New rules on the go
We are going to have a new government, ladies and gentlemen, and new rules to go with it. What new rules? The new ruling is that new rules concerning anything new and everything new will be formulated on a new “as is” basis, meaning the new cabinet will see fit to devise new plans and new strategies as it newly encounters them. Phew!
In fact, the “new” boys are trying out flexing their muscles to see how it feels. Sacred of losing the by-elections? Well, the impromptu plan is to ban the opposition’s publications without valid and lawful reasons. Not much reaction? Ban the ceramahs as well. End of story. Scared of another candidate winning the deputy president’s seat? Immediately ban the forerunner and says that it is corruption. End of story. Scared of the Perak Assembly Speaker winning his case in the Ipoh High Court? Quickly get an uneducated judge, name him as a Constitution expert and tell him to throw the case out. End of story. Scared of Kerismuddin doing yet another bad replay of his infamous fly-swatting antics? Give him the ceremonial keris to hold and hope like mad that it is enough and that he is contended and will not pull yet another embarrassing stunt like it. End of story. Scared that Gobind “The Prince” Deo will shout at the DPM calling him a murderer in Parliament again? Get the Parliamentary Speaker to ban him for one full year. End of story. Scared that “the King” will come to “the Prince’s” aid? Charge him with sedition. And this is just the very beginning of a very, very long four years before the next federal elections.
If a PM-in-waiting can do what he already did before becoming the actual un-elected PM, just visualize what he is capable of when he really becomes the PM. We are not talking about the TDM-style scheming where everything is meticulously planned and rehearsed before he hits you from behind with a big stick and blames you for intentionally breaking it with your head and then sues you for reparation costs. Neither are we talking about the THO “I am your best friend” style where the NEP was initiated, drafted, revised, redrafted, agreed upon, tabled, debated, approved, gazetted and implemented before anyone knew what was happening and what the effects are going to be. Presently, what we have here and now is someone who does what he thinks is best for the situation (at that precise moment) or what the very last person advises him, without considering the consequences and says, “shit happens and so what are you going to do about it?”
If anyone thinks that the situation is bad now or was quite bad before, just wait till the manure really hits the fan. April is going to be quiet, real quiet as everybody who is anybody in UMNO will be extremely busy attempting to impress the new boss so as to obtain a cabinet seat or get named as the ambassador to some exotic country. May is going to hot up as it will be every UMNO man (or woman) for himself/herself until the reshuffle is completed. June and July would probably be almost quiet as these new people settles into their new jobs and come August…
If anyone thought that TDM had a very big stick, let me assure you that this new administration will be wielding a much bigger stick and will not vary from using it to the fullest. Back before AAB became PM, people were contended with the money being literally thrown at them. All we had to do then was to own a dart, had a relatively good aim, a remisier and a bank account. Nowadays we have a negative forecast of the economy, zero prospects, a declining standard of living and a very big headache indeed. Add these elements to a weak government that will do anything and everything to hang on to power and we have an explosive mix.
Oh, gory days are here again…
– Hakim Joe
