THE KING’S REVENGE
MALAYSIA TODAY SPECIAL REPORT ON NEGERI SEMBILAN: PART 1
The intriguing story of the Throne behind the Power which removed Isa Samad
Someone is sporting a large smile these days after the recent fall of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad.
While there is no doubt the majority of Isa’s enemies are fellow leaders of UMNO, Isa’s actual archenemy over the last two decades is outside the realm of politics. After more than twenty years of trying to remove Isa from the political scene, he has finally succeeded in doing so by riding on the paranoia of an up-and-coming young politician from Isa’s home state of Negeri Sembilan and by persuading that young man to exert his influence on his father-in-law, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to ‘break’ Isa’s neck using the mechanism of the UMNO Disciplinary Board.
Malaysians as a whole would be surprised to know that one of those egging Khairy Jamaluddin on to take a swipe at Isa’s political career is none other than the ruler of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Jaafar.
However, those in the know of Negeri Sembilan’s weird and wonderful world of Perpatih and petty politics know that Tuanku Jaafar has hated Isa for almost all the 22 years he spent as head of the executive branch of the Negeri Sembilan government. There is no love lost between the Tuanku and his former Menteri Besar.
When Khairy Jamaluddin first appeared on the political scene of Negeri Sembilan some five years back, he was a complete non-entity. However, since then, capitalising on his father’s Rembau roots, he has built up a political machine to rival that of Isa Samad. Khairy used the Rembau family of the current Menteri Besar, Mohamad Hasan, to strengthen his hold on the state’s UMNO machinery.
By persuading his father-in-law, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to promote Mohamad Hasan as Isa’s successor, Khairy managed to lay the ground to supplant Isa. The reason for this is simple. Isa, by virtue of his longevity as Menteri Besar, was Khairy’s main obstacle to securing a political base in Negeri Sembilan. Khairy chose Negeri Sembilan primarily because his mother’s home state of Kedah was in an even bigger political quagmire due to the rivalry between the strongmen of former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah’s hodge-podge supporters of ex-political secretaries and former Anwar Ibrahim men. So Khairy made a tactical decision to follow his patrilineal roots and plant himself firmly on Rembau soil.
But Khairy’s late father’s legacy in Rembau is not that strong enough. Former diplomat Datuk Jamaludin Abu Bakar, Khairy’s father, was known as an arrogant and aloof diplomat of the old-school who worried more about the pattern of his Paris-made silk ties than the vagaries of Rembau kampong life. So Khairy was forced to latch onto the political family of Mohamad Hasan, comprised of, amongst others, his elder brother Datuk Azman Hasan and several other brothers (collectively known in the local scene as “Anak-anak Abu Hasan Pencuri”) to secure his political future. The trade-off was that Mohamad Hasan would become Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan in order to lay the ground for Khairy’s eventual positioning in that state, either as a parliamentarian or even as Mohamad Hasan’s successor as the next Menteri Besar.
In doing so, Khairy faced the problem of Isa, a deft, populist and plain-speaking man of little educational stature. Diminutive and brash, Isa Samad made history by being the youngest Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan at a tender age of 33. Coming from another established political family of Negeri Sembilan, Isa was the son of a former state EXCO member and nephew to former Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Ghafar Baba. Isa’s talent lay in the fact that he had used his 22 years as Menteri Besar to create a political network that reached the very roots of UMNO politics in Negeri Sembilan. Compared to the English-speaking Khairy with his Oxford twang, hardly understood by the Rembau hoi polloi, Isa spoke with the eloquence of a typical grassroots Malay politician. He was also someone who appeared more approachable than the self-important son-in-law of the Prime Minister. So Khairy had a problem, but he had a strong supporter in the form of Tuanku Jaafar. The old monarch who turns 83 next July had been ruling the state since 1967. Since then he has suffered four Menteri Besars. However, the first three - the late Tan Sri Said, the late Datuk Mansor and the “almost-late” Datuk Rais Yatim, were patricians who shared the aristocratic lifestyle of Tuanku “Bill” (as he is known in the Negeri royal family).
Isa was a different kettle of fish. He was not a Minangkabau, but a Bugis from Linggi. He had no respect for Tuanku Jaafar’s persistent demands for land to be alienated to Antah and Melewar (the two private commercial vehicles of the Negeri royal family), for more pig farm licenses to be issued to the Tuanku and for shutting a blind eye to the Tuanku’s blatant sale of Datukships. The Tuanku also wanted Isa to give him a monopoly on all quarries in Negeri Sembilan. This was something Isa was not wont of doing, either for his own personal enrichment or because he genuinely believed that the Tuanku was acting as a broker for several Chinese businessmen.
In 1992, the Tuanku requested for several quarries in the area of Serting to be allocated to a Chinese businessman friend. Isa refused and instead granted the land to several UMNO politicians from both within and outside Negeri Sembilan. Tuanku Jaafar was so annoyed he started to grow a beard. This was following a long tradition started by the late Sultan Idris of Perak who, when annoyed with his Menteri Besar, would grow a long beard and not shave it off until his wishes were granted. Unfortunately for the Tuanku, unlike the handsome late Sultan of Perak, the Tuanku’s beard appeared like that of the Datuk Nikah Kahwin in the P. Ramlee hit “Musang Berjanggut”. Within Isa’s circle, Tuanku Jaafar became known as “Tuanku Musang Berjanggut”. The stand-off lasted for a very long time but Isa could not be bothered to placate the old ruler. Isa threw out the Chinese datuk who came to see him regarding the quarries. He even refused to attend the Tuanku’s summons to the Istana in Seri Menanti for a huddle with the Chinese businessman.
Things became so bad that Isa and the Tuanku were no longer seen together at public events. The Istana made it known that Tuanku Jaafar would not attend any function that was graced by Isa. Neither did the political secretary of the Menteri Besar accept any invitation to a function that had already been accepted by the Istana. On the very few occasions when both had to appear together, as in the state opening of Parliament, the two protagonists of Negeri Sembilan politics hardly spoke a word to each other. Sometimes, when the Tuanku spoke, Isa would talk to someone else and turn his face away from the royal countenance. The Tuanku would attend to the natural demands of his bladder when Isa rose to give speeches. It was the funniest of times for the Negeri people.
The stand-off was not resolved. Tuanku Jaafar sent his brother Tunku Abdullah (fondly known as Charlie) to see Dr Mahathir to request for Isa’s removal. However, Dr Mahathir, having just deliberately developed a constitutional crisis with the Rulers over the Gomez beatings by the Sultan of Johor, was not pleased to entertain the Tuanku’s demands. Instead, Dr Mahathir asked Isa to find another way to solve the Tuanku’s monetary problems. Isa relented by giving Tuanku Jaafar almost a totally free hand in deciding datukships and receiving payments for them. Suddenly the Tuanku had a money-pit of unending depth.
The Darjah Paduka Tuanku Jaafar (DPTJ third class) became the newest money source for the Tuanku. Malay businessmen lined up to pay up to RM200,000 for the award. Chinese businessmen usually paid a higher price of RM300,000 plus an annual mas manah (gift fee) payable each time the Tuanku or Tunku Ampuan went overseas for a holiday or on the occasion of his royal highness’ birthday. The number of Datuks swelled and soon became a public joke. However, the key point is that UMNO kept its quarries and the Tuanku began to have a new source of income.
Nevertheless, the Tuanku’s antipathy towards Isa never faded. With the arrival of Khairy Jamaluddin on the Negeri Sembilan political scene, the Tuanku felt he had an ally finally strong enough to remove Isa. The Tuanku made it known to Khairy that he would not object to Khairy finding another person as Menteri Besar. In fact, through his son Tunku Naquiyuddin, Tuanku Jaafar suggested that Khairy himself would be eminently suited for that position and suggested that the gerrymandering of Negeri Sembilan constituencies be made to prepare the ground for his election in Rembau. Accordingly, prior to the 2004 General Election, the state constituency of Paroi in Seremban suddenly became part of the elongated and absurdly-shaped parliamentary constituency of Rembau.
However, Isa is not as stupid as some say he looks. He realised what Khairy was doing and organised several meetings with groups of UMNO grassroots to warn them of the impending Tsunami that goes by the name of Khairy Jamaluddin. The UMNO grassroots in Negeri Sembilan had no love for the Oxford brat and preferred traditional politicians such as Isa, Khalid Yunus, or even the convicted murderer and state UMNO treasurer, Datuk Mokhtar Hashim. As a result, several busloads of UMNO Negeri Sembilan supporters, under the pretext of visiting the newly-built and shining megapolis of Putrajaya, sought meetings with Abdullah and told him in no uncertain terms that it was too early for Khairy to be a candidate in the 2004 General Election.
Khairy bided his time, but his seething anger towards Isa grew. Tuanku Jaafar again took advantage of this, and having met Khairy in a public function, again reiterated his support for Isa to move in to ‘loftier’ heights. Khairy took that as a signal to put in Mohamad Hasan who accordingly left his job at Cycle & Carriage and entered Negeri Sembilan politics. By Nomination Day 2004, he was Menteri Besar-designate, having been involved in Negeri Sembilan politics for less than six months. Two brand-new Mercedes-Benzes from Kuala Lumpur were sent to Seri Menanti as a gift from Mohamad Hasan to Tuanku Jaafar and were appropriately appraised as suitable payment for the Tuanku’s agreement to appoint Mohamad Hasan as the new Menteri Besar post-general election.
Isa was in a dilemma. He was not sure of his power to reject Abdullah Badawi’s (and Khairy Jamaluddin’s) order to go for the federal seat of Jempol. Khalid Yunus was to be sacrificed and the man known as ‘Pipit Uban’ due to his shocking white hair obligingly faded into oblivion after half-hearted attempts by his supporters to demonstrate for his continued presence as their MP. Isa won the seat, not surprisingly because in Negeri Sembilan even a cow standing as the BN candidate would win in any Malay-majority seat. However, in the cabinet reshuffle that followed, Isa was given the relatively unimportant post as Minister for the Federal Territories. So unimportant was the post that, in the live telecast of the announcement of the cabinet reshuffle, Abdullah Badawi forgot to mention the appointment and the press discovered the new position only after the embargoed press statement was released.
When Isa won the UMNO Vice-Presidency, Tuanku Jaafar began to fear that his archenemy would further ascend the political ladder, especially if Najib Tun Razak were to become the prime minister of Malaysia. This was especially since Isa had once quipped to his Negeri Sembilan supporters that his temporary office in Putrajaya had a nice view of his political target, which was the Prime Minister’s office. Accordingly, Tuanku Jaafar did everything in his power to make sure Isa would fall flat on his face.
Actually, Tuanku need not have bothered much as Khairy was already plotting Isa’s downfall. Khairy had planted several delegates to the UMNO General Assembly who met with Isa at his office at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to receive small sums of RM300 as duit minyak (petrol money). Instead of using the money to buy liters of petrol, these delegates brought the money to Khairy. Khairy then instructed them to make photocopies of the money and to make a Statutory Declaration that they had received it as bribes from Isa.
In order to emphasise his so-called neutrality, Tuanku Jaafar, when informed of Isa’s impending case, made a point to call Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen, the head of UMNO’s Disciplinary Board and a fellow royal. Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen, like Tuanku Jaafar, was an aristocrat, a member of the dispossessed Pattani royal family. Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen had known Tuanku Jaafar since their England days where they both qualified as lawyers. A few years the Tuanku’s junior, Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen was a convenient hack that serves the purpose of any person who was UMNO President. The Tuanku, in his phone conversation with Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen, was briefed of Isa’s case and muttered in reply, “that he had nothing to say in Isa’s defence and things should take its course.”
Isa Samad, accordingly, fell, as we all know, and was given a six-year suspension. Isa was informed of the decision at 4pm on the 24th of June. At 5pm, the Tuanku’s personal secretary informed him of the decision.
Tuanku Jaafar wore a very wide smile that afternoon. He had finally reached his goal: that is to see Isa fall before he shuts his eyes for the final time. Still smiling, he picked up his handphone, gave it to his personal secretary and asked for the number of a certain person who happened to be at that time visiting his father-in-law’s office in Putrajaya….
Part 2: HIS ROYAL GREEDINESS
A state bankrupted by its own royal family
The intriguing story of the Throne behind the Power which removed Isa Samad
Someone is sporting a large smile these days after the recent fall of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad.
While there is no doubt the majority of Isa’s enemies are fellow leaders of UMNO, Isa’s actual archenemy over the last two decades is outside the realm of politics. After more than twenty years of trying to remove Isa from the political scene, he has finally succeeded in doing so by riding on the paranoia of an up-and-coming young politician from Isa’s home state of Negeri Sembilan and by persuading that young man to exert his influence on his father-in-law, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to ‘break’ Isa’s neck using the mechanism of the UMNO Disciplinary Board.
Malaysians as a whole would be surprised to know that one of those egging Khairy Jamaluddin on to take a swipe at Isa’s political career is none other than the ruler of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Jaafar.
However, those in the know of Negeri Sembilan’s weird and wonderful world of Perpatih and petty politics know that Tuanku Jaafar has hated Isa for almost all the 22 years he spent as head of the executive branch of the Negeri Sembilan government. There is no love lost between the Tuanku and his former Menteri Besar.
When Khairy Jamaluddin first appeared on the political scene of Negeri Sembilan some five years back, he was a complete non-entity. However, since then, capitalising on his father’s Rembau roots, he has built up a political machine to rival that of Isa Samad. Khairy used the Rembau family of the current Menteri Besar, Mohamad Hasan, to strengthen his hold on the state’s UMNO machinery.
By persuading his father-in-law, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to promote Mohamad Hasan as Isa’s successor, Khairy managed to lay the ground to supplant Isa. The reason for this is simple. Isa, by virtue of his longevity as Menteri Besar, was Khairy’s main obstacle to securing a political base in Negeri Sembilan. Khairy chose Negeri Sembilan primarily because his mother’s home state of Kedah was in an even bigger political quagmire due to the rivalry between the strongmen of former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah’s hodge-podge supporters of ex-political secretaries and former Anwar Ibrahim men. So Khairy made a tactical decision to follow his patrilineal roots and plant himself firmly on Rembau soil.
But Khairy’s late father’s legacy in Rembau is not that strong enough. Former diplomat Datuk Jamaludin Abu Bakar, Khairy’s father, was known as an arrogant and aloof diplomat of the old-school who worried more about the pattern of his Paris-made silk ties than the vagaries of Rembau kampong life. So Khairy was forced to latch onto the political family of Mohamad Hasan, comprised of, amongst others, his elder brother Datuk Azman Hasan and several other brothers (collectively known in the local scene as “Anak-anak Abu Hasan Pencuri”) to secure his political future. The trade-off was that Mohamad Hasan would become Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan in order to lay the ground for Khairy’s eventual positioning in that state, either as a parliamentarian or even as Mohamad Hasan’s successor as the next Menteri Besar.
In doing so, Khairy faced the problem of Isa, a deft, populist and plain-speaking man of little educational stature. Diminutive and brash, Isa Samad made history by being the youngest Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan at a tender age of 33. Coming from another established political family of Negeri Sembilan, Isa was the son of a former state EXCO member and nephew to former Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Ghafar Baba. Isa’s talent lay in the fact that he had used his 22 years as Menteri Besar to create a political network that reached the very roots of UMNO politics in Negeri Sembilan. Compared to the English-speaking Khairy with his Oxford twang, hardly understood by the Rembau hoi polloi, Isa spoke with the eloquence of a typical grassroots Malay politician. He was also someone who appeared more approachable than the self-important son-in-law of the Prime Minister. So Khairy had a problem, but he had a strong supporter in the form of Tuanku Jaafar. The old monarch who turns 83 next July had been ruling the state since 1967. Since then he has suffered four Menteri Besars. However, the first three - the late Tan Sri Said, the late Datuk Mansor and the “almost-late” Datuk Rais Yatim, were patricians who shared the aristocratic lifestyle of Tuanku “Bill” (as he is known in the Negeri royal family).
Isa was a different kettle of fish. He was not a Minangkabau, but a Bugis from Linggi. He had no respect for Tuanku Jaafar’s persistent demands for land to be alienated to Antah and Melewar (the two private commercial vehicles of the Negeri royal family), for more pig farm licenses to be issued to the Tuanku and for shutting a blind eye to the Tuanku’s blatant sale of Datukships. The Tuanku also wanted Isa to give him a monopoly on all quarries in Negeri Sembilan. This was something Isa was not wont of doing, either for his own personal enrichment or because he genuinely believed that the Tuanku was acting as a broker for several Chinese businessmen.
In 1992, the Tuanku requested for several quarries in the area of Serting to be allocated to a Chinese businessman friend. Isa refused and instead granted the land to several UMNO politicians from both within and outside Negeri Sembilan. Tuanku Jaafar was so annoyed he started to grow a beard. This was following a long tradition started by the late Sultan Idris of Perak who, when annoyed with his Menteri Besar, would grow a long beard and not shave it off until his wishes were granted. Unfortunately for the Tuanku, unlike the handsome late Sultan of Perak, the Tuanku’s beard appeared like that of the Datuk Nikah Kahwin in the P. Ramlee hit “Musang Berjanggut”. Within Isa’s circle, Tuanku Jaafar became known as “Tuanku Musang Berjanggut”. The stand-off lasted for a very long time but Isa could not be bothered to placate the old ruler. Isa threw out the Chinese datuk who came to see him regarding the quarries. He even refused to attend the Tuanku’s summons to the Istana in Seri Menanti for a huddle with the Chinese businessman.
Things became so bad that Isa and the Tuanku were no longer seen together at public events. The Istana made it known that Tuanku Jaafar would not attend any function that was graced by Isa. Neither did the political secretary of the Menteri Besar accept any invitation to a function that had already been accepted by the Istana. On the very few occasions when both had to appear together, as in the state opening of Parliament, the two protagonists of Negeri Sembilan politics hardly spoke a word to each other. Sometimes, when the Tuanku spoke, Isa would talk to someone else and turn his face away from the royal countenance. The Tuanku would attend to the natural demands of his bladder when Isa rose to give speeches. It was the funniest of times for the Negeri people.
The stand-off was not resolved. Tuanku Jaafar sent his brother Tunku Abdullah (fondly known as Charlie) to see Dr Mahathir to request for Isa’s removal. However, Dr Mahathir, having just deliberately developed a constitutional crisis with the Rulers over the Gomez beatings by the Sultan of Johor, was not pleased to entertain the Tuanku’s demands. Instead, Dr Mahathir asked Isa to find another way to solve the Tuanku’s monetary problems. Isa relented by giving Tuanku Jaafar almost a totally free hand in deciding datukships and receiving payments for them. Suddenly the Tuanku had a money-pit of unending depth.
The Darjah Paduka Tuanku Jaafar (DPTJ third class) became the newest money source for the Tuanku. Malay businessmen lined up to pay up to RM200,000 for the award. Chinese businessmen usually paid a higher price of RM300,000 plus an annual mas manah (gift fee) payable each time the Tuanku or Tunku Ampuan went overseas for a holiday or on the occasion of his royal highness’ birthday. The number of Datuks swelled and soon became a public joke. However, the key point is that UMNO kept its quarries and the Tuanku began to have a new source of income.
Nevertheless, the Tuanku’s antipathy towards Isa never faded. With the arrival of Khairy Jamaluddin on the Negeri Sembilan political scene, the Tuanku felt he had an ally finally strong enough to remove Isa. The Tuanku made it known to Khairy that he would not object to Khairy finding another person as Menteri Besar. In fact, through his son Tunku Naquiyuddin, Tuanku Jaafar suggested that Khairy himself would be eminently suited for that position and suggested that the gerrymandering of Negeri Sembilan constituencies be made to prepare the ground for his election in Rembau. Accordingly, prior to the 2004 General Election, the state constituency of Paroi in Seremban suddenly became part of the elongated and absurdly-shaped parliamentary constituency of Rembau.
However, Isa is not as stupid as some say he looks. He realised what Khairy was doing and organised several meetings with groups of UMNO grassroots to warn them of the impending Tsunami that goes by the name of Khairy Jamaluddin. The UMNO grassroots in Negeri Sembilan had no love for the Oxford brat and preferred traditional politicians such as Isa, Khalid Yunus, or even the convicted murderer and state UMNO treasurer, Datuk Mokhtar Hashim. As a result, several busloads of UMNO Negeri Sembilan supporters, under the pretext of visiting the newly-built and shining megapolis of Putrajaya, sought meetings with Abdullah and told him in no uncertain terms that it was too early for Khairy to be a candidate in the 2004 General Election.
Khairy bided his time, but his seething anger towards Isa grew. Tuanku Jaafar again took advantage of this, and having met Khairy in a public function, again reiterated his support for Isa to move in to ‘loftier’ heights. Khairy took that as a signal to put in Mohamad Hasan who accordingly left his job at Cycle & Carriage and entered Negeri Sembilan politics. By Nomination Day 2004, he was Menteri Besar-designate, having been involved in Negeri Sembilan politics for less than six months. Two brand-new Mercedes-Benzes from Kuala Lumpur were sent to Seri Menanti as a gift from Mohamad Hasan to Tuanku Jaafar and were appropriately appraised as suitable payment for the Tuanku’s agreement to appoint Mohamad Hasan as the new Menteri Besar post-general election.
Isa was in a dilemma. He was not sure of his power to reject Abdullah Badawi’s (and Khairy Jamaluddin’s) order to go for the federal seat of Jempol. Khalid Yunus was to be sacrificed and the man known as ‘Pipit Uban’ due to his shocking white hair obligingly faded into oblivion after half-hearted attempts by his supporters to demonstrate for his continued presence as their MP. Isa won the seat, not surprisingly because in Negeri Sembilan even a cow standing as the BN candidate would win in any Malay-majority seat. However, in the cabinet reshuffle that followed, Isa was given the relatively unimportant post as Minister for the Federal Territories. So unimportant was the post that, in the live telecast of the announcement of the cabinet reshuffle, Abdullah Badawi forgot to mention the appointment and the press discovered the new position only after the embargoed press statement was released.
When Isa won the UMNO Vice-Presidency, Tuanku Jaafar began to fear that his archenemy would further ascend the political ladder, especially if Najib Tun Razak were to become the prime minister of Malaysia. This was especially since Isa had once quipped to his Negeri Sembilan supporters that his temporary office in Putrajaya had a nice view of his political target, which was the Prime Minister’s office. Accordingly, Tuanku Jaafar did everything in his power to make sure Isa would fall flat on his face.
Actually, Tuanku need not have bothered much as Khairy was already plotting Isa’s downfall. Khairy had planted several delegates to the UMNO General Assembly who met with Isa at his office at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to receive small sums of RM300 as duit minyak (petrol money). Instead of using the money to buy liters of petrol, these delegates brought the money to Khairy. Khairy then instructed them to make photocopies of the money and to make a Statutory Declaration that they had received it as bribes from Isa.
In order to emphasise his so-called neutrality, Tuanku Jaafar, when informed of Isa’s impending case, made a point to call Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen, the head of UMNO’s Disciplinary Board and a fellow royal. Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen, like Tuanku Jaafar, was an aristocrat, a member of the dispossessed Pattani royal family. Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen had known Tuanku Jaafar since their England days where they both qualified as lawyers. A few years the Tuanku’s junior, Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen was a convenient hack that serves the purpose of any person who was UMNO President. The Tuanku, in his phone conversation with Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen, was briefed of Isa’s case and muttered in reply, “that he had nothing to say in Isa’s defence and things should take its course.”
Isa Samad, accordingly, fell, as we all know, and was given a six-year suspension. Isa was informed of the decision at 4pm on the 24th of June. At 5pm, the Tuanku’s personal secretary informed him of the decision.
Tuanku Jaafar wore a very wide smile that afternoon. He had finally reached his goal: that is to see Isa fall before he shuts his eyes for the final time. Still smiling, he picked up his handphone, gave it to his personal secretary and asked for the number of a certain person who happened to be at that time visiting his father-in-law’s office in Putrajaya….
Part 2: HIS ROYAL GREEDINESS
A state bankrupted by its own royal family
57 Comments:
Interesting...
If it is proven that the royal families are plundering the state's resources, then they are no different from that of UMNO. And if it is so, why are we, the rakyats, made to pledge our allegiance and loyalty to the plunderers?
Salute to Raja Petra for these daring revelations. Keep up the good work. Malaysians have the right to know and judge for themselves for events/issues that affect them.
Nice story....would be interested to see all the references and cross references and a bibliography!
Dear Old Fart,
If you think otherwise...sue those concerns.
This post has been removed by the author.
What about the israeli's business connection - more info please!
I think this are some of the main reasons why NEP failed.Harapkan pagar,pagar makan padi.Then all the layman malays got the blame.and the nonmalays are fuming over the so-called hak istimewa melayu...they start to slug each other....but now we see who the real culprits are!
Now we see those top people don't give a damn wether you malays or chinese,as long as they can 'buncit'their stomach.and they don't care a bit about religion either...they can go as far as getting licenses for rearing pigs!!!
Syabas RPK...last time we hear this as rumours only..now the truth has surfaced!
Isa Samad daripada awak kena sorang,lebih baik awak dedahkan pekong semua orang.
Brother RPK,
I would like to suggest a name for this potential sequel. Please call it:
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.
Remember?
"The children asked him if to kill was not a sin,
Not when he looked so fierce, his mother butted in,
If looks could kill IT WOULD HAVE BEEN US instead of HIM,
All the children sing,
Hey Bungalow BILL......"
Thank you.
Syabas again to RPK for this interesting revelation!
If you think Isa makes news nowadays, Tuanku Bill's makes you want to log on to RPK's columns more.
Can't wait for your Part 2 soon!
Wow! This is really interesting. How can you get so many x-files info like that? A royal connection?
RPK -
Just out of curiosity, is there teams within the royal family....from what I see there seems to be. Johore, Perlis,Kedah, Negeri, Pahang seems to be a die hard UMNO supporter. The rest Perak, Kelantan, Trengganu, S'gor seems to no care as long as money comes...and S'gor,Perak a bit on the outside of this circle of life!!
The rulers are split 5:4 (opposition:government), but don't ask me which ones are which. Those who know the istana know which ones are on which side. A good 'guide' would be the Old Guards are pro-government while the Young Turks are anti-establishment (and this includes future rulers who are now Raja Muda or Tengku Mahkota). Therefore, as time goes on, 5:4 would change to 9:0.
Your report makes interesting reading. Whilst you vividly explain what the Tuanku did, to be fair you should narrate what Isa did to increase and pile up money for himself.ISA's dealings with the Hong Leong Group and the Seremban Doctor Dr. Gan should be highlighted. So are the births of Seremban Dua and Tiga. it was WHAT Isa did to enrich himself that makes the Tuanku sick. Of course Tuanku also wants piece of the cake to eat. This fenomena exists in ALL STATES where there are Sultans. It has always been a TUG of WAR between the Royalties and the Politicians in the states when it comes to LOOT SHARING, either from TIMBER, LAND QUARRY . The bottomline though, the State suffered because resources for REVENUE generation are fast depleting as each Menteri Besar takes charge. Musa who reigned the longest ever in Negri Sembilan is to day is FAR RICHER in terms of NET WORTH) than the Melewar and Antah groups combined!!. Of course the Tuanku could not stomach this either.I believe if ISA had been less greedy and develope a WIN WIN relationship with the Tuanku as what his predecessors did with varying degrees, the whole episode will not turn out the way it is to day PROBABLY. But sometimes this happening by the Will of God and no human can stop it as ita had been WRITTEN. Still otherwise It would have been a fairy tale par excellence. The LESSON to be LEARNT for everyone irrespective of whether you are UMNO, PAS Keadilan DAP or even FREE THINKER is that GREED will destroy as it knows no LIMIT belief, philosophy or political inclinations. The second Part of the Comments will also be coming soon.after the Second Part of the above Report. Just wait
Very interesting article.....
And you are a very brave man to write without any chains around you.....
Dear Raja Petra,
I salute you. Please unravel more of others for the public's consumption. Then AI / PKR can truly challenge BN next time around.
This is what you call adventurism/gung-ho journalism, anytime more interesting than Gossip magazine 'Enquire' and mainstream papers.
Tuanku "Bill"? Tengku Charlie?
Hahahahahaha.
Only now do I realized that we have a Tuanku William , not of Anglo-Saxon or Normandy descent but from Minangkabau stock.
Lawak betul Malaya ni.
RPK -
That's looks right in my opinion...we need to fast track the change then to...9:0....not to be mean spirited (inshallah...as the muslim will say) but we need change also of the old guard (lets see if the young ones sees money or principle of Monarchy) against UMNO is like merdeka to me...but alas the opposition still behind 0:5......squabling attacking their own goal....so my life of Boycott still goes on ...who knows maybe a new party can emerge then....with a dream team of opposition....
Is there a Nobel prize award for gung-ho journalism?
Dear RPK,
You're right that rumours are sometimes the plain truth in Malaysia. What I've heard all these years had surfaced as political truth. Keep on revealing. It's very interesting.
I thought when the framers were drafting the country's Constitution, they thought that it would be a good idea to make the country's nine royal households as head and symbol for Malay customs and Islamic religion. Am I right or I am way off? Or is this topics of dicussion permitted? Are we not risking ourselves for an invitation to stay at Kemunting Hotel or Sungei Buloh Resorts and Spa??
So, if I am right, then why are the royals so hung go about being a Mat Salleh, not only the lifestyle but with names and all!!! If the head of Malay custom is no longer living according to what the framers had invisioned, then what?
I thought the royals are supposed to remain neutral politically and stay above the fray. But if they themselves are involved in politics of the day, then they have to assume the fate of the politicians: some are floating, some are sinking. Tabiat kita orang Malaysia, bila mereka terbang kita tengguk tinggi ke langit, tetapi bila dah jatuh ke bawah, mereka tidak kita hirau and perduli lagi. Soalnya, mengapa mesti duit rakyat mesti menyara gayahidup ketua melayu yang bergaya ala Mat Salleh? Bukankah ini satu pembasiran?
What do we do now? Aiya ya ya... manyak susah loo..
Just out of curiosity, "Raja,do you have 3 balls"?
Other "writers", I believe,have 1 or 1.5 balls.
What about 'revenge' from the 'Royals' since the great Mahadeath pulls out their 'fangs' years ago ? Maybe Dato' Seri Dracula has the answer !
I'm confuse la .... bukan kah apa yang UMNO ini bagus ...benteras politik wang ....kenapa pulak dikondem ...Inilah dasar Keadilan ... bossnya pun relax oversea lepas orang susah payah bebaskan dia .....
What's puzzling to me is that votes can be bought for a mere RM300 or RM1000. Is it really that cheap?
To mubaraksalam,
Don't be confuse la okei...
Banyak kes rasuah yang melibatkan anggota Kabinet Pak Lah telah dilaporkan tapi Pak Lah (takpalah?) masih tak bagi BPR bertindak. Malahan, Rafidah, Isa, etc masih dilantik sebagai menteri dalam Kabinet takpalah dan Khair Toyo masih MB walaupun fail mereka bertimbun-timbun.
First of all ladies and gents, politicians of late have been raping the rakyat and earning more then the royals who were "allowed" their living and lifestyle from us through the constitution. If you were the ruler, wouldn't you be pissed off to see that your memanda menteri is becoming richer than you and denying you a share of the pie?
Secondly since this establishment has a fancy for finished UMNO leaders who have reaped their wealth while in power, I won't be surprised if Isa starts a column here in support of the other so called finished leader who gained some wealth while in power who is currently overseas.
Anyway, thank you RPK for part one because here is where we get to see some of the hidden truth if not all.
To kawanpas,
Saya setuju ... but this could be the first step of many .... kita wait and see ...
Tapi Keadilan should not exploit this! Shame la ...sebab depa pun masa dalam UMNO dulu pun bukannya betul sangat. Kumpul harta juga. Politik wang pun ada juga .....
Dear Raja Petra,
It is a shame that our very King is involved in this sort of conspiracy to overthrow an UMNO leader who has a large grassroots support.
Let us see how Pak Lah is going to resolve all these money politics in UMNO which he himself cannot just make someone a scapegoat just to help elevate his son-in-law's political career.
A big scandal that would be if there is only one scapegoat sacrificed just to make the King happy.
To mubaraksalam
Sayapun dulu bukan betul sangat. But people change, and many changed for the better as soemthing happen, or as they get older and wiser. So, tak semestinya saya ke, Keadilan ke, Pas ke kena dok diam bila tengok orang lain buat tak betul.
Notwithstanding the story behind, this event ought to be a wake up call for Umno members. Sure Umno suspended Isa Samad; there are and will be more Isas and Isabellas in the pipeline. Hopefully other members will do better by "sacking" themselves out of Umno for good.
Umno - Dulu, kini dan selamanya korup
Dear Editor,
The last time it was Mahathir who removed UMNO DP Anwar Ibrahim, now it is Pak Lah removing a VP.
Money politics is always deeply rooted in UMNO and all political parties in Malaysia.
It is only a matter of whether you are my cronies or others.
Kawanpas, you may have made mistakes before, but if you were one of the corrupted ex umno man who is in here bashing UMNO, then you should pay back the rakyat for what you took or you don't have a standing here....unless we are all hypocrites. Lets not halalkan yg haram. We all know that there are crooks in umno, but please stand up and admit that the former umno members that you idolise here were crooks just the same. So lets find someone credible to continue our struggle or we will be laughed at by umno for recycling their crap into our leaders.
Keadilan exists because DSAI got expelled. Most of the people in Keadilan today were at one time or another UMNO's TOP GUN. Many of were young men who benefited so much for being in UMNO. BUt as history dictates, DSAI got expelled . Forget about how it was done but he was expelled all the same. And what happened ... these people "revolt" against UMNO and suddenly they became HEROS fighting for JUSTICE, INEQUALITY, AGainst ISA and what not. If history had been kind to DSAI, Keadilan would never had existed. DSAI and friends will still be UMNO's Top gun , accumulating much more. The question is ... will they be fighting the battle they are fighting now. I wonder. These people are hypocrites ... biting the hands that feeds them.
I have heard about the Negeri Sembilan Royal Court being aristocratic and living a lifestyle more 'English' than the English themselves.
Tuanku RPK's expose here really sums it all up. Very interesting read , I might say.
I do think this story if made to be a motion picture will be a box office hit with all it's twists and turns.
You got us all engrossed , RPK. Can't wait to read Part 2..'The Ongoing Saga of KJ's Journey to the Top'
Dear RP,
I am a new reader to your website.
I found your articles very,very interesting politically.
Shall comment next time on your headlines soon
Dear RP,
Looking forward eagerly to your 'King's Revenge - Part 2'
dear rp
good job u did!
this is incredulous!
shocking !
We are the grandchildren of Tuanku Jaafar and stop all the comments and untrue rumours!!
Raja Petra you watch out and you and the website will be sued for liability! You are just an outsider to the selangor family and everybody knows that.
You have no right to talk about our family and exagerate the truth in order to make your article a sensational piece for other readers to read.
Dont talk about our grandfather like that, we all know it's not true!
We are the grandchildren of Tuanku Munawir and challenge the grandchildren of Tuanku Jaafar to return the throne to us (the rightful owners)!!!
You have no right to talk about NS as if your grandfather own it and and exagerate the truth to rob the people.
to the so called "grandchildren of tuanku munawir" it was just not destined by god for your family to hold the position at that time...stop calling us robbers and making unfounded accusations like the other fools reading this article.... im sure we could say things about your family too but we have class and to us family and silence is golden.
"Class" tu apa? Tonggang arak ke?
"Silence" tu apa? Menyorok belakang polis ke?
"Family" tu apa? Macam Mafia tu ke?
To all the relatives of Tuanku Jaafar, surely not all that has been written are untrue. You need to remember what has been written and said and reflect on them, especially when you attend the cocktails and parties. If they don't seem familiar, ignore it but if they do, come back in here, thank those who said something and repent. It is difficult to be a good royal Muslim as it is even for the Arabs, but be grateful that people here can say their piece so that you can mend your ways. These people in here can say and write all these things because they are deprived. But your are priveleged, and are in the position to make right what is not. Allah can take as quick as he gives. Sadaqallah-alathzim.
fuhhhh,, cayaa la. Pedihh pedihhh ...memang saya ada nampak mereka nih pi berminum minum ..sampai mabok mabok, masa anak anak mereka kawin pun lagi dasyat
Dear Raja Petra,
As a blue blood myself I feel very disappointed and disgusted at the way SOME of our royals behave, abusing their power to influence to manipulate others for their own benefit.
Has it ever dawned to the Tengku's, Tunku's etc why they are addressed as Yang Mulia??? I would like to regard it as a show of respect from the rakyat. Because I believe in the past, there was no one else to turn to if the rakyat had any problems but to the palace. And being the ruler of their respected state, aren't we suppose to be responsible for the well being of our people? Shouldn't we be helping the less fortunate?
I really don't think that the title of Yang Mulia is applicable anymore... what a shame.
I have to admit that sometimes i do feel ashamed to be associated with royalty because of the bad reputation some have brought. Kerana nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga.
I have to make it clear too that not all royals are like that. Some of us are hardworking people, living a humble life, making an honest living and still trying to help others within our means.
The bottom line is...this is an issue of morale. Regardless royal or commoner. UMNO or PKR or PAS etc... Its really an individual thing. So its up to yourself to make a change.
So before you start rambling about others, just read the article, give some time for it to digest, and then, act on it.
RPK....intresting tales of what going on in N9...tell us more. The war between Munawir and the current royalty is a fact..everybody knows that.Remember that all kings in N9 were/are/will be appointed by the undangs...this is the law and the undangs can appoint anyone they wish. It is not a secret that the undangs and the King are having dificulties in thier relationship. Rumours said the undangs will appoint the Munawirs to take the throne after the king closed his eyes. Care to comment on this...
RPK, hope what you've written is the truth. Not what the malay called it 'fitnah' (is it correct?) or he has ulterior motive to KJ's political aspiration. If this is actually a 'fitnah', he better stop it, if not, he needs to beg for forgiveness to those who read his 'write up'.
I wonder what TJ, KJ's and NS MB comment on this?
May GOD bless all.
please investigate all the wrongdoings of the current MB and his brothers ....so much for the so called corporate figure image ...
So much hope but again ...all dashed after 2 years Mat Hassan is in power ...well said istabraq ...he and his family is even worse as so much is expected from him ..being a corporate man and all ...we all know he is just a proxy to someone who is closed to the former PM ...His brother Azman is calling all the shots in the state ....a self made arrogant ass who can't even hang on to run a simple business ...Dato King my foot ...than there is the other brother ..a former football ...another loser in both sports and maybe life ...Basically ..NS is in the hands of these sibling assholes that have only self interest in mind ...At least, with Isa, we know what to expect as he is not very smart and all ...but with the Mat Hassan family ...RPK ..please investigate and there will be a lot to tell especially with the involvement of our next youngest PM called Khairy Jamaluddin in NS politics ....HIDUP ANAK NOGORI ..!!!!
RPK
How about the plundering sultanate of Pahang.We in Pahang have had enough of it to our ears.Not a single piece of pie in Pahang where he hasnt a finger into.Whats worst,thats the same finger that he sticks in all that c..ts he had
And his MB is just a clerk that runs around in all his beckonings
Maybe time for you RPK, to knock on his istana and get a swoop.After all you're blue blood yourself, as the name suggest..Takut kena pancung kepala ke!!
at the end of day we all know the kiasu are the real culprits. using malay sultan.
i.e tunku wong of pahang.
I'm sure theres more rot underneath all these. In the days of old, rulers are meant to be the protectors and keepers of the faith, but then again, these days they want to compete against corporate leaders in terms of plundering the riches of the state, and make whatever they can for their family and themselves. They dont care about the common rakyat anymore. Its all a case of absolute self emphathy.If the ruler wants to be business oriented, then abdicate the throne. Let someone else rule instead. Let those who have true faith and conviction in Islam, whose commitment is truely based on the Ad-Deen (not as in the extremist terms) with true Divine Guidance do the job. But then again, in this day and age, hoping for a messiah is expecting a miracle. Damned!
Dear RPK,
I strongly call for the Pahang version of His Royal Greediness. Hope you will give it a thought.
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