Three Sons Of Ibrahims

Talk about bread and circuses...the latest circus in town is Tiger Zulkifli Noordin and I say "Tiger" because he comes from the same school that I did, King Edward VII School Taiping and we refer to each other as Tigers.

Perhaps Tiger Zul is not a one-man circus but just an act hired to fill in between performances. The real circus in town now is of course the "A" word circus which seems to be in interlude. The limelight thus shifts to Tiger Zul and his Tiger Show (or is it Thai girl show?).

However, we have seen Tiger Zul's performance many times before and it is the same old thing with the same old theme that is 1,400 years old. He postures as the greatest protector of Islam as if there is no other, or that the religion or the Ummah or ultimately, even Allah needs his protection.

But this blogpost is not about Tiger Zulkifli Noordin per se. It is about the ringmaster and we the audience being the clowns. No need to write so much here. Just read the following two articles. One is from Haris Ibrahim's blog and the other from the Malaysian Insider on Zaid Ibrahim's latest blogpost. Both are about that other son of Ibrahim...Anwar. Well, Haris...hate to say this but, "I told you so!"

Please read on and you decide who may be having his his balls tied to his arse.

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Zul no fear little pharaohs. Zul have Big Chief Sitting Bull by the …
January 27, 2010

Lil’ Hummingbird caught up with me for drinks last night.

“Zul got a battering from most of those at the PKR politburo meeting earlier. Most made it clear that this fool had become a liability to the party and would no longer be tolerated.”, he volunteered, as he beckoned the waitress to attend to his near-empty glass.

“Guess who came to his aid, though, and saved his sorry ass, for now at least?”, he asked, practically emptying the glass that had just been filled.

“Who?”, I asked, just as I caught the attention of the waitress and signalled her to get him another pint.

“Big Chief Sitting Bull and his two sidekicks,”, he volunteered.“Who the hell is that?”, I asked.

“Damn it, can’t you even figure that one out?”, he threw back at me.“Who?”, I repeated, my impatience showing.

“Anwar, as lead counsel, Azmin and Jui Meng playing second fiddle.”, he rattled.

“Aw, come on. Even Malaysiakini reported yesterday that Anwar had said that this time the idiot had gone too far, and had demanded an explanation from Zul. Having taken such a position publicly, why the about-turn now?”, I asked, unable to hold back my dsibelief at what I had just been told.

“Aiyoh, you are so @#$%^&* naive. Bloody politician, isn’t he? When do they ever say anything and really mean it? They just tell us what they’re sure we want to hear. Bloody sandiwara, that’s what it was. A lot of ‘cakap tak bikin’.”

“You know why? Anwar’s afraid of how Malay voters will react if Zul is sacked or suspended for what some may perceive as he having acted in defence of Islam. So what does he do? Orders Zul to shut the @#$% up and send this matter to the Disciplinary Committee of the party. That way, if the DC takes any decisive action, at least no one can point a finger at Anwar. Better still, may be between now and when the DC is supposed to hear this matter, something else will come up to draw attention away from this idiot’s latest antics,”, he went on.

“People, even within the party, are beginning to talk, though.”, he offered, and, deliberately, I think, left it at that.

I took the bait.“Ok, what’s the talk?”, I asked.

He looked impishly at his empty glass.

“Miss, one more for my friend, please”.

“Zul has Big Chief by his you-know-what. Nobody knows quite what it is, though. At least, no one is saying anything. Just yet.”, he blurted, as he gulped down the newly arrived pint.

He got up to go, but paused long enough to promise to go dig for details if he thought I’d be a little bit more generous next time round.

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Zaid slams PKR over Zul’s case

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — Pakatan Rakyat ideologue Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today slammed PKR for treating Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin with kid gloves, saying the party could become a “poor man’s version of Umno” that was incapable of defending its principles and bringing reform.

The political maverick also accused certain quarters in PKR of fearing to take action against Zulkifli as they felt the lawyer was popular among the Malays for his Islamic issues.

“Many feel that PKR is not serious in taking action. In fact, there those who predict it won’t take strict action within the time given,” Zaid wrote in a post headlined “Little Napoleon” in his weblog this morning.

PKR’s political bureau yesterday slapped a gag order against Zulkifli who went against the party line to lodge a police report against Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad over the “Allah” issue.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said the bureau had also referred Zulkifli to a disciplinary panel for further action within 30 days.It is understood that the political bureau meeting was fiery with many asking for action against the former Anwar lawyer who has crossed the party line a few times since being elected in Election 2008.

But a few felt action against the former PAS member would jeopardise the party’s standing among the majority Malay Muslim electorate.

Analysts said the episode exposes the soft underbelly of Anwar’s party — the desire to portray itself as multiracial but living with the constant fear of losing its pull with the Malay voters.

Zaid lamented that Zulkifli has ignored the gag order and has continued to insult the pact’s stand in rival Umno-controlled media.

“It’s strange that Zulkifli Noordin is an ‘untouchable’ in the party; one wonders why there is something special here.“That is why he can criticise anyone as a ‘Little Napoleon’ or those who are powerless, people like me ,” he added.

The former Umno minister said the episode has convinced him that PKR cannot defend core principles in its struggles.

“Only the easy and expedient. PKR today is not that different from Umno, only its mold or just ‘a poor man’s version of’ Umno,” Zaid wrote.

Saying it was clear that Zulkifli’s action was to destroy the party from within, Zaid noted those who fear taking action against Zulkifli felt they risked alienating his supporters.

“But Zulkifli Noordin is not a warrior of Islam, not a Malay warrior. His attitude, action and words are the same as Umno champions,” he said, adding the politician had clearly made statements that are against decisions of the party and Pakatan Rakyat.

“He has given the impression to the people that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat have betrayed the Muslims and Malay Rulers for allegedly allowing those of other faiths to insult Islam especially in the “Allah” issue.

“For me, if we are not confident of our stand in the ‘Allah’ issue and other issues brought by Zulkifli Noordin, then just follow Umno and Zulkifli Noordin. But if we are confident and we hold to principles in the Federal Constitution, and the religious scholars, we must persist with our stand.

“Until when do we want to play politics in two worlds, sticking to one principle there and switching to another here,” he wrote.

Zaid noted there are party colleagues who will now ask him to be patient and follow the legal steps for action to be taken against the recalcitrant Zulkifli.

“I agree. That’s why we should suspend Zulkifli Noordin until the investigations are completed because his offence is clear and continues for those who can and want to see,” he added.

Zaid said PKR must be fair to Zulkifli but also equally fair to the thousands of members who need to be protected when defending party and Pakatan Rakyat principles

“In saying all this, I might be sacked by PKR because I don’t have invincibility like some PKR leaders. But I am used to being sacked and I will continue to voice political struggles that are principled and healthy for the good of PKR and Pakatan,” said Zaid, who had joined PKR after being sacked by Umno in late 2008.

“We are incapable of being a party to bring reforms to national politics and administration if we can’t settle the Zulkifli Noordin issue in the appropriate way,” he added.

Zaid concluded by saying PKR ally PAS has shown its principles and courage for taking action against Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Ali, “but PKR is afraid of the Kulim Bandar Baharu MP”.

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From Zaid Ibrahim's blog:

Little Napoleon

Parti Keadilan Rakyat hari ini membuat keputusan merujuk kes Zulkifli Nordin kepada Jawatankuasa Disiplin parti untuk menyiasat serta membuat keputusan terhadap beliau dalam masa 30 hari. Parti juga mengeluarkan “gag order” atau larangan supaya beliau tidak lagi mengeluarkan kenyataan yang boleh memudaratkan parti serta merosakkan perpaduan Pakatan Rakyat.

Hebat bunyi keputusan PKR. Nak ikut “due process “atau proses keadilan dalam undang undang.Sebenarnya ramai orang merasakan PKR tidak serius untok mengambil tindakan. Malah ada yang mengagak tidak akan ada satu keputusan yang tegas akan diambil dalam tempoh tersebut. Sementara itu Zulkifli Nordin setiap minit akan terus menghina pendirian Pakatan dalam TV UMNO dan surat khabar UMNO dan tidak akan peduli arahan parti, sama seperti yang telah dia lakukan pada masa-masa yang lepas.

Hairan juga keadaan ini, seolah-olah Zulkifli Nordin adalah seorang manusia yang tidak boleh disentuh oleh parti; entah mengapa ada keistimewaan itu. Sebab itulah Zulkifli menggelar sesiapa saja yang mengkritiknya sebagai “Firaun Kecil” atau “Little Napoleon”, iaitu merujuk kepada pegawai parti yang tidak ada taring; maksudnya orang seperti saya.

Selepas hari ini, saya yakin PKR tidak mampu mempertahankan sesuatu prinsip utama dalam perjuangan nya. Hanya yang mudah dan expedient,.PKR hari ini tak jauh bezanya dengan UMNO; cuma ia hanya seperti acuan atau “a poor man’s version of” UMNO.

Ada pihak amat takut untuk mengambil tindakan terhadap Zulkifli Nordin, walaupun jelas tindakannya yang mahu menghancurkan parti dari dalam, kerana bimbang dengan persepsi bahawa orang Melayu dan Islam sayang kapada Zulkifli Nordin . Dia konon nya popular dengan “isu Islam nya”. Tapi Zulkifli Nordin bukan wira Islam. Bukan wira Melayu. Sikap, perbuatan dan kata-katanya sama dengan jaguh-jaguh UMNO. Lagi pula Zulkifli Nordin terang-terang membuat kenyataan yang bertentangan dengan keputusan parti dan Pakatan Rakyat. Apa yang dilakukannya hanyalah memberi gambaran kepada umum bahawa PKR dan Pakatan Rakyat telah mengkhianati umat Islam dan Raja Melayu kerana kononnya sanggup membiarkan orang agama lain menghina Islam, terutamanya dalam isu penggunaan perkataan Allah.

Bagi saya, kalau kita tidak yakin dengan pendirian kita dalam soal penggunaan perkataaan Allah ini, dan isu lain yang dibawa olih Zulkifli Nordin ikut saja UMNO dan Zulkifli Nordin. Tapi kalau kita yakin, kalau kita berpegang kapada prinsip dalam Perlembaggaan Persekutuan , dan pendapat alim ulamak maka kita mesti teruskan dengan pendirian kita.. Sampai bila kita mahu berpolitik dua alam; di sana kita berpegang kepada satu prinsip, di sini kita bertukar kepada prinsip lain pula.

Mungkin ada rakan-rakan yang akan berkata tindakan akan diambil selepas siasatan jawatankuasa parti, dan minta saya bersabar. Ikut lunas undang undang. Saya memang setuju, sebab itu kita sepatutnya gantung Zulkifli Nordin sementara siasatan selesai. Kerana kesalahan nya jelas dan berterusan bagi mereka yang dapat dan mahu melihat. Kita perlu berlaku adil kapada dia , tetapi kita juga perlu berlaku adil kapada ratusan ribu ahli parti yang mengharapkan pembelaan dalam mempertahankan prinsip perjuangan parti dan Pakatan Rakyat.

Dalam memperkatakan semua ini saya mungkin dipecat olih parti Keadilan kerana saya tidak ada kekebalan saperti sasetengah pemimpin PKR. Tapi saya biasa kena pecat dan saya akan terus menyuarakan perjuangasn politik yang sihat dan bermaruah untok kebaikan PKR dan Pakatan. Kita tidak mampu menjadi parti yang akan membawa perubahan kapada politik dan pentadbiran Negara kalau Zulkifli Nordin pun kita tidak bolih selesai dengan cara yang sepatutnya. Nampaknya PAS lebih berprinsip dan berani kerana sanggup mengambil tindakan kapada ketua negeri Selangor nya Dr Hassan Ali, tetapi PKR takut kapada ahli Parlimen Kulim Bandar Baru.