Cowboy Caleb the liberal arts, grown-up stuff & random mischief

Goodbye PM Abdullah Badawi, Thanks For Nothing!

Analysts say the 68-year-old ignored Malaysia’s widening poverty gap and increasing cost of living. Corruption appeared to get worse even though he had promised to eradicate it, while charges of nepotism fizzed around his government.

He made his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin one of his advisers. Unconfirmed reports surfaced about a yacht Abdullah bought in Turkey and a house his son purchased in Perth, angering many low income Malaysians.

When the southern state of Johor was struggling after floods in late 2006, Abdullah was in Perth to inaugurate his brother’s curry restaurant. Some even criticized him for remarrying less than two years after his first wife died of cancer and then showing public affection toward his new partner.

“At a time when the country is crumbling around us we have to watch his lovey-dovey going-ons with his wife,” said Malik. “People don’t want to see a lovable teddy bear. They want a tough leader.”

Ex-PM Mahathir blames Badawi for election loss… says his successor has ‘destroyed’ the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition through a cocktail of arrogance, self-delusion and suppression. As such, he has apologized for picking Badawi as his succesor and called for him to step down as PM.

In other news, the rats are fleeing the sinking ship. PM Badawi’s friend’s are now calling upon him to ‘do the right thing’ and resign. Oh what a fickle mistress we have in fate…

The clock is ticking!

9.39pm Update - Mahathir says PM’s son-in-law to blame for BN’s electoral defeat in an interview. He also has something to say about the crazy anti-blogger minister of (dis)information Zainuddin Maidin which made me laugh:

Q: Can you comment on Zam (Zainuddin Maidin)?

Mahathir: He won or lost? Oh, he lost. Well, the way he was campaigning was really funny, telling people to look at his face and how it doesn’t change. But I think that a face that doesn’t change can be very boring. Sometimes you must laugh, sometimes you must cry.

He was telling everybody “Ini muka tak bertukar, tak bertukar” (This face doesn’t change, doesn’t ever change). Who is interested in his ‘wajar’ (appearence)? If he was Britney Spears, then….

Mahathir shld STFU and not blame anyone but his own doings.

He’s in the captain seat for more than 20yrs with the same bozos who managed to create a dynasty of corruption (Semi Value, Rafidah, etc) and arrogance. If they didnt managed to be so arrogant and wealthy from being under his rule, Pak Lah wont also have such a big task to handle such corrupted officials who dont want to get the fuck out.

Mahathir is a bigger fuck up than Pak Lah.

But at least Mahathir knew what he was doing. He didn’t forgett to give out a slice of pie to everyone and not just keeping it to himself.

Nation
Sunday March 9, 2008

Barisan reels from worst-ever election performance

PM’s post-election press conference
Malaysia Decides 8th March 2008

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is in shock. The Barisan Nasional is reeling from its worst-ever election performance.

While it managed to keep Terengganu and will form the next government, it lost Penang, Selangor Kedah and Perak to the Opposition and failed to recapture Kelantan.

Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in accepting the results, said this was clear proof of democracy at work in the country. He urged people to remain calm and not take to the streets to celebrate.

Earlier, as reports spread of Barisan’s mounting losses, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan warned the public not to hold any victory celebrations or spread rumours of rioting and that the Internal Security Act would be used against offenders caught.

Musa’s concern is understandable considering Barisan’s losses are even bigger than what the ruling party experienced in the 1969 general election.

In that election, Gerakan, as an Opposition party, won Penang while PAS took Kelantan.

Barisan Nasional’s predecessor, the then Alliance haul of just 74 out of 144 parliamentary seats enabled it to form the government by a simple majority.

Yesterday, Barisan reached the simple majority by winning 112 out of the 222 parliamentary seats by 1am. Results show Sarawak and Sabah and Johor, the traditional bulwarks of the coalition, delivering the most number of seats – 24 from Sarawak, 29 from Sabah and 25 from Johor.

MCA is the biggest loser but a unhappy close second is Gerakan which lost its crown jewel, Penang, the state it had ruled for 39 years.

MIC failed badly, too, with its top leadership rejected by the voters.

Hence, the election saw the shock defeats of some of the biggest personalities on the Malaysian political landscape – MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu who lost to PKR’s Dr D. Jeyakumar; Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon who had planned to move to the federal level by contesting in the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat lost to DAP’s Dr P. Ramasamy and PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas was knocked out of his Taiping seat by DAP’s Nga Kor Ming.

Deputy Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was beaten by PKR fledging Nurul Izzah Anwar while Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun was unseated by entrepreneur-turned-DAP politician Tony Pua. Datuk Lee Hwa Beng, the popular Selangor state assemblyman, lost in his bid for the Kelana Jaya parliamentary seat to yet another political newbie, Loh Gwo-Burne.

News of possible upsets started trickling in shortly after Election Commission chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman announced at a 7.30pm press conference that the highest voter turnout was in Kelantan and Putrajaya (81% each).

By 8pm, unconfirmed reports said that PAS had retained Kelantan. (Putrajaya incumbent Tengku Adnan Mansor retained his seat too.)

Next to come were reports of Penang falling like ninepins to the DAP and seats in several other states once deemed safe were turning shaky for the BN incumbents.

It was all over in Penang for the Barisan by 9pm when DAP clinched 19 of the 40 state states.

Acting Gerakan president Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon conceded defeat in a press conference at 11.30pm.

Selangor’s fall came when PKR, DAP and PAS took 33 of the 56 state seats at about 10.30pm. Kedah and Perak quickly followed.

agreed to naeboo’s first comment! “He’s no good!” kinda common refrain from mahathir whenever one of his handpicked successors did not fall behind mahathir’s own plans. first anwar, now pak lah. if that the case, he must have pretty bad judgement of people from the start ! dare we trust his next personnel endorsement ?

I strongly disagree with what naeboo had written. Failing to acknowledge DrM contribution to Malaysia is an ungrateful act and very very naughty indeed. The taste of the pudding is in the eating. Since we know the chef, don’t blame other chef for the bad pudding. Bad writing by one like neaboo will only make it worst.

I believe when Dr.M was the prime minister and made himself the Finance Minister…he really did his best, kicking off mega projects and creating jobs although I don know whether he is corrupted or not. But the point is I think he has business sense, again I don know he succeed or not. At that time, our country was progressing. Our PM now is poor in business and management. He has no business visions or correct strategy. I don know who he listen to but he is not a good CEO. Maybe he is just a good Chairman of our country.

naeboo is just taking things emotionally and unpractically, first and foremost, what good does it do to you by giving you sincere support? Any beneficial rewards to you? Since i doubt you’re living in a luxurious or a high profile status, fight for your rights and integrity rather than to only hear but not listen and understand.

what are newspapers nowadays whereby there are only more than a written story book? advertisements are more than news these days, realise that?

know the politacal situation and understand first before condemning anyone, any improvement so far in malaysia?

think twice..

baboocheesy..dont bodek la..u have to think as a malaysian citizen. newspaper all bull shit!! many of them thank to pak lah bcoz of the million contract, afraid to loose their job. We are malaysian people, we could noticed what had he done?!!nothing bro..after Dr M leaved, malaysia become worst..what da fuck try to change our life style? we are now on millennium century, we should improve not reverse!! daMN LA..