Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- PAS duel: Kelantan vs Terengganu
- Zaid argues his case, calls Anwar ‘phoney’
- WIKILEAKS: ‘Manila feared Misuari would flee once deported’
| PAS duel: Kelantan vs Terengganu Posted: 01 Jun 2011 07:42 AM PDT The media claims it is a contest between the clerics and professionals. But party insiders say the real battle is between Kelantan and Terengganu PAS. Historically, Kelantan and Terengganu never liked each other. Their mutual dislike had its root in a brief territorial dispute in the 1800s over the district of Besut, which both rulers laid claim. Hawkeye, Free Malaysia Today The upcoming PAS election is not a battle royale between the clerics (ulama) and professionals, says former Perak PAS commissioner Awang Ahmad. Rather, he said, the contest was about competency, where the 1,500-plus delegates would choose leaders capable of moving the party forward. "It is not that the current leaders are not good. It's just that the members want those who can perform better." Awang said that within the party ranks, no such camps representing the ulama and the professionals existed. "All are the same," he said. "The party has become appealing to all, hence the slogan 'PAS for all', but most importantly, the party needed a healthy blend of clerics and professionals." Awang said party president Abdul Hadi Awang constantly advocated that both sides needed each other and could learn from each other. He claimed that it was demeaning to PAS if the media continued to portray the party election as a contest between the ulama and the profressionals. PAS supporters club council adviser Hu Phang Chaw said the description came about probably to make it easier for the delegates to differentiate between senior and junior members. "The clerics are the veterans while the juniors are the professionals," he said. According to some party insiders, who did not want to be named, the real contest is between the Terengganu and Kelantan factions. They said that the race is between Hadi and PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who is also the long-serving Kelantan menteri besar. On June 11, Kelantan would play Terengganu in the FA Cup football final, and this will surely be a hot topic when the Kelantan and Terengganu football supporters in PAS gather for their muktamar tomorrow. Historically, Kelantan and Terengganu never liked each other. Their mutual dislike had its root in a brief territorial dispute in the 1800s over the district of Besut, which both rulers laid claim. A local myth has it that the Kelantan royalty lost the district as a result of cock-fighting competition. It was also generally perceived that many people in Besut spoke the Kelantanese dialect. A popular political humour making the rounds was that former Terengganu menteri besar Idris Jusoh was a Kelantanese, as he was the Besut MP. Against this historical background, the PAS election will take place as the muktamar (assembly) gets underway tomorrow. Observers see it as a proxy fight between the Kelantan and Terengganu PAS. In one corner is Hadi whose faction preferred a cautious form of politics to ensure the party does not lose its stake in the country's political future. In the other corner is Nik Aziz, who tends to emulate Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's style of a no-holds-barred campaign to dislodge the Barisan Nasional (BN). PAS is now engaged in a "shadow play" (wayang kulit) where all its dealings will be conducted beyond the prying eyes of the media and even its Pakatan Rakyat partners DAP and PKR, insiders here said. The candidates vying for party posts are expected to wage a personal campaign where SMS will be their tool to canvass for votes from the more than 1,500 delegates. They will also rely on private lobbying, feasts, and informal meetings in car rides. Awang pointed out that the looming national election would have a bearing on who wins in the PAS contest as the party seeks to consolidate itself to prepare for a bruising battle ahead with BN. "No delegate would want to vote along a pattern which will split PAS," he said. PAS observer Mohd Sayuthi Omar, a veteran blogger who writes about Malay politics, said that the differences in style between Hadi and Nik Aziz could be traced back to the 1980s when both were upstarts under the former president, the late Fadzil Noor. Then, Hadi was the aggressor and a hardliner; he was issuing controversial edicts (fatwa) against Umno, calling it an apostate at one time. Nik Aziz, as the Kelantan menteri besar, was preoccupied with defending the state from Umno's forays to overthrow PAS. There is somewhat of a role reversal now: Hadi seems to be more tactful than Nik Aziz, who, like Anwar, is seen to be aggressive towards Umno, Sayuthi said. Observers believe that Hadi changed tack when he became PAS president. He decided to be diplomatic, fatherly and cautious on the political front. In contrast, Nik Aziz felt that PAS should go for the jugular by dismantling Umno when the latter suffered a drubbing in the 2008 general election. Sayuthi also said that Nik Aziz nursed a grudge against Umno because the Umno-led government had imprisoned his son Nik Adli under the Internal Security Act in the early 2000s. His son was released two years later. The cracks in PAS surfaced weeks after the 2008 election when leaders in the Terengganu faction began to counsel Hadi about the new political shifts in the country. A radicalised Umno has now emerged while its partners, MCA and Gerakan, went into decline when their political bases were hijacked by PKR and DAP. They feared that if PAS did not adapt, it might either be trampled by BN or be sidelined in Pakatan. The Terengganu-based advisers told Hadi to be on guard and not to place "all the eggs in one basket". PAS was then positioned in the far centre rather than the left or right in the political equation, the insiders claimed. PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa was appointed as an emissary to hold informal meetings with Umno to try to get the best for the party in the much-altered political scene. But when news emerged about Hadi's sudden change in stance and that Nasharudin, the former golden boy of Kelantan PAS, had informal meetings with Umno, all hell broke loose in Kelantan. The insiders said Nik Aziz was mad that he was not consulted about the informal chats with Umno and recently revealed that the latter continued to court him by promising PAS three ministerial posts in a unity government. For the record, the unity government concept was first mooted by Kelantan prince, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, in 2008, as he had forseen that the Malaysian politics was full of uncertainty and needed a new approach. But the idea was shot down by most parties. In 2009, Nik Aziz immediately snuffed out all prospects of a strategic alliance with Umno while his proteges such as Husam Musa went on a nationwide roadshow to explain his mentor's contention. The climax was the 2009 party election where Kelantan PAS was confident of doing well, especially its man, Husam, who contested against Nasharudin for the deputy president's post. But the latter prevailed against all odds to beat back the challenge and retain his post. However, it was a hollow victory as Nasharudin was "chased" out of Kelantan when the state PAS made public about his role in the proposed Malay unity government talks with Umno. Although Nasharudin is the Bachok MP, he was seldom seen in the corridors of Wisma Darul Naim, Kelantan's administrative seat. Today, the Negri Sembilan-born Nasharudin is again fighting the odds – he is challenged in a three-cornered contest. Pahang PAS commissioner, the pious and soft-spoken Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Mat, is vying for the number two spot and is seen as a leader capable of placating both Terengganu and Kelantan PAS. The fact that he did not have any "political baggage" was a plus point and Sayuthi predicted that Tuan Ibrahim would have an edge based on the "mood" on the ground. However, Nasharudin had proven that he cannot be discounted but one wonders whether the Terengganu faction was solidly behind him now.
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| Zaid argues his case, calls Anwar ‘phoney’ Posted: 31 May 2011 05:06 PM PDT
The former PKR leader's reputation appears to be tatters after crossing swords with Anwar Ibrahim and quitting the party. He tells why he made the decision. "Not once have I approached him to consider me as a candidate. It doesn't make sense to contest in Hulu Selangor which has always been an Umno stronghold, except for the fluke year of 2008. Hulu Selangor is not a seat you would want to contest." Mariam Mokhtar, Free Malaysia Today PKR has been dogged with the sodomy trial of its leader and seems unable to shake off the shady image presented by Anwar Ibrahim's alleged sexual exploits. To be fair, Malaysian politics is suffering from a surfeit of irrelevance. Basic issues of governance are neglected and in their place, lie subterfuge, sex and scandal. Besides the sex video which had taken centre stage, there were fresh allegations about PKR's funding and the problems raised by the possible eviction from the party's headquarters for alleged non-payment of rent. During a series of interviews with Anwar last week, journalists asked the opposition leader about the constant onslaught by a variety of critics, including Zaid Ibrahim, who was once a member of PKR. Zaid left after disagreements about an internal party election and then formed his own party, Kita. In a recently taped interview, Zaid presented his version of the events, to counter the allegations made by Anwar. He wished to disassociate himself from the image of a bitter, betrayed person who bulldozed his way into PKR. Zaid maintained that his vision had not altered and that his decision to enter politics for the good of the people, had not wavered. He still maintained that he was true to the principles of good governance and that the political process must be clean. Rolls-Royce reward The former Umno man was told that one of the most striking news stories was the offer, ostensibly from Kita, of a Rolls Royce and RM10,000 prize money, for the person who could produce an Anwar look-alike. When asked if this was a genuine offer or a cheap publicity stunt, and pressed for reasons why Kita made this offer, Zaid claimed ignorance. "I wouldn't know as it was not made on behalf of the party. You would have to ask Zamil Ibrahim, who made the personal offer. He is our party member from Kedah." Asked if there were plans to make a sequel to the sex video with an Anwar look-alike, a visibly irritated Zaid replied: "You would have to ask Zamil." When told that the public would be wondering why Kita had to stoop to these depths and that the attention-seeking ploy would damage his party, Zaid again insisted that it had nothing to do with Kita. "I cannot be correcting what people say. I didn't even know about this until I arrived in London. They can say what they like. Neither I nor the party made the offer." Zaid then sought to clear his name after the interview in which Anwar claimed Zaid had "pleaded, every other night" to be "given the chance" to run for the (Hulu Selangor) by-election. "I don't know what he (Anwar) is talking about. I never pleaded with the party to nominate me. It's not true. It's an absolute lie." "When I was selected to contest the Hulu Selangor seat, Anwar was desperately trying to regain the momentum which had been lost in the wake of the desertion of seven of his MPs. He was at his lowest ebb especially after the failure of Sept 16, 2008 (takeover plan)." "Not once have I approached him to consider me as a candidate. It doesn't make sense to contest in Hulu Selangor which has always been an Umno stronghold, except for the fluke year of 2008. Hulu Selangor is not a seat you would want to contest." "I asked my friend in PAS, Mustapha Ali and also Lim Kit Siang, if they considered that I should take up this offer. They said, it would not be good for me, as a party member, to decline the offer, because it would seem that I did not want to help the party." "I accepted, because I thought the offer had been made in good faith. I have been in Umno for several years and I have never pleaded, even in Umno. You can check with (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) and Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi)… with everyone. It is not my style (to plead)." "Anwar is a liar and this is how he makes his living in politics. He thought I could pull it off. He did not spend a single sen on me. I paid the deposit with my money. The party did not do anything to help me. His remarks are a joke. It's not true." Asked to confirm that he was calling Anwar a liar, Zaid was firm and resolute. "Yes. Absolutely." On whether he thought that Anwar might have an ulterior reason for asking him to enter the contest, Zaid said: "You would have to ask him." "He probably thought I had the best chance of winning; otherwise, why select me? I was new to the party. Despite all the problems, I came close and I wouldn't want to speculate why I lost. It's not true that I pleaded and pleaded. "To know more about why I joined the party, you should ask Sallehuddin Hashim, the (former) secretary-general. He would know." 'Can't I give my opinion' Zaid then gave an insight into his relationship with Anwar. "On Sept 16, Anwar sent Sallehuddin to my house, to ask me to attend the planned rally at the Kelana Jaya stadium. Anwar had nothing to show and nothing of importance to say, so he wanted to announce that I had joined the party." "I told Sallehuddin that I had not reached a decision about joining PKR. Having left the government, I needed time to think things through and that took me six months. I wasn't desperate to join PKR. It was Anwar who was adamant that I should join. I didn't know I would have problems, otherwise I wouldn't have joined." Zaid was asked if he knew Anwar's character or had heard stories about him, as both had been in Umno. "No. He was high up in Umno while I was just a lower ground party member. Anyway, one cannot make decisions based on stories, as in politics you hear all sorts of things." Like Anwar, Zaid was visibly irritated when pressed on the subject of the sex video. After his request for a private viewing had been granted, Zaid had agreed that the man in the video was Anwar. When asked if he was at odds with his legal training which decreed that a man was innocent until proven guilty, he said: "I saw the video. I was convinced it was him and I gave my opinion." "Can't I give my opinion? Why aren't the other people who saw the video also a subject of query?" "I told the police investigating this video under Section 292 of the Penal Code that the matter of public interest is not the name of the distributor of the video but who is in the video and whether the video is genuine". Zaid then explained why various quarters were out to undermine him. "Anwar and his cohorts' spin is to make me look bad. The only way for them to look good is to make me appear bad. So they try very hard to manufacture and concoct things." "This is the problem in the country. We are going through a certain disease in that anything involving Anwar is not to be believed. There is a reluctance to investigate and verify the facts. Even when I am not involved, I am deemed responsible." Two years ago, people looked up to Zaid especially as he had resigned his post, as the minister of legal affairs because of his high principles. He resigned over the arrest of certain people and the government's stance on the Internal Security Act.
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| WIKILEAKS: ‘Manila feared Misuari would flee once deported’ Posted: 31 May 2011 04:01 PM PDT
A leaked US cable from 2001 highlighted the tug-of-war between Malaysia and the Philippines to wash their hands off Mindanao rebel Mur Misuari. The Malaysian government had previously given refuge to Misuari and his followers during the Mindanao war in the 1970s. However, this time around prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad ruled out political asylum. K Kabilan, Free Malaysia Today The Philippines had hoped that it could force Malaysia to incarcerate former Muslim Mindanao governor Nur Misuari here in 2001 by linking him with terrorist group Abu Sayyaf and the kidnapping of 21 people from Sipadan island a year before. To achieve this, Manila had shared intelligence on Misuari with Kuala Lumpur. "A (Malaysian) foreign ministry contact said that Manila was now alerting Malaysian authorities to Misuari's connections to Abu Sayyaf and the Sipadan kidnappings," said a confidential US embassy cable to the US State Department in Washington on Nov 28, 2001. The cable was leaked by whistleblower site WikiLeaks exclusively to FMT today. US diplomats based in the US embassy here had named the Malaysian foreign embassy contact in the cable, stating that he was from the Southeast Asia Division of the ministry. According to the cable, quoting the ministry official, Manila was feeding information to Malaysia "perhaps as a convenient way to keep Misuari incarcerated in Malaysia while the Malaysian police carry out what is sure to be a complex terrorism investigation". Misuari and six of his Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) followers were arrested by the Malaysian authorities on Nov 24, 2001 for trying to enter Sabah illegally. They were fleeing southern Philippines after instigating a war between Manila and his armed supporters, resulting in as many as 200 people dead. It was reported at that time that Malaysia was looking forward to send back Misuari to the Philippines as it did not want to handle Misuari and get involved in a complicated affair. The Malaysian government had previously given refuge to Misuari and his followers during the Mindanao war in the 1970s. However, this time around prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad ruled out political asylum. "This is an internal matter of the Philippines and Malaysia should not interfere by providing refuge to rebels from other countries," he was quoted as saying in Bernama then. Manila not confident of getting conviction The Phlippines, however, was keen to let Malaysia handle Misuari. The then Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was quick to point out Misuari's alliance with Abu Sayyaf and the Sipadan kidnapping, hoping that this would prompt Malaysia to take action against Misuari. "It's not right to identify Misuari (with the) MNLF anymore. It's better to identify him with the Abu Sayyaf," she was quoted as saying in newspapers. The confidential US cable noted that Malaysian officials were aware that the Philippine government was "talking out of both sides of its mouth". The cable noted that while Arroyo was hoping for Malaysia to handle the Misuari problem, her foreign ministry, however, was sending a different message to Malaysia – that his deportation would be requested following the completion of Mindanao elections where Misuari's successor as governor is to be elected. "The Philippine government fears that putting Misuari on trial for rebellion will not only cause a popular backlash, but may not result in conviction," added the cable, quoting the Malaysian foreign ministry source. "The Philippine government was not confident it could secure a conviction, and worried that Misuari may ultimately slip away," it added. Arroyo had hoped that a conviction in a Malaysian court would be a "safer and more effective method of keeping Misuari group behind bars", the cable stated. "Personally, I want him to stay in (a) Malaysian jail," CNN had quoted Arroyo just days after Misuari's arrest in Sabah. ************************************ C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 002464 ACCORDING TO A FOREIGN MINISTRY CONTACT, MANILA IS SHARING INTELLIGENCE ON MISUARI'S POSSIBLE ROLE IN THE SIPADAN KIDNAPPING, WITH THE HOPE THAT A RESULTING INVESTIGATION WOULD KEEP THE REBEL LEADER INCARCERATED IN A MALAYSIAN JAIL. THE MFA MAINTAINED THAT MANILA IS TALKING OUT OF TWO SIDES OF ITS MOUTH, WITH PRESIDENT ARROYO'S OFFICE INDICATING THAT MISUARI'S ACTIVITIES MAY REQUIRE A PROLONGED MALAYSIAN INVESTIGATION, AND THE PHILIPPINE FOREIGN MINISTRY CLAIMING THAT MANILA IS READY TO ACCEPT MISUARI IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ELECTIONS IN THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MINDANAO (ARMM). AN MFA CONTACT OPINED THAT GOP FOOT-DRAGGING IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FEARS THAT A REBELLION TRIAL FOR MISUARI IN THE PHILIPPINES MAY NOT ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A CONVICTION, AND IN THE 2. (C) THE LOCAL PRESS REPORTED NOVEMBER 28 THAT DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ABDULLAH BADAWI SAID THE GOM IS READY TO IMMEDIATELY DEPORT MISUARI AT MANILA'S REQUEST. CHIEF MINISTER OF THE BORNEO STATE OF SABAH, CHONG KAH KIAT, SAID THAT MALAYSIA "WOULD LOVE TO SEND HIM BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE." CABINET MINISTER FOR YOUTH AND SPORT AND UMNO YOUTH CHIEF HISHAMMUDDIN HUSSEIN, WHO KNOWS MISUARI PERSONALLY AND EVEN DESCRIBES HIM AS A "FRIEND," CALLED FOR MISUARI'S IMMEDIATE DEPORTATION TO THE PHILIPPINES. HISHAMMUDDIN, WHO IS LIKELY NOW DEFENSIVE ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH MISUARI, TOLD THE PRESS THAT MISUARI'S ACTIONS "CREATE A NEGATIVE IMAGE OF MUSLIMS AND TARNISH THE SANCTITY OF ISLAM." UNMO YOUTH EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER SHAMSUL ANWAR SULAIMAN TOLD US THAT THE PARTY HAD SENT A STRONG RECOMMENDATION TO THE PRIME MINISTER THAT MISUARI BE RETURNED TO THE PHILIPPINES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SHAMSUL CONFIRMED THAT HE, HISHAMUDDIN, AND OTHER UMNO FIGURES HAD BEEN CLOSE TO MISUARI IN THE PAST. 3. (C) WHILE THE GOM MAY WISH TO BE RID OF MISUARI, THERE IS GROWING INTEREST IN HIS ALLEGED CONNECTION WITH THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP AND HIS POSSIBLE ROLE IN THE SIPADAN ISLAND KIDNAPPINGS IN 2000. FOLLOWING A MEETING OF THE MALAYSIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL NOVEMBER 24, AN UNNAMED OFFICIAL TOLD THE LOCAL PRESS THAT MISUARI AND HIS CAPTURED AIDES COULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF "MILITANT GROUPS." A FOREIGN MINISTRY CONTACT IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DIVISION, ZULKEFLY MD NOOR (STRICTLY PROTECT) SAID THAT MANILA WAS NOW "ALERTING" THE MALAYSIAN AUTHORITIES TO MISUARI'S CONNECTIONS TO ABU SAYYAF AND THE SIPADAN KIDNAPPINGS, PERHAPS AS A CONVENIENT WAY TO KEEP MISUARI INCARCERATED IN MALAYSIA WHILE THE MALAYSIAN POLICE CARRY OUT WHAT IS SURE TO BE A COMPLEX TERRORISM INVESTIGATION. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE ROYAL MALAYSIA POLICE, NORIAN MAI, ACKNOWLEDGED TO THE PRESS THAT MISUARI AND HIS SIX CAPTURED SUPPORTERS WERE BEING INVESTIGATED FOR LINKS TO THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP, THOUGH NONE OF THE MEN, INCLUDING MISUARI, HAVE BEEN FORMALLY CHARGED. 4. (C) ZULKEFLY PROVIDED SOME ADDITIONAL INSIGHT INTO THE GOM'S DEALINGS WITH MANILA, MAINTAINING THAT THE GOP IS TALKING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF ITS MOUTH. WHILE THE PHILIPPINE FOREIGN MINISTRY KEEPS ASSURING THE GOM THAT MISUARI'S DEPORTATION WILL BE REQUESTED FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF ELECTIONS IN MINDANAO, PRESIDENT ARROYO'S OFFICE HAS INDICATED THAT THE GOM "SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE LONG-HAUL." ACCORDING TO ZULKEFLY, THE GOP FEARS THAT PUTTING MISUARI ON TRIAL FOR REBELLION WILL NOT ONLY CAUSE A POPULAR BACKLASH, BUT MAY NOT RESULT IN A CONVICTION. ZULKEFLY SAID THE GOP WAS NOT CONFIDENT IT COULD SECURE A CONVICTION, AND WORRIED THAT MISUARI MAY ULTIMATELY "SLIP AWAY." ZULKEFLY AGREED WITH THE VIEW THAT PERHAPS THE GOP HOPES A CONVICTION IN A MALAYSIAN COURT WOULD BE A SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE METHOD OF KEEPING MISUARI GROUP BEHIND BARS. |
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