UMNO the headless chicken, the plot thickens

Is UMNO / BN like a Headless Chicken?

Well, a new day has dawned, the morning is already over, and until now there is no mainstream media news regarding the audience that Abdullah had with HM The King yesterday morning, my early morning post is here. The mainstream media are full of diversionary stuff, a selection of which is below, but it is certain that BN in general and UNMO in particular, is running about like a headless chicken!

This is a selection of the news spin obtained from the NST and the Star of today, 27 March 2007.

Terengganu State UMNO liaison committee secretary Rosol Wahid said they expected an end to the stalemate.

“All the 22 assemblymen will accept whatever decision is made by the Prime Minister,” he added.

On speculation that the palace would retain Datuk Ahmad Said, Rosol replied: “Let us see the outcome tomorrow (today). Let the speculation be as it is.”

A state Umno source said a Deputy Mentri Besar might also be appointed.

A close aide of Ahmad said the Kijal assemblyman would get the nod from the supreme council to be sworn in as Mentri Besar.

He claimed that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had agreed to Ahmad’s appointment as Mentri Besar and would make the announcement today.

“Ahmad met the Prime Minister in Kuala Lumpur early today (Wednesday). There is a positive outcome. Ahmad explained his rationale for accepting the appointment by the palace to the Prime Minister, who then gave his blessings,” he added.

The aide also said that Ahmad remained a loyal UMNO member and would not betray or go against the party as “his heart and soul remain with UNMO”.

In a related development, it appers that the three official vehicles, which had been used Idris Josoh (ex MB of Terengganu) were returned to the state government early yesterday. The vehicles were seen parked at Wisma Darul Iman.

It was reported that PM Abdullah had had an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (HM The King) Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur.

This was a regular appointment before the weekly Cabinet meeting, however is understood that the Terengganu MB issue was raised.

It is also reported that Abdullah then met with Idris Jusoh, the ex MB at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya.

The outcome of both meetings have not been officially announced.

Now some spin and sulky remarks which have been reported.

Zaid Ibrahim was quoted as saying:

State constitutions that are outdated need to be reviewed to prevent conflicts between the monarchy and the current parliamentary democratic system.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zaid Ibrahim said some state constitutions dated as far back as the beginning of the last century, and sometimes caused problems.

“That is why there is a need to look at reform,” he said. “Sometimes things get complicated because of an old law, but it is still law although it is old. It has to be observed as it is there.”

Zaid said the matter needed be discussed to obtain consensus, and to find ways to harmonise the expectations of the democratic Government.

“We live in an institution with a monarchy with certain powers, so, if there is a conflict, we have to iron it out, but it must be done with consultation,” he said, adding that the Attorney-General would look into the review.

Zaid was speaking to reporters on the problems in Terengganu – where the state Ruler and the Federal Government have separate choices for Mentri Besar – after chairing the post-Cabinet meeting here yesterday.

Where was the PM?

Zaid had described the Terengganu problem as a combination of legal and constitutional issues.

He also reportedly said the Cabinet reaffirmed yesterday the need for judicial reform, one that would be far-reaching and fundamental.

Stating that he would be submitting a Cabinet paper in a month’s time, adding that he wanted to preserve the institution of the separation of powers, as there would be no meaning in a constitutional government without checks and balances.

I thought that that institution had already be torn assunder by BN / UNMO

“Power will be abused (without checks and balances); we have seen it. I want a corrupt-free, honest government,” he said, and added that he wanted to see the judiciary strengthened, with capable people and with integrity.

Oh really, UMNO and BN should know all about that!

An UMNO supreme council meeting has been scheduled this afternoon, it will be no doubt be a hectic meeting, dealing with a host hot of issues, problems and dilemmas which have upset the party since the failure of BN / UMNO to retain the holiest of holies the 2/3 parliamentary majority.general election.

This will be the second meeting of the UMNO supreme council since the 8 March 2008 election, in which UMNO and almost all of its Barisan Nasional [minor] partners performed very badly with the ruling coalition losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Sources said the council was likely to include in the agenda, the following matters:

-Appointment of the Terengganu MB and the membership of Ahmad Said, who was appointed MB by the Terengganu Regency Council;

-The proposal to postpone the UMNO elections to next year;

-The call for an EGM by former UMNO vice-president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, and others, to discuss the election results; and

-To discuss the initial post-mortem of the polls outcome.

UNMO management committee reportedly met at the DPM’s office in Putrajaya yesterday.

Sources said the committee discussed a report on the Terengganu MB crisis and would submit its recommendations to the council today.

“The Terengganu side wanted Ahmad to be sacked from the party for accepting his appointment as MB, which they said was tantamount to insubordination as the Prime Minister had said only Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh could be the Mentri Besar,” said a senior council member.

It was unclear if the committee had supported the Terengganu side’s recommendation for disciplinary action to be taken against Ahmad. What was clear is that the supreme council will endeavour to end the seemingly never-ending story at it's meeting today.

Sources were reported as saying a topic which could prove to be even more contentious was the proposal to postpone the party elections scheduled for this year. Three senior council members have already made it clear that many rank and file UMNO members were unhappy with any move to put off the party polls.

So later today we may see an official announcement, which may see the cap-in-hand PM backing down and eating humble pie!

Saepe ne utile quidem est scire quid futurum sit

- Often it is not even advantageous to know what will be.