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Nah!!! Najib was there to ensure he is not replaced by competent Rafidah, the only person who stood up to Dr. M and won.

Kaboom? So fast....
My, Jeff you are really optimistic today!

Anyway, Rafidah, Samy and gang are still around to ensure that all the riches produced by all our countrymen will still be "share-shared" among themselves, oops, sorry, ourselves and not given to IMF.

For the benefit of doubt he was probably fatigue after going thru the list again and again and again and again that he has to make do with the bunch of goonchoos.

Who can you really trust in politics? That's why they call it politics.

Najib had the keris ready to be bathed if he was not in the list?

Maybe Najib didn't even know who were on that list.

He stare was stealthly.

smell -- a rat!
tell -- watch your back!

my spell:
Julius Caesar: et tu, Brute?

Mark Antony:... and Brutus is an honourable man...

and Korek me if I'm wlong! "Yang Berhormat" translates as 'honourable', yes? My Bahasa NOT so good, my engrund is gooder...

guess what's N holding in his hands behind his back?

Interesting comparison with the Suharto pic...
What are you trying to say Jeff?

By the way ... the reshuffle is a bit dissapointing. For someone like me who is not a political expert, the reshuffle somehow shows the PM lacking the 'muscle' to manage the cabinet ...
Just a tought ...I maybe wrong though ...

I dunno, but I still doubt my long lasting future..

What happened to democracy!

I just wish.. and shall keep on wishing and wishing that AB's choice is good this time..

*doubt lingers*

ABB may be the one reshuffling the cabinet but Chuck Norris's the one who kick them out of parliment by doing roundhouse kick.

Chuck Norris where are you?

AAB certainly looks stressed and uncertain by the tone of his voice. Najib was like a hawk reciprocating every names uttered by AAB with a nod of approval through his body language which he is obviously not eager to suppress. I share AAB anguish and discomfort with such breathing proximity of the deputy. With his new team, lets see how bloody would the ring be during the implementation of the 9th MP.

the picture of najib and badawi reminds me more to this picture here http://www.endorphines.net/shaker/archives/images/simpsons.jpg

najib actually looks like homer simpsons!

N - cross finger

Wong Chun Wai wrote today:

“Still, the line-up has been decided and for Abdullah, people will always have flaws. But where government policies are concerned, Pak Lah will have to make sure that there are as few flaws as possible. These political considerations would certainly have been taken into account when Abdullah drew up the list. Other talented leaders could have been included, but this is REALPOLITIK.”

Realpolitik is defined as “a system of politics based on the needs of a country or political party rather than on moral principles”.

Operating such a system supports the breakdown of moral standards. This system educates selfishness and greed.

Whenever people are elevated to positions in government, their supporters and cronies cheer and celebrate the “chosen ones”:

• NOT because the “chosen ones” have been given the opportunity to perform a moral duty – to serve their people and the nation. (Sadly “serving others” has become a dinosaur and “serving oneself” is the modern trend)

• BUT because the “chosen ones” can help them achieve their WIIFM (what’s in it for me). It is sickening to witness endlessly the mentality of people jostling to be close, to praise, to visit, to entertain the “chosen ones” in order to get favours and contracts.

Realpolitik is THE FLAW.

Our ministers and deputies should be appointed according to their:
• Moral strength
• People management skills
• Work experience in their given portfolios
• A high level of competence

Chinese saying " the wine flask has changed but not so the wine " ......am I ignorant or what !

richL,

so does the Chinese saying "change the soup but not the medicine"

"Our ministers and deputies should be appointed according to their:
• Moral strength
• People management skills
• Work experience in their given portfolios
• A high level of competence"

And who judges their moral strength, people skills and competency? The public? Who can guarantee that their public persona is not just that? How can the public view them for who they are? Through the media? Who ensures that the media shall provide fair and open coverage to all politicians without favour or prejudice?

- Some of the questions being asked by independent thinking Americans....

....and there's also a swahili saying," you can change all the wine and the flask and the soup and the medicine, but if its crap you get at the end,dont bother!

Whether there is fatigue or stress in deciding the cabinet reshuffle, AB has time and again talked about not having the inspiration yet to reshuffle the canbinet. So it has come to pass, his belated inspiration produced a cabinet which does not inspire confidence. New wine in old bottle or old wine in new bottle make not much of a difference.

I cannot imagine that in Malaysia Realpolitick is played to this extent! Alright, you cannot do without some of the old woods, retain them if you want their services, they can be appointed as advisors to a particular ministry whilst some new chaps are appointed. These old woods are not going to be there forever. There is no excuse that they are needed. So when they suddenly dropped off their chair, there will be no continuity. Take my old acquanitance, the Minister of Miti, I have nothing gainst her except the mishandling of the AP issue,she is good no doubt in her handling of international trade, but she is not going to be there forever, somebody must hold the rein in the ministry under guidance and let her be the International Tarde Negotiator since AB has said that she is needed and experienced in global trade issues. A person too long in a certain portfolio will run out of new ideas and that's why you have the AP issue which turns the whole country upside down.

Similarly, old Samy should call it a day in the Works ministry. Let a new chap take over and make sure that the weather - rain and shine do not damage the elevated highway as Samy has us believe. Cracks appear because in the first place it is design fault and aggravated by the weather! It is not the other way round.

There is not much hope and perhaps, the body language tells all---that's the exit door is getting closer. Come on, there are many capable people to do the 9th MP,,,,ensure that there is corruption free and policies are based on merit and not otherwise. Fairness and justice must be seen all round. Meritocracy must be the underlining principle. Fear not AB,do what you need to do to put things right!

/// "Our ministers and deputies should be appointed according to their:
• Moral strength
• People management skills
• Work experience in their given portfolios
• A high level of competence" ///

alfabob, if AAB were to strictly use the above criteria, then I am afraid the number of qualified candidates will be minuscule.

This is obviously a compromise cabinet, where all the thieves are allowed to continue stealing, so as to give more time for Pak Lah's relatives to get into the corporate world - SCOMI, Skychefs and ECM Libra/Avenue. The mainstream press sing the praises of Pak Lah when they should be critical (I would use the word "idiotic" on the editors), and the main component parties are silenced because of the weak leaders - the latter engineered by none other than Dr Mahathir.

Rafidah and Samy no go? Huge risk in Malaysia political succession!?

Neil: so how was the pan-fried eggplant dinner?

A: you've a long memory, Neil.

Neil: maybe that's because i don't relish eggplants?

A: well, if you want to know, she was delicious; i mean the dinner; anyway, it was cosy, the table was small and for two.

now talking about tables. i have a problem with one table in particular.

Neil: and which one is that?

A: the Ministerial Cabinet table, the one they use for their weekly meetings.

Neil: you're not saying they bought that from some bangsar boutique too, is it?

A: no, no - i mean it's too big, too long from one end to the other; hell, it's like some scottish castle dinner hall table, fit for royalty, rather than a meeting of general managers of a company called Malaysia Berhad; why, it's so long you can shoot an arrow from one end and the guy at the other end will have time to dodge.

Neil: seriously, how does that relate to this topic?

A: can't you see, if you're going to administer ministers, there must be eyeball contact - from the distance, you can't even see the tics coming up rapidly when the guy is being grilled for something.

Neil: like what?

A: oh i don't know - is there some sentimental string to TV3 rather than some chinky chinese media?

Neil: that's mischievous, A.

A: ok, humor me, MRR2 the act-of-god sequel? AP the what-has-happened-to-those-
-kings part IIs? the clock-fountain in PJ new town?

Neil: that's a new one - what about it?

A: a short walk from the MPPJ enclave and it doesn't work. And yet they can extract blood money from the rakyat by simply raising assessment without transparency; last sunday star had two articles on city halls; and Wong was right about Lebuhraya Bandar Utama; it's downright uneven and yet they have the nerve to re-tar the main road opposite - at TTDI. Why?! is it because their bosses live there, so that they could use assessment collections from other tamans to spruce up selected tamans instead?

Neil: you're meandering tonight, A.

A: no i'm not; it's all about principle-based governance, and they should send the whole lot to some covey class.

Neil: hey, covey won't survive one minute here.

A: And let me add to that - that's because of some systemic problem with the democratic process: the guy grinds his way to a popular vote and gets the job; s/he thinks that's the pinnacle of success - not as it should be - the beginning of the journey to national and rakyat service; s/he may know nuts about how to run a ministry or anything on the portfolio and the table is too long anyway so all s/he needs to do is to make sure the tabled papers CHOA. How can there be accountability then if this weakness is compounded by weakness at the top?

Neil: i see your point.

A: you always do, Neil. But hell, what are we going to do about it?

Neil: go to bed?

alfabob, you missed one the most important criteria which is "Regardless of their skin colour".
confusedcious, the number will not be minuscule with the most important criteria met.

I believe if the AAB was to choose his cabinet..he should not use back the cabinet as the old ones are already defective to begin with . Everybody have a history that have not justified their action and also the public frowns upon.
There's a lot of CEOs out there who could have fit in the bill...CEOS who have commanded companies the size of a state and still manages to make profits...Rafidah Aziz may be good at negotiating foreign trades..but I don't see our economy doing any better than it should have...Our economy are slowly chipping away despite " the good negotiations of Rafidah" and frankly..the public have enough of it...

AAB have one more year to prove to me ...that he have the muscle before it will dawned on everyone that all he have is a dream. He have taken great steps to eradicate briberies..but the main root have not been uprooted.

To be honest, yes I am a bit dissappointed with the cabinet reshuffles. And people are asking.. why the old Samy and the Rafidah is still there?

AB need supports from Indian community as well, and Samy is currently far too strong an Indian leader. Therefore, letting Samy go is a no no. And Rafidah.. despite of the AP controversies, she is undeniably has the vast experience, and she has been good to the task so far.

Unless if AB indeed a very strong leader, the boat will be rocked slowly and slowly.. maybe until we fell asleep in it. But I can tell, the coming Election will never be the landsliding one, as experienced in the previous Election.

/// alfabob, you missed one the most important criteria which is "Regardless of their skin colour".
confusedcious, the number will not be minuscule with the most important criteria met. ///

teh-o, agree with your additional criterion, but with this proviso - that the first and last criteria by alfabob are also met.

As in previous cabinet, some of the "wrong" skin colours were ministers, but without the first and fourth criteria, you end up with their sons becoming billionnairs when they are in their 20s. Or those who blame God when things go wrong in their ministries.

Hi all,

Unlike most Malaysians, I have never expected much from this so-called cabinet re-shuffling exercise.

Let's not even bring in religious element into this politiking mess. After all, it's not a theocratic government. What more when there isn't enough 'holy-men' to go around to be cabinet ministers! So, let leave religion at the door step.

In fact, I think the government itself is the FLAW. No matter to what extend the re-shuffling of the cabinet is done, we'll still have to face with similar issues as we are facing today eg. corruption, cronism, etc.
Unless and until the day when we have some sort of check-and-balance in the government, we'll never see the end to our current problems. As it is, the government seems to be a one-party show, where every member is free to do anything they like with impunity! There's no one else to counter check if these people-in-power are doing anything wrong or illegal.

Until the day Malaysia have a two-party system in the government, better still, a three-party system, we all have no choice but to place all our apples in the same basket and keep hoping our PM will be a good leader, regardless if he, in fact, is actually a good leader or not in the first place. May be we should have a look at the British or Australian Parliment to learn a thing or two, where they have, at least, a two-party system.

As an old saying goes something like this: "It takes two to disagree but it takes three to form democracy". Think about it, if there are two parties, when an issue is raised, the two can have disagreement regarding the issue. Therefore, the third party becomes the key to sorting out the disagreement between the earlier two parties.

Some of you out there may have heard about this but I thought I just bring this to those never heard about this before.

So, everyone who has been voting the same party all these years should think if they should do the same again next time round. What we vote today will determine the outcome tomorrow, much like what we voted yesterday, which resulted in today's outcome.

You all have a nice day, now.

Abramoff Bragged of Ties to Rove
# The disgraced lobbyist helped get Bush to meet the leader of Malaysia, a former associate says.

By Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten, Times Staff Writers

WASHINGTON — When the government of Malaysia sought to repair its tarnished image in the U.S. by arranging a meeting between President Bush and its controversial prime minister in 2002, it followed the same strategy as many other well-heeled interests in Washington: It called on lobbyist Jack Abramoff for help.

It was a tall order. The then-prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, had been chastised by the Clinton administration for repeated anti-Semitic statements and for jailing political opponents. But it was important to the Malaysians, according to a former Abramoff associate who attended meetings with the Malaysian ambassador and the lobbyist.

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Abramoff contacted presidential advisor Karl Rove on at least four occasions to help arrange a meeting, the witness said.

Finally, the former associate said, Rove's office called to tell Abramoff that the Malaysian leader soon would be getting an official White House invitation.

Neither the former Abramoff associate nor any others who spoke about the Malaysian contacts wanted their names used, out of fear they might damage future business opportunities.

In May 2002, Mahathir met with Bush in the Oval Office; his photograph with the president was beamed around the world.

Abramoff received $1.2 million from the Malaysian government for his lobbying services in 2001 and 2002, the former associate said. Documents obtained by Senate investigators appear to confirm at least $900,000 of that amount.

It's not clear how central Abramoff was in arranging the Oval Office session. The White House says the meeting was arranged through normal channels.

But it was clear, the former associate said, that Abramoff took credit for it. His reputation for close relationships with the White House and congressional officials enabled him to charge stratospheric fees from his lobbying clients — and the president's meeting with Malaysia's prime minister enhanced that reputation.

The Malaysia episode sheds new light on the practices of Abramoff, the man at the center of a burgeoning corruption scandal, and suggests closer ties than previously acknowledged between the disgraced lobbyist and the highest levels of the Bush White House.

Abramoff has pleaded guilty to improperly influencing members of Congress and their aides — offering foreign travel and other benefits and later seeking favors from some of them. He often routed lobbying fees through nonprofit organizations to evade taxes or hide the sources of the funds.

The Malaysian payments were made to the American International Center, a bogus think tank that an Abramoff partner, Michael P.S. Scanlon, set up at a Delaware beach house. Abramoff and Scanlon have admitted using the center to collect millions from their lobbying clients.

By routing the money in that way, Abramoff identified his client on federal lobbying disclosure forms as the Delaware-based center and avoided having to register with the Justice Department as an agent of a foreign government.

After the Malaysian leader's White House meeting, the former associate said, Abramoff was invited to a dinner honoring the prime minister at the Malaysian Embassy and was given a seat near the head table.

At least one other Washington lobbying firm — Alexander Strategies, which was run by an Abramoff friend and former chief of staff to then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) — was compensated during this period for helping boost Malaysia's reputation in Washington. That firm was also given credit in some circles for helping to arrange the White House meeting and separate trips for leading members of Congress, including DeLay and several Democrats, to Malaysia.

The former associate was the only person to observe Abramoff's direct contacts with Rove, and he heard only Abramoff's end of the conversation. He recalled Abramoff picking up his ringing cellphone, looking at the caller identification and saying, "It's Karl." Abramoff listened for a few seconds and gave the former associate the thumbs-up sign. Abramoff then closed his phone and said the official invitation was forthcoming. "Call the ambassador," he said.

Apart from the direct contacts between Rove and Abramoff, the former associate's description of the Malaysia episode was backed by another former Abramoff associate and by documents released last year by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

Both said Abramoff talked of his access to Rove and cited his relationship with Susan Ralston, Rove's administrative assistant. Before joining the White House staff, Ralston was an assistant to Abramoff.

One of the former associates said Abramoff referred to Ralston as his "implant" in the White House.

A White House spokeswoman, Erin Healy, said Tuesday that Rove had "no recollection" of any conversations with Abramoff regarding the Malaysian meeting.