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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Friday 2 October 2009

Treachery is the worse of moral turpitude

We read about how bankrupt UMNO politics is when it has to literally scrap the bottom of the barrel by selecting Isa Samad. Accordingly as in an orchestrated unison, pro PKR bloggers gleefully mocked and ridiculed UMNO's moves. They have used one clever concept which is often used when rational arguments are no longer an option. It's known as the moral high ground. Surprise, surprise. All this while, UMNO was and is berated and denounced as utterly devoid of any scruples, yet suddenly in the case of Isa Samad, UMNO, it is said has abandoned its high moral ground.

Employment of that tool has only served to expose their deceit and hypocrisy. Its only in the case of what UMNO does, the PR people adopt a sanctimonious stance. It's akin to the Malay adage of seeing the germs across the ocean, but the elephant in front is ignored.

PKR politics too is full of morality issues. We have brought in the case of the Bukit Lanjan ADUN. The PKR bloggers were quick to point out that comparing this Bukit Lanjan case with what UMNO does through Isa, isn't right. Their simple counter argument is- the ADUN wasn't a willing participant. The ADUN didn't take anyone's money.

This misses the point. The point we are debating is the adoption of moral high ground. How the moral high ground is violated isn't the issue. We have brought up the case of the ADUN from B. Lanjan precisely because; the battle ground chosen is moral high ground. In any case, I have stated that it's true as regards the videotaping of the ADUN in various poses; they were indeed carried out without her willing participation or consent. But that does not absolve her/her partner from moral accountability. It's almost certain that she and her partner were willing participants in whatever action took place before the taping. Moreover there is a nagging question that needs answering. Had she been a willing participant in the pictures would it be ok to say- ONLY then, can the whole undertaking qualify as a morality issue? Certainly what she and her partner did raises larger morality issues that UMNO selecting Isa Samad.

We have not even touch the morality issues surrounding the political tomfoolery brought about by the antics of the political gadfly- Hassan Ali and the role played by Anwar Ibrahim. Ah yes, Anwar Ibrahim. It is to these interesting subterfuges that we now direct our minds.

Last week, we heard Tun Dr Mahathir suddenly said that Hassan Ali is not welcome into UMNO. Now, why did TDM say that? No one can accuse TDM of not being adroit and perceptive. Unless of course, he made the statement because he could read through the game Hassan Ali and Anwar Ibrahim are playing.

Imagine this scenario: what if Hassan Ali is the Trojan horse that PAS introduces as part of its act to link up with UMNO? In doing so, that will accomplish what UMNO is salivating, the destabilization of the Selangor government. Remember, that Hassan Ali though in PAS, is Anwar's comrade in arms since university days. What if, Hassan Ali with the backing and encouragement of Anwar Ibrahim succeeds in hatching up trouble which will eventually result in the downfall of the Khalid government? What Hassan Ali has done thus far, is to create a series of controversial maneuvers and actions that have caused massive fault lines within the PR coalition government in Selangor. Will it not eventually, as a result of these seemingly irrational moves by the political gadfly like Hassan Ali 'deliver' the Selangor government by default to BN?

But where is the role of Anwar Ibrahim in all these? He is the de facto leader of the entire PR government and acts as the cementing agent to the PR government in Selangor. By electing to be inactive instead of taking a pro-active role, what Anwar Ibrahim does by this play-acting is to become complicit in the process of destabilizing the Selangor government. Question: what kind of morality is Anwar advocating?

The most probable answer: the morality of self preservation and self interest. Opting not to do anything assertive to stop the implosion of the Selangor government is tantamount to helping the Selangor government disintegrate by default. The state will go that way all because Anwar Ibrahim could have done more, but chose not to, by feigning all sort of reasons such as being on a private business in USA; that makes Anwar Ibrahim instrumental in bringing about delivering Selangor to the BN. And it is highly possible, that the assistance given by Anwar Ibrahim represents settlement of his part of a bargain to free himself from a very messy legal problem he is facing. Possible? Very very plausible.



Bahasa Melayu version.

Kita baca sana sini mengenai betapa bankrupt nya politik UMNO sehingga terpaksa mengorek di buritan periuk dan memilih Isa Samad. Segala penyokong PKR pun dengan rasa sombong dan megah diri, mengeciskan pilihan UMNO. Mereka telah menggunakan suatu konsep yang selalu di gunakan apabila alasan rasional sudah kehabisan- iaitu the moral highground.

Tapi itu semua mendedahkan sikap hipokrasi gerombolan blogger pro PR. Hanya apabila tindakan tersebut di lakukan oleh UMNO sahaja, para juak PKR akan bersikap sanctimonious. Dalam bahasa Melayu sikap ini, sama lah seperti kuman disebarang lautan mereka nampak, gajah di depan mata tak ternampak.

Politik PKR pun penuh dengan isiu isiu morality. Sebagai contoh kita telah menyebut kes ADUN Bukit Lanjan. Maka bersegeralah segala juak PKR menyatakan kes ini tidak boleh di jadikan kes perbandingan kerana dalam kes ADUN tersebut, dia bukan willing participant. Dan dia tidak ambil duit orang. Point sebenarnya telah di ketepikan oleh pemblog PKR- kerana point yang kita debatkan ialah hipokrasi dalam menggunakan hujjah moral highground. Bagaimana moral high ground tersebut di cabuli, bukan isiu pokok. Soal pokok nya ialah- dalam kes ADUN Bukit Lanjan tersebut, ada isiu morality atau tidak? Kita ajukan soalan ini kerana, semua juru blog PKR mendatangi isiu pemilihan Isa Samad dari sudut moral high ground. Walaupun begitu saya sudah menyebutkan, memang benar dari sudut rakaman per se, ADUN Bukit Lanjan bukanlah willing participant. Tapi kita tidak boleh menyatakan dia bukan willing participant kepada adegan yang di laksanakan bersama partner nya SEBELUM rakaman tersebut. Dan apa yang di lakukan berdua ternyata mempunyai implikasi morality yang lebih besar dari isiu morality UMNO memilih Isa Samad.

Dan kita belum lagi menyebut mengenai morality disebalik huru hara politik yang di jalankan oleh Hassan Ali dan peranan yang di mainkan oleh Anwar Ibrahim.

Minggu lalu, Tun Dr Mahathir dengan tiba tiba menyatakan bahawa UMNO tidak akan terima orang seperti Hassan Ali. Kenapa TDM berkata demikian jika dia tidak membaca mainan politik Anwar Ibrahim dalam tindak tanduk Hassan Ali?

Bayangkan senario ini: apa kata jika Hassan Ali ialah Trojan horse PAS untuk membawa parti itu bergabung dengan UMNO dan melalui cara muslihat tersebut, menghancurkan kerajaan PR Selangor? Dan Hassan Ali, walaupun dalam PAS merupakan comrade in arms kepada Anwar Ibrahim sejak dari zaman university lagi. What if, Hassan Ali dengan galakan dari Anwar Ibrahim mencetuskan huru hara dalam negeri Selangor adalah melaksanakan grand design yang akhirnya mengakibatkan kejatuhan kerajaan Khalid Ibrahim? Hassan Ali telah mencetuskan huru hara secara begilir gilir yang tidak dapat di nafikan akan meretakkan perpaduan kerajaan PR di Selangor. Tidak kah nanti, hasil dari berantakan yang di cetuskan oleh political gadfly seperti Hassan Ali ini akan 'deliver' kerajaan sSelangor by default kepada BN?

Di mana peranan Anwar Ibrahim dalam hal ini? Dia adalah penasihat kepada PR keseluruhan nya dan dia merupakan cementing ingredient kepada kerajaan PR di Selangor. Dengan memilih untuk berdiam diri dan tidak mengambil peranaan pro-aktif, apa yang di lakukan oleh Anwar Ibrahim ialah bersubahat keatas proses menghuru-harakan kerajaan Selangor yang akan berakhir dengan kejatuhan. Soalan yang kita Tanya ialah: jenis morality apa kah yang di amalkan oleh Anwar Ibrahim?

Jawapan nya ialah: morality menjaga kepentingan sendiri. Memilih untuk tidak mengambil tindakan tegas berti membantu kerajaan Selangor jatuh secara default. Dan apabila jatuh kerajaan Selangor all because Anwar Ibrahim could have done more, menjadikan Anwar Ibrahim sebagai instrumental in bringing about delivering Selangor to the BN. Dan mungkin, malah besar kemungkinan, bantuan yang di berikan oleh Anwar Ibrahim ini merupakan penepatan janji dari Anwar untuk melepaskan diri dari massalah peribadi nya yang bakal datang. Possible? Very very plausible.

15 comments:

el,  2 October 2009 at 08:50  

Dato Sak,

I am totally shocked and disgusted to read yr comparison of morality between Isa Samad and Elizabeth Wong. Are u serious or are you so desperate to spin the justification for UMNO's nomination of ISA? This and your flip flopping abt Isa has cost you much credibility.

Richard Cranium 2 October 2009 at 09:09  

Dato, your comment that "... yet suddenly in the case of Isa Samad, UMNO, it is said has abandoned its high moral ground." is disingenuous.

What high moral ground? Umno, today, sits atop slippery terrain. It was the pronouncements by Umno's own leaders about the need to change that gave us some hope.

With Isa's episode, is it any wonder we are not surprised that its all just yadda, yadda. Umno is not prepared to do the needful. Period.

BTW, we are NOT PKR bloggers, or at least I'm not. I'm for good, clean, ethical government. If Umno and BN cannot provide it, I'm all for an alternative.

Anonymous,  2 October 2009 at 09:11  

el,
why are you upset when the subject of elizabeth wong is mentioned? the issue is moral highground from which you and your kind judged UMNO people. what about the Hasan Ali punya hal? arent you thinking about that too?

sunwayopal,  2 October 2009 at 10:35  

Eli Wong's case is totally irrelevant.

To the Chinese community , she still stands on high moral ground. Tell me exactly then, what is she guilty of morally?

Premarital sex ? Is that your be all and end all to morals?

Isa Samad's case is abhorrent to ALL communities.

You see the difference or not???





sunwayopal
http://www.myrealestate.com.my

Unknown 2 October 2009 at 11:04  

Dato, what an imagination you have ? As I had written , you are bend on justifying Isa candidacy and imagining all sorts of stories to counter the opponents'persistency on the need for a high moral value.

UMNO must look from within on this issue of morality.Is UMNO not serious on wanting to change ? Is all the talks by the UMNO leaders mere rhetoric ? UMNO leadership had failed and went into a compromising position at the first test kowtowing to local warloads.The ends justify the means is UMNO modus operandi.

Are you not implying that since PR leadership, to you , has little moral values,would meant that UMNO can be likewise ?

Anonymous,  2 October 2009 at 11:34  

Dato

The way you are drifting now with your views reminds me of how Rocky did it his way since beginning this year.

He switched to 'neutral' and slowly slanted his views to 'biased/anti-Pakatan'.

Around that time, the idea that he will get back his job in an MSM was also slowly 'weaved' into the 'Rocky-friendly' blogs.

And the rest is history - which you and the others know.

Now its your turn too?

Nak cari makan, kena guna macam macam helah kan?

The bottom line is - anyone (from high and mighty to proletariat) will do anything that can provide for his/her and the dependants' periok nasi.

We understand it well....

PARAMESWARA

Greenbottle 2 October 2009 at 11:44  

the argument that can be summarized as "pot calling a kettle black" is not only untenable but shows lack of intellectual finesse.

one can not justify choosing a morally suspect person by pointing that the other side isn't much better.

analyst in green,  2 October 2009 at 12:07  

Dato Sak',

Verrrry low of you to stoop to attack a woman. I expected much more from a man of your intelligence and bearing.

What happened BEFORE the infamous picture-taking of Eli Wong? Do you have any proof? Because I sure don't. And neither does anybody in Malaysia.

Are we to insinuate that all politicians ACCUSED, especially without proof of sexual misconduct, is considered a liability and should step down?

In that case, may we please have "kepimpinan melalui teladan" first and have the resignation of Najib Tun Razak, dogged as he has been throughout his career with allegations of sexual impropriety with an actress in PD and Altantuya, of course.

Proof? No I don't have any, but hey, did you require any to accuse Eli either?

Unknown 2 October 2009 at 12:13  

Dato'

Morality or Moral Ethics is an individual's burden to be borne by him and him only. Unfortunately others associated with him are colaterally damaged...

Therefore let's stay away from judging people on moral grounds. What is more Critical is THE BIG PICTURE... So far only Tun Dr Mahathir has the acumen in perceiving the BIG PICTURE...His comments are more towards getting people to see the BIG PICTURE...

Even when he was going after Anwar his sights was on the BIG PICTURE and not just on the inevitable consequences of taking Anwar out.

Let's all not be Myopic and take the advise of Tun Dr Mahathir.

Ariff Sabri 2 October 2009 at 12:31  

sunway gopal,
by yr own admission extramarital sex( not pre marital) is ok becasue its accepted by some community and that makes it allright?

lets not drift away from the subject: the debate is about the usage of moral high ground- which is the the battlegroudn chosen by people who denounced UMNO's decision. it is not I who said UMNO has abandoned its moral high ground. its the many writers using this over extended device to hentam UMNO amd i am using the same do do unto them.
the case of elizabeth wong is used to debunk the right use of moral highground( yours) and the of course wrong use( UMNO. both are morally abhorrent. both desrve condemnation. you want to come before equity, come with clean hands.
dont lecture us on moral high ground to object to UMNO.
what about the other more damaging thing that Hassan Ali is doing? PKR will self implode. you poeple should be worried.

Anonymous,  2 October 2009 at 12:54  

Why are the other BN bloggers like Voice, BigDog, RockyBru and the usual fighters silent?

Is Dato sak all alone defending Isa Samad?

Or am I right to assume that Dato is not one of TDM's boys?

There are BN bloggers who are bent on just taking a backseat because TDM has given the 'bigger picture'??
So whats the point right?? Wasting time only. Don't bother to help Isa Samad.

Parameswara,
I hope you're right. If Dato sak gets to be a senator, that would be a boost for the UMNO leadership.
He is one of the best political bloggers around.
And he always call a spade a spade.UMNO must wake up and be proud sakmongkol is a BN blogger.

BCTan266 2 October 2009 at 14:00  

Dato,

I think this piece is just a lapse in your usually high quality pieces.

It surprises me that you went and took such a poor backhand shot at Eli Wong. I completely did not expect that of you. Anyway, as I said it was a lapse on your part. You may now be regretting it.

However, let us say you insist that Eli's case must not be glossed over. Then let's put these examples of moral degradation head to head for scrutiny and see who scores lowest.
Here they come:

1. Elizabeth Wong's photos circulated in the Net by an ex-boyfriend.

2. Rahim Thamby Chik's misadventures that resulted in an alleged creation of another life that will be forever stigmatised. Alleged statutory rape but not so according to AG and UMNO laws. Now that's bloody immoral!

3. A corrupt leader now candidate for a by-election, who has skimming off the top for years; paid off equally questionable delegates to ensure he went even higher up the echelon for even more lucrative pickings at his feet.

4. A ruler whose penchant for the fairer sex as well as his indulgence in casinos have occasioned the instances of bailouts. Not to mention the depleting forests under his suzerainty. It cannot be called treachery coz HH can do no wrong.

We can go on...and TDM's name may just crop up too. These are issues of immorality in the broader sense of governance that ought to concern us.

I think SunwayGopal has a valid point, though I cannot agree with the racial undertone of it.

Afterall, we are here not to just play the role of Mat Skodeng. Or have we been reduced to that? May well be if Dato Hassan Ali had his way!

analyst in green,  2 October 2009 at 14:27  

Dato' Sak,

Let me ask you again, what PROOF do you have of your accusations of:
1) Premarital sex on the part of Elizabeth Wong, and
2) Treachery on the part of Anwar.

Do you have any proof or are these the usual "surat layang" type rumours/accusations without basis?

If so, there are numerous similar accusations floating around regarding our current UMNO leaders. Would you say they are equally "morally abhorent" based on such hearsay?

You must know very well that Isa Samad's corruption case is Well-documented and even the UMNO supreme council has agreed on this, thus there is ample evidence to accuse him of such a crime.

Kala Jengking,  2 October 2009 at 15:15  

It is not quite correct for you to generalise that those who commented in your blog and who are against Isa and "hentam" UMNO are all pro-PKR, DAP or Pas. TDM and Ku Li also does not support Isa. They have given their reason.

UMNO bashers also comes from UMNO members who are sincere in trying to get the leaders to change and transform. They "hentam" UMNO even though they are still UMNO members. They do this in the mamak shop, coffee house, internet, sms, e-mail etc. And it is just not "hentam keromo". Being party members, they have the facts. I personally know quite a few of them. Otherwise how do you explain the million UMNO members that do not vote for UMNO in the last GE?

Anyway, too much already on Isa and moral high ground. Can we just agree to disagree and move on to other things. We can visit Isa and BP again after the election.

Mat Cendana 3 October 2009 at 18:14  

It's amazing that many simply accept that whatever and whoever are against Umno are automatically elevated as folk heroes fighting a just and sanctified cause. All immoralities are registered trademarks and exclusive to Umno, with the number of kupiah-per-100-visible-heads as unequivocal evidence of piety. Remember Zul Hassan in Perak last year?

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