Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Permatang Pauh, The Leap Forward!!

Anwar, Prime Minister! Khairy, Deputy Prime Minister?
BN leaders were worried when Anwar in recent months publicly claimed that there were MPs who wanted to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat and their numbers would be enough to form the Pakatan Rakyat government. All quarters in the BN camp had refuted the possibility of a Pakatan Raykat government at Federal level be formed on September 16, 2008 as set by Anwar and many said it was just a psychological war orchestrated by Anwar to cause instability within the BN government.

For Anwar to be Prime Minister, Anwar must be able to command the confidence of Malaysians and the best way to do this is to enter Parliament first. Whether or not the Pakatan Rakyat government at Federal level, the latest by September 16, could be formed after Anwar enters Parliament is for everybody’s guess. It was said that BN MPs would only have the confidence in Anwar’s plan only if Anwar could re-enter Parliament. So, Anwar has to do this for what was expected from him.

The task to enter Parliament, especially, during a by-election was always an uphill task. To win a by-election against the BN was always very difficult and past experience always told us that. The only way for Anwar to do this was to carefully plan a strategy that could boost the confidence of all Malaysians in him. Anwar had no choice, but, to tell all Malaysians that he harboured the intention to form the Pakatan Raykat Government by September 16, 2008 and that there are MPs from BN camp willing to join the Pakatan Rakyat and this was the best strategy. BN camp was caught and uneasiness was felt with the camp.

Recent developments such as the increase of petrol and diesel to nearly 80 sen per litre and the noise by some Sabah politicians including Yong Teck Lee which damaged BN and Pak Lah’s leadership also were factors that contributed to public confidence in Anwar. The plan worked well and Anwar then set his eyes on Permatang Pauh and Anwar must win big. If not for the announcement of a Pakatan Raykat Federal Government, the task of Anwar re-entering Parliament and win big, perhaps may not be easy.

Pak Lah had to a certain extent helped Anwar achieved his goal to re-enter Parliament early in two ways. First, this was when the fuel prices increased, thus, causing much dissatisfaction among Malaysians. Second, Pak Lah did not attack Anwar much in recent months and also during the Permatang Pauh campaign, Pak Lah had left the matter to his deputy, Najib to spearhead the challenge in Permatang Pauh. Why Pak Lah was very quiet? Was there any hidden agenda? Was there a move by Pak Lah to remove Najib and get Anwar to be the PM to replace him?

Khairy Jamalludin also did help Anwar win big. Voters and Malaysians who sympathized with Anwar kept on swelling each day and Khairy should know this. Khairy, by attacking Anwar in and outside Parliament in recent weeks did not damage Anwar’s image, but, in actual fact helped Anwar gained votes. This is because most Malaysians knew the close relationship Khairy had with Anwar and was it not Khairy who got the passport for Anwar to leave for treatment overseas? Was it not the same Khairy who frequented Anwar's house and Anwar's family before Anawar was arrested and charged for sodomy ten years ago? Being so close with Anwar, why Khairy wanted to make a lot of noise against Anwar? Was it not Khairy's strategy to shout and make a lot of noise against Anwar so more Malaysians going to sympathise Anwar each day and by doing so, to get Anwar win big and then team-up with Anwar?

Was it not a plan between Anwar and Khairy to team up to form the Pakatan Rakyat government? If there was, then, Khairy may have both worlds. Khairy, being the son-in-law of the Prime Minister is very influential and powerful in Putrajaya. Anwar can speed up matter by offering Khairy to be the Deputy Prime Minister if Khairy could get the MPs to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat to form the Pakatan Rakyat Federal government. After Anwar, it would the natrual choice of succession line that being number two in the country, Khairy will then find himself the Prime Minister of Malaysia!

On the other hand, if Khairy may not take the offer, Khairy can also wait until his father-in-law steps down and get Najib to appoint him as Deputy. Najib if he becomes PM, may wish to appoint someone close to him, that is, Hishamuddin, whom I was told was related to him, as his Deputy, but, Hishamuddin may be out of the race if Khairy, could enlist the help of his father-in-law to get Najib agree to him as Najib’s Deputy. Like Mahathir, Pak Lah may wish set a term with Najib before handing over the baton to him, that is, to get Najib agree to appoint Khairy as his Deputy. If this may happen, Hishamuddin will be out of the race. Now, we could find Hishamuddin very quiet after the March 8 Election. Why was he so? Was his position been threatened by Khairy now?

Now, can Anwar achieve his goal before the date line? Khairy who graduated and studied politics in UK, is an UMNO political stategist seems to be the the King maker in Malaysian politics who has the exceptional talent to play his cards both ways.
In the end of the drama, stalwarts in DAP and PAS will still have to find themselves contented by playing second fidle in Malaysian politics, in which, I hope would not. Very much now depends on Anwar to pay back the loyalty shown by DAP and PAS towards him and Anwar knows it would be too costly to dump DAP and PAS and to give way to some people from UNMO. In Anwar, we could also see as the only person at this moment that could bring change to the political landscape in the country and also the dream of a two party system in Malaysia. Syabas Anwar!!

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