Defeat of cartel pushes Dr M to set a mini-transition timeline

The power struggle in the PKR has delivered its verdict. The cartel is defeated and Anwar Ibrahim now has his lion’s share.

Though he may still want to keep fighting inside the party to gain total control, it is over for Azmin Ali. The party does not belong to Azmin.

The dinner at the Renaissance hotel headed by Azmin and Zuraida Kamaruddin says it all.

WINNERS TAKE ALL?

In all political fights, it is the person who is still at the top who is considered the winner.

It is no different in the PKR. There was a strong challenge against Anwar coming from members of the Majlis Pimpinan Pusat.

Anwar got them to attend the congress of the party in Malacca, instead of organising their own congress.

Had they succeeded in having their own ‘congress’ it would have split the party in the middle. Anwar craftily avoided such a conflict.

And this was the beginning of the defeat of the Azmin camp in the war they started against their leader.

Denied the glorification of their group, they had to kowtow to the other PKR leaders who are in Anwar’s camp.

The fact that they made a walk-out, Parliamentary style, is yet another sign they were losing the fight.

The Congress was a success for Anwar who rallied the grassroots and won some of the disgruntled members back.

Some of the members loyal to Azmin started to tweet their disappointment with the latter.

The dinner without Anwar that turned out to be an Anwar bashing ceremony did not go down well with many.

In a political fight, there is rarely a split that leads to all sides winning. And the fight in the PKR may have delivered its verdict.

With Anwar still in the leadership seat, the place is getting too small for Azmin to squeeze himself in.

SODOMY 3!

In all considerations, it appears the attempt to hit Anwar with the third wave of sodomy might fail.

While the police is doing its investigation, this case has a lot of loopholes.

Nevertheless, the fact that Zuraidah raised the issue at the dinner speech, raises more questions.

If you are faithful to your party, you are devoted to your leader. If you bash your leader in a split-dinner, you are not loyal to him.

This is how Malaysia work and here is not the UK or the US where political figures can voice their disagreement with such ire.

The question is, why did Zuraidah think it was important for her to raise the issue of Yusuf Rawther at the dinner?

She spoke of the accuser as if she was acquainted with him. It gives the impression, there is something fishy.

THE FINAL BLOW?

On the other hand, the country and PKR partisans are waiting for the final blow in the Anwar-Azmin tussle.

However, we saw a mini-blow coming from Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad/

And it came in a manner of sorts with the announcement of the November 2020 deadline by PM Mahathir.

This time, he made it less cryptic and more admissible in the general public.

The fact that he told Reuters he made a promise to hand over, and he will. This says it all.

This time, his statement is not as much murky and less ‘kabur’ though he insisted it will be after the Apec summit.

One may question the reasoning of why his retirement before the Apec summit is disruptive. Even so, that is what he believes it will be.

Furthermore, he delivered a blow to Azmin instead of siding with the follower from another party.

He could have said the PKR is in turmoil, and we should wait and see what’s next before deciding on the transition.

DR M WASHES HANDS?

After the defeat of Azmin and Zuraidah in the PKR congress in Malacca, there is little Dr M can do for them now.

Nevertheless, he also said as far as he is concerned he is stepping down and he is handing the baton to Anwar.

He made it clear that if people don’t want Anwar, that is their business.

But, he will do his part of the promise, irrespective of whatever allegation. Here he was referring to the Rawther allegation.

He said it: “I made my promise, I keep my promise.”

This should be translated into a powerful blow to the cartel that had been eating in the hands of the PM.