“Tajuddin and his cartel are well aware that the standoff between Mahathir and Anwar will benefit The Thrid Force as anti-Mahathir sentiments among Malay-Muslims that support UMNO and PAS will greatly reduce”
Raggie Jessy Rithaudeen
UMNO supreme council member and Team A protagonist, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, today said the clashes between former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim “reduced the threat to PN.”
According to a news report, Tajuddin, who conforms to a cartel within Team A that helped ignite the Pakatan Harapan led government’s collapse, jokingly said the current Dr Mahathir-Anwar row was good to the ruling government.
“If Bersatu, PAS and UMNO remain loyal to the PN as a coalition, not against each other, we have an ‘incredible’ strength to win in the coming elections.
“But if Anwar and Mahathir want to continue to ‘contribute’, we say thank you very much. Just continue fighting, it’s okay,” he said.
However, what Tajuddin is really trying to do is to ‘psych’ Team B, led by Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, into thinking that working with Mahathir’s Third Force “is a big mistake.”
Team A, which initially planned to collapse the Perikatan Nasional led government, has come to realise that doing so may only bring an end to its ‘reign’ should Team B join forces with The Third Force.
Mahathir currently enjoys the support of all WARISAN Members of Parliament and majorities from Sarawak (GPS), PPBM (government block) and Team B (UMNO), and not to mention, his own “team of five” (former PPBM members).
What’s shocking, is Mahathir also has the support of several PKR MPs and those in government aligned with Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
Yesterday, I wrote:
Let’s call the whole lot “Team Mahathir” and whatever is left of PPBM “Team Muhyiddin.”
Let’s also call the 20-odd MPs from PKR that are still loyal to Anwar “Team Anwar.”
By the time GE15 draws near, it will be all about Team Mahathir, Team Muhyiddin, Team Anwar and Team A (UMNO).
For the sake of discussion, let’s assume that the DAP and AMANAH decide to stick with Anwar.
Under the circumstances, Team Mahathir would probably find a way to collapse the federal government, perhaps with the exodus of Team B MPs.
Should this happen, there is no way Perikatan Nasional can compensate for the difference, as not only does Anwar lack the support of all 38 PKR MPs, GPS and Azmin’s men have made it absolutely clear they want nothing to do with Anwar.
So, the only option left for Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is to call for the dissolution of parliament to pave the way for the 15thgeneral election (GE15).
Anwar knows this, as do Datuk Seri Haji Abdul Hadi Awang, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Lim Guan Eng, Mohamad Sabu, Azmin and Mahathir.
Mahathir has no qualms, as his mission has all along been to turn Team Mahathir into The Third Force with or without Anwar.
Those in Perikatan who tied Anwar’s hands wasted time as there has always been a Plan A and Plan B (and Plan C, D, etc).
Whatever the plan, the name of the game has all along been “who gets Anwar and who gets DAP.”
Obviously, Team Anwar will not go into the general election alone.
Tajuddin and his cartel are well aware that the standoff between Mahathir and Anwar will benefit The Thrid Force as anti-Mahathir sentiments among Malay-Muslims that support UMNO and PAS will greatly reduce.
Not only is the majority in UMNO and PAS anti-Anwar, PAS was badly scarred by Anwar back when the DAP undertook to collapse Pakatan Rakyat.
Many PAS grassroots members blame Anwar for not defending the party against the DAP when Lim Kit Siang accused Datuk Seri Haji Abdul Hadi Awang of behaving irrationally.
And not only does Mahathir have loyalists in UMNO, the majority of grassroots members in PPBM is pro-Mahathir and anti-Anwar.
Put together, you will see clearly how the so-called clashes between Mahathir and Anwar serve only to benefit The Third Force during the 15th general election.
The whole fiasco will bring about an unprecedented swing in the Malay Muslim vote that Tajuddin and his cartel are well aware of.
Given that the DAP and AMANAH is with Mahathir, that’s all the Chinese and Indian votes he needs to stage a spectacular comeback.
And let us not forget the existing split in the Malay Muslim vote due to the massive power struggles brought about by Team Azmin, Team Muhyiddin, Team A and Team B, all of which UMNO and PPBM are trying so very hard to cover up.
How bad is this split, you ask?
1. There is massive resentment among PPBM grassroots members, furious that Muhyiddin agreed to bend down for UMNO.
Note, a small percentage of these supporters (hereinafter referred to as the “pro-PPBM group”) may refrain from voting, which ends up being a plus point for Pakatan Harapan.
2. The pro-PPBM group also comprises those who feel betrayed by Muhyiddin for kicking Mahathir out of PPBM just so that the former could work with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Let us not forget that Najib is PPBM’s sworn enemy and the main reason the party was established.
3. The pro-PPBM group also has members who feel that PPBM strayed from its original mission and vision to replace UMNO as a champion for the Malay-Muslims
4. There is also a 10- 15 per cent split in the pro-UMNO vote (hereinafter referred to as the “pro-UMNO group) which The Third Force will benefit from.
5. This group comprises moderates (urbanites and semi-urbanites) who ditched UMNO during the 14thgeneral election due to the party’s arrogance but returned following the establishment of Muafakat Nasional.
6. The group can clearly see how Team A leaders are busy politicking behind the satin laced curtains for money and power despite being given a second chance to lead government.
7. Its members can also see how insincere Team A has been towards Muhyiddin after having used him and Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to collapse the Pakatan Harapan led government
8. These groups will likely steer clear of the general election or vote for The Third Force since it clear to them that Mahathir no longer wants anything to do with Anwar.
9. And even if things were to suddenly work out between Mahathir and Anwar, it is clear to these groups that Mahathir is the one calling the shots.
10. Let us also not forget that the pro-PPBM group is anti-Anwar.
11. This will result in a very large Malay-Muslim swing towards The Third Force, far larger than the swing that occurred during the 14thgeneral election.
To be continued…
NOTA: SAYA MEMBUAT PENGUMUMAN-PENGUMUMAN PENTING DARI MASA KE SEMASA EKSKLUSIF MENERUSI SALURAN TELEGRAM BERIKUT:
