Is Najib checkmating his enemies?

According to blogger Raja Petra, the PM has a plan that will thwart a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

COMMENT

Controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin has lately been posting some interesting nuggets of information that bear on the current political situation.

RPK, as he is often referred to by followers, established his reputation on exposes sourced from a network of mostly anonymous but apparently well-placed people. His writings, therefore, are taken quite seriously by a large number of political observers. For quite some time now, he has been giving details of failed plots and the like on his blog, pulling back the curtains just enough to give a peep at the complex play that’s been going on for months now.

His most recent series should be disheartening to anyone hoping that the MPs would muster up the courage to bring a no-confidence vote against Najib. According to RPK, Najib is not only prepared for a no-confidence vote, he is welcoming it. Should the MPs muster enough support for the vote, Najib’s response would be to advise the Yang diPertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament to make way for a snap general election.

RPK writes that Najib’s team of “Boffin Boys” have done the math and projected that Umno will win 100 to 110 seats on its own, an increase of at least 20 parliamentary seats. To further cement the majority, according to RPK, Najib would then accede to the demands for greater autonomy and development in Sabah and Sarawak to clinch a very comfortable 150-seat majority in Parliament. It goes without saying that these 150 parliamentarians would be from among Najib’s most loyal lieutenants, making another no-confidence vote an exercise in futility.

If this is indeed the case, then bringing a no-confidence motion to Parliament will only afford Najib the chance to further shore up his defences by removing any MP who questions or opposes him over the RM2.6 billion donation or 1MDB’s RM42 billion debt. Obviously, whether or not things will play out so serendipitously for Najib is up for debate, but considering that he has managed to survive all attempts to unseat him thus far, we must give his Boffin Boys and their strategic genius some faith.

Certainly, the recent weakening of the Opposition plays a role in this master plan. With DAP and PKR no longer aligned with PAS, and given PAS’ growing ambition, there will be an inevitable clash at the polls, splitting the votes well enough to give victory to BN candidates. Some little birds have told us that BN hopes to reclaim Kelantan in this manner as well, and should DAP, PKR, and GHB decide to try to contest against PAS, that prediction will seem alarmingly accurate.

With Sabah, Sarawak, Kedah, Terengganu, and possibly Kelantan in its pocket, BN merely has to focus on winnable seats in the other states to eke out a comfortable victory. However, knowing Najib and his current desire to stand unopposed at the top, his master plan will be much more totalitarian. Those same little birds twitted that Najib plans to call for snap elections anyway, whether or not there’s a no-confidence vote. If that is the case, he will strike only when he is absolutely sure that he can win.

RPK also implies that the BN MPs are asking for at least RM5 million a piece for their votes in the no- confidence motion, though some are holding up for more, since Hee Yit Foong received RM25 million to jump from DAP and deliver Perak back into BN hands. He also mentions that the anti-Najib movement has set a RM2 billion budget to fund the removal of Najib. Unfortunately, this is small potatoes to a Prime Minister who can get a donation of RM2.6 billion with no strings attached.

Could Najib have played his enemies to a checkmate? If they cannot vote him out in an election or even in Parliament, then what is the next move for Malaysians who are desperate for change? RPK mentions some possibilities, but those are extreme methods that go against the Malaysian character.

However, Najib’s enemies, including and especially Mahathir, have their own Boffin Boys working hard too.

Brace yourselves, Malaysians. Whichever way this predicament takes us, it’s going to be a wild ride.