Getting paid back in full – Wenger Khairy

It seems that right now, the opposition has decided to stop opposing. The noise from the PR bench has been more focussed on the salary hike awarded to the lawmakers in the Selangor State Assembly, by the lawmakers from the Selangor State Assembly.

Several of the usual incidents that could give rise to the "merry-go- round" of statements have come and gone without much fuss. This includes the recent allegations of impropriety levelled against the Attorney General and the destruction of an archaeological site in Kedah. 

To me, Pakatan is finally doing something right. The days of opposing for the sake of opposing are dead and gone. Pakatan has been effectively tarred as the voice of the non-Malay DAP controlled faction seeking to point out all the flaws in the Malay dominated Government. This has certainly been the perception that has been created by the Umno media machine, and perception is nine tenths of reality.

During this period of time of relative calmness, some interesting things have emerged. The first has to do with (Tun) Dr Mahathir's decision to resign his post as the Advisor to Petronas.

Officially he said it was on doctor's advice, but unofficially, bloggers close to the "man who fought corruption (in his own way)" claimed that it was because he basically had no power or influence to advise or seek clarification on perceived shortcomings in the national oil company.

This period also coincided with the Prime Minister deciding against appointing (Tun) Dr Mahathir's son to the Supreme Council. Effectively, this adds yet more evidence that (Tun) Dr Mahathir is now officially yesterday's news.

Even though he stepped down ten years ago, this fall from power is still something quite dramatic. This is because in the closing days of 2012, before the all-important general election, Dr Mahathir was rumoured to effectively be in charge of Umno and was wielding significant power and influence behind the scenes.

Now, less than 365 days later, Dato Seri Najib wields an iron grip both over Umno and the government with virtually no visible threat to his continued domination of Malaysian politics.  In return for his efforts in dividing up society and stumping for Umno in the lead up to the last general election, Dr Mahathir has been effectively given the pink slip.

The second group to be paid back in full are the Umno bloggers. Now that the Umno party elections are over, their services are no longer needed. Some stories are emerging about how so and so have been owed money, but their predicament attracts no sympathy from the wider Malaysian audience.

Some now have become even more anti-government than the most rabid pro Opposition blog. These now "disappointed" (merajuk) bloggers have in the recent past devoted more of their time attacking the Prime Minister, the Government's management of the economy and the recent price hikes, than they spend attacking the usual suspects from across the bench.

I have news for them. The election has come and gone. There is absolutely nothing that the government is doing, from the decision to raise petrol prices by reducing the subsidy, imposing a consumption tax and hiking the price of electricity that was not already known prior to polling day. When these bloggers devoted all their efforts in campaigning for the government, they were agreeing to this policy – of course on the basis of saving "agama, bangsa and tanah air."

Fast forward several months later from the 13th general election. The government is as strong as ever. The” Alif Ba Ta” struggle is at the forefront of the Government's agenda through BEEP and a million other acronym laden initiatives. The opposition is effectively silent on many issues.

“The Non's” have learnt to behave.

Now is the time to pay up. – rembautimes.blogspot.com,

* Wenger Khairy reads The Malaysian Insider.