From Malaysiakini, 11 Sepember 2008Something smells rotten here. I think it's stale Umno sandiwara (wag-the-dog spin).
First of all, the only loud noises and general commotion I've been hearing have been from some Umno throwbacks up north who still haven't accepted defeat after GE12 and Permatang Pauh. When Gerakan was in control of Penang under Koh Tsu Koon, these junior warlords were able to feed their greedy retirement plans with land theft and all kinds of financial shenanigans. Tsu Koon was either blissfully unaware - or he didn't want to rock the BN boat.Now that Pakatan Rakyat has taken over and exposed the shocking extent of corruption and abuse of power under BN misrule, it's like some heavy stone has been upturned, causing a huge flurry of panic and confusion amidst the secret colony of tiny critters that have lived under the protection of that stone for decades.
And so, all their angst and anger is being targeted at their former ally, ex-CM Koh, whom they blame for losing Penang to the enemy. That's all these Umno twits know how to do: lose an election, blame the leader.
Now does that qualify as "a national crisis in ethnic relations?" Not unless you're really desperate for an excuse to declare martial law - because that may be the only way left to cling on to power for just a few more months.
General Abdul Aziz, I suggest you relak, brudder - and don't pretend you're only doing your job. We know you and some of your colleagues in the army have profited from eight years of Najib Razak as defence minister. Of course, you're required to show at least a modicum of loyalty to Umno because the party has served you so well.However, the ultimate head of the army - the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces - is NOT Najib Razak but the Yang di Pertuan Agong. Please remember that and be mindful that you do not become anybody's puppet.
A KIND COMMENTER ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT GENERAL ABDUL AZIZ SPECIFICALLY NAMED UMNO IN HIS PUBLIC STATEMENT. HOWEVER, THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MEDIA DISINGENUOUSLY OMITTED THIS IMPORTANT DETAIL (PLEASE READ THE COMMENTS SECTION!) IF THIS IS INDEED THE CASE, I HEREBY TENDER MY HUMBLE APOLOGIES TO THE GOOD GENERAL FOR HAVING SUSPECTED HIM OF BEING A MOUTHPIECE FOR THE DEFENCE MINISTER. I HAD CONSIDERED DELETING THIS POST BECAUSE IT DOES THE GENERAL A GRAVE INJUSTICE AND PUTS HIM IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT. HOWEVER, I'LL LET THE POST STAY WITH THE INCLUSION OF THIS DISCLAIMER.
There is no possibility of May 13 recurring.
Why do I say that? The documentary evidence that has emerged since 1969 clearly reveals that May 13 was also an Umno sandiwara masterminded by a handful of conspirators in a hurry to seize power from Tunku Abdul Rahman. Never mind if their plot required the blood sacrifice of hundreds of innocent lives. Remember, the police field forces contributed by transporting truckloads of Umno berserkers across statelines to create havoc in the urban areas, knowing full well the local Malays wouldn't suddenly turn violent against Chinese and Indian neighbors they had known for generations.
And who was the ringleader of the coup d'etat in May 1969? The father of the current defence minister, no less. Let's not assume the Malaysian people are stupid enough to be fooled twice with the same evil tactic.
Seems to me General Abdul Aziz Zainal was calling on the PM to take stern action against Ahmad Ismail. The latter and his ilk had been openly, blatantly instigating ethnic conflict. I think the good General was saying, Look here... this has to stop!
ReplyDeleteThat may appear to be the case on the surface. But Umno politics is never that straightforward! In any case, it's not the army's place to make public statements of this nature. If anyone it ought to be the home minister who reminds out-of-line party members like Ahmad Ismail to stay cool and shut their traps. But the fact remains: Mad Ismail is pissed off that GE12 prevented him from making a few extra million from getting the PORR contract for his company, Peninsular Metal Works Sdn Bhd - which is linked to other companies in which Abdullah holds shares. His outburst has very little to do with Bangsa or Agama and everything to do with not accepting that his tempurung has been kicked over.
ReplyDelete//That may appear to be the case on the surface. But Umno politics is never that straightforward!//
ReplyDeleteTrue - typical UMNO style is 'marah anak sindir menantu'.
No, the General has actually named UMNO as instigators of racial strife. I believe his view represents that of his Commander-in-Chief, the Agung.
ReplyDeletePanglima Angkatan Tentera, Jeneral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal memberi amaran kepada UMNO agar segera berhenti menggunakan isu-isu perkauman untuk tujuan politik.
Isu-isu perkauman yang dicetus pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO perlu dihentikan serta-merta. Sebelum ini, UMNO telah menimbulkan kemarahan kaum Cina dengan tindakan Ketua Pemudanya menghunus keris sambil mengugut kaum-kaum lain. Kemudiannya, kaum Cina dan India diberi amaran lagi oleh UMNO berikutan cadangan Menteri Besar Selangor untuk membuka 10% UiTM kepada pelajar bukan Bumiputra untuk menggalakkan persaingan.
Sebelum itu, kaum India dihina dan dicerca saban hari di media terutama sewaktu berita sewaktu isu Hindraf ditimbulkan. Majoriti rakyat India yang bersama Hindraf hanya menuntut gantirugi dari British kerana memaksa nenek moyang mereka ke Malaysia tetapi UMNO memutarbelit isu dan mendakwa kononnya Hindraf mengatakan berlakunya pembersihan etnik di Malaysia. Kaum India beramai-ramai menolak UMNO dan BN dalam pilihanraya baru-baru ini.
UMNO bermain dengan api perkauman lagi dengan memanggil kaum Cina penduduk sementara dan imigran. Pak Lah tidak mengambil apa-apa tindakan kepada pemimpin UMNO yang membuat kenyataan tersebut sehinggalah apabila Gerakan dan MCA mengamuk dalam perhimpunan dan perjumpaan dengan UMNO.
Go here for more of this:
http://www.tranungkite.net/v7/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15800
In the light of what is now unfolding in the country, is it not more than probable that the General was alluding to something being cooked up in the higher places? It has been said that the armed forces have the best intelligence service.
ReplyDeleteMy good sir (your syntax sounds masculine, so I assume you're a member of the Military's "White Knights")... I somehow sense your utmost sincerity and genuineness in correcting the spin introduced by the English-language press which conveniently left out the bit where Jeneral Abdul Aziz apecifically names Umno as the shit-stirrers. I fear I have been extremely unjust to the good Jeneral and would like to personally apologize for the grave misunderstanding. It's difficult not to think that after 8 years as defence minister, Najib would have made sure he's surrounded by top-ranking officers
ReplyDeletewho are somehow indebted to him.
Sometimes the political intrigues in this country are too Byzantine for me to fully understand. But I would like very much to believe you are entirely right in this instance - because that gives us great hope that the military hasn't become as tainted as the PDRM or the SB (who seem to serve Umno, not the rakyat or the national good).
Perhaps it's best that I remove this post since I certainly do not wish to malign Jeneral Abdul Aziz. I'm sorry to have jumped too hastily to the conclusion that the defence minister goaded him into making such a public statement in order to scare the rakyat over 916.
Before I delete it, I shall see if you have anything else to add. Thank you very much, good sir!
Nothing to add, dear friend. I hope things resolve themselves pretty soon. It's time to call down higher powers. I mean, pray!
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great site, and God bless.
I've kept the post, adding a disclaimer that draws attention to the crucial information you supplied.
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe the ratio of good, honest people in Malaysia to the truly villainous ones is something like 97:3 - which means we vastly outnumber the vermin that have infested the Umno/BN govermin :-)
Good job!
ReplyDeleteStay well, and keep posting!