Fact and Fiction: Responding to Zorro

I have been mulling over the question posed by that indomitable blogger, Mr Bernard Khoo or Zorro-Unmasked fame. As we know, he has just been back from the front in Kuala Terengganu. He and his fellow bloggers have conducted a successful campaign there. The outcome of the by election is testament of that.

He has now posed a question to Mr Padedoh and to Sakmongkol AK47. I am sure Padedoh (presently still an UBO- Unidentified Blogging Object) is doing some uncovering work to answer Zorro.

As to the theory that Pak Lah will call snap elections, I am not buying that. Pak lah is either too far removed cunningly speaking or, too honourable to engineer that plot. But he will not be averse to staying on, for the reasons I am imagining. So acceding to that invitation, here is my fiction of a story. But please remember that facts can be stranger than fiction.

Two emerging events are disturbing.

1. One- the ongoing trial of the two accused of killing the Mongolian and where it’s leading.

2. Two- the recent spate of Anti Corruption Agency arrests and nabbing of UMNO division committee members.

Will the stench of the murder trial stink to high heavens and nullify the mandate from heaven that is to be granted to DS Najib this March 2009? Will it be a, beware the ides of March which eventually led to the permanent despatch of the leader of an empire? I am sure, many still remember their Shakespeare. More so Uncle Bernard who I believed was an English teacher;

Caesar:
Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
Cry "Caesar!" Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.

Soothsayer:
Beware the ides of March.

Caesar:
What man is that?

Brutus:
A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.

March 2008 nearly became annihilation for UMNO.

As the case is ongoing, it is not permissible to comment on it.

But suppose, just suppose, because this is a criminal case the DPM is somehow subpoenaed to appear as a witness. And with the possibility of it being a prolonged case, the PM, acting in accordance to legal probity, asks the DPM to go on leave? Possible? Pak Lah’s adviser, TUn Musa Hitam- accustomed to advising people who are troubled, go on leave and settle their cases will undoubtedly be advising Pak Lah to effect the same course of action.

Muhd Taib the last time was asked to take leave to sort out his problems He later came back with no post waiting for him. So, why not apply the same option to the DPM? - His problems are gargantuan. He won’t be able to settle the irritable questions if he were to be burdened by the duties incumbent upon a serving DPM. Moreover, the DPM can’t be the subject of long drawn court litigation, subject to the inevitable public ridicule without hurting the image and prestige of the august office of DPM and the GOVERNMENT! And Dato Najib being the honourable man that he is will volunteer to do the honourable thing- take leave to take the bull by its horns. In the meantime, the PM will continue his tenure.

Will the sting of the arrests and eventual charges, strike at the validity of the UMNO meetings and then go all the way so as to invalidate these meetings? So if the meetings are indeed invalidated, then the UMNO General Assembly cannot be held. If it cannot take place, how can the transfer of power take place because that organisation he is supposed to lead, is not there? I have this feeling, these initial actions by the Anti Corruption Commission, are just the initial phase of an oncoming political blitzkrieg.

So to answer Zorro: - the scenario where the transition of power does not occur in March is a real possibility. But it arises not because of the prescient shadow plays by Pak Lah and the 4^th Floor boys. To do that, would be to impute extraordinary intelligence and scintillating Machiavellian prowess far beyond their reach. No offence boys- they don’t teach you that in Oxford or Cambridge. Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, and Harold “Kim” Philby studied the art of espionage from Russia.

In truth, if it is they who masterminded this mindboggling plot, they are indeed of above average intelligence and have the presence of mind to ride on the existing developments. Not encouraged but allowed to reach their full course.