Friday, October 24, 2008

Gerakan Sunset

Please note before reading on that I have absolutely nothing personal against the sole Gerakan backbencher in the Parliament from Simpang Renggam, Liang Teck Meng. I've spoken to him briefly previously and he seems pretty much like a "nice guy". However, as the flag-carrier for the party seeking to so-called revive itself and its relevance in Malaysian politics, I was keenly awaiting to hear what he will say in his speech, on behalf of Gerakan, to debate the 2009 Budget.

Let me just say that I was totally disappointed, albeit not too surprised at its contents, which you can read here in the Hansard pages 125-129.

He spoke about floods in his constituency...
...masalah banjir di kawasan Simpang Renggam... Kami gembira mendengar berita bahawa sebuah syarikat jurutera perunding bernama DZA Consult Sdn. Bhd. telah dilantik...
praised his party president...
...UNESCO telah mengisytiharkan Melaka dan Georgetown sebagai tapak warisan dunia. Georgetown yang dikendalikan dengan begitu sempurna dan baik oleh Kerajaan Barisan Nasional bawah pimpinan Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon serta dasar-dasar yang munasabah untuk mengekalkan sejarah seni bina dan sebagainya. Kalau bukan jasa Kerajaan Barisan Nasional maka tidak akan wujudnya tapak warisan dunia pada hari ini.
criticised our local taxi service, and justified his Taiwan visit...
... selepas melancong ke Taiwan sebelum ini dan juga pemerhatian saya selepas melawat ke Singapura, ke Vietnam, Hong Kong dan Macau, saya dapati perkhidmatan teksi di negara kita amatlah teruk...
asked the Government to not forget to build roads in Simpang Renggam...
... saya rasa gembira bersama dengan anak Sabah dan anak Sarawak kerana kerajaan mempergiatkan usaha untuk melaksanakan projek infrastruktur untuk dua negeri ini. Saya harap kerajaan juga jangan lupa negeri Johor terutamanya kawasan Simpang Renggam....
That's it.

Nothing, absolutely nothing on the key matters which affects Malaysia, on the key issues why Gerakan was almost wiped out in the last general elections. Nothing at all from all the bravado and hype in recent weeks in the media on how Gerakan about setting up a special task force to review the Internal Security Act (ISA), Printing Presses and Publications Act and the Universities and University Colleges Act in order to "strengthen the parliamentary democratic system", or become a "louder conscience in Barisan Nasional" and have a meaningful role in the coalition. There wasn't even any real concrete critique of the Budget which we were debating, despite its many obvious flaws which were pointed out even by his own BN colleagues.

Nothing. All talk outside parliament, but not even a whimper in Parliament where it matters. Even the rowdy Kinabatangan, who is often the butt of our jokes and anger, does a hundred times better job in Parliament in acting as the "conscience of Barisan". And that says a lot.

As Sdr Lim Kit Siang has also highlighted on his blog when we are seeking endorsement to have ISA debated (note: not a request for abolishment), we are also hearing pin-drop silence from both Gerakan and MCA. Chicken.
Lim noted that the situation does not bode well for MCA and Gerakan, whose top leaders have called for a review of the ISA, that their MPs had not shown more support for the petition.

Lim said the failure of these two parties to translate the resolutions made at recent annual conferences - to push for a review of the ISA - would be tantamount to betraying their delegates.

“It means they have betrayed the mandate of the annual MCA and Gerakan delegates’ conference,” Lim said, adding that 74 Pakatan MPs signed the petition. The signatures of the remaining Pakatan MPs could not be obtained as they were overseas at the time.
Maybe, just maybe, the top leader(s) in Gerakan is still wishing for a senatorship for a ministership in the Badawi-Najib cabinet, and is clearly willing to remain in servitude to UMNO to the very end.

16 comments:

As I Was Saying... said...

It's a MASTER-SLAVE relationship in BN till THE END.

Nothing has change and WILL NEVER CHANGE!

Unknown said...

hi yb tony. cant expect much from there toothless posturing flers.

they have been living under the shadow of the their big brother - umno for too long.

so being independent being an outspoken party for the people like DAP / PKR / PAS is never their strong point.

the biggest joke was during the MCA team a team b fiasco - who do they call for help? not their old party leaders but TDM and outsider.

that shows how much this two party has lost their right as an independent party under BN - they have sold not only their soul but their party principle the very essence of their existence for crumbles from the umno warlords.

As I Was Saying... said...

By the way, you can't teach AN OLD DOG new tricks.

So just let it be-lah....

;)

Anonymous said...

As people were so afraid in the past, some politicians remain afraid of those in power.
I wonder when will they come out of their shells and start working for the people instead of saving their own skin!

Allen Tan 陈亚伦 said...

If I am Liang Teck Meng, I would blast out all my disappointment over UMNO hegemony during the debate. I will stand true to my people who elected me by voicing out their concern about UMNO using the ISA tool for achieving its political end.

Then I will expect darts and arrow shooting at me, and I die as a BN MP and resurrect as a PR MP the next moment.

If I don't do it now I will be too late as UMNO is still dreaming that BN is still strong. UMNO does not know that doomsday is befalling and it has another 4 years to go only.

Anonymous said...

TB Tony, nothing new, nothing surprising. These component parties to the coalition are merely 'kuchi lonkung' workers for UMNO. What polices can they speak of and will they be heard by their political masters!
My impression of them (not yesterday, today or tomorrow) they will always be, "barking dogs with no b*lls and a tail between their legs...just hot air"
The very people who still stand by them are themselves 'cherry pickers'.

Anonymous said...

My apology, mistyped YB and not TB

Allen Tan 陈亚伦 said...

Ya this is the best time to please the people. People are angry over ISA and media restraint. If any BN MPs would hit out the govt against these things, they will get the rakyats' support next election. Of course must be under the umbrella of PR lah!

Anonymous said...

BN backbenchers are mere rubber stamps for their political master. And joke material for Pakatan MPs to make fun off.

Emily Pratt

d'Frog Prince said...

dear YB,

power corrupts. people who tasted power rather be eunuch than be hero without power.

you guys have the ideals but if, a big IF, you all form the government, it is very likely a big chunk of you guys would behave like BN goons too.

as it is, what happen to the funds of the state's wife assemblymen association, both in Penang and Selangor? what happened to the depleted fund of Penang local councils?

i hope everyone realise that they only have 5 years to prove the mantle and don't waste the opportunity to do good for the people with the mandate. it's better to have tried and lost than not trying at all.

Anonymous said...

Whem the Dr. Hypocrisy (aka Dr. M) already said that Gerakan will never get back Penang, what more is there to say? The master already gave up but the slave still want to stay in the household. Its pathetic frankly, sad and pathetic but kind of reflect the lives of many lower and middle class non-bumis in this country for decades now..

Anonymous said...

Its a pity outspoken youth leaders like Stephen Doss and Tan Keng Lian could not find a place in the recent Gerakan elections, the present leadership just doesn't have the balls....

pennychai said...

Thanks, Tony for letting us know this.

I am voter in Simpang Renggam, kind of disspointed with his performance in Sidang Dewan although I know that he always appears in those praying and Karaoke sessions in Simpang Renggam, and somemore service center which attracted attention.

Anyway, we hope for the best, heard that Rocket is having center for Simpang Renggam.

pennychai said...

But I admit that yes, we have lot new roads in Simpang Rengam.

That's the difference how government treated opposition state with the their own state.

Anonymous said...

hey tony i tot your party is multi racial. how cum PAS want to appoint their own ppl to PKNS. Chinese is not multi racial? tsk. walk the talk la brader

Anonymous said...

The way you describe herein clearly shows that you do not understand the real politics in this world - more to learn my fren...