Tales from the East

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Now, while Lajim’s financial backer, a Bruneian who migrated to Sabah, is known as Mr. W., Lajim is known as Mr. J. And Mr. J. stands for ‘Mister Jackpot’.  Mr. W. and Mr. J., in fact, go way back, back to the days when Lajim was still in Usno. And Mr. W. has been funding Lajim’s political career all this while. But Lajim suffers from a serious addiction. And this addiction is gambling (so much for Lajim’s Islamic credentials).

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Lajim to set up new political party in Sabah

The new party, if approved, will field candidates for the coming general election.

(Bernama, 31 Aug 2012)) -- Former Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Lajim Bin Haji Ukin will set up a new political party as a vehicle to field candidates in the upcoming general election.

He said a formal application for that purpose would be submitted to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) within the next 10 days. “If approved by ROS, we will be contesting under the new party,” he told a news conference, here, today.

Lajim, who formed a non-governmental organisation called Pakatan Angkatan Rakyat (PPS) recently, however, declined to divulge the name of the new party, only saying “it is a new political party”.

The former deputy housing and local government minister said should ROS reject the application, he and his supporters would likely contest on a Pakatan Rakyat coalition member’s ticket.

“We already have the logo and constitution drawn up… the leadership line-up is also ready,” he said, adding that the party would be representing the Muslim Bumiputeras of Sabah.

Lajim, 57, had recently announced his resignation as an Umno supreme council member, Beaufort Umno division chief and Beaufort BN chairman with immediate effect and declared his support for Pakatan but remained an Umno member, and as a result, his appointment as a federal deputy minister was later revoked.

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Lajim Ukin, a Muslim leader from Sabah, with great fanfare and ceremony, recently announced his resignation from his various posts in Umno (but not as an Umno member) and said he will be supporting the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (which resulted in his sacking from the Cabinet).

Lajim’s defection was supposed to have triggered an exodus, in particular from amongst Sabah’s Muslim population.

Now, why have I stressed ‘Muslim leader’ in that paragraph above? Simple. Since Sabah got its independence from Britain almost 50 years ago, the Chinese population in that state has declined from 23% to just 9.11%. Hence the Chinese are not that significant in Sabah, save in the few urban areas, just like in Peninsular Malaysia. (See the chart below for the details).

What you will also notice from that chart, the Kadazan-Dusun (who, at 32%, used to be the largest group) is no longer the majority either. Malays, who used to be only 0.4% of the population, have increased to 5.71% while the Bumiputeras and other Muslim groups have increased from 15.8% to 20.56%. Hence the Malays/Bumiputeras/Muslims are now a quarter of Sabah’s population with the non-Malaysian citizens making up another 27.81%.

Some would call this backdoor colonisation. Anyway, what is crucial is that the natives are no longer the majority like they used to be at the time of Merdeka. The Malays/Bumiputeras/Muslims now make up the majority, with an even larger number of non-Malaysian citizens, mostly Muslims -- who can be given overnight citizenship to dilute the non-Malays/non-Bumiputeras/non-Muslims even further if the need arises.

Now do you know why I take my hat off to Umno? Like them or hate them, you must admit that they are brilliant (okay, sneaky, devious, etc., as well).

Hence a ‘prominent’ Muslim leader like Lajim Ukin is very important to PKR and Pakatan Rakyat if they want to take over the state government. Hence, also, there was great excitement when it was announced that Lajim and his other Muslim partners-in-crime were joining the opposition. Suddenly the road to Putrajaya became clearer.

But then Lajim was asking for too much. Other than bags of cash, which he needed to cover his deficit finances, he also wanted to become one of the three Deputy Prime Ministers if/when Pakatan Rakyat marches into Putrajaya. And if he can’t become one of the three Deputy Prime Ministers then he wants at least the post of Sabah Chief Minister.

That has placed Anwar Ibrahim in a quandary because he had already promised the post of Sabah Chief Minister to other people -- in fact, to a few other people. Hence if Pakatan Rakyat does win Sabah, and these various contenders for Chief Minister win the seats they are going to contest, Sabah may have to revert to the rotation system so that everyone who was promised the post of Chief Minister can take their turn at this most lucrative job that earns whoever is lucky enough to get that job at least RM100 million a year (judging by the wealth of the current and previous Chief Ministers).

But Lajim can’t be made the Chief Minister of Sabah -- and certainly not one of the three Deputy Prime Ministers. And this is not because those posts have been promised to others, although that is one reason, but because he is carrying too much baggage. And this baggage is going to be revealed immediately after Nomination Day of GE13.

Hence it is better that Malaysia Today reveals it now, before others do. Then I can gloat and tell you ‘I told you so’, like I always do.

Actually, the reason why Lajim resigned from all his posts in Umno (but not as an Umno member) is because of a scandal that was about to explode. Hence he no longer has any future in Umno, especially as a candidate in the coming general election. And this scandal involves someone I will call Mr. W.

Back in 2007, just before the 2008 General Election, Lajim had promised Mr. W a RM50 million contract to build an Islamic college in Beaufort. But he wanted Mr. W. to pay the commission up-front, supposedly as election funds for GE12.

Over the last five years since 2007, Mr W. has paid Lajim a total of RM8 million. However, Mr. W. never got the project. What Mr. W. received instead was 55 undated cheques totalling RM3 million. But all these cheques are worthless and Mr. W. is hopping mad and now realises he is not going to get the project, nor his money back.

Chief Minister Musa Aman knows about this scandal and because of that Lajim has to be dropped as a candidate in the coming general election. Realising that his future is no longer bright, Lajim woke up one morning and decided to join the opposition to fight for reforms.

Isn’t it uncanny that Barisan Nasional politicians who no longer have a future in the ruling party suddenly wake up and have visions of joining the opposition to fight for reforms? It makes one wonder why they never had these visions when they were making tons of money in Barisan Nasional.

Now, while Lajim’s financial backer, a Bruneian who migrated to Sabah, is known as Mr. W., Lajim is known as Mr. J. And Mr. J. stands for ‘Mister Jackpot’.  Mr. W. and Mr. J., in fact, go way back, back to the days when Lajim was still in Usno. And Mr. W. has been funding Lajim’s political career all this while. But Lajim suffers from a serious addiction. And this addiction is gambling (so much for Lajim’s Islamic credentials).

Mr. W. has had to bail Lajim out of trouble more than once. There was one occasion when Lajim owed an Ah Long (loan shark) RM800,000 and he had to pawn two solid-gold Rolex watches to cover his debts.

To add insult to injury, the so-called RM50 million Islamic college project does not exist. It is all a scam. And Mr. W. no longer wants to fund Lajim (that is why Lajim is looking for a new financier -- guess who).

In fact, Mr. W. wants his money back and if he does not get it he is going to go public on this. And because of that Umno can no longer retain Lajim in the coming general election. And because of that, also, Lajim has suddenly ‘woken up’ and is joining the opposition to fight for reforms – justice, transparency, accountability, good governance, an end to corruption and abuse of power, and all that shit.

No, I am not going to repeat that since 2008 I have asked Pakatan Rakyat to ensure that they field quality/clean candidates in the next general election. Let them field the likes of Lajim and let’s see Pakatan Rakyat get whacked in East Malaysia. East Malaysia holds the key to Putrajaya and unless you win in Sabah and Sarawak you are not going to march into Putrajaya.

So, having Lajim and those of his ilk as your partners will only ensure that Barisan Nasional will remain in power. Then, the day after Polling Day, I can, with glee, write my ‘I told you so’ article.

Anwar, Anwar…apa ni? I know you want to become Prime Minister. But this type of thing is only going to make your dream become our nightmare. As the Malays would say: why would we want to reject penyamum and vote for lanun? We said we want CHANGE, meaning change for the better, not change for the worse.

Aiyah! Dah malas nak cakap Lantak engkaulah!

Lakim Ukin’s normal haunt (above) and the 55 cheques totally RM3 million (below).