MUBARAK & DOLLAH.

20.9.2008.

Zahar Ujang is not the most articulate of lawyers. But on 17th. September I saw him for the first time, in all the years that I've known him, articulating a statement in a most appropriate situation. It didn't come out as a punchy, gung ho exclamation I would have liked.   Or quite the smart reprimand that he himself would have us believe , as he described it that buka puasa gathering. But it'll do. In fact it was a statement to the press that had the whole Supreme Council of MUBARAK as its author.  Give Zahar some credit for actually uttering it from the written script. In front of the host for the buka puasa,  Mahathir, Zahar tried to put some  drama to his announcement to the 100 odd people present. 

That  afternoon MUBARAK had a press conference at their HQ, and had publicly asked Dollah  to hand over the PMship before the coming UMNO National Convention in December. I say that the simple statement, coming from this small national body at this point of time, was  dramatic enough.  

Dollah's reply the next day   was a slap in MUBARAK's face - " they are nothing ". Such  a  grasp for the situation ! And he  calls  himself a Muslim leader, and in this holy month of Ramadan  ? But can we expect anything different from this fellow ?

This is a leader who in 4 short years had gone from one General Elections in 2004 that gave him 90 % of the seats in Parliament and control of all but one of the States, to another General Elections in 2008, that saw him squandering all that support,  losing 40 % of Parliament and 38 % of the States ! It's mind boggling !

Here was MUBARAK, an NGO he's certainly  destined for, perhaps sooner rather than later, making a responsible statement ( perhaps he didn't  read  the full statement ) and he gave the knee-jerk reply, the jerk !

MUBARAK is not nothing, Dol. First of all, you agreed to be the Patron years ago, and in fact gave some money.   So now you're a Patron of Nothing ? Secondly, these maybe ex-Parliamentarians and ex-ADUNS, but practically all are still active UMNO members and many most probably would also become delegates to this year's UMNO Convention, so there ! Thirdly, of all people, MUBARAKIANS maybe the  people who are in vantage position to give you the ground reading. And you famously said not too long ago "tell me, I'm listening". Shame on you ! Lastly, but most certainly not the least, MUBARAKIANS have connections.   Can you  imagine the fallout now ? Perhaps I should  mention some of what  Mahathir told the gathering before it dispersed. Mahathir said Dollah's behaviour, including the latest switch of Cabinet posts, is indicative of a state of loss. When the whole world is affected by the financial meltdown of US capitalism, Malaysia included, instead of putting more interest in the Finance Ministry, he's deserting his post ! In retrospect it may in fact be good, because now he cannot mess up that important Ministry any more. In truth it is an open admission, long perceived by everyone else in the country, that Finance is beyond him.

Mahathir also said Dolah has no blood pressure. When the 2008 GE results were confirmed he said it's OK. When Permatang Pauh was lost, again, he said it's OK. When the economy was already found not OK, he said it's OK. When everyone other than his Cabinet Ministers say UMNO is very not OK, he said it's OK.

Mahathir also let on that even Musa Hitam had advised that he resign, but his son told him not to, and he chose to listen to the son. When UMNO Sabah complained about Ministerships due to Sabah for their very significant role in the GE, he chose to listen to the son-in-law. Then he took that ride on the train. Mahathir said he thought that now he really wants to see for himself the problems facing commuters. Instead he commented on the need to refurbish and add coaches, to be supplied by, who else, Scomi.

There were other grave misgivings mentioned by Mahathir. But I've had my fill of Dollah for one night. We were served a lot of sweet stuff that evening. But that night I drove home with a bitter taste in my mouth.

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