Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.
- Mao Tse-Tung

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.
- Otto von Bismarck

Politics ruins the character

Opposition Leader, Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim
(source : wikipedia.com)

After all, it’s an open secret that the Malaysian opposition leader Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI) has many US-based political admirers and backers including one former US Ambassador to  Malaysia. This may explain (partly and maybe) the frequency of his visits to the US to give speeches, participate in a think tank and what else have you.

Imagine my surprise when it was revealed that the foreign elements the Minister was referring to were actually members of a diplomatic mission of a fellow ASEAN country and our immediate neighbour to the south, the island republic of Singapore. But then again, I must clarify that I do not have much of an imagination and therefore it does not really come as a surprise.

Why do I say that, some of you might ask? Let me clarify.

First and foremost, I am from Johor Bahru, born and bred. It is a well-known and established fact that many of us Johoreans have family ties and links with Singapore, ties and links that go back to the days before Malaya was granted independence by the British, before Singapore gained independence when joining Malaysia and before Singapore was expelled thereafter from the Federation. Heck, back to the days before my parents were born for that matter. That’s a lot of days and therefore a lot of history.

Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
(source : mizzima.com)

These ties and links are not confined to the Malays only. Do not be surprised if you were to come across a Singaporean Chinese who have family origins in Johor (especially Batu Pahat), Perak, Melaka or even Penang or a Singaporean Indian having family in Negeri Sembilan and Perak besides that in Johor itself. Many a Singaporean leader have such family ties and this is common knowledge especially amongst Johoreans, especially those in Batu Pahat and Kluang.

The ties that bind Singapore to Malaysia, especially Johor (since Singapore was once under the rule of the Sultan of Johor), are many. Even the gangsters have have their initiations done in plantations in Johor. But rumour have it that they may move these initiation sites to the kelongs instead, as more and more plantations get raided or converted into commercial property. But wherever these gangs do their initiation rites, they will be well advised to remember that the police forces on both sides of the Causeway do actually cooperate and exchange information. Talk about the irony of international relations.

We Johoreans have no qualms about the origin of food. We enjoy eating red mee goreng mamak, rojak Singapore and what have you, just as much as the Singaporean family sitting at the table next to us at Geylang or at the once famous Newton Circus, just as the Singaporean family enjoy the mee rebus, laksa johor, soto, briyani and what have you, just as much as the Johor family sitting at the table next to them at Larkin or even Tepian Tebrau.

Should there arise any misunderstanding on the issue of the origin of food, we Johoreans just laugh it off cos we know we have so much in common that its ridiculous to argue about trivial matters like food.

Singaporeans on the MRT
(source : transitioning.org)

Malaysians on the LRT.
(source : wn.com)

Except for that one occasion, I was told, when the rambutan suddenly became Singapore longans once they crossed the Causeway and got exported as such. That almost caused an international incident, one big enough to almost provoke a protest note from the many rambutan growers and lovers in Johor. Talk about a makeover. The most recent was the ‘porridge-gate’ which became a catalyst for such a heated debate, but then again the controversy died as fast as the porridge got cooked.

Singaporeans must admit that we Johoreans are and have been very accommodating. We know that Singapore is critically short of land and space, and so understand and welcome them every weekend when they flood Johor Bahru to get a bit of breather from the confines of their HDB flats and the routines of daily life. So accommodating are we Johoreans that the highways we built for ease of traffic, they use to speed and rev up their cars and motorbikes (never a two-stroke kapcai, mind you), to the point of driving us Malaysians off the road sometimes. Some even turn our highways into a driving school circuit by having their children’s driving lessons, especially on the Second Link.

And yes, not to worry. We do have ample parking space here. Enough space for you to park your car and get out from both sides of the car without encountering problems. And mind you, these spaces are well-marked, so our Singapore guests need not double park their cars or park haphazardly, regardless whether their car is red-plated or otherwise, weekend or otherwise.

And no, you only pay toll on highways. And yes, there is no levy for Singapore cars, for that matter any foreign registered vehicle, entering Malaysia. And by the way, those beams across the roads (if there are any) as you approach the city centre is not a gantry, and hence there are no extra charges for driving into the city centre.

Yes, we Malaysians and for that matter, Johoreans, are so accommodating. So accommodating that we allow Malaysian property developers to build houses designed for Singaporeans (just look at the kitchen, as my wife would always say) in Johor and points north, and from the goodness of our hearts turn a blind eye to Singaporeans owning property below the permitted range in Johor Bahru, Melaka, Muar and elsewhere in Malaysia.

After all the interests of our property developers and the interests of the Singaporean property buyers and agents must come first. Never you mind the locals. Johor Bahru is after all the most expensive property region in Malaysia and is therefore a niche market and must be so maintained, so goes the mantra of our property developers. The question that needs to be addressed is, are the developers pushing us Johoreans out of Johor Bahru?

We have our spats, like any normal neighbours. They have a ‘Keep Singapore clean, throw your rubbish in Malaysia’ mentality. Whilst we say ‘Malaysia boleh’, they say ‘Singapore also can, but in Malaysia ma’.

As we are always reminded by our Singapore cousins, Singapore is a mighty ‘fine’ country where its people are so well-educated and so well-trained, more so than the average Malaysian. Hence, Malaysian laws and rules are only for Malaysians, not for Singaporeans. So the ‘ No Smoking’, ‘Engines Off Please’, and ‘Please Do Not Use Your Handphone at The Pump’ signs plastered at our petrol stations in Malaysia are only for show.

After all, should a mishap happened, the ensuing flames of fire will recognise a Singaporean and not engulf him or her. I guess that’s the power of the Singapore passport. Show it and no one can touch you, so it seems. Sincerely hope it does not turn into a national philosophy, otherwise I may have to continue ticking off those Singaporeans talking on the mobile while filling their car at the petrol pump or like that lady biker who smoked openly at a petrol station.

If the foregoing indicates some sort of Singapore-bashing, please think again. These are facts, facts that Johoreans especially those of us in Johor Bahru have lived with for a very long time. I can’t speak for the rest, but for me it irks me tremendously. It just shows a lack of respect for Malaysia, its people and its laws. Never mind the norms and culture of Malaysians, for the Singaporean norm and culture may evolved somewhat over the years (despite the many ties and links that bind).

So, for the ladies of the Singapore High Commission, to be seen amongst the crowds taking part in the Bersih 3.0 debacle, it is just not on. Whether you were off duty or otherwise, you are still members of a diplomatic mission. I do believe you have received instructions on how to conduct yourselves as responsible members of a diplomatic mission in another sovereign country, otherwise you would not have been selected for a posting. That I am pretty sure, even for a person like me who may not be as highly trained and highly educated as the average Singaporean. Or do these members of the Singapore High Commission need to be re-trained and re-instructed on the etiquettes and proper conduct of a diplomat?

HE Mr Ong Keng Yong
High Commissioner of Singapore to Malaysia
(source : indrawardhana.com)

Judging from his response, HE Mr Ong Keng Yong, Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, must have been in the dark as to the activities of his charges. Otherwise, how do you explain the difference in his response and that of the Singapore Foreign Ministry? No matter how you spin it, the responses differ and maybe therein lies another story. But we will leave that to the conspiracy theorists or Round 2 of Wikileaks.

Nevertheless, Malaysians can expect the Singapore media, be it Channel News Asia or the terrestrial TV stations and even the radio stations, to go on the offensive on this issue in the coming weeks. Living in Johor Bahru, you do receive Singapore TV transmissions and as we Johoreans have got used to, be prepared to hear the news, be it in Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil, with bags of salt. When it comes to running down Malaysia or putting Malaysia down and anything Malaysian for that matter, we in Johor Bahru have heard it all.  Most times, offensive it really is.

It may be even time for the authorities in Putrajaya to permanently station a unit in Johor Bahru, just to re-butt the offensive reporting on Malaysia. Otherwise, those who do not know better, especially non-Singaporeans and the tourists will think its the gospel truth, as they always say. What with Iskandar coming to the fore, the petrolium hub in Penggerang and other developments project now in various stages of development, the proposal warrants serious consideration.

So, to the three ladies of the Singapore High Commission, wouldn’t it have been less controversial and much more fun to go window shopping instead? After all, it was your off duty hours, was it not?

Dateline 2012-04-20:

PARTI Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) raised brows last week when it announced that if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) were to form a government, it would abolish the national higher education fund (PTPTN). The PTPTN was formed in 1997 with the objective of providing loans to students unable to afford fees in local higher education institutions. The larger argument of this proposal is to channel PTPTN funds more effectively to ensure more Malaysians can access education, itself a policy debate that surely must be taking place today.

Public focus, unfortunately, has somewhat shifted away from the issue of higher education itself, following PR leader Anwar Ibrahim’s suggestion that outstanding PTPTN loans of an estimated RM43 billion be written off with Petronas funds. The government however contends that doing so would “squeeze Petronas dry” and kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

…

Did he order it?
A new video has raised fresh questions about how the chaos at Dataran Merdeka started on April 28. The video shows Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim gesturing to PKR’s Azmin Ali. Another man turns and removes the barricades. Then, the water cannons and tear gas were unleashed. Please click here: (The Star May 1, 2012).

(Please click here for: Bersih 3.0 Violence – The Ends Justifies The Means?) 

A lot of people said that Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Azmin Ali instigated the Bersih 3.0 demonstrator to break the barricades and entered Dataran Merdeka.

(Please click here for more pictures and videos).

Below is a video of a filmmaker Mr. Benji Lim who accused Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali of endangering the lives of protesters during a Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s  press conference yesterday.

Let us see a video of what happened just before the riot below.

After watching the videos, I asked myself:

1. Is Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim really a good person and a good leader?

2. Why Azmin did not tell the Indian man to stop removing the barricades?

3. Why Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim did not use the megaphone to order the people to stop entering Dataran Merdeka when he saw them breaking the barricades?

4. Why did Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim just run away?

5. Why didn’t Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim help or protect the Bersih 3.0 demonstrators when they are in danger?

6. Did Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim tell the truth or did he lied when he said that he did not gave the signal to Azmin to let the Indian man removed the barricades?

(For more information, please click here).

Bersih 3.0:In Videos-Police Brutality?/Video-Keganasan Polis?

Bersih 3.0 – A Poem By Ahmad Ali Karim

Source: http://stopthelies.my/

S.Nallakaruppan, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah & Shamsidar Taharin

A sex video involving sex addict Anwar Ibrahim and Shamsidar Taharin, the wife of PKR leader Azmin Ali, is set to explode the nation.

The sex video, which is said to show Anwar and Shamsidar having oral sex, has become the hottest topic in the city.

The video tape was handed by S.Nallakaruppan – who is facing a RM100million suit filed against him by Anwar – just hours ago to his lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in the presence of reporters.

He told his lawyer at the Kuala Lumpur court complex to “take care of this properly” and handed over the tape in a sealed brown envelope.

Nalakaruppan said he would reveal the content of the video in open court but when pressed by the reporters what the video showed, he said:  “Ice cream.”

The extra marital relationship between Anwar and Shamsidar has long been openly talked about.

Azmin has been accused of “sacrificing” his wife to gain the affection of Anwar and has never denied the ties between his wife and Anwar, except to describe such talk as gutter politics.

Well, we can expect fans of Anwar to dismiss the video as another impersonation of Anwar but surely it’s difficult getting another Shamsidar look-alike, wouldn’t you say?

Well, there will be more videos coming this way soon. Watch this space! You need plenty of popcorns because the videos are piling up!

Source: http://stopthelies.my

Excerpts of article by Dreamweaver;

XYZ: You mean you could just drop in to see the Deputy PM at his house to ask for a scholarship and get career guidance advice? How many people can do that?

Saiful: Anybody. Pak Najib is a very nice man. He is always ready to help. Anybody can knock on his door. Just try it if you don’t believe me.

XYZ: In fact we’ve been trying to get an interview with Datuk Seri Najib for the past 6 months.

XYZ: It was also reported that you met a senior police officer, Senior Assistant Commissioner Rodwan at room 619 of the Concorde Hotel Shah Alam before you made a report. … To be precise, you met SAC Rodwan on 25th June, a day before the alleged sodomy which was on the 26th June.

Saiful: So what? I know I was going to be sodomized again. I was just getting ready.

XYZ: So why didn’t you set a trap for Anwar with video recording and police bursting into the room to catch him red handed? I’m surprised a police officer didn’t advice you to set a trap.

XYZ: OK, let’s talk about the day you made the police report on the 28th of June. Why did it take you 2 days after the alleged act to make a report? Haven’t you already decided to report Anwar after meeting SAC Rodwan?

Saiful: Well, I was embarrassed and humiliated about going public. I was also traumatized by it so I thought it over for a couple of days.

XYZ: But you were smiling and waving to the press after your police report.

Saiful: That was just for the TV cameras. I wanted to look handsome.

XYZ: You also went to work the next day and attended a PKR function at Anwar’s house in the evening where Anwar was also present.

Like I said, this is an old topic, so my previous posts on this matter may be dated.

That is if he has time to personally look into the country’s affairs in between his many trips overseas, giving lectures to all and sundry on how democracy should work, how the economy should be managed etc etc etc.

Looking back at his political career, you have got to admit, ever since he was removed from his post as Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and Deputy President of UMNO, the mainstay of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) more than 10 years ago, he is still able to keep himself in the public eye, one way or another.

How does he do it? Does he have  a team of public relations personnel who’s good at spin and churning out stories to maintain his relevancy to the current political scenario in Malaysia? Or creating controversy when there was none in the first place? If he does, then they must be pretty good. Experienced and very competent. Always on the offensive. Even Dame Thatcher engaged one when she wanted to be Prime Minister and when she was the Prime Minister. Remember Saatchi and Saatchi? They were very good and very, very expensive.

But I’ll wager that these spin doctors do not come cheap, do they? Working for free? I have serious doubts there. Of course, it cannot be denied that the number of court cases that he is involved in does guarantee that there will always be something for the media to write about or for the spin doctors to spin. Outside the courtroom, the spin doctors will have to come up with the right story and make DSAI look good OR look victimized OR proclaim his innocence at whatever wrongdoing he has been charged with, whilst in the courtroom, there is normally a battery of well-known lawyers (reads like a Who’s Who in the Malaysian Bar Council) whose job is to prove or assert DSAI’s innocence, one way or another, technically or otherwise. Afterall, in the Malaysian legal system, one is deemed innocent until proven guilty and it applies to all, even to DSAI.

I would think that anybody appointed to his legal team (or teams) would be very happy indeed, as his court cases tend to stretch for quite a bit. And as such, they are guaranteed a job for that period of time and that normally translates to quite a handsome monetary income for their respective legal firms. Ask anybody who has had dealings with lawyers and they can tell you that to engage legal representation does not come cheap. Correct me if I am wrong, unless they accept IOUs cashable in the future.

It is well-known that DSAI does not go anywhere official without his security detail. Whether this security detail is paid for by theFederal Government by virtue of him being the Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament is unclear. But with all that has happened and been said before, it would not be surprising if he has his own security detail, one not linked or answerable to the Federal Government, one way or the other.

It was once reported that his entourage travels in at least 3 MPVs. If that were to be the case, then whoever is in charge of DSAI’s security is quite well versed in security arrangements. Whether the vehicles are bulletproof, that’s another matter. I mean, if whoever is in charge of security arrangements is worth his salt, then presumably that might be the case. And for Pakatan Rakyat (PR), DSAI is their leader (and saviour perhaps?) and their designated Prime Minister-in-waiting, one who could do no wrong and must be protected at all costs.

Now, I must admit that my curiosity has got the better of me. The question that bugs me is, how does he pay for all that? I mean, the lawyers, the security detail, the vehicles, etc etc etc. And we have not taken into account his residence (or his residences? Does he still has his Bukit Damansara residence?), his trips overseas (airfare, hotel, per diem etc etc. Are they all paid for and by whom?), his staff (driver maybe? maid or maids maybe? speechwriters?), his clothing (he is an immaculate dresser, you must admit), etc etc, yet.

The simple man that I am, I only know what has been reported in the media. He derives his income from being a serving Member of Parliament, Leader of the Opposition, and Economic Advisor to the State of Selangor. Are they any other perks that he gets that we, the rakyat, do not know about. From the PR-ruled states ie Penang, Selangor, Kelantan, and Kedah, for instance?

By virtue of being a former Member of Parliament, DSWA (Datin Sri Wan Azizah) also draws an allowance. How much, I must admit, I do not know but I guess in managing the DSAI household, that may help. His daughter is also a serving Member of Parliament but I think she’ll need her parliamentary allowance. After all, she has a constituency to look after besides being a newly elected VP of PKR as well as her own household to manage.

So back to the pertinent question, where does he get the money to pay for all that? And how much does all THAT amount to? It isn’t wrong to wonder, is it? After all, for this simple minded voter who going to cast his vote come the next General Elections (GE), he wants to make sure that his Prime Minister and political leader of his country is only answerable to Malaysia and Malaysians, and has only the interests and welfare of Malaysians and Malaysia uppermost in his mind, administration, management and policy-making, and not any other.

Is that wrong?

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, ini kerana sehingga sekarang Penasihat Parti Keadilan itu tidak menjelaskan maksud sebenar berhubung kenyataannya yang dikatakan menyokong segala usaha untuk melindungi keselamatan Israel.

Menurut beliau, kenyataan Anwar itu bukan sahaja bercanggah dengan dasar dalam dan luar negara berhubung negara Israel serta Palestin malahan tidak mengambil kira perjuangan Islam serta mengetepikan hak rakyat Palestin untuk menentukan masa depan mereka.

Beliau turut mempersoalkan sama ada kenyataan Anwar itu mendapat sokongan sekutunya dalam pakatan pembangkang iaitu DAP yang sehingga kini tidak mengeluarkan sebarang reaksi selepas ia ditentang oleh Pas.

“Secara tersirat apakah bermakna kalau Anwar kata dia akan ambil alih kerajaan, akan diubah dasar dari segi Israel dan Palestin atau dia akan guna penasihat-penasihat lain yang dia rasakan boleh membantu dalam soal ini?

“Ataupun dia lebih mirip kepada soal tuntutan pelbagai pihak di Amerika untuk melayan sentimen dan kehendak mereka. Itu kita tidak tahulah tetapi kenyataan Mubarak mungkin ada kebenaran,” katanya.

Ketua Penerangan Mubarak, Datuk Abdul Rahman Sulaiman menyifatkan sokongan Anwar terhadap segala usaha untuk melindungi keselamatan Israel menunjukkan Ketua Pembangkang itu amat mengharapkan pelobi Yahudi bagi membantunya memenangi PRU-13.

Katanya, sokongan itu juga satu cara pembangkang untuk melibatkan kuasa besar dunia khususnya rejim zionis dan konco-konconya di Amerika Syarikat dalam politik negara.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Muhyiddin berkata, penolakan Buku Jingga oleh kerajaan Pas Kedah sepatutnya menjadi pengajaran kepada rakyat. Ini kerana kandungan buku tersebut hanya gimik politik, tidak berasaskan kenyataan serta tidak mampu dilaksanakan

“Apa yang Azizan (Menteri Besar Kedah) telah sebut mungkin sesuai setengah tempat, tak sesuai disetengah negeri. Ini satu lagi petanda bahawa Buku Jingga yang dikatakan jadi manifesto kepada pakatan pembangkang tidak diterima oleh pemimpin mereka sendiri,” katanya.

Jambatan yang menjadi penghubung kepada petani untuk kesawah telah hilang dicuri mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Jambatan besi 3 tan itu dicuri dengan menggunakan jengkaut dan menurut penduduk kampung, besi tersebut bakal dijual dikedai besi buruk.

Dengan kehilangan jambatan tersebut menyebabkan petani-petani daripada Kampung Banggol Chica, Banggol Petaling, Banggol Ara, Banggol Kemian dan Gajah Mati akan menghadapi masalah untuk meneruskan aktiviti menanam padi disawah kerana jambatan tersebut merupakan satu-satunya penghubung.

Dek kerana aku puas dijadikan ‘bahan’ rakan-rakan sebumbung, kata mereka, dah lama sangat blog Cabuk takda entry baru..Akhirnya beralah juga untuk masukkan entry dengan tajuk seperti tertera di atas….

2012, aku buka hari-hari di awal tahun baru dengan tugasan penting dengan membuat liputan keputusan kes liwat membabitkan ketua de facto pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan bekas pembantu peribadinya, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Duta..

Pedulikan mengenai keputusan yang dibuat oleh mahkamah, apa yang berlaku ketika hari jadi, aku hanya ingin berkongsi sesuatu yang peribadi mengenai tarikh yang dianggap keramat oleh para penyokong parti pembangkang negara ini, 9 Januari 2012 (901)..

Kalau mengikut sejarah perkhidmatan aku di bawah bumbung ini, banyak juga peristiwa penting dan besar berlaku dalam negara telah berjaya aku elak untuk terjerumus bersama-sama dalam membuat liputan..Tanpa sengaja, ada saja alasan dan pengecualian yang timbul setiap kali aku diarahkan bertugas..memang pelik dan sedikit lucu..

Tanah runtuh di Bukit Antarabangsa, Helikopter Nuri terhempas di Genting Sempah, Pahang, Pembunuhan Datuk Sosilawati di Banting, Perhimpunan Bersih di ibu negara, Tanah runtuh di Sungai Semungkis, Hulu Langat (antara yang aku ingat dan aku anggap kes penting dalam sejarah negara), kesemua kes ini, aku tidak menjadi individu yang bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya dalam membuat liputan untuk pusingan pertama..cuma, diarahkan terbabit apabila ia sudah menjadi ‘suam-suam’ kuku..disebabkan bekerja dan kes masih berjalan, jadi sedikit sebanyak, aku diarahkan untuk membuat susulan…

Tapi, bukan kali ini..aku tidak terlepas…panggilan dari pejabat di kala azan Maghrib berkumandang Ahad lalu, seperti sudah dijangka apa yang dimahukan…”Esok abang kena turun mahkamah, pukul 6.30 pagi”..ringkas saja pesanan yang diberikan oleh adik junior di pejabat..dan arahan itu aku kongsikan bersama isteri, anak-anak dan keluarga mertua ku..tak sempat nak maklumkan kepada keluarga sendiri sebab dalam kepala dah mula fikir untuk perancangan esok hari…mak aku sendiri terkejut bila aku dah terpacak di rumahnya seawal pukul 6 pagi..15 minit kemudian, aku dah sampai di Kompleks Mahkamah Jalan Duta…

Jujur, aku cukup suka terima tugasan ini atas sebab..bukan ia peristiwa penting tetapi aku anggap ia medan untuk berjumpa dengan rakan-rakan selapangan yang sudah lama tidak bersua muka..lebih-lebih lagi mereka yang sudah tahap otai dalam lapangan ini..walaupun bekerja dalam lapangan yang sama tapi tak semestinya akan bertemu setiap masa..jadi, bila berlaku peristiwa penting seperti ini, sah satu kapal petugas akan turun, jadi peluang untuk bertemu lebih terbuka luas..peluang untuk tambah ilmu itu juga ada apabila masing-masing berkongsi pendapat mengenai apa yang mahu dihidangkan kepada pembaca keesokan hari..

Sedikit kenangan yang aku rakam bersempena 901…

Mungkin, inilah adalah liputan peristiwa penting yang terakhir aku..siapa tahu..mungkin..segala kemungkinan tetap ada..

(sayang sedikit, tak sempat nak petik banyak gambar sebab dah sibuk ke hulu ke hilir mencari sesuatu yang bernilai berita)..

Even before the verdict has been announced, the federal opposition and conspiracy theorists believe that the courts have already reached a foregone conclusion that Anwar is guilty. This is all part of a concerted effort to discredit the top echelon of the opposition, which has been steadily gaining support among the disillusioned Malaysian populace.

Commentators from the Singapore Straits Times papers have remarked that no matter the verdict, it’s not going to look good on the BN government either way. The Wall Street Journal adds that the second sodomy charge against Anwar is not only flimsier, but also urges the US President Barack Obama to condemn the unfair trial.

For now, leaders of the federal opposition are putting up a brave front and assuring supporters that succession plans have already been agreed upon in the event of Anwar’s imprisonment, and the focus should be to overthrow the corrupt BN government.

How things will actually play out after Monday remains to be seen. However, based on the articles above and my personal experience with sentiments among the city-folk, I am reasonably sure that a swell of support will definitely be heading in Pakatan Rakyat’s direction after the trial, no matter the outcome.

Should Anwar be found guilty, that would be tantamount to making a martyr out of him and his political career by BN, and the PR coalition can go on to lambast the injustices inherent in our corrupt judiciary which is controlled by BN. Should Anwar be acquited however, the PR coalition can then go on to declare a resounding victory and decry the government’s bungled attempt in character assassination.

Either way, it’s only going to add more tar and feathers on the Najib administration. This will definitely go a long way in helping the coalition secure more seats in the upcoming general elections.

Datuk Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim dilihat sekali lagi mahu mengheret dan menagih simpati rakyat dalam keputusan kes liwatnya menerusi kempen bebaskan Anwar 901.

“Satu gerakan besar-besaran melalui internet / media maya membabitkan pelbagai aktiviti sedang diatur pihak tertentu bagi menunjukkan sokongan kepada Anwar menjelang keputusan perbicaraan kes liwatnya pada 9 Januari 2012.

“Rakyat seharusnya tidak mudah terpedaya dengan strategi ketua pembangkang yang cuba menunjukkan seolah-olah dia menjadi mangsa konspirasi.

Usaha ini tidak harus disokong kerana Datuk Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim dilihat sudah mula berkempen untuk membebaskan dirinya walaupun mahkamah belum membuat keputusan.

“Semua usaha tersebut berbaur hasutan, mencabar keputusan mahkamah serta mengancam ketenteraman dan keselamatan negara.

Oleh itu, kami minta supaya pihak Polis menyiasat perkara tersebut dan usaha berkenaan harus dibanteras habis-habisan demi menjaga ketenteraman awam dan keselamatan negara.