Election Fever : POLITICAL BAGGAGE..

Election fever is definitely in the air!!

While other politicians are still playing the guessing game on when the 13th General Election (GE13) is going to be held, one man seems to have already started to sprint, making headlines after headlines. That man is none other than Anwar Ibrahim. He seems to be pulling all stops in what many are describing as his last stride.

Anwar political career have been nothing but spectacular. His student days as an activist against the government are still being talked about till this day, as well as his overnight U-turn from student activist to an UMNO member, his high speed rise to power within the BN government which almost saw him helming the Prime Ministership, his downfall from power and life in confinement, his controversy released in 2004, his entrance back into active politics and his ever changing character from an ultra-Malay to someone who now enjoys the support of the Non Malays more than the Malays.

Anwar is regarded as a (god given) hero among the opposition, who miraculously glued together 2 opposing opposition parties - PAS & DAP. It is an open secret that these 2 parties can NEVER work together because of their fundamental differences. But with Anwar and his PKR party being the binder, PAS & DAP are now seen holding hands. Ironically, until today, they have put very little effort into 'marrying' the 3 parties. This loose coalition between DAP, PKR and PAS gained some significant grounds in the last election, by capturing 5 states in the Peninsular Malaysia. Everyone (even people from the BN camp), cannot deny that that 'political tsunami' in 2008 was due to the 'Anwar' factor.

However, the tune have changed lately because there have been a rapid declining trend of that 'Anwar' factor among the general public and among the opposition themselves. If Anwar Ibrahim was seen as the champion for the opposition in 2008 GE12, he is now seen as a BURDEN that the opposition has to carry. Since 2008, the nation have also witnessed the biggest 'number-of-people-leaving-a-party-in-a-single-term' in history.

The most prominent name of those who left PKR is none other than Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. His departure from PKR captured world-wide coverage, not because of the departure per say, but because of the accusations he made against  Anwar. 

Who is Saiful?

Saiful used to be Anwar's private assistance, who follows Anwar abroad and arranging for Anwar's daily schedule. However, he later claimed to have been sodomized by his boss (Anwar) on several occasions and lodged a police report. Anwar was charged under Section 377B. And after years of legal battle, Anwar was eventually found NOT GULTY of this charge on technical basis in 2012.

His defense lawyers successfully argued that the prosecutors have actually filed the charge under the wrong Section.

Section 377B says : "Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years, and shall also be liable to whipping"

In one media interview, Karpal Singh, who was Anwar's lead council in this case said
"If they filed it under 377B, then the sodomy was consensual and both parties (i.e Anwar and Saiful) should be charged. Why is Anwar facing this charge alone??"  

Karpal then explained that the correct section that the prosecutors should have filed this charge under was Section 377C.

Section 377C says : "Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature on another person without the consent, or against the will, of the other person, or by putting the other person in fear of death or hurt to the person or any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than twenty years, and shall also be liable to whipping."

The rest of the details about this sodomy case are history and Anwar remains a free man.

Other heavyweights who has now left PKR includes.

Dr Chandra Muzaffar - PKR (ex) Deputy President

Ezam Mohd Noor - PKR (ex) Youth Chief and also a Co-founder of the original 'KeADILan' party.

Ruslan Kassim - PKR (ex) Information Chief

Zainur Zakaria - PKR (ex) MPT Member

Datuk S. Nallakarupan - PKR (ex) MPT Member

Marina Yusoff - PKR (ex) Vice President

Mohd Annuar Tahir - PKR (ex) Secretary General

Anuar Shaari - Anwar's (ex) Private Secretary

Lokman Noor Adam - PKR (ex) Youth Secretary

Zahid Md Arip - PKR (ex) Deputy Youth Chief

Hamdan Taha - PKR (ex) Deputy Election Director

Datuk Salehuddin Hashim - PKR (ex) Secretary General

Faizal Julaili - PKR (ex) Sabah Youth Secretary

Awang Mumin Awang Marali - PKR (ex) Papar Secretary

Abdul Rahman Osman - PKR (ex) Treasurer

Saidatul Badru Tun Said Keruak - PKR (ex) Vice President

Jeffrey Kitingan - PKR (ex) Vice President

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim - PKR (ex) Vice President

Nazaruddin Darmawan - PKR (ex) Kuala Selangor Youth Chief

Fauziah Sulaiman - PKR (ex) Kuala Selangor Women Chief

Abdul Manap Shahardin - PKR (ex) Election Candidate and also a Co-founder of the original  'KeADILan' party.

Datuk Dr Halili Rahmat - PKR (ex) Hulu Selangor Treasurer

Soraya Sulaiman - PKR (ex) Perak Information Chief

Roshanita Mohd Basir - PKR (ex) Bagan Serai Deputy Chief

Aminah Abdullah - PKR (ex) Penang Women Chief

FEDERAL SEATS       

Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed - Member of Parliament Bayan Baru

Tan Tee Beng - Member of Parliament Nibong Tebal

Mohsin Shamsuri - Member of Parliament Bagan Serai

Zulkifli Nordin - Member of Parliament Kulim Bandar Baru

Wee Choo Keong - Member of Parliament Wangsa Maju

STATE SEATS

Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi - ADUN Behrang

Kapten (B) Mohd Osman Jailu - ADUN Changkat Jering

Gabriel Adit Demong - ADUN Ngemah

Md Radzi Salleh - ADUN Lunas

Badrul Hisham Abdullah - ADUN Perlabuhan Klang

V. Arumuggam - ADUN Bukit Selambau

Fairuz Khairuddin - (ex) Deputy Chief Minister of Penang

These are no ordinary people!!

They used to be leaders in PKR and strong supporters of Anwar Ibrahim. Their support for Anwar were so strong that some of them have even paid the price for breaking the law in Anwar's name. But after 2008, it was as if they were awaken from a spell and realized who Anwar really is.

And just like that, the magic in Anwar's name disappeared and his trusted circle started to rapidly shrink.

These people later join forces to form an NGO named "TIBAI", an acronym for Tolak Individu Bernama Anwar Ibrahim.

TIBAI aims to expose to Malaysian and the world just who Anwar Ibrahim really is. Rallies and gatherings have been organized by TIBAI for that purposes.

Meanwhile, those who still remains with him, including his political allies from DAP and PAS, are watching these developments closely and are doing their own calculation. Deep down, they cannot deny that Anwar was the one who got them together in 2008 under the unofficial banner of Pakatan Rakyat, but they definitely do not want to be dragged down with Anwar, should he fail. And everybody knows that without Anwar, PAS and DAP will be on each other's throats in split second.

They have learned to be weary of Anwar's statements because they know that Anwar is very slick with his words and is capable of saying something with confidence, even if it is not true.

Anwar proved this shortly after GE12 in 2008 when he announced to the world of his promise to overthrow the democratically-elected ruling party by 16 Sept that year, through ways of getting enough member of parliament from the ruling party to defect. The entire coalition of PR was brought to shame when this promise did not materialized.

Another was in 2010 when he came out bashing the Jews and Israel for illegally and brutally capturing a Malaysia's humanitarian vessel to Gaza. Everyone supported that motion. But a few days after, leaders in PR were put to shame again, when Anwar decided to make an apology visits to US over his allegedly anti-semantic statements.

Another was when he made statements that the laws on homosexual needs to be reviewed. Knowing the fact that homosexual is rejected in ALL religion, he once again made his political ally dumbfounded over his statement.

Another was at the Bersih 3.0 rally when Anwar was caught on video as the one giving instructions to demonstrators to break the police barricade, which is the turning point of that rally turning from a peaceful event to a violent one. Even Bersih demonstrators came out to criticize him for doing that.

Another was when the video of him having sex with a prostitute came out in the open. He continuously deny this, but until today dare not take legal actions on those who made the exposure.

And many more examples.

I am sure that I don't have to mention what Anwar's political enemies think about this promises, but is it not a secret that a lot of his own supporters and political allies are becoming weary of his words.

Lately, Anwar is seen to travel in style, AS IF trying to portray his capability to garner wealth.

The first was the PKR Bus. Funny how they call it the PKR bus, when the bus has Anwar's picture on it as big as the bus itself. This is weird because Anwar is not holding any official position in PKR. He is regarded as the De Factor Leader (Ketua Umum) of PKR, but that position is neither an official title nor was it open for contest in PKR's own election. In other words, the position Anwar is holding in his own party is a non-democratic position. A more suitable picture to be on that bus is picture of his wife, Azizah who is the Party President or Azmin Ali, who is the Party Deputy President. And if PKR claims that they are fighting for democracy, why are they glorifying someone who is holding a non-democratic position in the party?

Then there was this luxurious private plane that Anwar used to travel while in the East Malaysia. Again, AS IF Anwar is trying to portray his capability to garner wealth.

Here's a thought, all politician knows that the closer you are to the grass-root (i.e the way they talk, the way they spend, the way they travel, the way they eat), then the bigger political mileage that they would gain. So, one have to wonder just what is Anwar trying to do when he travels luxuriously on a bus with his face on it and on a private plane. Something the average Malaysian wouldn't even dare to dream of? Being an experienced politician, Anwar knows that by doing so, he is actually distancing himself from the grass root.

So, I wonder just who is Anwar trying to impress? Foreign support maybe?

Since GE13 is just around the corner, it is up to the rakyat to decide - are we going to maintain the status quo based of the growth and benefits that Malaysia has achieved or change for the sake of changing? What will happen when we go for change just for the sake of changing and put Pakatan Rakyat is Putrajaya as the federal government?

Remember this - Although Anwar is the opposition leader now, but his PKR party is not the majority holder in Pakatan Rakyat. He is being put there on the mercy of DAP. Again, this itself is going against the spirit of democracy, which is supposed to be the voice of the majority. If DAP really regards Anwar as a supreme leader, one who is even more superior than their own party president, then they should ask for DAP and PKR to merge and put Anwar is his 'rightful' place as supreme leader.

Why put someone who does not command the majority in the coalition as the opposition leader?

Again and yet again, Pakatan Rakyat have shown that they don't respect democracy, even if they continuously claimed that they do. But as the saying goes, action speaks louder than word.

I'll leave you with that thought. To me, wwhatever the result of GE13 may be, it proves that democracy is very much alive in our blessed nation - which is great!!