Tag: Kedah

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Chaotic Kedah

Two years ago when I attended a meeting with an armed forces veterans association in Kedah I was briefed on some of the problems the association was facing and they asked me if there was anyone above the level of the State Secretary that I would know. I said I don’t have a direct access to the Menteri Besar but I know a few people who actually do; to which they replied:

“Tak payahlah jumpa Mukhriz, tuan. Dia bukan buat kerja pun! Asyik dok hantaq pegawai dia ja!” (There’s no point in meeting with Mukhriz, sir. He doesn’t work! He only sends his officers (to do his errands)!

I was taken by surprise. I follow Mukhriz’s Instagram account and in the early days as the Menteri Besar he would wear a jubah and attend prayer sessions in the kampungs. Even when the Prime Minister decided that Mukhriz was to become the Menteri Besar in the days leading up to the last general elections I thought it was the most correct decision although many quarters in Kedah was upset.

That all stopped just before the end of Ramadhan last year. After Aidil Fitri his account was filled with selfies with Siti Nurhaliza, Ramli Sarip, Jamal Abdillah and even Upin et Ipin! Nothing wrong with those but I happen to revisit his Instagram timeline to see if there’s any difference then and now.

Is the current chaos about Najib versus Mahathir? I doubt that very much. But the complaint about Mukhriz not meeting the rakyat, associations or even Ketua Bahagians did not stop with the complaint I received two years ago. Another group of veterans from Kedah whom I met at a reunion of Air Force veterans in Kuantan early last year also revealed the same complaints. Therefore it isn’t just the UMNO politicians who are complaining about him but also the normal Joe on the street!

Now whether or not certain UMNO quarters harbour the ambition of becoming the next Menteri Besar or not is a small matter compared to the grouses the rakyat have against Mukhriz’s administration. The complaints range from the only development Mukhriz has brought about in Kedah is to build a mall ona piece of land donated by the First Mufti of Kedah for a mosque to Mukhriz doesn’t run this state, his two officers do. UMNO Kedah insiders apparently know who these two officers are!

While the supporters of Mukhriz quicky claimed that the anti-Mukhriz movement could not gather the numbers when meeting the UMNO President yesterday, the report I received show otherwise:

  
To remove Mukhriz it would have to be done in accordance with the Kedah State Constitution and that is through the Sultan or Council of Regents, or through a vote in the state legislative council. While majority of the UMNO ADUNs are against Mukhriz, five were absent from the meeting. Assuming the five are for him, the group opposed to him would need the support of both MCA and PAS. Both PKR and the sole rep from Amanah would definitely have to take the cue from their masters in the DAP.

It is very important for those in UMNO opposed to Mukhriz to get a majority support because this can be quite different to the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis.

  
On a side note, Mahathir once changed the Kedah Menteri Besar despite getting much opposition from the Kedah UMNO but of course “My Way” was Mahathir’s way, and he believes it still is. A lesson for Mukhriz and others to learn, and Mukhriz has recently agreed with is that you can only remove a leader through legal means, and this will be a lesson he will long remember.

  
The irony of it all is Muhyiddin’s latest press statement in support of Mukhriz . This coming from a coward who backstabs his boss in order to be on top is surely the joke of the year this far.

This Brutus-wannabe ought to keep his dirty mouth shut and continue reading his two favourite tabloids for facts and continue living in a dream world.

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Dear Mukhriz 

The author of the message to Mukhriz below was written by someone whom I have known since 1970.

———————-

Dear Dato Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, JP
I’ve written some humble words of comfort and advice to you and sent them to your private number only to find that all my messages to you over the years have not even been read. U didn’t even bother to read them, what more offer some kind of response. I realised that I was not very important to u, when I watched u in pain trying to remember my name at an accidental meeting. It’s a very simple name sir with only four letters. So every other next sightings of u, I try to spare u frm the same pain. I will just wave u from afar, and u’d return it with your generous and brilliant smile. 
My message is simple and if u’d care to read it, it’ll make me very happy indeed. If u’d act on it, it’ll make me proud. I will refrain making any analysis of issues surrounding the situation firstly bcos uve ignored those same ones in the past so I won’t bark at the same tree twice. Secondly I don’t really want to waste my time if uve always considered me wasting yours. I’ve made appointments without success since u took office, even at the time I was a division head. Politics unmanaged is influence lost. Perhaps u were advised that I was a trouble maker, and perhaps they’re right. I blame u mostly for the results of Kuala Kedah elections but that’s for another day. 
Today, I want u to be successful. I want u to show the world what ure made off… Of sterner stuff, I pray. And, stepping out of the shell and shadow of dear old dad at last. 
Anyone can be a billionaire or a glamorous politician just being son of the greatest Malaysian leader DrM. But can he be a leader on his own? This is a test for u sir. 
An anwar styled ‘rakyat’s’ uprising. I don’t think that’ll be very successful since your oratory skills are short of inspirational. Nevertheless money can buy show of force and rental of many buses, but can it be sustained?
Your cyberteam can prolong a perception war, but if ure no longer MB, the team would slowly dispurse as power attracts and no power dispells. 
Best for u now, is to call for calm. To say in your press release that, saya menyerahkan keputusan seluruhnya kepada pucuk pimpinan yg telah memberi keyakinan kepada saya selama ini.’ 
Secondly, please call the Prime Minister whom you have never voluntarily called to explain and report to him on the situation. 
The issue now, is not between u and him, mukhriz and najib, but between u and the 15 bahagians which have lost confidence in u ( including yours). 
The third action is to call them for a meeting since ure still party head of Kedah, so they can tell that they have lost confidence in u to your face and be answerable to your cross examination. 

On this point I am truly perplexed that u haven’t the faintest idea this was coming and not addressed them early. Ignoring phone messages is not same as ignoring a coup my friend. U can turn this around and still comeout smelling like roses if u chose to. A leader is measured by how he handles a challenge and comes out of a trial. 
Be that man or do the honorable.
Latt Shariman Abdullah

Bangsal Kambing

Pendang

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Bagilah Muhyiddin Buat Kerja

  
Kemelut yang berlaku di Kedah bukanlah suatu perkara baru. Desas-desus ketidakpercayaan terhadap Mukhriz Mahathir oleh UMNO Kedah telah lama berkumandang melalui radio-radio karat. Malah salah seorang pegawai khas beliau juga telah meletak jawatan dan pulang ke Selangor.

Hari ini, sekumpulan orang yang mewakili kepimpinan tertinggi 15 buah bahagian UMNO di negeri Kedah telah menyuarakan rasa tidak puas hati terhadap Mukhriz. 15 bahagian UMNO mewakili tidak kurang daripada 600 buah cawangan UMNO. Pergerakan ini adalah 75 kali lebih besar dari lapan buah cawangan yang meminta supaya Najib Razak meletak jawatan. Anihnya tidak pula kedengaran Mahathir menyuruh anaknya agar mendengar suara akar umbi.

Walau bagaimanapun, saya kurang bersetuju permintaan kumpulan ini agar Najib bertindak untuk mengundurkan Mukhriz. Selain menjadi Presiden UMNO, Najib juga mempunyai tanggungjawab untuk mengemudi halatuju negara. Maka perkara yang kurang besar ini boleh diserahkan kepada pemegang jawatan yang lain.

Ada eloknya tanggungjawab menyelesaikan kemelut ini diserah kepada Muhyiddin Yassin selaku Timbalan Presiden. Apatah lagi selain membuat “road show” peribadi dan membaca akhbar hiburan seperti The Edge dan Sarawak Report, beliau tidak menpunyai lain-lain tanggungjawab. Selain Shafie Apdal, lakn-lain Naib Presiden juga sibuk menjaga hal ehwal keselamatan negara.

Eloklah Muhyiddin selaku Timbalan Presiden bertindak selesaikan kemelut ini. Mukhriz bukannya lain orang; dia anak kepada penyokong Muhyiddin paling kuat!

Bagilah Muhyiddin buat kerja pula…