PM skips Wesak do

Is there any coincidence that  Prime Minister Najib Razak will be travelling overseas during this year's Wesak celebration which falls on May 17?

In recent years, it has been customary for a Malaysian Prime Minister to join the Buddhist community to celebrate Wesak Day with high tea in one of the local Buddhist temples. This practice is similiar to the PM's visits to other places of worship during other major religious festivities celebrated in the country.

It was reported Monday in the national news agency Bernama that Prime Minister Najib will be attending an investment function in New York on May 17. This means he will not be in the country for the customary goodwill visit to a Buddhist temple to celebrate Wesak with the devotees. The Buddhist community in Malaysia is the second largest religious group after Muslims in a country which has various public holidays commemorating many religious and cultural festivals.

Reliable sources revealed that the Prime Minster initially plans to visit a major Buddhist centre in Petaling Jaya but changes his plan recently. In his absence, the Minister of KPI and Unity Koh Tsu Koon are expected to represent him to attend the Wesak function in Petaling Jaya.

While PM Najib will be skipping the Wesak do this year by flying out of the country during the most important day for Buddhists, the community will be as usual carry on with their routine of prayers, meditation and performing charitable deeds on the Holy Wesak Day.

The Buddhist community all this while has been self reliant in managing and maintaining their religious affairs with minimal support or interference from the government. With or without the PM presence on Wesak Day, would it make any difference now? - Loka SK Ng

Najib joins in Wesak procession

If anyone from Umno dares to claim that attending an other than Islam religious procession is haram then they should tell it straight to Najib Razak's face. Hold on a minute! Is Najib really attending a Tua Pek Kong procession or it is just part of the political charade especially during a critical by-election that will gauged the support of the Chinese community in Sibu particularly and Sarawak generally.

As I had wrote previously, not a single serving Prime Minister ever openly walks into a Buddhist main shrine hall, and the current PM is inclusive. Now, will Najib joins in the procession on the evening of 28th May 2010 during the Wesak celebrations at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Kuala Lumpur? Maybe another charade for the Buddhist community. But are the Buddhist community so naive or is it just a few who will grabbed the opportunity to rub shoulder with the PM at the expense of the community's dignity and wisdom? - Loka

Next PM please stand up

As the days getting nearer to the Umno General Assembly next week, Malaysians and the world community are expected to be served with an arrays of questions, actions and stories that will makes everyone stand up.

The gigantic question will be whether Abdullah Badawi will really vacate his seat as Prime Minister and if Najib Razak will be able to claim the coveted highest political seat of government.

As reported in the Malaysiakini, Zaid Ibrahim, the former de facto Law Minister who was sacked from Umno last year is now appealing to the King not to appoints Najib as PM when Abdullah steps down. With this call, it will not be surprising if Zaid's call will create a snowballing effect with more similar calls by others especially those that has an axe to grind with Najib. These people most probably will be from within and outside of Umno circles which includes Ali Rustam, the affable Umno vice president who was barred yesterday from contesting the deputy president position next week.

If the King really uses his discretion not appoint najib as PM, other that Najib who else can fit the bill to wear the PM shoes after Abdullah? Assuming there is no power play behind the scene to shoo-in Anwar Ibrahim as the next PM with the endorsement of Abdullah and Ali Rustam's block of supporters in Umno, will there be anyone else from Umno who are courages and capable enough to accept the PM position even if consented by the King.

Maybe there will be one. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, can you please stand up? - Loka

What will be Abdullah's legacy?

When Abdullah Badawi replaces Mahathir Mohamad as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia in 2003 there were many high hopes on him to perform and govern the country to a greater heights. Many have good words for him as the Mr. Nice Guy who ascended the highest political office of the country with a remarkable and untainted records.

The expectations were indeed sky high which Abdullah is expected to deliver during his term of office. The result of the 2004 general election when BN secures 92% of the parliamentary seats was an endorsement of his premiership. After 22 years under the strong willed control of Mahathir administration, the rakyat expected a change towards a more open and freer society.

While many exhibits their confidence for the new PM that period of time, there is also some who are keeping their fingers crossed. I was one of them. Only time will prove whether a person will deliver whatever he promises and fulfilled the needs of the people. Especially for those who live the life of a politician where there is no permanent friends or foes. For some promises is not always equivalent to commitment, dignity and honour. Whatever happens in the past may not guarantee the future political direction of the person will be the same.

Abdullah promises a lot and now he is left with only less than six months to deliver them before he calls it a day and retires as PM. Whether he can fulfilled all his promises within this short period is indeed a huge question since he had 5 years to do it but met with many stumbling block especially from his own Umno people. The results of the 2008 general election provides the drawing on the board that Abdullah and BN fails to understand the happening on the ground. Their supporters deserted them in droves. Maybe they were still enjoying the extended 2004 honeymoon. Some still dreamt of being in honeymoon and having the denial syndrome. When will they wake up? Maybe next general election when they won't be having their bed to lie on to dream anymore!

Knowing that he won't be Umno president and PM by March 2009, akin to a lame duck PM, what makes Abdullah thinks that he can overcome all those obstacles in the next six months to fulfil his promises and leave a legacy in Malaysian history?

No doubt about it, Abdullah premiership did brought change in the democratic process especially in comparison to previous PMs. The rise of NGOs and community groups in voicing their comments on the state of the nation and seeking justice and equality for the people which is unseen of during the previous Mahathir's adminstration shows that Abdullah initailly governed the country with a big ear approach . He listens.

We can't say that he did not try. The question is whether did he tried hard enough? He listens but did he courageously take actions after he heard the voices of unhappiness from the people. Later during the sunset of his premiership, he still listens but to those who asked him to used the big stick. How is his performance in managing not only the country but also his own people especially in Umno and his close associates and relatives? History will be the witness to his legacy. Will he utilised the last six months as PM to leave a legacy for the many generations to come or it will be something else?

I am not superstitious, but as usual I will keep my fingers crossed. For the outgoing PM Abdullah and also the incoming PM, whoever he is. - Loka

A dignified PM to be

With the pressure mounting from it's own members and leaders, it is imminent that Abdullah Badawi is expected to quit as Umno president and PM very soon. The sixth PM is expected to be appointed by the King after that.

Most will expect Umno's deputy PM Najib Razak to take over the Premiership from him. But at issue is whether the transition plan will proceed as decided by the Umno supreme council or will it face possible derailment such as Tengku Razaleigh challenge by seeking enough nominations to fight it out for the Umno presidency which by convention is also to assumed the prime minister position as leader of BN.

Another possible spanner in the works is the onslaught of Anwar's battle to attract BN parliamentarians to switch camp to PR. If it happens, the next parliament sitting after Hari Raya Puasa festival will see the appointment of a new PM by the King but it will not be Najib.

Even that is so, there are critics who thinks that it is not morally right to secure the coveted PM position using that approach since the rakyat did not decide that way on March 8 election. BN won the general election in the battle led by Abdullah Badawi and everybody knows Abdullah will be the PM when BN wins the election. If that's the case, can Najib take over as PM once Abdullah resigns midway through the term of parliament mandated by the rakyat?

Legally speaking, Najib can assumed the position as the constitution says that the King will appoints an elected MP who has the majority support of MPs of the Dewan Rakyat (Lower House). That is according to the law.

On the other hand if Anwar able to secure the majority support of the Dewan Rakyat, according to the law, he too can be PM legally. There is no mention of party affiliation by the MPs. As long as a particular MP can secure the majority support, the MP concerned can be appointed PM by the King.

There is no such thing that says whoever takes over the Umno presidency will be automatically the PM. Further more, the rakyat voted BN MPs to set up the government to be led by Abdullah not Najib. Is it morally correct to take over the PM position without seeking the consent of rakyat? Just as critics had tasked on the morality of Anwar taking over as PM via the back door without the consent of the people but by playing politics to secure power. Is Najib suspected to be doing the same too, playing politics to secure the position?

If both of them wants to walks into office with pride, respect and dignity, it will be dignified and statesman-like for them to go back to the voters for endorsement, not just depends on a political decision of a majority of 112 MPs or 25 members of the Umno supreme council.

Anyhow, both routes to power is not against the law as long as there is no acts of breaking the law such as buying over support with money, positions, sexual gratification, overseas trips or using threats of physical violence to any person or their loved ones. There is always a thin line and grey area in defining the morality and conscience of politicians in making decisions to seek higher office and power.

At the end of the day, no matter how legalistic and law abiding the method used to secure power, it is the individual's karma in facing the wrath of their almighty if their actions is not morally upright. If these matters to them though. - Loka

Wan Azizah as Prime Minister?

Many school children at one time or another has come across or given the task to write an essay on "If I am the Prime Minister of Malaysia" or "Why I want to the Prime Minister of Malaysia". These students, in the most highest level of idealism plus a grade of innocence and naiveness would have written a heavenly lists of things he or she wants to do when the coveted position falls onto their lap.

Well, by now most of us, the former primary students after realising the reality of becoming the prime Minister of Malaysia need more than a dream and writing an essay. We had awaken to the real world and pursued our own career and live an ordinary life.

Maybe not all though. At least now we have at least two possible prime minister-in-waiting who still holds to their childhood essays close to their heart. One is the current deputy prime minster Najib Razak and the other a former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. Even so, at this stage I think we should not dismiss and set aside some other possible candidates who is also holding on to their primary school essays. These guys includes the Kelantan prince Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and son of the Malay power base in Johore Muhyiddin Yassin.

The current PM had set his retirement to be in June 2010 and anointed Najib as his successor in UMNO and with that the prime ministership. Maybe Abdullah Badawi managed to secure the word from Najib not to challenge him in this December's Umno election by promising him his job in two years time. This sort of arrangement between the two UMno top politicians may work to the dot before this but time had changed.

Tunku Abdul Rahman hand over to Tun Razak was as planned and expected. So is Hussein Onn's to Dr Mahathir. The dramatic announcement by Dr Mahathir to pass the reins to Abdullah Badawi proceeded smoothly more than a year later. There was no real challenge to this hand over processes.

But can we say the same about the proposed hand over of power to Najib from Abdullah?

It will be a different ball game this time. There was no Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat factor breathing over the shoulder of both Abdullah and Najib. There is also Tengku Razaleigh who was narrowly denied the prime ministership more than 20 years ago. The Kelantan prince still harbors the hopes to be PM as the crown in the jewel in his political career. Furthermore, other component parties of Barisan Nasional might have a different view this time around on the PM position.

As for Muhyiddin, as the current longest serving Umno vice president, this will be possibly his last shot to lead the country. Once he miss the boat this time around, he can kiss the prime ministership goodbye. There are many leaders who are younger than him who is waiting to claim the coveted position after Najib(if he ever becomes PM), especially Najib's cousin Hishammudin Hussein who is also from Johore. If Muhyiddin defends his vice presidency, he will be fighting over split support for a Johore candidate if Hishammudin also contest for a vice president seat. Not forgetting other Johore leader like younger Khaled Nordin and old horse Syed Hamid Albar.

It looks like the stake is very high and Muhyiddin may go for broke by contesting for the presidency or deputy presidency in December, if he secures enough nomination. This might not be difficult if he teams up with certain states and work out his dream team.

But then all of these are based on assumptions that the PM will "always" from Umno. Can any other person hold the position? Yes, if an elected MP can secure the majority supports of the members of the Dewan Rakyat. That person can be Anwar, if he first secures his "licence" i.e. to be elected a member of the Dewan Rakyat and then obtained majority support from the MPs. Finally he need to show that he has the confidence of majority of the MPs and seek the King's consent to appoints him the PM. In politics, the tide changes very fast and the opportunity not taken will not be valid in the next tide. And time is not in favour of Anwar. In the meantime, maybe the MPs can give a thought to the possibility of creating history by electing Wan Azizah the first woman prime minister of this country. Politics is an art of the possible. Maybe Wan Azizah did wrote the same essay during her student days?

While the politicians are fighting it out for the pinnacle of power, did anyone up there care to seek and listens to the opinions and feelings of the ordinary folks. Did anyone bother to ask us if we wants Najib, Anwar, Razaleigh, Muhyiddin or even Hishammudin as our prime minister? Are the public's views are not important anymore even though every public policy the PM decides affects all of us. Maybe they are so be busy politiking that they forgotten there are still 26 million of other Malaysians watching and living in this country.

Mahathir to be Prime Minister again?

In politics, to gain and retain the position of power needs a continuos and difficult struggle but to be able to let go of the hard fought position of power requires another set of determination and understanding on the art of detachment.



After leading the nation for 22 years with a strong grip on every inch of political developments in this country, it is obvious former premier Mahathir Mohamad still finds it difficult to move on and live a life of a retiree statesman.



Since his retirement in 2003 he continues to basks in the limelight with continuos criticism of the current government especially the current premier Abdullah Badawi. Mahathir has been very vocal on the policies and direction of the government and UMNO and the momentum is gaining more speed since BN lost 5 states and the Parliament 2/3 majority in the March 8 election.



He may be very concern with the developments in BN and UMNO that were once his political playground but he ought to understand that you can't eat and keep the cake at the same time. Since he already gave up the nation's premiership and UMNO presidency, he should just move on and let others do their job albeit with occasional statesman-like advice.



If he can't live without those power and way of life, maybe he should just contest for the UMNO presidency again in December and if he wins, be appointed the sixth prime minister of Malaysia. then he can do something on whatever he has been complaining about for the past four years.



Of course assuming Anwar Ibrahim failed to convince al least 30 BN MPs to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat and he himself won a parliamentary by-election, paving the way for him to be premier.



It is up to Mahathir himself to decide whether he wants to be prime minister again and proceed with whatever he left behind in October 2003.



To be given power to rule is a responsibility with trust,

To be able to let go of the power needs courage and determination.