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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Monday 6 April 2009

TDM comes a calling.


 

Tun Dr Mahathir has always been a straight talker. By his own admission he is not an artful craftsman with words unlike the other fellow he knows very well. The other fellow is in Bukit Selambau I think. If TDM goes to Bukit Selambau after this, he will be chasing after Anwar (?). The mountain does not move. When it moved, the protagonist in Kagemusha lost.

Today, Monday he is in Bukit Gantang. He was speaking at the Padang PPP at Simpang in Bukit Gantang. He is doing his bit to shore up support for the BN candidate for Bukit Gantang.

He was in his element with his straight talking style. Maybe it's the sceptical me inside, but this time, I feel that TDM is not his fiery self. During his speech, he talked mostly about tangential issues. He was more elaborative on the stories surrounding his onetime protégé now turned nemesis. He is asking the people of Bukit Gantang not to be beguiled by Anwar Ibrahim.

The people of Bukit Gantang may have been regaled by TDM. After all he was our leader for 22 years. Most had come to catch a glimpse of the man who has been very critical of UMNO these few years. He has just rejoined UMNO. As to seeing this as a personal fight between TDM and Anwar Ibrahim, as TDM himself said, the people of Bukit Gantang are not stupid.

I scanned the sea of people who had come to see him. Most of them are outsiders who had come to Bukit Gantang to help out in this election. I saw a number of familiar faces from Pekan, the ketua wanita and her deputy were right in front.

Suddenly it struck me- where are those in saluran 3, 4 and 5? These are the ones who are going to make the difference in this election. They are missing. Then I remembered, I saw them in droves at the ceramahs held by the PR people. That was yesterday.

We will see whether TDM's presence here is impactful or not. I am not going to add to my frustrations by admitting that perhaps, TDM has come too late to the scene. The spirit is willing, the body isn't there.

35 comments:

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 16:21  

BN will win all 3 by-elections. TDM will be the hero of the day. Mark my works. The days of Pakatan are numbered.

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 16:26  

he came late because he just got back from london maaa.. jet lag lagi tuuuu....

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 16:34  

Dato' Sak,
Workers from Kelantan just came back from Bukit Gantang yesterday. They said Bukit Gantang is a lost cause for BN. They said support from the Malays are 50:50, the non Malay support are overwhelming for the opposition. Is there time? Is BN still saleable? is TDM still relevant? He made many mistakes of judgement before, could it be another mistake this time?

Dal,  6 April 2009 at 16:55  

Nobody knows what is in store tomorrow .. even the next hour for that matter .. nobody ..

At best .. we are conjecturing.

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 17:21  

Dr M should go to Batang Ai and campaign or at least show his face.

When was the last time he visited Batang Ai?

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 17:45  

anonymous and everyone else who thinks he is better than anyone else;

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT TO BATANG AI?

ten sen norgay,  6 April 2009 at 17:52  

one more ace in the pack for BN. tonight tabur wang banyak2 lagi...but don't be stupid...kita tabur pada cina dia ambil dan dia pangkah PAS...just tabur pada orang tua melayu...mereka ni yang jenis bongok2. dapat lima ringgit dah kelabu mata..terus pangkah umno...

okey mari kita rasuah banyak2 for the last time tonight yahoo!!!

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 18:49  

Dear Dato',

Why hasn't PM Najib gone down to Bukit Gantang? And why has ex-PM Tun been so willing to wager his political and statesmanship capital on a by election? He had already led BN to many victories during his reign but now he is risking it all by supporting a clearly sinking ship.

There is no secret formula for UMNO. It is as you had said many a time - the UMNO that we see on TV and the UMNO in the Kampong are very different entitites. In the TV we see them in songkok and shirt tie, in the kampong the UMNO are represented by the meanest, baddest gedebe around. This is not that different from the MIC.

Well, whatever the result tomorrow, I do hope that common sense prevails

ex-Ha Ha

Dhahran Sea,  6 April 2009 at 18:51  

Salam Tok Sak,
AS LONG AS UMNO KEEP KJ & HIS BAND OF MERRY MEN OUT OF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN THOSE 3 BY-ELECTIONS, BN HAS A CHANCE - GET HIM THERE, THEN YOU'LL GET "PADEDOH" DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN!

Singh Is Kinng 6 April 2009 at 19:24  

Salam Tok Sak,

The point made by Dhahran Sea was also my hypothesis. But does the absence of KJ produce greater impact, it just MIGHT, only MIGHT.

Tun used to draw a good crowd before because the spectators came from both, BN and PAKATAN supporters. And what they liked to hear was that Tun whacking Dollah's weak government and the menacing son-in-law.

Tun is now back boarding the sinking ship of UMNO. And with that label, Tun is no longer relevant to PAKATAN supporters.

Whatever that outcome's gonna be, I hope that at the end, as mentioned by anon at 18.49, the common sense prevails.

Wassalam.

Hamba,  6 April 2009 at 19:26  

Yes, you're right. TDM did came late to the party. Guess what? He missed the hearse that was sent to pick him up....

Quantum Metal Consultant 6 April 2009 at 19:28  

Apa yang penting sangat dengan Mahathir, dia cuma roti canai teloq berbanding dengan roti canai kosong yang baru bersara dan roti bom yang terlepas jawatan idaman.

BN kalah atau memang, apa sangat yang jadi kudis kepada Mahathir, dia datang berkempen sekadar nak cuci dan rawat kurap peninggalan bapa mertua dan anak menantu.

Tapi kalau BN menang - yang dapat piala bukannya Mahathir tapi Najib, yang di usung ke Tanjong Rambutan bukannya Zambri tapi Nizar dan Anwar.

Mahathir tidak relevan sebab dia sudah menang banyak kali, Paklah terpelanting, Anwar tertiarap dan KJ kepanasan.

Ignore Mahathir - kata2 orang yang kecewa, ye ke???? Habis tu kenapa sebok, kenapa beri komen panjang, kenapa gentar!!!

Modal baru,  6 April 2009 at 20:39  

Sakmongol, while Tun M has accomplished great things for Malaysia his selective memory and his continuing vitriol attacks against Pak Lah are very annoying.

Still Hounding Pak Lah after he left? Tun M is just never going to stop.

Plus he does lie in his speeches. Some excerpts below from his Bukit Gantang visit. I have not heard the accusation before below but Tun M is a politician with an agenda, just like everyone else, he isn't there to speak the truth, he is there to campaign for BN and will twist like everyone else. First he wrote that what happened in Perak was wrong, now in the speech, it's ok! What can I say?!

“That person claims to support the Indian community, but when he speaks to a Malay crowd, he tells them that Indian people are bad."

"“He is only here to say that I am evil. That I (as a Malay and Muslim) have allowed my own son to import piglets or sell alcohol."


M

Idzam Ismail,  6 April 2009 at 21:13  

Whoa taking a swipe at Tun M.
Let's not be cynical.
The old man still has a purpose.
And why are you singling out the two Pekan people?
Are you impluing that Najib should also be there.
Or that no warm reception for Tun M?
And also Tun M is so not into the campaign?

A Voice 6 April 2009 at 21:13  

Good point but at Bukit Gantang,I believe the 30 to 40 takes up more than 50% of the votes.

The < 30 is not quite significant.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 22:08  

Dear Dato'

By common sense I mean that people do not scapegoat any single individual for defeat nor overly praise any individual for victory.
This is an indictment of the comment made by sworn Anti Khairy, Piggy Sigh, who said that the lack of the KJ factor seems to have given BN a fighting chance.

It is precisely this thinking that gets BN in a mess. BN should understand that they need good and educated leaders, not the common village goon to win.

Shouldn't the Government Machinery, the Media and the Money be sufficient?? No - because the ambassadors of UMNO, the Ketua Cawangans and their cronies are usually the worst examples. Right now, there is a story of a Srikandi PKR who almost got stripped by UMNNO workers.

We need more educated people at the grassroots. We need KJ.

ex-Ha Ha
(to P/Singh Read the Ha-Ha and try and recollect who actually used Ha-ha in his posting)

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 22:10  

Voicey
Your Wrong.
Its always the youth. look at any demographic distribution and you will see the huge proportion of 18-33 in malaysia
Hidup KJ!
ex-Ha Ha

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 23:07  

Idzam Ismail.
Why is it that dumbos like you cannot understand Dato sak's article?

Stop twisting Dato's words and go and clean your filthy evil brain! You have so many good things to say about TDM? Thats good.But do not paint Dato black!KURANG AJAR!
YOU INGAT YOU PANDAI SANGAT TULISLAH SENDIRI!

Anonymous,  6 April 2009 at 23:20  

A loss in the by election is not catastrophic to BN...a win will be a bonus.Why worry about battles when the real war is PRU13?

DS Najib's leadership will take time to prove to the rakyat that BN is back in shape and hv transformed...

Get a good cabinet,get back to positive governance and with god's grace an economy that will be stabilised...the rakyat will believe again.

BN is the real deal.

Sans 7 April 2009 at 01:03  

TDM what can I say, today he says something, when he faces an UMNO linked NGO he says the opposite

The old man is doing something because he believes it is the right thing.

But in his mind, what is good for BN is good for Malaysia, but this is not necessarily the case.

For him the end justifies the means.

Best wished to Him for all his contributions but we need to move on or we will all be stuck to the same tired formula

Mat Cendana 7 April 2009 at 07:48  

The BN supporters who read this post might be disheartened, after the quite optimistic analyses by Outside the Box Syed Akbar and A Voice.

Lawyer Kampung, often among the sanest of SoPo bloggers, seems to be quietly confident that BN might pull off something yet at Bukit Gantang. BTW, for what it's worth, and "Tak tanya pun!", LK is among the bloggers whom I refer to when confused by issues and situations - this guy is "Mister Sane & Reasonable"; as is "Mana-Mana" Aziz Hassan. Plus De Minimis and commentators-with-no-known-blogs Walla and Mekyam.

Anyway, if the BN doesn't win, that factor you mentioned must be tackled with more seriousness by BN, especially Umno - the youths. Why are they with the opposition?

It's true that some are just "Pak Turut"; following anything that seems to be "the hottest". Some, because it's fashionable to be anti-establishment. Heck, I was once a supporter of PSRM during my late teens, at a time when Kassim Ahmad was under the ISA - made me feel like I was a "fighter for social justice" (maybe I really was).

Some, "because of Islam"... which PAS leaders must be delighted with - that the RELIGION is tied with the PARTY. But among them in this group, who claim to want "Undang-undang Islam" and therefore support PAS, sembahyang pun stakat hari Jumaat jer. So the "because of Islam" reason might be questioned. [BTW I hope someone asks/challenges me with a "How do *you* know?! :-)]

But whatever, Umno has to face this: It has not been attractive enough to attract these youths. One of the reasons is that they don't/can't see what Umno has done for them. They feel Umno is not important; that they can well live without Umno. Are they wrong to harbour these feelings?

If they are, then those with the power have to be more serious to change this perception and thinking... with sustained efforts, not ad hoc as being limited to only when there's a need for these youths. Like an election.

But if these youths are right... well, it's the same thing - Umno has to make itself important in everybody's eyes again. How? Another day, another time...

Mat Cendana 7 April 2009 at 08:01  

@Anonymous 17:45
What have you consumed - aurally, inhaling or intravenous - to have been so edgy? Chill out and no need to be so confrontational lah. Takut nanti ada orang take it up, mu lari pulak. As far as I can see, the posts above that timestamp are all reasonable enough.

QUESTION: Why should Dr Mahathir go to Batang Ai?? What has this to do with the post? Yeah, yeah I know - I should just ignore. Tapi pagi hari ni rasa macam nak cari pasal sikit dengan yang NGOK... macam rancangan radio zaman dulu, "Hiburan sambil kerja":-)

Tombak,  7 April 2009 at 08:09  

Dear Dato,
Your blog is no doubt influential. But instead of commenting/analyzing too much on UMNO leaders and their internal issues why don't you also criticize the opposition a bit?

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 08:10  

para pengkomen yg budiman

TDM ada di arena politik, kerana org2 kampung yg sekolah atap yg kami yg mahu TDM ada. Sudah tentu kamu kamu yg sekolah tinggi ni tak suka.

Tapi, saya hairanlah, bila TDM takde,ramai menteri2 tak faham kenapa mereka kalah. Mereka salahkan blog, salahkan perkembangan media sprt blog.

Tapi bila kami mahukan TDM ada, dan dia pun tolong kempen, ada pulak org2 sprt, bukan menteri tak dapat jadi menteri dan sekolah2 tinggi ni tak suka TDM (depa takut ramai melayu cam TDM) MULA gunakan agenda2 sendiri dengan mengatakan TDM ada agenda politik pulak. Kami yg mahukan dia balik dalam UMNO. Yg suka lagakan org ni, mesti org2 yg tak suka melayu bersatu. Menaburkan fitnah supaya melayu sendiri tak caya melayu.


Aku tak rasa dia org tua masih gelitis cam korang semua kejor pangkat. Semua tu dia dah rasa dah. Kot2 korang yg lom rasa pangkat cam dia harap2 nak dapat atau dah tau tak akan dapat, tapi saja hati kotor, dengki. Sebab org asik puji TDM tak puji dia sebab dia rasa dia pun sekolah tinggi gak.

TDM pun sedar umur dia dah tua. Korang tu yg tak reti beza, sentiasa ada curiga dalam hati.

Itu pasal korang semua jadi begini, kalau dah kapior pun dah tentulah cam tu. Ni yg islam2 pun punya prasangka buruk sesama org islam.

Org yg prasangka buruk, hatinya busuk; hatinya busuk dan kotor kerana kurang mengucap2 kalimah suci, kurang zikir, makan benda atau cara yg tak halal.

Sila lah kembali ke jalan Allah wahai kamu2 semua yg sekolah tinggi tapi iman tak tinggi mana pun.

Harap sedarlah, masa belum terlambat. Kasi perbetui hati yg kotor itu.


Kenapa jatuhnya bangsa melayu? Kerana org Melayu sendiri. Yg lain2tu kasi provoke aja. Yg buat jatuh adalah Melayu sendiri.

Sebenarnya sekarang sudah ada ramai Melayu macam Mahathir, cuma blum keluar aja.

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 08:14  

Yeah, why dont you criticize the opposition.

Since the non-malay has also criticize UMNO, why dont we adopt their suggestion on equality. Now lets criticize DAP, PKR, and non-malays

Do we get our fair share, atok?

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 10:43  

anon 8:10

saya anjurkan kamu ambil cermin dan cermin diri kamu sendiri.

yang zahir menunjukan yang batin. cara kamu menasihatkan menunjukan keadaan batin kamu.

1 jari kamu menuding pada orang 4 jari kamu menuding pada kamu.

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 11:28  

Siapa makan cili dialah terasa pedasnya

Tommy Yewfigure 7 April 2009 at 11:40  

Tombak said..

Dear Dato,
Your blog is no doubt influential. But instead of commenting/analyzing too much on UMNO leaders and their internal issues why don't you also criticize the opposition a bit?
07 April 2009 08:09

Dear Tombak,

When I was going up, whenever I get into a tiff with young Ahmad next door, my parent would pull me aside & punish me, irrespective of who started the fight & profusely apologise to Ahmad’s parent. Likewise Ahmad’s parent would do the same and says that it’s always Ahmad’s fault. Both parents never really care to find out who’s at fault or start pointing fingers.

All my whinging in defence of myself comes to nought, as Dad would says; “You shouldn’t have put yourself in that situation in the first place”.

We remained very close neighbours & live happily ever after in the same peaceful & tranquil street & kampong for years to come. It took me years when I went in search of greener pastures before I realised & appreciate the diplomacy in both our parents’ actions.

Hope u see my point above.
Tommy

Manasseh,  7 April 2009 at 11:56  

Mayan Prophecy 2012: Entering Our Galactic Day

Many of us are aware of the Mayan calendar but not many people truly understand what it means and how it works. Yes the calendar does end on December 21, 2012, but what does that mean? How does it come to that? What is their calendar based off of?

The Mayans had a very precise understanding of our solar system's cycles and believed that these cycles coincided with our spiritual and collective consciousness. The most significant of which has much to do with the 2012 prophecies. In the following writing, we will walk through the main details of their prophecies surrounding the 2012 transition. How the transition takes place (from an astronomical perspective), what it means for us, and when the cycles take place. We'll start with the basic prophecies and later move deeper into the explanation of the cycles.

The Mayans prophesied that from 1999 we have 13 years to realize the changes in our conscious attitude to stray from the path of self-destruction and instead move onto a path that opens our consciousness to integrate us with all that exists.

http://www.adishakti.org/mayan_end_times_prophecy_12-21-2012.htm

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 12:05  

continued...


So we come back to what they call 'The Time of No Time'. It is an evolutionary period, short but intense, inside the grand cycles where great changes take place to thrust us into a new age of evolution as individuals and as mankind.

As individuals we will have to make decisions that will affect us all. If we continue on this negative path of hate, an eye for an eye, destruction of nature, of fear and egoism, we will enter straight into the time of destruction and chaos, and we will disappear as the dominant race of this planet. If we become conscious and realize that we all form part of a great organism, and that we should respect one another and be grateful to our planet, then we will move directly into positive growth, our Golden Age. Our planet, the Sun and the Galaxy are awaiting our decision. It is up to us what will happen in this time of change. Whether we go through a time of suffering and destruction or we find ourselves united in one positive consciousness moving closer to our next stage.

Please notice the events of our planet as evidence that the Mayan prophecies are worth listening to and learning from. Share this information and help us all move toward a better future, where we can thrive in a new era of positivity. It has never been so important.

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 12:19  

I agree, keywordsnya ialah :-

If we continue on this negative path of hate, an eye for an eye, destruction of nature, of fear and egoism, we will enter straight into the time of destruction and chaos, and we will disappear as the dominant race of this planet.

Boleh kita ambil sebagai guidance apa yg berlaku di hari ini diseluruh dunia.

Cuma, in terms of kerohanian, as Muslim, kita berpeganglah kepada ugama kita, iaitu Islam.

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 12:26  

Manasseh

Are you talking about the Mayas whose civilisation has disappeared from the face of this earth?

If their culture was so great, why did it disappear? why bother following their calendar?

Just give your opinion who would win la, and why. Thank you.

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 12:37  

US civilisation is also great,but now look at their economy and their people, so does in the era of Alexander the Great!

Why THEY dissapeared from the face of the earth?

That's for you to find out and think!

I do not know whether you are a muslim or not. For those who are, they might have known the answer, unless you are just muslim on the surface, then you may not know it.

Please seek for the true path. This is the era 'The Time of No Time'.

You have not much time left.

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 12:43  

Those who can do justice in the name of Allah will win.

But, ah! one have to make their right choices.

Your life and your nation depends on who you choose and who your people choose.

ALLAH have given you freedom in terms of choices. Use it wisely.
What you choose and what you do must be based on Allah rules and guidance.

Anonymous,  7 April 2009 at 18:44  

ppl who go out and interact with the world with their best foot forward, true to their self/jatidiri will succeed ie. a malay as a malay, chinese as a chinese, etc.

that's the nature of things.. Allah created you men and wormen and into nation and tribes so that you would know each other..

malay as arabs.. naaahhhh! that's the malay problem now, their confused jatidiri.

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