Najib’s 6.30 Cabinet Versus Mahathir’s 3.15 Cabinet

So, it all comes back to abuse of power by the executive who concentrates power in his hands. Hence it does not matter who is the prime minister and what race he is. It is the system, not the person or his race, that is corrupt. And it was Mahathir who created the system. And since Mahathir became prime minister in May this year, the system has not changed. Pakatan Harapan people have now taken over from Barisan Nasional people and deals are being negotiated all over town. 

NO HOLDS BARRED 

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad once said Najib Tun Razak’s cabinet is a half-past-six cabinet (Malays say enam-setengah). Mahathir’s cabinet, on the other hand, is rapidly proving to be a three-fifteen cabinet (Malays say tiga-suku).

Maybe by GE15 in the next four years or so Mahathir’s ministers can improve from tiga-suku to half-past-six. Chances are, though, Mahathir may no longer be the prime minister by then — for one reason or another.

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said never mind if the Pakatan Harapan ministers have no experience to govern. That means they will also have no experience in being corrupt like the Barisan Nasional ministers.

You do not need 10 years’ experience as a cabinet minister to know how to become corrupt. It is like you do not need three years’ experience working as a prostitute in a brothel before you know how to bonk. Even a virgin on her wedding night knows what to do in bed even if it is her first time. I am sure Wan Azizah did not need to go for training to learn what to do with Anwar Ibrahim on the first night.

Wan Azizah says the Pakatan Harapan ministers have no experience so that means they are not corrupt

Anyway, barely a year in office and the Pakatan Harapan ministers are already making deals. They fear they might not last more than one term, or even last a full term, so they are trying to make as much money as fast as they can while they still can.

Businessmen are being approached and one person representing the defence minister has even asked the businessmen to ‘propose anything’. The minister, said this person, will approve whatever you propose as long as their commission is covered.

This reminds me of when PAS-Semangat 46 first took Kelantan in 1990. Some Semangat 46 people representing the deputy menteri besar were offering logging concessions in Kelantan for a commission. One Semangat 46 chap I knew in Terengganu said he would be able to get me some kawasan sudah kerja or even some hutan dara if I wanted.

The whole idea disgusted me so I rejected the offer. I believe the DAP cousins in Perak got some of the land, though, which is why they are millionaires today. How many millions is it they are worth?

Semangat 46 took Kelantan in 1990 and started collecting money through logging concessions like crazy

The problem is not the fox. A fox, by nature, would eat the chicken if you allow it to. The problem is you must keep the chickens away from the fox. Lock the chickens up and don’t allow the fox into the chicken run or reban ayam.

It is like if you put on a G-string and parade in front of Mat Sabu then expect to have his hands all over you — and more. Do you blame Mat Sabu or do you blame Mak Minah who gatal and parade in front of Mat Sabu wearing a G-string? If you do not keep jambus far away from Anwar then don’t blame him if he ngap them.

In the past we had something called separation of powers. Malaysia has four branches of government — the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and the monarchy — which used to be independent of one another.

Not long after Mahathir took over as prime minister in 1981, he began to change this. Slowly power became concentrated in the hands of the executive and the other three branches of government became dominated and dictated by the executive.

Mahathir destroyed the independence of the four branches of government in the 1980s and created a dictatorship that has lasted until today

First Mahathir controlled parliament. Then he took on the judiciary. Finally, he curtailed the monarchy. And after that he did what he liked and no one could oppose him or say anything.

Another but not so pleasant word for this is dictatorship.

Pakatan Harapan people say the problem is Najib and if Najib is removed the problem would go away. When Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was prime minister they said the problem is Pak Lah and if Pak Lah is removed the problem would go away. Before that when Mahathir was prime minister they said the problem is Mahathir and if Mahathir is removed the problem would go away.

Well, that is how Pakatan Harapan people think.

Pakatan Harapan is old wine in a new bottle

We can change the government. But if we do not change the system the problem would not go away. Replacing Mahathir with Pak Lah and then replacing Pak Lah with Najib and now replacing Najib with Mahathir, again, did not solve the problem. And after we replace Mahathir with someone else in 2020 or 2023 we will also not solve the problem.

Some Chinese blame the ‘Malay government’ for Malaysia’s ills. So, if we throw out the Umno-led government and replace it with a DAP-led government, Malaysia’s problems would be solved.

No, this is not about race. George Tan is Chinese. Abdullah Ang is Chinese. Tan Koon Swan is Chinese. Ling Liong Sik is Chinese. Eric Chia is Chinese. Vincent Tan is Chinese. Francis Yeoh is Chinese. Ting Pek Khiing is Chinese. Jho Low is Chinese.

Chinese names pop up in all the major scandals in Malaysia

Name all the biggest scandals in Malaysian history and a Chinese name would pop up, Indians as well. And, yes, there are Malays involved as well — Tajudin Ramli, Halim Saad, Yahya Ahmad, Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah, Samsudin Abu Hassan, and many more. But then who are all these people? Proxies and nominees of Mahathir and Tun Daim Zainuddin, of course.

So, it all comes back to abuse of power by the executive who concentrates power in his hands. Hence it does not matter who is the prime minister and what race he is. It is the system, not the person or his race, that is corrupt. And it was Mahathir who created the system. And since Mahathir became prime minister in May this year, the system has not changed. Pakatan Harapan people have now taken over from Barisan Nasional people and deals are being negotiated all over town.

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