As Najib flees Bersih, will Muhyiddin be Malaysia's Gaddafi

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, a few days ago, warned the Bersih 2.0 rally could lead to chaos and invite “interference from major powers”.

“Based on the experience in the Middle East, we know that foreign powers are all too eager to send their troops on the pretext of helping to solve the crisis,” he said.

Was Muhyiddin referring to Libya? If that is the case, then Muhyiddin has to get his facts straight. The Libyan conflict is between government forces led by Muammar Gaddafi against factions within the country calling for democratic rule after years of oppression.

The “foreign powers” that Muhyiddin is probably referring to is clearly the coalition mandated by the United Nations and tasked with protecting the Libyan citizens from total annihilation at the hands of the Gaddafi military. Yes, Gaddafi ordered the Libyan army to crush and kill its own citizens.

So would Muhyiddin Yassin and Najib Razak one day support the killing of innocent citizens to stay in power like Gaddafi?

Same old trick

How ridiculous it is to draw from the Middle East experience in this aspect. Is the United Nations about to authorise the bombing of Malaysia?

So convenient to blame it on some phantom foreign power.

But typically, it is the same old trick the BN government used on Hindraf in 2007, linking it to the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka. In the end, not a shred of evidence was ever produced. Once bitten, twice shy, the tactic was used again in claiming that PSM members were trying to resurrect the Communist movement in Malaysia.

If there are any similarities between Libya and Malaysia, it is in how the totalitarian government of these countries have decided to clampdown on their own people.

Malaysia's use of the police and judiciary to arrest supporters of Bersih and to obstruct their peaceful assembly is eerily similar to how the governments of Libya and Syria handled their citizens' call for democratic rule.

These acts of violence against innocent citizens is clearly endorsed by Muhyiddin Yassin. Not once has the Deputy Prime Minister stood out and condemn the use of force against Malaysian citizens.

Even when his boss Najib Razak erred, the 64-year old Muhyiddin did not once come out to correct or defend Najib. Instead, Muhyiddin chose to let Najib hang while he continued to fan hatred against Bersih.

Playing to the DPM's hand

Najib’s mismanagement of the Bersih July 9 rally plays directly into Muhyiddin Yassin’s hand, as it clears a path for him to be Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Not wanting to be in town after stirring up havoc for the Bersih rally supporters, Najib has rushed overseas after empowering the police to use whatever force they wanted on the citizens' march for free and fair elections, including decalring Emergency rule. His purpose - to avoid responsibility.

Left to clean up the shit that is bound to hit fan is of course Muhyiddin. But don't pity the DPM, you can be sure he will turn things to his advantage. he always does. Such tactics to topple and put down political rivals is nothing new to Muhyiddin Yassin, it has been his personal modus operandi in moving up the political ranks.

He attacked 5th prime minister Abdullah Badawi's original power transition plan as "too long", and some people say that at one point Muhyiddin was about to publicly ask and force Abdullah to quit, though he never did so directly. During the 2008 general election, Muhyiddin managed to keep his seat and remained an UMNO leader. Shocked by the election results, he had called for reforms.

During the 2009 UMNO General Assembly and party election, Muhyiddin offered his candidacy and nomination for the Deputy President post which was vacated by the incoming President - Najib Razak. He was challenged by Mohd Ali Rustam, Malacca Chief Minister and Muhammad Muhammad Taib, then Rural and Regional Development Minister.

Muhyiddin, a supporter of Mahathir Mohamad, was seen to be the front-runner for the race, garnering many nominations from the UMNO divisions. But the competition was tough, as Taib and Rustam gained ground especially from the Abdullah Badawi camp. The race was tipped by political analysts to be very tight.

However, in typical UMNO fashion, the supreme council decided to disqualify front-runner Ali Rustam from the Deputy President's race after his assistants were caught bribing delegates for votes or money politics. This resulted resulted in Muhyiddin's snaring the UMNO No. 2 post with 1,575 votes to Muhammad Taib's 916.

Gaddafi mirror image

During Muhyiddin's tenure as the Deputy Prime Minister, he announced several controversial decisions such as reverting the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English to Bahasa Melayu. A decision that disgusted the former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, who had administered the decision to teach in English during his tenure.

Muhyiddin waded into more controversy in March 2010, by stating he was "Malay" first rather than "Malaysian first". He defended his statement by stating that there was nothing wrong for other races to do the same i.e. the Chinese could claim themselves to be "Chinese first, Malaysian second" and same for the Indians.

On July 13, 2010 he said that anyone was free to form an association, alluding that it was alright to have Chinese or Indian versions of the Malay rights group, Perkasa. A statement designed to justify and endorse the existence of Perkasa, which mirrored his own personal stand of “Malay” first and “Malaysian Second”.

More recently, he has been at the forefront of a vicious government campaign to derail the Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections.

A day ahead of the momentous Bersih rally at Stadium Merdeka, where thousands of Malaysians are expcted to gather in solarity. Muhyiddn has made it clear he won't interfere if the police deemed it necessary to use violence.

"I leave it to the Inspector General of Police to decide what are the appropriate actions that should be taken, I don't want to assume,” the DPM told reporters on Friday.

As Najib Razak chickens out on being the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Muhyiddin Yassin looks all ready to assume the role. And with that, we may see the likes of a Muammar Gadafi in Malaysia.

- Malaysia Chronicle