The wayang ends, let's cool it

And the wayang kulit has finally played out.

Both PKR and MIC have announced their candidates for the by-election in P94, Hulu Selangor. Batting for PKR would be former cabinet minister and ex-UMNO Kota Bahru MP, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim while stepping up to the crease for MIC is P. Kamalanathan, the new face of MIC and party information chief.

While Zaid's candidacy was announced without much fanfare, the hoo haa over the MIC candidate played out in the press at large. On one side you have MIC supremo Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu insisting that it was his deputy, G. Palanivel or bust while the UMNO branches in the constituency wanted Mugilan, the deputy youth chief. Clearly it was bust for the MIC president when he was forced to back down and suggest Kamalanathan instead.

And what a slap in the face it must be too, to have their candidate selection so openly influenced by UMNO. Can Samy still say that he's the strongman of the Indian community ?

However one silently rising notion would be that Samy actually planned this blow up in public, if nothing but to show that Palanivel wasn't wanted nor accepted by BN/UMNO. Why though would he undermine his deputy like this, especially since he promises to turn the party over to him ?

Perhaps this is the first shot of a battle to get his son, Vel Paari, a spot in the upper echelons of the party hierarchy and continue the dynasty. A page out of the old playbook of his longtime friend, Tun Mahathir Mohamad, who is doing the same for Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

Still, the UMNO-MIC show aside, even within PR there are indications that Zaid's selection was not done with unanimous agreement. Some say Zaid's liberal policies and outlook mean the folk from PAS may not push their election machinery in H.S. enough for him, while others are saying Azmin Ali is threatened by Anwar's selection of Zaid as his possible successor. Azmin wants that spot, you see.

No matter how they got selected though, SiPM (M) had called for a good candidate selection, in order for the voters to choose from quality choices for Hulu Selangor. On that count, both Zaid and Kamalanathan fit the bill. Both are liberal men, with some good ideas, both represent the new wave sweeping their respective parties, and both are fit to be in Parliament if elected.

And oh, while we are at it, another fly by night ADUN from PKR quit his party. Ho hum, no big news this and lost it was in the bigger Hulu Selangor miasma.

It is a brand new story, folks, played out in the old wayang kulit style. As Malaysians, let us all watch and enjoy it.

When the tail wags the dog

We at SiPM (M) actually wonder who runs the country, 1Malaysia or 50Malaysia.

While the PM is away on a PR bought ego Washington DC trip, his deputy decides to take things in hand and makes remarks invalidating not one, but two of his boss' plans for uniting Malaysia and his fractured coalition.

It makes us at SiPM (M) wonder if this is a carefully crafted play to keep us continually guessing their strategies, or if its just open dissent as the power play between Najib and Muhyidin is played out in the open.

Not only has the DPM single-handedly killed any chance of the interfaith panel being formed, he has also been showing all Malaysians that he is more than willing to let Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa dictate the government's actions and policies. Surprising that a single independent MP is able to wag the DPM. Perhaps it should just be made official, by making him the DPM. Or PM.

While the voice of a liberal Malay agenda is gaining some momentum, Malaysians have long grown tired of racial and religious rhetoric and politicking. The business of running the country seems to be taking a second seat to one-upmanship in state assemblies and Parliament.

It does seem that Perkasa has the ability to overshadow even BN's arduous decision over who to select as a candidate in Hulu Selangor. Even here, the discord between the MIC President's personally selected successor and the choice of the local UMNO branches needs the PM's tiebreaker. This does not bode well for the MIC's role within the BN coalition.

Conversely, PR seems to have more or less agreed on a heavyweight. Whether he will be able to placate the voters, remains to be seen but his coalition has at least shown some cohesion among its component parties.

The further this goes, the more the schism is going to widen, and the more alienated Malaysians are going to get. As my colleague points out, thank you Mr DPM for pushing more votes SiPM (M) way. We stand for a Malaysia for its rakyat, and for what makes all of us tick. We stand for a Malaysia as it once was, not what it seems to be turning to.

We stand for a Malaysia where justice has a fair shake at being done, instead of insulting experts who try to shed light. We stand for what the ordinary Malaysian needs.

Give SiPM (M) your vote, and sound the clarion that Malaysians are tired of shenanigans from all parties.

You know its what needs to be done, we don't talk shit.

Small Fry

Mr DPM. Terima Kasih.

You have singlehandedly minimised an effort for religious harmony in Malaysia. You should be proud.

You are a hero now. Not a zero. Your frankness is appreciated. We all know our place in Malaysia now. Thanks to you.

The Siber Party of Malaysia (M) understands that you have to do what you have done. We will do the same. But we won't waste time on a small fry like you.

We have bigger fish to catch. To fry, so to speak.

At the very least, we thank you for your comment which will send votes our way. Vote SiPM (M), where there are no small fries. Just fish.