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Folks

This is a WINNER TAKES ALL.

Both are going for broke.

Mud and dirt will be dug and thrown at each other in public.

Pak Lah is asking others to throw the dirt on his behalf. Incumbency has its own advantages, use of the media, political opportunists, and even dragging in the royalties.

Dr. M, true to type, comes head on, in-your-face, frontal attack.

Interesting. One asking his soldiers to his fighting, while the other, now without his regular soldiers, is fighting alone.

One man versus the whole UMNO machinery. The very machinery built over 21 years of his own doing.

They say:

a) You reap what you sow
b) The chicken has come home to roost

For Pak Lah, he still has to answer for his broken promise if he had made to Dr.M to gain the top prize.

The current crisis has nothing to do with the running of Govt, it has nothing to do with the politics of this country, it has nothing to do with everyday Malaysian and the man in the street.

This crisis is consequence of UMNO's dirty self-serving politics, now being manifested due to its unchecked arrogance and unaccountability when in power.

The government's previous hold on the national media has slipped to a surprising extent. Is the Kalimullah And Friends gang at the NST merely spinning to save their jobs? Or has the media been emboldened by their Western friends and decided to adopt some paparazzi tactics of their own? Surely dragging a member of the royalty, who by Constitional definition is above the fray, into the ugly debate is pure dirty tactics. Their cut-throat ways aren't doing anyone any good; not the PM, not the Tun, nor the people who genuinely want to see this matter resolved so they can get back to more important issues.

The rakyat may get some interesting coffeeshop gossip, and the spin doctors at the papers may save their monthly paychecks, but at what cost?

Goons.

The rhetorics have gone far enough. First, both of them agreed to sit down face to face. Now, back to square one...who has the upperhand....

To me, its simple...AAB has failed to honours the election pledges he make prior to the election. Corruptions is more than ever, and the sad thing is AAB admits that his son was awarded the Government contracts albeit to a lesser extent than TM's son. Whatever it is, AAB's first denial of his son getting the Government contracts and later admits to the same is unlogical. An important thing as that should not escape his memory. Is AAB still having the withdrawal syndrome due to his loss of his beloved? If that is true, AAB should step doen. Is it because AAB feels that his son should be awarded the Government contract through negotiated contract? If that is true, AAB should step down.
And now, slowly we see that ven his party's elected representative is not respecting the Sultan (Selangor)...If AAB cannot discipline his men and he has loss control of his party, AAB should step down.

Then again, back to TM..If his critism is sincere, I welcome it. It needs ppl like TM to push the agenda. It has been a peoples' agenda. Malaysia has been gracious in allowing the leaders' relatives to reap from their position but not too much. It has now gone overboard and the normal ppl on the street has to bear all the consequences.
Maybe TM should take another approach to address AAB. And AAB better listen and not dozing off during the 4 eye meetings. Or AAB may lose few more states while dozing off during the coming election.
The coming UMNO assembly may be a good platform for AAB to step down, let the assembly to elect a new leader. It may not be Najib nor Hishamuddin...
Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...

The Angry Medic

The Malaysian press has no life of its own.

The reporters are essentially stenographers Govt ministers gve a press conference. And the editors of NST and STAR are just proof readers. They write an occasional editorial column to parrot their masters ie UMNO and MCA's propaganda.

The reporters, socalled journalists and editors in NST and MCA are a disgrace to their profession because their jobs are more important than the professional ethics which they were being trained for.

Most if not all are trained in Journalis and Mass Communication. In all likelhood they majored in Political Propaganda or Persuasive Communication and minor is Agenda Setting and an Content Analsis.

Genuine journalists worth their salt don't work in NST or Star, unless they enjoy writing articles on motor accidents. buglary and other people's misfortunes... these are safe topics as far as their political masters are concerned

The Angry Medic

The reporters and socalled journalists in NST is as bad as Singapore's Straits Times.

malays would learn to hate mahatir as fast as they hate Tunku when Tunku attack this wrecthed mahatir.

at least some old folks in my kampung already hate mahatir eventhough they were once his staunchest supporters

reporters here just dont ask tough questions....because the can't, won't or don't know how we will never know.

RANT

Based on what you said, Malays have short memories or tend to be amnesiacs or they are easily led by self-interest leaders in UMNO. Having said that, I exclude Kelantanese Malays, whose self-integrity and political acumen are far far better than those than the West Coast Malays.

Money politics tried to rear its ugly head in Kelantan for the last 15 years... even Mahathir failed to buy the Malay votes in Kelantan, yet for sake of decency, Kelantanese Malays rebuffed UMNO's dirty politics.

The Kelantanese Malays' attitude is: "It is better to be poor that to sell your soul to the devil and be forever become a prostitute to others".

Many West Coast Malays can learn a thing or two from the Kelantanese Malays.

I wonder who is doing the spinning. Indeed, the scale of the spin is more akin to lying.

If Mukhriz contends that “the media has gotten the Sultan (of Johor) and commoners against him” and so forth, I hope he has read the NST's account. No doubt, there are questions asked about the NST's credibility, but the October 26 report quotes the Sultan of Johor directly as saying this:

"I have something to say," Sultan Iskandar al-Marhum Sultan Ismail told
Muslims as he took over the microphone after the prayers and sermon by the
imam.

He said he was saddened by the feud, especially since he knew both leaders
personally and considered them as his sahabat (friends).

(Abdullah and Dr Mahathir are recipients of the Darjah Kerabat Johor Yang
Amat Dihormati, Pangkat Pertama (DK1).

(The DK or The Most Esteemed Family Order of Johor, is normally awarded to
royalty, but it is occasionally given to commoners who have given valuable
service to the Ruler and the state).

Alluding to Dr Mahathir's recent attacks against Abdullah, the Sultan said:
"If one has already been pensioned, just behave like a pensioner, what is
the use of making more noise?"

Source:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Thursday/Frontpage/20061026080006/Article/index_html

And in case anyone is wondering if it is "really the case" that "the Sultan’s comment reflects the people’s opinion", allow me to voice my one vote: YES, it represents mine.

Mahathir has no moral high ground from which to hurl his stones. He has not answered questions about his own long list, 22 years long, of misdeed.

No, the Johor Sultan does not reflect my opinion. I do not believe pensioner should "duduk diam-diam" at 55 years old, pensioners have much to contribute to the nation and society. If all pensioners duduk diam-diam after reaching 55, then it will be a burden to the country and society.

I also agreed whole heartedly to the AKJ's comment in rocky's bru when he wrote:

"Saya tak tahulah dalam agama dan fahaman lain, tetapi dalam Islam, kalau tak silap saya, tak ada istilah pencen.

Setahu saya, Allah Taalah mahu kita menyumbang untuk kebaikan sehingga ke akhir hayat kita. Malah berdosa, kalau tak salah saya, kalau kita tak buat apa-apa (kerana kita pencen) jika terjadi sesuatu yang buruk."

NO. it does NOT reflect my stand !!!!

Pensioners have accumulated vast knowledge, wisdom and life experiences in their active life. They are the jewels for the youngs to emulate their good behaviours and should be polished in their remaining years coz they have much to contribute to the nation.

My two cents.

Mahathir may have achieved something that is objectively good in 'taming' the power of the royalty stemming from 'age-old Feudalism', but I think it's wise to take a more balanced view of this.

It appears to me that Mahathir, being Mahathir, did not 'tame' the rulers so that the rakyat can enjoy a more democratic government. In short, I think he destroyed that power so he could assume it for himself.

After all, was his approach to the royalty not the same as his approach to the judiciary?

So although it's undoubtedly a good thing that the Royalty is no longer above the law, I don't think TDM should be lauded as some heroic lion who saved us from feudalism dengan hati yang penuh keikhlasan.

RANT wrote "at least some old folks in my kampung already hate mahatir eventhough they were once his staunchest supporters"

Your kampung must be NOT in Kelantan. PAS will still rule Kelantan after next GE. Unless next GE will top last GE as the dirtiest GE in Malaysia's history.

RTM should organize a Debate Perdana where these two TDM and AAB will be given time on live TV to debate, accuse and refute each other. Lets get it out in the open, no more eye to eye meeting and "he said this" versus "he said that".

Malaysians are matures enough to decide who is right and who is not telling the truth. Malaysians are also smart enough to know who is speaking in the interest of the nation and who is speaking in self interest. Both TDM and AAB should prepare for this debate. Have their team of spin doctors standing by. They can call time out if they are unsure of the answers and consult their spin doctors or informants.

The last man left standing will be accorded the accolades.

ogre

The idea is good but will never take place.

The Pandora Box on UMNO will be wide open in public. That's unthinkable in UMNO.

If it happens, all the TV channels are either owned or partly by UMNO cronies and RTM is a govt mouthpiece, do you think Dr Mahathir has a chance. The moderator will be biased in the first place.

Forget it! The last thing UMNO wants is to have its dirty underpants shown to public let alone having it washed in public.

UMNO prefers dirt swept under carpet and allow the dirt to keep on piling up. Even if everybody notices the dirt piling up, UMNO will INSTRUCT the nation to pretend they don't exist.

The best campaign in Malaysia is word of mouth those who are not internet-savvy; organise smallgroup discussions in Mamak stalls for teh tarik, in Coffee Bean or the Israeli-owned Star Buck, or in homes since the ISA does not allow congregations in public of more than 5 (?) in public without the Bukit Aman boys acting like amateur spies.

I was very surprised that NST brought up the issue of Ops Lallang to prove that TM is just as guilty.

I have to disagree with that analysis given that Ops Lallang was all about sedition and national security, and NOT about criticising the PM!

Besides, I would imagine NST itself would have benefited from it then when The Star was implicated in it (correct me if I'm wrong). NST's ostracising TM using that event as a reference point is like shooting its own foot!

JB

NST editiors ??

A bunch of nincompoops!!

"ynos" & "kamil",

Perhaps I should clarify that what I was agreeing with is that one particular pensioner viz Dr M should keep quiet (for reasons which I have mentioned many times before). I was not referring to other pensioners.

nat is right. Mahathir didnt curb the power of the royalty because he felt it was constitutionally good. Anyone doubting this can look at how he destroyed and emasculated the judiciary.

Oh.. Paklah.... Please do not put your words into my mouth again and again.

Does Sultan Johor represent the people of Malaysia? or simply just put it this way... me. Or you are the one who is supposed to represents Malaysian?

Don't keep mentioning that this rakyat want that rakyat want.. it seems to me only you and the Sultan of Johor want if you keep pushing that way. Please don't keep linking your name with the Sultan of Johor.

Get a better advisor.

We are unlike those ex-deputy prime minister who can't think for himself, and always follow the say of his superior until the extent that when he becomes the PM he thinks everyone will follow his tune.

NST? Look which company owns NST and has the biggest share in the media industry? Media Prima. Owns companies ranging from free-to-air TV stations to newspaper agencies.

And give a closer peek to who are the directors of the company? Trust NST? My foot!

ogre and Frank&Honest:

have to agree there, the debate will never materialise. It's a great concept, and put to good use in first-world nations like America, but Malaysia...let's just say Malaysia isn't exactly America. I mean, if even President Bush was afraid of going on air against Kerry in the last election, we're not going to see these two esteemed leaders eager to jump out with guns a-blazing. And even if it did happen, it'd be ugly. Real ugly. Mawi-Diana ugly.

Frank&Honest: I don't know. I really thought people like Brendan Pereira had their heads screwed on the right way. His posts were thoughtful and didn't seem like he was the Government's trick-dog. Then again, we have him ripping Mitch Albom off, which probably isn't the hallmark of a respectable journalist. One-time offence born of desperation and a packed schedule, or symptom of an incorrigible quack?

The Angry Medic

You said...I really thought people like Brendan Pereira had their heads screwed on the right way.

We just found out that Brendan Pereira had his head screwed between his legs.

He is a plagiarist and a literary thief.

If he is not thrown out of his job in NST, then all the readers of NST are a bunch of suckers for having the indignity of reading columns of plagiarist... there could be others.

One bad ink spoils the whole glass of milk. Need to throw the whole glass away so that other glasses of milk will look good.

Otherwise, there is this nagging suspicion that there are potential clones of Brendan Pereira-types still writing/plagiaring columns in NST.