BN's on the run, PR under the spotlight and someone going senile?

Update : BN picks Isa Samad as BN candidate for Bagan Pinang by-election. As posted by Malaysiakini @ 4.18 pm

Now, as all eyes are turning Bagan Pinang, let me make an early call. If BN did not field in either Isa Samad or his son, PR will breathe easy and has a fighting chance. However, If BN choose Isa Samad or his son, then PR's chances will be slimmer by the day. But knowing PR, they will come out fighting to wrest Bagan Pinang away. It will be a good fight, a barometer to gauge the support of the rakyat.

Raya's over and you can see that the crowd is back in town. I mean, those wheeler dealers are now back at their favourite corner in the mall cooking up stories and sharing gossips.

Whatever it is, the recent Raya week sees BN making a dash to revive its fading fortunes whilst PR is under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. So, this time let's not focus on a specific issue but to list down statements and issues which will either make or break those concerned :-

1. On Bagan Pinang, Tun Mahathir has make his stand clear that he is not i favour of BN naming Isa Samad as the BN candidate for the coming by-election. Who will be BN's candidate for Bagan Pinang will be revealed by Muhyiddin Yassin on 29th September 2009.
2. It also shows that Malaysians are a fickle lot. When Abdullah was the PM, the crowds shyied from Mahathir's open house. Now that there is a new kid running the show, the crowdsreturn in droves to Mahathir's with Abdullah's open house not as merry as it was before. A tale of two open houses indeed.
3. Najib is buzy wooing the Chinese by announcing RM 250,000 for lantern festival which will be an annual event. However, as far as I can remember, the Chinese has been celebrating the lantern festivals ages ago without BN support. Why the sudden interest, Najib? Is it because of Bagan Pinang?
4. Najib is also busy wooing the Indians by agreeing to launch Indian based Parti Makkal Sakhti Malaysia on 10th October 2009. Is Najib sending a message to Samy Vellu? Or is this another stunt for Bagan Pinang?
   
5. What about the Malays? Najib has nothing to worry because his chief backer has called on the people to continue supporting BN. If a person who is supposed to be apolitical, above the politics, entrusted to look after the religous affairs of the state can make that statement, what else can you say? If the call is to support BN, everything is in order, so sayeth Shamsuddin Nawawi aka political secretay of Pahang MB aka small talk. What happen if a person of the same standing make the call to support non-BN party? Will his statement be acceptable to BN and the MSM? Frankly, I doubt it...so let small talk spins. The faster he spins, the more likely he will get a massive headache in Bagan Pinang.
6. As inducement, Pahang will now get a second university, National Defense Univeristy Malaysia. Deputy Higher Education Minister announced this on 26th September 2009. Is Najib's 1Malaysia meant for Malaysians or is he indicating that the whole of Malaysia (1Malaysia) is his for the taking? I am getting confused here...

   How much does it cost to have the second university in Pahang? Speculations are always there...some says it's UIA revisited. Maybe Anwar can share something on this...
   

7. Hassan Ali, it seems could not run away from controversies. Now, he's in the news again for his criticism on Selangor's committee for competency, accountability and transparency (Selcat).

   This time around PR reps blasted Hassan Ali for his stand. I, for one, will support Hassan Ali on this issue. Reason? Although Selcat is a novel idea to stamp out incompetency and establish accountability, it should not be a vehicle to bash past administration. Further, it should also not a venue to blast the state administrators who are following instructions. Selcat, especially those from the PR side should not go overboard in dispensing their duties. Open enquiry to public servants may be fine and fun for PR reps, but it is not for those public servants. Drilling them for something beyond their control is wrong. Overdrilling them for personal gratification or out of personal vendetta is humiliating. Remember that public servants are there to assisst the government of the day. They are not there to swear allegiance to a party (although some did).
   

   And whilst I am in the mode, Selcat maybe fine. It will be better if it were to scrutinise the spending done under PR governmentship instead of targeting the previous administration. Better still, Selcat should be coming out with guidance and protection for the civil servants to do what they do best with Selcat's guarantee that no political inteference will come into play. Can you do that, Selcat?
   

8. Apparently, someone is also trying to cash in on Kugan. Kugan's mum, lawyers and family members tried to present a memorandum to the palace official on 26th September 2009. Actually, it is fine with me but the question is the timing and the foolhardiness of the group.

   Why did the group insisit that all the 20 or so participants witness the handing of memorandum? When the palace officials have agreed to 3, then stick to 3. Some may ask - who should be the three? Well! Kugan's mum, his lawyer and one of the 2 MPs' present. They can represent the whole 20 participants or so...so why create a fuss? Isn't 3 better than none at all?
   

   I see this as more of a PR exercise by Uthayakumar to promote his newly created HRP. That's the same reason why he calls for candle vigil on 6th september in response to the "cow head" incident in Shah Alam. Why did Uthayakumar choose dataran Merdeka over Shah Alam? If he is against the "cow head" incident then he should be having his candle light march in Shah Alam. The same goes when Uthayakumar make his presence felt in Kg Buah Pala. It was a short lived PR exercise and when the crunchtime came, he was nowhere to be found.
   

There will be some newsworthy issues not covered this time around. Now, as all eyes are turning Bagan Pinang, let me make an early call. If BN did not field in either Isa Samad or his son, PR will breathe easy and has a fighting chance. However, If BN choose Isa Samad or his son, then PR's chances will be slimmer by the day. But knowing PR, they will come out fighting to wrest Bagan Pinang away. It will be a good fight, a barometer to gauge the support of the rakyat. Najib's 1Malaysia is making the waves but his 1Malaysia F1 team fails to win me over...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...