Yesterday, I wrote (in red):
The DAP’s sudden aversion to attempts by members of government to contravene the Pakatan Harapan manifesto (see news item below) smacks not just of hypocrisy, but conspiracy.
It has been brought to my attention that Lim Kit Siang convened a high-level meeting earlier today with several DAP leaders, including Lim Guan Eng and Anthony Loke, to discuss Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s premiership and how it may be jeopardising Pakatan’s chances of retaining government.
Mahathir is anticipated to call for the dissolution of Parliament by or before the 31st of May 2020.
The Prime Minister has committed to stage mass arrests by or before November this year to incarcerate Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Dato’ Lokman Adam and myself, among others.
I added:
Now that Kit Siang’s son has been acquitted of corruption charges by the Penang High Court, there is nothing stopping him from executing a plan of action to jeopardise Mahathir’s leadership.
He and his men have undertaken to go for Maszlee’s jugular as a first stage measure over the later’s decision to accept the post of president of International Islamic University (IIUM).
Ironically, Kit Siang was not concerned back when Mahathir first ‘appointed himself’ as Minister of Education despite it being contrary to a manifesto pledge.
As a matter of fact, the senior Lim even defended Mahathir by dictating that the latte’s decision “does not violate the letter and spirit of Pakatan Harapan manifesto” even though the said manifesto appeared to state otherwise.
Pakatan’s manifesto was clear on the point that no one person could hold two ministerial portfolios.
Kit Siang defended Mahathir despite the latter already being Prime Minister and, going by the manifesto, not being eligible for the post of Education Minister.
Back then, the senior Lim needed his son to be freed from corruption charges and was willing to defend Mahathir to kingdom come.
But now that his son is a free man, he want’s Mahathir to step down as Prime Minister even if it means going at him in public.
The DAP has decided to take an indirect approach first.
Kit Siang and gang will oppose anything that is deemed contradictory to the Pakatan manifesto in hopes that the Mahathir regime is crippled.
Once he is sure the rakyat has turned against Mahathir, he will launch an out and out attack against Mahathir together with Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a bid to turn him (Anwar) into Prime Minister.
Anwar seems to have agreed to the plan, though rumours are rife that he will oppose Mahathir together with the senior Lim from outside Pakatan Harapan.
And just as I had anticipated, yesterday, they went for Maszlee’s jugular.
Today, they’re going for Mahathir’s (see news item below).
In an editorial published a little over an hour ago by Free Malaysia Today, it was stated (in red):
“A deputy minister has urged the government to be cautious in dealing with a controversial 9km-long wall built by a Chinese company at an industrial park in Pahang, days after Dr Mahathir Mohamad warned that the structure should be torn down.
“Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Ong Kian Ming said the wall, which is 2-3 metres tall and built around the 3,500-acre Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), was a “very small matter in the overall scheme of things”.
“We need to understand the situation and what is really going on in all of these projects so we can find win-win solutions for all parties,” Ong, who is a member of DAP’s Central Committee, told reporters today, following his visit to the MCKIP site yesterday.
I told you yesterday that Kit Siang and gang would oppose anything that is deemed contradictory to the Pakatan manifesto in hopes that the Mahathir regime is crippled.
But it looks as if they’re also opposing anything that is deemed anti-China following Mahathir’s recent visit to the northern republic which, as we all know, was a horrible diplomatic disaster.
On the 24th of August 2018, a delegation of eight DAP members led by Kit Siang were invited by China’s ruling Communist Party to visit the northern republic.
Our source confirmed that the delegation discussed Mahathir and Daim and how relations between China and Malaysia were strained by the duo.
Kit Siang does not hold a ministerial portfolio.
Yet, the Chinese felt the need to discuss with him and the DAP bilateral relations between our two nations.
The fact that they did should tell you the kind of regards Chinese president Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang have for Mahathir.
It seems that the Chinese have indicated that they want Mahathir gone.
Kit Siang, on the other hand, is rumoured to have entered a pact with Anwar to oppose Mahathir from outside Pakatan Harapan with Anwar having agreed to leave the coalition.
So yesterday, the DAP had nothing to say when Mahathir ruined the economy.
As a matter of fact, they even helped him resonate the idea that the national debt was over RM1 trillion and that the Debt-to-GDP ratio was 80.3%.
But today, they’re playing the righteous card and want people to believe that “they planned to do good to the people but were prevented from doing so by Mahathir.”
And while they’re at it, our UMNO leaders and analysts are under the impression that by holding street rallies, they’re winning the war of perception against Pakatan and are getting more and more people to see Mahathir and Kit Siang for who they truly are.
But all they’ve managed to do is fall into a trap set by the DAP.
In a nothing to hide forum held over a month ago, I revealed that the DAP had all along planned to appear righteous by first getting Mahathir to do the dirty work before blaming him for everything.
Nobody listened to me as ego seemed to be getting the better of everybody in UMNO and the MCA.
And we’re talking the same ego that led to BN’s downfall during the 14th general election.
Mark my words, at the rate our guys are going – you know, using old school logic to explain new school outcomes – we may as well call it a day.
There is no version of this in which I see us winning the war of perception.
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Dr Ong Kian Ming today called for greater cooperation between Asean countries to take advantage of the trade diversion into this region as a result of the escalating trade tensions between the US and China.
During his keynote speech at the Selangor International Business Summit Series today, Ong observed that a lot of multinational companies from China, US and even Europe are now interested to set up businesses, as well as increase their investments, in Asean. But Asean countries are mostly competing against one another to secure these investments.
“Is there a possibility whereby countries in Asean can work together to deliver an attractive package to foreign direct investors who want to relocate or want to invest more here (Asean), as a result of this trade war? So far, I have not seen such a concerted effort. But I think this is where opportunities lie,” he said, addressing the audience that came from Asean, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Ong pointed to the example of the linkages between the State of Johor and Singapore, whereby some companies manufacture in Singapore and then transport to Johor to assemble.
“There are many opportunities for us to co-invest as a strategic hub between countries in Asean so that we can export together to other countries including to China and US. I think this is one possible model that we can explore,” he said.
He said it is critical now for Asean countries to step up and work for more interaction and cooperation between companies, countries, and States within the region to develop a cohesive unit that can take advantage of the trade diversion due to the trade war between US and China.
In order to achieve this, Ong advocated for more exchange of ideas within the region, instead of looking for examples outside Asean.
“I think the people-to-people relationship, the business-to-business relationship, and the exchange of ideas among all these stakeholders can be enhanced. When we have a genuine exchange of ideas and people across borders, I think businesses, investments and trade can thrive,” he said.
“Without this genuine exchange of ideas among these non-governmental agencies, I think it is very difficult for us to really play a role to push Asean to the next level,” Ong added.
Source: The Edge Markets