A REALIGNMENT OF ALLIANCES

Anwar is not really interested in the job of Menteri Besar of Selangor. He just wants that job to facilitate a deal with Umno and ‘give’ Selangor back to Barisan Nasional through a ‘unity government’ in return for the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. 

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER 

Raja Petra Kamarudin

First of all, my apologies to those who have already read what I am about to say or feel I am merely repeating myself. If you have been following Malaysia Today since it was first launched ten years ago in 2004 — soon after the March 2004 general election disaster and two weeks before Anwar Ibrahim was released from jail — then most likely you have already read what I am about to say. To those newcomers, this may be ‘news’ to you.

Let me start with why we decided to launch Malaysia Today in 2004.

The March 2004 general election was the worst election ever for the opposition. PKR practically got wiped out except for just the party President, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Even then she won on the second count. On the first count she lost. Hence it was actually a draw since they should have done a third count, which they did not do.

I was the campaign manager for PKR’s Deputy President, Abdul Rahman Othman, who contested against Tengku Adnan in Putrajaya. And Rahman not only lost but lost his deposit as well. That was adding insult to injury and a huge shame for me, the campaign manager. The PKR people (those who did not like Rahman) actually laughed at me to my face. Can you imagine how that felt, to be laughed at to your face?

I was mad as fucking hell. I wanted revenge. I wanted to cut Barisan Nasional and Umno down to size. I wanted to give them a run for their money and erase those smirks off their faces. Never in my life have I ever had to face a bunch of Umno gangsters alone with a knife in my hand. And in March 2004 that was exactly what I had to do in Putrajaya. So this was a vendetta as far as I was concerned.

Soon after that I planned Malaysia Today with one aim in mind, to fight back in an Internet war, and on Friday, 13th August 2004, Malaysia Today took off. Two weeks later Anwar was released from jail.

Then I received ‘instructions’ to NOT attack the First Family. Attack Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad but not Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his family, his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, included.

Then I found out that PKR Youth Leader Ezam Mohd Noor (now an Umno Senator) had sneaked Khairy into Anwar’s house through the kitchen at midnight of 2nd September 2004, the day Anwar was released.

The next day I revealed that secret meeting and the Prime Minister denied it. I was called a liar.

Then some Umno people also found out and they pressured the Prime Minister to explain what Khairy was doing in Anwar’s house. Now cornered, Tun Abdullah explained that Khairy was just delivering Anwar’s international passport to him. This was on TV and in all the newspapers the next day.

Two days later, The Star published a picture of Azmin Ali wheeling (Anwar was in a wheelchair) Anwar into the Immigration Department office in Pusat Bandar Damansara to collect his international passport.

So what Tun Abdullah said two days earlier was a lie. Khairy was not there to deliver Anwar’s passport. What was he there for then?

A couple of months later the real reason was revealed when the Sarawak Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud, brought Anwar to Tun Abdullah’s house in Kepala Batas on the second day of Hari Raya. A picture of Anwar, Tun Abdullah, Taib and a certain Sarawak Chinese business tycoon all sitting at the same table laughing and joking came out in the newspapers.

Nevertheless, that was still a puzzle. What deal was Anwar negotiating with Tun Abdullah with the help of Taib? Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whom I met in his house later, told me. Anwar wants to return to Umno, Tun Dr Mahathir said.

But that was what Tun Dr Mahathir said. Is this true?

Last year, the truth was revealed when Wikileaks exposed the exchange of communications between the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and Washington. According to the US Embassy, Tun Abdullah told them that Anwar wanted to return to Umno but there was resistance from certain people. And this ‘certain people’ was Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who threatened that he would oust Tun Abdullah if he brought Anwar back to Umno.

So what Tun Dr Mahathir told me was true after all. Tun Abdullah told the US Embassy the same thing — that in turn reported to Washington and now has been leaked by Wikileaks.

So now I understand why I had been instructed to not attack the First Family, Khairy included. Anwar was talking to them about his return to Umno.

Over the last year or two Tun Dr Mahathir and his boys (the Umno Bloggers included) have been attacking Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. I started probing as to why they are so angry with Najib and I was told that it is because Anwar and Najib are ‘talking’ and this upset Tun Dr Mahathir.

I was still sceptical about this until last Christmas when PKR’s Secretary-General, PAS’s Secretary-General, and Zahid Hamidi, met for ‘unity talks’ in London. The PAS President who was also in London refused to join the talks but he met me in Manchester the following week to confirm the talks.

And, today, Dr Mahathir’s sort of ‘mouthpiece’, Kadir Jasin, revealed what is going on. And when Kadir Jasin talks that is the same as Dr Mahathir talking. And, according to Kadir Jasin, Najib and Anwar are talking about a deal where Anwar will be given back his job of Deputy Prime Minister. (READ HERE).

PAS, of course, knows this, and that is why they do not want Anwar replacing Khalid Ibrahim as the Menteri Besar of Selangor. And this was also why the PAS President refused to join the Umno-PKR-PAS ‘unity talks’ in London over Christmas last year.

Anwar is not really interested in the job of Menteri Besar of Selangor. He just wants that job to facilitate a deal with Umno and ‘give’ Selangor back to Barisan Nasional through a ‘unity government’ in return for the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Now, after ten years since Khairy walked into Anwar’s house through the kitchen and the meeting Taib arranged at Tun Abdullah’s house in Kepala Batas, Anwar’s dream of returning to the government as the Deputy Prime Minister may finally come true.

What a long and winding climb back to the top for Anwar. And with Najib under attack from Dr Mahathir and his gang, Najib needs Anwar more than ever, more than Anwar needs him.

Does Dr Mahathir realise that his attacks on Najib just helps Anwar get back his job of Deputy Prime Minister? And if you say that Anwar is not interested in becoming Deputy Prime Minister, then why did he take Dr Mahathir to court to try to get his sacking declared null and void?

Anwar wants back his job of Deputy Prime Minister so badly to the extent of using the court to help him get back his job. But he failed in court so now he is trying to use Najib instead. And that is why Tun Dr Mahathir is attacking Najib. And Dr Mahathir’s mouthpiece, Kadir Jasin, has just confirmed this.

Phew! Isn’t Malaysian politics interesting?