that Najib's people can do that better than someone like me.

In fact, that's the message that I got from them before I went on my holidays.

Therefore, for now, I would prefer to be more focused on writing about what could be good for the ordinary people.

It's not that I haven't done that before.

It's just that previously I was more inclined towards the political side of things.

Now, as far as politics were concerned, I'm just a bystander....or the most, an observer.

I think I needed to cut down my interests in politics quite a bit.

Too much bullshit, that it's getting on my nerves.

Okay, I'm actually feeling very tired at the moment.

Probably jet lag.

Well, I better rest.

Will write a proper posting maybe later tomorrow.

As of now I'm missing my loved ones, especially my mother.

Sorry, I'm really sleepy now, okay.

Nite.

Japanese diary 5 (last)

Tokyo looks nice from my hotel room window tonight,

Earlier this morning it looked rather gloomy though,

My traveling companion and myself came back here from the northern city the previous evening.

Tomorrow will be our last day here.

Earlier this evening we went to Roppongi

Just for dinner and a bit of souvenir shopping.

This has been a good trip, but honestly, I am getting a bit bored over here.

Looking forward to going back to Malaysia.

I will be starting something new once I got home.

New challenges await me.

It's quite exciting, actually.

I will also no longer feel obliged to support the establishment, in particular the administration of DS Najib Razak.

As I previously wrote, I had been deemed by Najib's people as being not good enough to be a PM's supporter in the information war.

That privilege, as I was told, was reserved for classy people such as big time editors and famous bloggers.

Understandable.

I always maintained that I'm just an insignificant anonymous blogger.

So, from now onwards I will be more relaxed and open minded in my writings.

The thought of it was refreshing.

Nonetheless, I do wonder, how many of those people who were deemed qualified to be the PM's defenders are really sincere and will not abandon him when, if ever, the chips are down...

How many of them are actually not mere mercenaries?

Well, never mind...I'm just wondering out aloud.

It's nothing more than that.

It's not my business anymore.

The next time I'll write, I'll be home.

And I think it will be better as I will have more freedom to write whatever I want.

Take care everyone.

A great loss

It was with great sadness that I received news of the passing of TS Jamaluddin Jarjis who perished with five others in a helicopter crash yesterday evening.

For me, JJ was a good man.

I know him as a self made-man, a dedicated member of parliament for Rompin, a great philanthropist and a sincerely loyal right hand man of PM DS Najib Razak.

I first dealt directly with him in 2004 over works and then got to know him as a man better than that was portrayed by the media.

He had many detractors who painted negative pictures of him, but JJ whom I know was a really good guy.

One aspect of him not known by many was his keen interest to help underprivileged and special needs children such as orphans as well as those with autism and other disabilities.

His charity works were mostly kept far from the media limelight.

I believe that his empathy for the less fortunate came from his humble background of growing up in a poor kampung family.

JJ was also much beloved by his constituents in Rompin who repeatedly returned him to Parliament with huge majority in appreciation for his tireless hands-on services as a wakil rakyat.

Since the first time I met him, I got to know that JJ's ultimate ambition in politics was merely to assist his good friend Najib as prime minister.

The last that I spoke to him was about two months ago when he asked a favor from me. The favor was not for himself but instead was for Najib. He wanted me to defend the PM over an attack which originated from the DAP.

If ever Najib had a true friend, I believe the person should be JJ.

My condolences to his family and those who love him.

I would also like to express my condolences to the families and loved ones of the others who died in the helicopter crash.

Alfatihah.

(Note: No negative comments allowed)

A storm is gathering

I have to take a break from writing my boring Japanese diary because of the latest development back home.

Received this from my BF (best friend) via Wassap earlier today:

Bila che det menulis. Wallahuallam

1. Ramalan oleh masyarakat sekarang ialah UMNO dan BN akan kalah Pilihanraya Umum ke-14 kerana terlalu banyak tuduhan yang dibuat terhadap Najib yang tidak dijawab olehnya.

2. Ia bermula dengan kes pembunuhan Altantuya, wanita Mongolia yang terlibat dengan skandal pembelian kapal selam.

3. Dua orang anggota polis dituduh menembak mati wanita berkenaan, dibicara, didapati bersalah, kemudian didapati tidak bersalah dan dibebaskan. Kemudian dibicara semula dan dikena hukum bunuh.

4. Seorang daripada mereka berada dalam tahanan tetapi Sirul seorang lagi berada di Australia. Dia membuat kenyataan bahawa dia diarah untuk membunuh.

5. Rakyat tertanya-tanya siapa yang memberi arahan. Sebagai pengawal peribadi Dato Sri Najib, dakwaan Sirul perlu disiasat untuk menentukan siapa yang memberi arahan. Tetapi selain daripada Najib berkata Sirul “merepet”, tidak ada siasatan yang dibuat. Ini adalah nyawa manusia. Amatlah zalim jika Sirul dibunuh kerana menjalankan arahan.

6. Kemudian kes 1MDB. Tuduhan penyelewengan dalam urusan wang berbillion Ringgit oleh Jho Low telah dibuat dengan bukti-bukti yang jelas. Tuduhan ini tidak dijawab selain dari berkata ia adalah pembohongan.

7. Kononnya aset 1MDB berjumlah 52 billion sedangkan hutang hanya 42 billion. Aset tidak jadi keuntungan sebelum dijual (dicairkan). Kenapa untuk membayar faedah sebanyak 2 billion pun terpaksa hutang dari Ananda Krishnan. Kalau 1MDB tidak rugi kenapa terpaksa hutang. Kenapa wang Kerajaan sebanyak 1 billion diberi kepada 1MDB setelah hutang dibayar?

8. Kononnya wang yang disimpan di Cayman Island sudah dibawa balik. Tetapi separuh disimpan dalam bank Swiss (BSI) di Singapura. Di mana pergi separuh lagi dari 6 billion? Kenapa wang ini tidak diguna untuk bayar faedah 2 billion.

9. Kononnya disimpan di Singapura kerana Bank Negara akan menyoal simpanan lebih dari 50 juta. Jikalau duit itu duit kita yang hanya disimpan di Cayman, apa masalahnya menjelaskan kepada Bank Negara punca wang itu. Lagi pun duit ini dimiliki oleh 1MDB yang dikuasai penuh oleh Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Kewangan.

10. Soalan-soalan lain berkenaan 1MDB tidak dijawab selain daripada berkata asetnya besar. Soal harga tanah Kerajaan yang dibeli oleh 1MDB tidak dijelas. Sudah tentu jika dibeli dengan harga yang murah dan dinaik nilai berkali ganda, aset ini menjadi besar. Tetapi Kerajaan rugi banyak dengan tanah miliknya dijual dengan harga yang tidak mencermin harga pasaran.

11. US$700 juta dibayar kepada Petro Saudi untuk apa? Sudahkah ditentukan Petro Saudi memiliki konsesi kawasan minyak dan gas di Argentina dan Turkmenistan sebelum membayar wang yang begitu banyak.

12. Jho Low dilapor dalam New York Times, London Times dan Sarawak Report terlibat dalam pengurusan berbillion Ringgit duit 1MDB. Siapa dianya Jho Low yang begitu dipercayai oleh Dato Sri Najib. Pegawai Malaysia yang dilantik mengurus dana 1MDB mengaku mereka diarah oleh Jho Low yang mendakwa ia mendapat kepercayaan penuh dan arahan dari Dato Sri Najib.

13. Gambar-gambar Jho Low dan kelakuannya, umurnya yang amat muda serta cara hidupnya tidak menggambarkan peribadi yang menyakinkan orang ramai. Tetapi dia dilapur membeli rumah di New York dan Hollywood beratus juta Ringgit. Kemudian rumah-rumah ini dijual kepada anak tiri Najib dengan harga ratusan juta Ringgit bagi setiap satu kerana kononnya Jho Low telah jumpa rumah yang lebih indah di Hollywood yang harganya lebih tinggi.

14. Dari mana datangnya duit beratus juta kepada Riza Aziz tidak dapat dijelas. Keluarga Tun Razak termasuk Najib menafikan duit ini adalah dari keluarga. Pelaburan ratusan juta dalam filem “Wolf of Wall Street” oleh Riza datang dari mana?

15. Dan banyaklah lagi tuduhan dan soalan terhadap 1MDB yang ditubuh oleh Dato Sri Najib dan dikuasai sepenuh olehnya sebagai penasihat yang tidak dijelas dan dijawab selain dari menafi dan mendakwa semuanya bohong belaka. Laporan-laporan dalam akhbar di New York dan London amat memalukan negara.

16. Sementara itu, walaupun Kerajaan menghadapi kekurangan wang yang besar dan terpaksa hutang, Dato Sri Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri membeli sebuah lagi pesawat mewah. Umum mengetahui pesawat ACJ319 yang sedia ada diguna bukan sahaja untuk tugas rasmi tetapi sebagai kenderaan peribadi untuk Dato Sri dan Datin Sri.

17. Dalam keadaan ekonomi tidak menentu, dalam keadaan rakyat terpaksa bayar cukai yang lebih tinggi, dalam keadaan nilai Ringgit yang menurun teruk, dalam keadaan kos sara hidup meningkat dan rakyat dilanda banjir dan kehilangan ratusan juta Ringgit, Kerajaan membazirkan wang ratusan juta untuk pesawat mewah walaupun sudah ada pesawat-pesawat milik Kerajaan.

18. Cara pembelian tidak dapat menyembunyi bahawa akhirnya Kerajaan terpaksa menanggung beban pembelian ini. Jika syarikat bukan Kerajaan yang secara rasmi membeli, bayaran melalui lease (sewa) lebih tinggi daripada belian secara langsung kerana terpaksa memberi keuntungan kepada pemilik dan faedah yang dimasukkan.

19. Selain daripada ini dasar-dasar pemerintahan Dato Sri Najib terhad kepada pemberian wang percuma, menimbul kemarahan orang Melayu dengan mengenepikan Dasar Ekonomi Baru kerana ingin mendapat sokongan orang Cina. Namun penolakan BN dalam PRU 13 membuktikan orang Cina tolak pemerintahan Najib.

20. Sesungguhnya rakyat, baik Melayu, Cina, India atau suku kaum Sabah dan Sarawak sudah tidak percaya lagi kepada Dato Sri Najib. Ahli UMNO dan pemimpinnya perlu sedar bahawa UMNO dan dengan itu BN akan kalah jika Dato Sri Najib memimpin UMNO hingga PRU 14. Apabila UMNO kalah, orang Melayu akan kutuk kepimpinan yang menjadikan parti keramat ini begitu lemah sehingga ditolak oleh bangsa Melayu sendiri. Sekali UMNO kalah, ia tidak akan dapat dipulih semula.

21. Ramai juga ahli dan pemimpin UMNO yang setia secara buta tuli kepada pemimpin. Saya juga setia tetapi kesetiaan saya ialah kepada parti dan orang Melayu yang diwakili olehnya. Bukanlah mudah bagi saya menulis blog ini. Tetapi demi bangsa dan Negara saya terpaksa dedah semua ini.

22. Saya belum nyanyok walaupun umur hampir 90 tahun. Sesiapa yang berkata saya nyanyok sebenarnya menipu diri.

23. Melayu hanya akan selamat jika bersikap bangsa lebih utama daripada diri sendiri.

Honestly, I was shocked.

I had immediately tried to check the authenticity of the whole thing at the blog of former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad but apparently it could not be accessed.

It's still inaccessible at the time I'm writing this.

Then I check at other blogs and found these,

Dr Mahathir Drops Atomic Bomb !! -

Amaran terakhir buat UMNO 

I have always maintained in this blog that Dr Mahathir had never called for the ouster of PM DS Najib Razak and that all his criticisms of the current administration were just meant for it to do better.

But following this latest development, I'm now certain that Dr Mahathir is indeed wishing for Najib to be replaced.

I guess the push has finally really comes to a shove.

Personally, I'm sadden.

I wish it doesn't have to come to this.

However, Dr Mahathir must had thought long and hard over this and in the end decided he needs to do what he needs to do.

I guess all the dirts will start flying soon.

The run up to the coming Umno general assembly, scheduled at the end of this year will be very interesting to observe.

Bear in mind that Umno is supposed to hold its party elections next year.

I don't think things will get any better after this.

To make it worse, all these happened at a time when there was so much confusion such as the one caused by the implementation of GST.

You can read about it at A Voice's

Gee... Gee ... GST-

I know that most regular readers of this blog may assumed that I am a pro-Najib blogger based on my past postings on the PM and therefore probably thought I would want to defend the establishment again following these developments.

But let me reveal here that just before I went off for this holiday, I had been severely told by a high ranking person who is beholden to the PM that my status now is that akin of a pariah and therefore my help is not wanted anymore by everyone close to Najib.

Well, as if I need his permission to choose whom I want to defend. Nobody pays me for what I write in this blog, okay.

Nonetheless, I have decided that I don't want to cause any trouble. So, I'm just going to sit back and observe.

From now on, I will only write about the unfolding of events affecting the PM in the manner of a straight forward reporting.

I'm not going to be cheeky, okay.

Japanese diary 4

Went on an excursion to the countryside the whole day.

Just got back and about to knock off.

It was a very rewarding yet tiring day.

Unfortunately the pictures I took using my phone camera were not so good this time.

Sawah padi Jepun

The rather gloomy weather was not helping either.

Nonetheless, it was a very enjoyable outing.

Met some very friendly local farmers.

They didn't seem to mind the rudimentary Japanese of my traveling companion and myself.

We chatted for quite a while at a stall despite our language difficulties.

All the Japanese I met so far were very well mannered.

How I wish that Malaysians were more like them.

Anyway, I'm too tired and sleepy now.

No energy to even read the other blogs or search for news from back home.

Really need to sleep now.

My prayers before sleeping tonight....

May Allah protect Malaysia and Japan....errr, also, may no journalists be thrown in lock-up just for being naughty or lazy.

Japanese diary 3

Arrived by train at this city several hundreds kilometers north of Tokyo about 11am.

It was more or less a boring journey with the only time I got interested in something was when the train stopped for a while at the Fukushima train station.

It made me realized that I'm passing through the area which was devastated in the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

About 18,000 people died in the disaster.

I remember well when it happened.

I had put the Japanese flag as my image on my once active Facebook page as a mark of respect for those who died and sympathy for those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy.

The flag was still there when I deactivated the Facebook account almost a year later.

Amazingly, there was no sign of the devastation at all as I observed Fukushima from onboard the train.

The weather was perfect as my traveling companion and I arrived at our destination.

We intend to spend two or three days here during which we planned to venture to the countryside.

This is a picture of this city which I took from our hotel room window when we just arrived,

Anyway, throughout the train ride yesterday, I received quite a number of Wassap messages from home on the arrest of The Malaysian Insider editors.

I never like the TMI's ways of reporting, and believe that the portal is just a tool of Pakatan.

However, I am against putting journalists in jail or lock-up for what they wrote and published.

Any authority which do that will end up being despised and regarded as being oppressive.

Yes, it's just perception but that's how the fight for Malaysians' support were to be won or lose.

I believe the TMI issue should had been handled better by the authorities.

Okay, I'm getting sleepy.

This was my quota of two blog posts which I read yesterday,

Selamat Menunaikan GST 

and

1MDB, Hudud and the looming darkness

Ya, both were by pro-establishment bloggers who oppose PM DS Najib Razak.

Well, I read the opinions from all sides.

I don't see anything wrong with that.

Ours is after all a country which uphold freedom of speech and expression....eerrrr, okay...never mind.

Nite