Malaysia's Elections 2008 (Before, During & After)

[Adrian Wong]

Uh-oh! Does this mean trouble for Mukhriz???? Will Najib finally step up and ask Badawi to quit??

THE MUKHRIZ LETTER: PM leaves it to Umno Youth to act against Mukhriz

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has left it to Umno Youth to take action against Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who is an executive committee member of the movement, for asking him to step down as the prime minister.

"I am leaving it to Datuk Seri Hishammuddin (Tun Hussein, the Umno Youth chief) to take the appropriate action (against Mukhriz)," the Prime Minister and Umno president told Bernama in an interview at Seri Perdana, the official residence of the Prime Minister here.

He said this when asked to comment on a letter written by Mukhriz and sent to the Prime Minister whereby Mukhriz had urged Abdullah to take responsibility for the Barisan Nasional's poor performance in Saturday's general election and step down as the prime minister.

"A day before he sent the letter to me, he issued a statement voicing support for me and that collective responsibility must be taken for what happened and several other statements that were seen as positive to me.

"Suddenly he has made an about turn... just a day after that he sent the letter, not only to me but also Datuk (Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) and the whole country. "To me this is not good way or approach. This is one reaction from him as a member of Umno Youth, which has already taken a decision to support me and the party leadership.

"He has also stated I and Najib should be supported to lead the party and government...this (letter asking Abduallh to step down) contradicst the stand taken by Umno and the Umno Youth movement," said Abdullah.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Hishammuddin had earlier said that if it was true that Mukhriz had indeed sent such a letter, it was done in his personal capacity.

Umno Youth stood by its earlier statement that it was solidly behind Abdullah as Umno president and Najib as deputy president, he said in a statement sent to Bernama. - NST

[Adrian Wong]

Here's a nice summary of what happened earlier today... Lots of juicy stuff.

POST-ELECTION DRAMA : Shahidan is out, Perak breaks impasse, Mukhriz letter bombshell

The Raja Perlis has consented to the appointment of Bintong assemblyman Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu as the new Menteri Besar of Perlis, replacing the embattled Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who still claimed that he had the prime Minister's authority to continue as MB but that the Ruler has ignored it. Political observers say the situation could lead to a constitutional crisis.

The confidential secretary to the Raja Perlis, Mohd Adib Zakaria who distributed the statement to that effect to reporters in front of Istana Siraj, said the appointment was made under Article 39 (2) of the Laws of the Constitution of Perlis.

Under this provision, the ruler shall appoint a person who he thinks has the confidence of the majority of the members of the state assembly to become the Menteri besar to head the state government.

“Based on this provision and after being satisfied with his ability to garner the support of the majority of the state assemblymen, His Royal Highness has consented to appoint Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu as the Menteri Besar of Perlis effective March 14 2008,” he said.

Dr Md Isa was a Perlis state executive councillor until 2004 when he was not re-nominated to contest in the general election that year. He was nominated to contest in Bintong in the general election last Saturday and won the seat by defeating PAS’ Mohd Anuar Mohd Tahir with a majority of 2,110 votes. He polled 4,882 votes against Mohd Anuar’s 2,772.

In other incidents nationwide:

GEORGE TOWN: About 1,000 Umno members demonstrated in Komtar where the Chief Minister’s office is located at 2.15pm, immediately after Friday prayers. The demonstrators shouted slogans, from urging the Lim Guan Eng administration not to scrap the NEP to pledging support for Datuk Seri Ahmad Badawi’s administration, led by Umno Bukit Mertajam division chief Datuk Musa Shaikh Fadzir. The peaceful assembly later dispersed after the IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan advised them to do so.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s coy play earlier this week seeking the Prime Minister to “do the right thing” has bloomed into what the phrase really meant: a letter circulated among Umno members and played up by the blogs has Mukhriz categorically pleading to Abdullah to resign and take responsibility for BN’s dismal performance for the sake of Umno's survival. In Putrajaya, Umno vice-presidents Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam worry that Mukhriz’s action would only further divide the party. Puteri Umno lodged a police report over posters strung up in the city that called for the PM’s resignation. Its chief Datuk Noraini Ahmad regretted that irresponsible elements were trying to link Puteri Umno to the deed.

IPOH: The fiasco in Perak where the DAP-PKR-Pas triumvirate has not even kick-started their administration continues as haggling on State Exco seat allocation, with DAP demanding a lion’s share after reluctantly agreeing to Pas’ Nizar Jamaluddin, has dismayed the Ruler. However, the impasse is set to be broken after 31 assemblymen from the three parties collectively signed a letter agreeing to cooperate in forming a coalition state government and also agreeing to Nizar as Mentri Besar. The letter was handed over to the Sultan of Perak's confidential secretary Datuk Abdul Rahim Mohamad Nor at 10 pm last night. PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said with an understanding reached, the three parties should now focus on administering the state with honesty and sensitivity to people’s problems and needs. Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali also welcomed the consensus.

GEORGE TOWN: Following the Umno-led attacks against the fledgling Lim Guan Eng administration, Lim met Malay NGOs, assuring them that the DAP-led administration will never scrapped the NEP, only the abuses that has led to cronyism and corruption. Former CM Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon echoed Lim’s aghast against the Penang Umno’s call that the Federal Government scrap mega projects in the state on grounds voters rejected the BN government.

KUALA TERENGGANU: Umno is still undecided as to who should become Mentri Besar after Datuk Idris Jusoh seemed unable to garner support to continue with his stewardship. It would seem that several Umno assemblymen not in favour of Idris have muster enough influence on the palace to withhold consent. The Sultan of Terengganu, who is also the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is expected to be back on Saturday to make a decision.

SHAH ALAM: Newly-minted Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim is going to get a briefing from state auditors on the changes and movement of assets that he intends to implement. The former Guthrie CEO hopes to stop speculation on why documents may have been destroyed at the secretariat. “We want to be professional about it and aware before we take next steps,” he said. Selangor State Secretary Datuk Ramli Mahmud appeared to have alleviated the allegation that former MB Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo inked a deal after dissolution with Puncak Niaga to operate and maintain a water treatment plant. Ramli claimed that it was he who signed the deal, witnessed by his deputy.

SHAH ALAM: Selangor Pas and Umno leaders held secret meetings here immediately after the BN Selangor Government fell to the opposition but Pas assemblymen insisted that they never had any intention of deserting the coalition. MP for Shah Alam Khalid Abd Samad said Pas commissioner Datuk Dr Mohd Hassan Mohd Ali attended a meeting with Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo to pre-empt any attempt by Umno to used foul means to nullify the election.

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no urgency for Internal Security Act detainee M. Manoharan, who won a Selangor state seat, to be sworn in. “There is no urgency because he is not being made an executive councillor, so the oath taking can wait until after he is released. For now, there is nothing we can do, his detention is a political issue,” Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said. Manoharan, under detention at the Kamunting Detention Camp for his involvement in the Hindu Rights Action Force, won the Kota Alam Shah seat with a 7,184-vote majority. Khalid said the Opposition will call for the repeal of the ISA in Parliament. - NST

[Adrian Wong]

Hmm.. Ruhanie Ahmad just reported that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has agreed to quit as Prime Minister on the condition that his son-in-law, Khairy, is made full minister. Apparently, that condition was rejected unconditionally!

Abdullah akan berhenti dengan syarat Khairy jadi Menteri?

Beberapa parti komponen BN kini mendesak Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi segera mengosongkan kerusi Perdana Menteri tanpa sebarang syarat, demikian maklumat yang disampaikan oleh sumber-sumber berwibawa kepada blog ini sekitar jam 11.30 malam tadi. Abdullah dikatakan akur dengan desakan tersebut, tetapi dengan syarat komponen-komponen BN terbabit merestui Khairy Jamaluddin menjadi menteri penuh.

Malangnya, syarat Abdullah ditolak tanpa kompromi. Beliau pun dikatakan terus dirundung dilemma kerana komponen-komponen BN berkenaan boleh menyebabkan BN diganggang bara hanya menerusi manipulasi korum di Dewan Rakyat, khususnya bila pengundian perlu dijalankan untuk meluluskan sesuatu rang undang-undang.

Lebih serius lagi, Abdullah tidak boleh mengenepikan sikap tanpa kompromi di atas kerana komponen-komponen tersebut juga boleh menjejaskan status BN sebagai parti pemerintah jika mereka memilih untuk berkelana ke gelanggang pembangkang.

Mungkin mustahil untuk komponen-komponen berkenaan menyeberang ke pihak pembangkang. Bagaimanapun, Abdullah tidak boleh mengambil risiko melantik Khairy sebagai seorang menteri penuh jika tindakan tersebut boleh menyebabkan BN kehilangan kuasa sebagai parti pemerintah.

Jadi, apa kesudahannya kepada dilemma ini? Adakah Abdullah akan berhenti sebagai Perdana Menteri dan menantu kesayangannya terkontang-kanting tanpa jawatan menteri?

Moga-moga parti-parti komponen berkenaan terus bertegas dan tidak akan berganjak dengan pendirian dan ultimatumnya. Rakyat Malaysia pula perlu menyokong penuh pendirian ini.
Kepada Abdullah, insaflah bahawa pada saat dan ketika ini, anda adalah seorang pemimpin yang disanggah oleh majoriti rakyat jelata. Pilihan yang ada pada anda hanyalah: segera berundur tanpa sebarang syarat demi nusa tercinta! – Ruhanie Ahmad

[Adrian Wong]

Mukhriz under fire over 'quit' call to PM

PUTRAJAYA: Senior Umno leaders stood behind the prime minister yesterday, slamming Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir's call for Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign as a move that could weaken the party in its moment of distress.

In a letter dated March 12, Mukhriz, son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, asked Abdullah "to do what is appropriate" following the Barisan Nasional's electoral performance.

"I appeal to you to take responsibility for the defeat. Only by your resigning as prime minister and Umno president can the recovery of Umno, BN and the nation be accomplished successfully," he wrote, echoing his father's statements last Sunday.

Umno vice-presidents Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said Mukhriz's action would only divide the party.

Copies of the letter were sent to both of them, as well as party deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and secretary-general Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad.
"He should not have written the letter as it would only weaken the party further," Ali said.

Muhyiddin said Mukhriz had the right to express himself but as an Umno member, he should be loyal to the leadership.

He said calling for Abdullah's resignation was a knee-jerk reaction to the party's crisis.

"After the shock we've had from the election results, many are angry and depressed and feel their only recourse is to ask the prime minister to resign.

"That is not the solution. We need to first hold the fort, to rally everybody around the leadership in order to get the party back on its feet," Muhyiddin said.

Both vice-presidents said Mukhriz had put Umno in a bind as to whether disciplinary action should be taken against him. The decision now rests with the party's supreme council.

Muhyiddin said: "We cannot be rash. He is still an Umno member and we don't want him to become a stray MP. Right now, we cannot afford to sacrifice a single MP in parliament because we only have a simple majority."

Ali noted the quandary Umno was in. "I would advise him to stop making more comments. There is already tension in the party and if we take disciplinary action against him, it will create further tension among his supporters. He's putting us in a difficult position."

Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein dissociated his movement from Mukhriz's statement. Mukhriz is an exco member in Umno Youth.

"This is not the stand of the Pemuda," he said.

"As I said earlier, Umno Youth is behind the prime minister and deputy prime minister.

"If his (Mukhriz) statement is a personal view, I do not think this is the right way or time to make it. What is important now is to focus on reorganising the party."

Puteri Umno head Datuk Noraini Ahmad took the same line.

"Now is not the time to blame each other or anyone. I know he is entitled to his views but I call on all Umno members to support Pak Lah."

Shortly after the 1969 general election, Dr Mahathir wrote a now infamous scathing letter calling on then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman to resign.

Blaming Bapa Malaysia for the May 13 race riots, he said "the time is past for you to retire as prime minister and Umno chief". - NST

Funny, they didn't even dare to fire him from UMNO!

[Adrian Wong]

Pak Lah On Last Leg?

Nazry Bahrawi

(TODAYonline):ITS TOP leadership may be projecting a united front following its embarrassing performance at the recent general election, but cracks are already beginning to appear within the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) over one crucial issue - the continued leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Barely a week since the polls results were announced, several notable Umno leaders have already urged Pak Lah to step down.

If the move gains momentum, it could lead to a forceful ejection, rather than a graceful exit, for Malaysia's embattled Prime Minister.

The evidence is piling up that this may be the eventuality, with the first salvo being fired - to no one's surprise - by his predecessor and staunchest critic Dr Mahathir Mohamad who urged him to "accept full responsibility" for the ruling coalition's disastrous performance just a few hours after the results were announced.

More startlingly, Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah alluded to Pak Lah's resignation in a press statement later that same day: "The leadership team must wake from its slumber, face the truth and accept full responsibility for this debacle".

This week, a popular website widely read by Umno members, mounted an online campaign for Pak Lah's resignation from his posts of Prime Minister and party president.

The most explicit message came on Friday when Mukhriz Mahathir – Dr Mahathir's son - became the first Umno parliamentarian to publicly call for Pak Lah to step down.

In an open letter to Pak Lah posted on a website closely aligned to his father, Mr Mukhriz said the polls results "sent a sufficiently clear message regarding the people's rejection of (you) as the country's leader".

Some even believe the two rallies by Umno members on Friday in the opposition-controlled states of Penang and Selangor are linked to this issue, although the opposition's plans of abolishing the pro-Malay New Economic Policy (NEP) were cited as official reasons.

A Keadilan statesman in Penang said: "Mr Abdullah is on his last leg.

The pressure for him to resign is tremendous, and he is losing grip. The protests are a way by supporters from Abdullah's camp to divert public attention away from his resignation."

But Umno member Zaid Ibrahim, known for his critical stance against some Umno policies, disagrees. He told Today: "I see the rallies as an expression of Umno people being disappointed with the results of the election more than a politically motivated rally."

But can Pak Lah ward off a seemingly concerted effort from within Umno to oust him?

Dr Farish A Noor of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies believes that Mr Abdullah can only hold on to power until the next Umno General Assembly due later this year He told Today: "This has happened twice after Barisan Nasional's poor showing at the polls - once in 1969 when Tunku Abdul Rahman announced he is stepping down, and then in 1999 when Dr Mahathir announced his resignation. We are seeing a familiar pattern develop here."

The writing is on the wall. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has to step down.. or they will kick him out. One way or another. Best he leave quietly with some dignity, instead of Samy Vellu's style.

[Adrian Wong]

The UMNOputras really cannot get over their losses.

Protests in two states over moves to scrap NEP

By Chow Kum Hor, THE STRAITS TIMES

MALAYSIA yesterday witnessed the first public protests against moves to scrap the New Economic Policy (NEP) in the two opposition-ruled states where it is threatened.

About 2,000 Umno members and supporters defied a police ban to gather after Friday prayers in the Penang town centre chanting: 'Long live Malays. Malays will not disappear from Penang.'

The protesters, who were also holding banners that read 'Long Live the Malays' and 'Do Not Abolish the New Economic Policy', gathered outside the Chief Minister's office at the 65-storey Komtar tower in the town centre.

The NEP is the government's affirmative action programme to help Malays.

The protest lasted about 30 minutes, and the crowd dispersed after a police warning.

'This protest is an expression of the Malays' dissatisfaction over the Penang government's decision to abandon the NEP. This will further marginalise the Malays,' Penang Umno secretary Azhar Ibrahim, who was among the demonstrators, told The Straits Times.

'The new Chief Minister has not even warmed his seat, and he is already talking about this. This shows that he does not like the Malays.'

Other local Umno chieftains, including former deputy chief minister Abdul Rashid Abdullah, were also at the protest, which took place despite a warning by police chief Musa Hassan to people not to gather at the site.

Riot police and armoured trucks equipped with water cannon were on standby at the site.

Datuk Azhar said the protests would continue until the Democratic Action Party-led state government overturned its decision to dismantle the NEP.

In Shah Alam, Selangor, around 60 people held a similar demonstration about 500m from the Menteri Besar's office. During the 20-minute demonstration, the crowd shouted slogans such as 'Long Live Umno' and 'New Selangor Government is the DAP's Puppet'.

The crowd had gathered there after Friday prayers at a nearby mosque following a widely circulated SMS asking Malays to take part in the protest.

Selangor's newly installed Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, who is from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), had also said he would scrap the NEP.

Yesterday, shortly after he was sworn in, Tan Sri Khalid refused to discuss the NEP, saying he did not see it as an issue.

'What I want to discuss is whether we have done enough to help the needy among the Malays, Chinese, Indians and others,' he said in response to reporters' questions on whether Selangor would follow Penang's proposal to abolish the NEP.

PKR, together with the Chinese-based DAP, have been the most vociferous in criticising the NEP. Both parties, along with Parti Islam SeMalaysia, did exceptionally well in last Saturday's polls to seize control of Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor, while retaining Kelantan.

New Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who heads the DAP, created a stir after he was sworn into office on Tuesday when he said that his government would ditch the NEP, which 'breeds cronyism, corruption and systemic inefficiency'.

The remark has made the Malays jittery and even drew a warning from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who asked Mr Lim not to stoke racial tensions.

The chief of Umno's young women's wing, Ms Noraini Ahmad, yesterday joined in the chorus of criticism, demanding that Mr Lim withdraw his remarks about the NEP.

However, since his controversial comments, Mr Lim appears to have gone into damage-control mode by repeatedly stressing that the rights of minority races would be protected.

Yesterday, he met the representatives of 21 Muslim non-governmental organisations in his office. 'This new government is the government of all the people of Penang, irrespective of political background, race or religion. We want to represent all the people in this state,' he said.

He also dispelled rumours that his government would not allow the azan, the Muslim call to prayer.

Mr Azmi Abdul Hamid, president of Malay welfare group Teras, said the civil society groups were happy with their meeting with Mr Lim. 'We are glad to have received a reassurance that the interests of the Malays in Penang will not be neglected,' he was quoted as saying.

But a lawyer, Mr Abu Backer Sidek Mohamad Zan, 40, lodged a police report yesterday calling for an investigation into whether Mr Lim had breached the Sedition Act.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM BERNAMA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

[Dashken]

Raja Petra rox0r!!!

Small things please small minds

Let me say this again. You are no longer the opposition, so please stop thinking and acting like an opposition. You are now the government, so please get down to acting like a government. The voters put you in office to run the state so can we please see you running the state.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

One of the Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) leaders -- I won't mention his name though -- said something very funny about ten years ago. “PRM has never won any election so we always prepare ourselves for defeat. God help us if we even win the elections. We will not know how to manage victory. But we have a lot of experience managing defeat. So we are very happy to be given the 'danger's seats in the 1999 general elections. If we are given 'safe' seats and we actually win we might panic because we will not know what to do if we win.”

Actually, as funny as this may have sounded ten years ago, today, this is no longer funny. In the recent general election, the opposition did prepare itself for defeat but the opposite to that happened. And now they don't know what to do. To be fair to PAS, though, they did prepare for victory. They prepared themselves for taking over Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis. They did not, however, prepare themselves for Penang, Perak and Selangor. They thought, at best, they will only be able to deny Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in these three states.

DAP and PKR, on the other hand, never thought that the three 'mixed' states could ever fall to the opposition. Maybe the four 'Malay heartland' states face better prospects of falling but this would merely see PAS emerge as the Taiko of these states which will not involve DAP and PKR too much other than a 'token' representation in the state governments.

But the unexpected happened. And this is because the opposition did not listen to us, the rakyat. You can't say we did not tell them often enough. Even in my ceramahs all over the country I openly declared that Barisan Nasional will lose its two-thirds majority in Parliament, five states will fall to the opposition, and two states will see Barisan Nasional lose it two-thirds majority in the State Assemblies. Then I named the five states that will fall -- Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis and Penang -- and the two states that will see Barisan Nasional lose its two-thirds majority in the State Assembly -- Perak and Selangor.

The opposition leaders just laughed and asked me, “Betul ke Petra? You ni tipu pengundi.”

This pissed me off and in my ceramah at Kampong Raja Uda in Port Kelang I told the voters, “Kampong Raja Uda has never fallen to the opposition since Merdeka. This time around I want you to give this kampong that carries my grandfather's name to the opposition. If you don't then I will never step foot in this place again. And if you give Kampong Raja Uda to Barisan Nasional you will be mencemar (defiling) my grandfather's name and I want you to remove my grandfather's name and change the name of this kampong to something else.”

“Aiyah, why do you say something like that?” Ronnie Liu asked me.

“Why, what's wrong with saying something like that?”

“If we don't win then you can never come back here again.”

“If we don't win then I won't want to come back here anyway. So what's the difference? But we will win. That is why I dare make that declaration.”

“Aiyoh, you are so confident lah. I am not so sure.”

That's right, the calun himself went cold when I made that open declaration because he himself was not too sure whether we had any chance of winning a seat that has always been a ruling party stronghold since 50 years of Merdeka. And we not only won Port Kelang but we won the whole state as well.

Okay, so I was slightly off in my prediction. We did win five states though, but it did not include Perlis and Terengganu. Perlis and Terengganu were switched with Perak and Selangor, the two states I said we will be able to deny Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in the State Assembly. Nevertheless, it was still five and the five are not all in the Malay heartland as what the opposition thought would happen. Three of the five are in 'mixed' states, which means Malay votes alone can't do the trick. You need the votes of the Indians and Chinese as well. Even PAS candidates such as Dr Siti Mariah won in seats where the Malays are a minority and unless you can get overwhelming support from the non-Muslims it would be impossible to win.

And that was when the problem started, when the opposition unexpectedly won the three 'mixed' states. Thereafter, the opposition did not know what to do. It took awhile for it to sink in it that the next step would be to quickly form the government. Instead, they got sidetracked and the whole process got delayed. Fine, there were some 'real' issues -- at least to those opposition leaders although I do not see them as real enough issues -- but some were so stupid that I felt like kicking these lamebrain dodo birds in the backside.

For example, when you have an audience with the Sultan during the swearing-in ceremony, you need to be properly attired. Proper protocol needs to be observed. Certainly you cannot use jeans, T-shirts and slippers. Malays need to wear a Baju Melayu and non-Malays a suit (not a sports jacket which does not match the pants). Malay women must be in Baju Kurung and non-Malay women must be in a dress -- not wearing pants like what one DAP State Assemblywoman did recently. Malay women should wear a scarf or selendang (no need to fully cover the head) and the men must wear a songkok, preferably even non-Malays though they may be wearing a suit instead of a Baju Melayu.

Even when you have an audience with the Thai King, Japanese Emperor, or the Queen of England there are dress codes to observe. But the DAP State Assemblymen refuse to wear a songkok. They argue that they refuse to 'look like a Malay'. Hey, these same people are wearing a suit. Why do they not protest for being asked to look like a 'yellow' Mat Salleh? A suit is not Chinese. It is western. You don't mind wearing a suit and start looking like a banana -- yellow outside but white inside -- but you refuse to wear a songkok because it is a Malay thing. “We are not Muslims,” they reply. Indonesians also wear songkoks and millions who do are not Muslims, they are Christians.

Teng Chang Khim of DAP wants to become the Deputy Menteri Besar of Selangor. He has organised demonstrations the last couple of days to pressure his own party into proposing his name for Deputy Menteri Besar. But he refuses to wear a songkok. Instead, he wants to become a Chinese 'hero' by boycotting the audience with the Sultan of Selangor to protest being asked to wear a songkok. He wants to become the Deputy Menteri Besar but he boycotts the Sultan. What the ****! How the hell is he going to be sworn in as the Deputy Menteri Besar if he refuses to go meet the Sultan? Does he want the Sultan to just send him a SMS?

The formation of the Selangor state government has to face delay just because, amongst others, one DAP man wants to become a Chinese 'hero' by refusing to wear a songkok. Anyway, the Sultan has helped solve Teng's dilemma by declaring that there will be no post of Deputy Menteri Besar. Now Teng need not worry whether he should continue being a Chinese 'hero' or transform into a 'traitor to the Chinese race' by wearing a songkok. And I suggest Teng also not be appointed an EXCO Member or else he would be placed in a serious dilemma as to whether to wear a songkok or not when he has to appear before the Sultan to take his oath of office.

Maybe back home you wear your shoes in your house. But when you come to my house you take off your shoes. And if you refuse to do so because you do not want to 'look like a Malay' then no need to come to my house. In my house I dictate the house rules and dress code. This is my home and I am king of my castle. You are just my guest and you must act like how a guest should act. And if I invite you for my daughter's wedding, and if I say that all guests must wear a songkok, you can decide whether to boycott my daughter's wedding or come wearing a songkok.

These DAP chaps are trying to become heroes of the Chinese race. They do not want to have anything to do with what is perceived as Islamic or Malay traditions. Malays are very happy to respect and observe Chinese traditions. If you invite us to your house for a wedding, and if you dictate the dress code, we would be very happy to comply. We will not boycott the wedding just because we do not want to do what is considered Chinese. But this does not appear to be the Chinese mentality at all.

Come on DAP. What is so jijik about a songkok? There are more important things to do than fight with the Sultan over what we should place on our heads when we appear before His Highness to take our oath of office. We have Selangor, the most important state in Malaysia, to run. Do you mean to say that just because of a songkok you are prepared to let the whole state government fall?

And another thing, what is it with these protest demonstrations? You are no longer the opposition. You should stop thinking like the opposition and start acting like the ruling government because that is what you are. Small things please small minds. And that is what we have voted into office, leaders with small minds. And these small minds get easily distracted by small things instead of quickly forming the government and start running the state. Until today, one week after winning the elections, the Selangor State Government has not been formed yet. Thus far only the Menteri Besar has been sworn in. The State EXCO, which is the machinery that actually runs the states, has not been set up yet or taken its oath of office.

We hope the new Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, will not repeat Khir Toyo's mistake. We just kicked Khir Toyo out and the last thing we want is to see a clone of the man we just sent packing. Khir Toyo held too many portfolios and he kept all the important portfolios to himself while the 'useless' portfolios were given to the other EXCO Members. This is exactly what Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is doing. Abdullah kept all the key Ministries for himself. And because he is holding too many Ministries, and all the important ones on top of that, his Ministries are not functioning and therefore the country is not functioning as well.

Khalid must overhaul the old, failed system. He should focus on being a good Menteri Besar and not try to monopolise all the portfolios, which will just swamp him and bog him down. There are many capable people, so he should get all the others to help him the run the state. He should not treat the Selangor state government as a family sundry shop where the main man is salesman, checkout counter clerk, cashier, bookkeeper and storekeeper all in one. Sure, the Menteri Besar should also hold one or two portfolios, but he should not hog six or seven of the most important portfolios and then throw the minor ones to the others. This will just ensure failure and come the next election the voters will kick him out and will give the state back to Barisan Nasional. And it will be 30 years before the opposition can ever dream of retaking the state.

Let me say this again. You are no longer the opposition, so please stop thinking and acting like an opposition. You are now the government, so please get down to acting like a government. The voters put you in office to run the state so can we please see you running the state. All this haggling over how many EXCO seats each party should get and who should be the EXCO Members and whether to wear a songkok or not has delayed the setting up of the government and this has allowed the previous administration to shred and destroy many crucial documents. By the time you finally take over many files will no longer exist.

There is one thing you have forgotten. The Menteri Besar and EXCO Member posts do not belong to the political parties. They belong to us, the rakyat who voted for you. So can PKR, DAP and PAS please stop quarrelling. Stop demanding you want this and you want that because all these posts do not belong to you. They belong to us. By right you should have come back to ask us, the voters who put you in office, as to what you should do. It is we, the voters, who should have the final say. Now, not only do you ignore us, the voters, when you set up the government, but you squabble amongst yourselves as if all this belongs to you in the first place.

The state governments do not belong to DAP or PKR or PAS. They belong to the voters. We are only entrusting you to manage our assets. But you act as if the state and the positions in the state belong to you and you fight with each other for control over them. If you are not careful I am going to mobilise thousands of rakyat and we will march to the Menteri Besar's office to give you a hard kick on your backside. And don't test us. We will do it. We, the rakyat, give you till Monday to prove to us you have a functioning state government. If not, on Tuesday, expect a huge crowd outside your office.

The rakyat have spoken. When we said we, the voters, will deny Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in Parliament and will at the same time give you five states, we did just that. And if we say we will be in front of your office on Tuesday if by Monday we don't see a functioning government, you can bet your sweet ninny we will do just that as well.

In the meantime, to all voters, standby in case we need you to be part of the largest assembly of voters Selangor State has ever seen in 50 years since Merdeka. Either we see a functioning government or we are going storm the Selangor State Secretariat building just like the French stormed the Bastille.

[Adrian Wong]

Just received this urgent message on my phone :

Tolong bagitau sama kawan-kawan Cina & India supaya menjauhi perhimpunan serta kawasan tol kerana pemuda UMNO nak buat demo mendesak Pak Lah turun.

Takut ia menjadi permulaan rusuhan kaum just like 13 Mei!

We don't want Chinese & Indians to be blamed. Please inform all. Please spread out! - Dr. Hairud.

Not sure how true it is... but be careful, everyone!!!