Najib’s Han Chiang Counteroffensive?
KTemoc Konsiders
On 16 December 1944, a Nazi Germany besieged by its enemies on two fronts and facing inevitable defeat, launched a desperate offensive in the Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front.
Wikipedia states: Germany’s goal for these operations was to split the British and American Allied line in half, capturing Antwerp (port in Belgium) and then proceed to encircle and destroy four Allied armies, forcing the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis Powers’ favour. Once accomplished, Hitler could fully concentrate on the eastern theatre of war.
It was not only a desperate offensive but basically a salvage operations for Germany’s interests. But it caught the Allies by surprise and provided the American military its bloodiest battle in Europe in WWII.
The German termed their offensive as Ardennenoffensive (Ardennes Counteroffensive). The US military also officially designated the battle as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, but due to a few technical-geographical
Flash forward 70 years.
On 30 April 2013, a BN besieged by its enemies on several fronts and facing inevitable defeat, will launch a desperate offensive in the halls of Han Chiang College (HCC) in Penang on its North-Western Front. anomalies and the preference of the American press, the conflict became more popularly known as The Battle of the Bulge, a description of how the Allied lines bulged inwards under the German offensive through the forested regions of the Ardennes.
The Malaysian Insider reported:
Najib, who is also BN chairman, is expected to grace the April 30 dinner event and to make two announcements to provide a fillip to the slow-starting Penang BN campaign.
“Najib will make two important announcements on Tuesday — restore Penang’s free port status and the approval of HCC as a university college,” Han Chiang’s honorary principal Datuk Dr Cheah See Kian was quoted as saying by theMalaysiakini news portal yesterday.
The PM had in February said Han Chiang’s application for the university college status will be considered, during the BN’s Chinese New Year bash on the grounds.
But Tan said today he was unable to confirm that Najib would be presenting Han Chiang with the promised university-college status.
“So far, we’ve not received any confirmation from the federal government, I only heard people talking about it,” he said.
If true, then the expected announcements will be very attractive. But the first issue that we should consider is whether the caretaker government under Najib can make these two announcements, namely, restoring Penang’s free port status and approving Han Chiang College as a university college?
I am not a lawyer but I checked up on the practice of a couple of Commonwealth countries like Australia and India, besides what Rocketkini publishes. There’s not much difference as we may expect from our common Westminster democracy, but I choose to highlight the Australian code for caretaker government as it seems to be the clearest laid out, as follows:
Major policy decisions. The Government will cease taking major policy decisions except on urgent matters and then only after formal consultation with the Opposition. The conventions apply to the making of decisions, not to their announcement. Accordingly, the conventions are not infringed where decisions made before dissolution are announced during the caretaker period. However, where possible, decisions would normally be announced ahead of dissolution.
Significant appointments. The Government will cease making major appointments of public officials, but may make acting or short-term appointments.
Major contracts or undertakings. The Government will avoid entering major contracts or undertakings during the caretaker period. If it is not possible to defer the commitment until after the caretaker period, for legal, commercial or other reasons, a minister could consult the Opposition, or agencies could deal with the contractor and ensure that contracts include clauses providing for termination in the event of an incoming government not wishing to proceed. Similar provisions cover tendering.
International negotiations and visits. The Government ordinarily seeks to defer such major international negotiations, or adopts observer status, until the end of the caretaker period.
Avoiding APS involvement in election activities. (APS or Australian Public Service is equivalent of our Malaysian Civil Service but not politically partisan like the Malaysian version, wakakaka) The Australian Public Service adopts a neutral stance while continuing to advise the Government. There are several cases, notably the pricing of Opposition election promises, in which the APS conducts an investigation and report for the benefit of the electorate at large.
Incidentally, read the part on ‘… in which the APS conducts an investigation and report for the benefit of the electorate at large’. That’s what public (or civil) servant means. Here in Malaysia it’s likely to be ‘… in which the MCS conducts an investigation and report for the benefit of UMNO’, wakakaka and eat your hearts out Malaysians.
