UMNO party elections are coming. Abdullah Badawi presided over a disasterous GE2008, not just for UMNO, the party for which he is President, but for BN, for which UMNO is its strongest force. Dr M hit the nail on the head when he said that if Abdullah Badawi claimed 100% credit for the success that was GE2004, then he should be 100% responsible for GE2008's showing too. This alone should have been a clear marker of what would be coming to pass (the not-so-subtle trumpeting of Abdul Razak's thumping constituent victory aside).
But the latest furor over the Menteri Besar post of Terengganu looks like another nail in the coffin. Long story short: Badawi said, "Idris Jusoh is our man", the ruler of Terengganu said, "But, he isn't mine" -- and taps Ahmad Said's shoulder in instead.
Badawi threatens with, "Its unconstitutional", the Ruler replies, "You don't have 2/3 majority of the parliament anymore, you can't touch me". Keeping the sultans in their place was easy with the axe of a lopsided Parliament, but not anymore.
In the end, there could only be one winner in this stand-off, and, again, as a marker of weakness, it was UMNO that had to bend over.
Badawi lost GE2008. It looks like he's lost a lot more than just an election. And, come December 08, he is likely to lose even more. An honorable man would do the honorable thing before that came to pass.
But the latest furor over the Menteri Besar post of Terengganu looks like another nail in the coffin. Long story short: Badawi said, "Idris Jusoh is our man", the ruler of Terengganu said, "But, he isn't mine" -- and taps Ahmad Said's shoulder in instead.
Badawi threatens with, "Its unconstitutional", the Ruler replies, "You don't have 2/3 majority of the parliament anymore, you can't touch me". Keeping the sultans in their place was easy with the axe of a lopsided Parliament, but not anymore.
In the end, there could only be one winner in this stand-off, and, again, as a marker of weakness, it was UMNO that had to bend over.
Badawi lost GE2008. It looks like he's lost a lot more than just an election. And, come December 08, he is likely to lose even more. An honorable man would do the honorable thing before that came to pass.
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