For whom shall the bells toll? Abdullah Ahmad Badawi or Mohd Najib Razak or both of them...

Mohd Najib Razak must be really getting worried about what Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is going to say in his upcoming announcement, that was promised will be made on or before 9/10/2008. Others in the pro-Najib camp should also be worried, I believe.

Gone is the transition plan of 2010 - will it be just a change in dates or also a change of the heir...

Will Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announce that he will not be contesting for the UMNO Presidency? Or will he say that he will be contesting for the UMNO Presidency?

Anyway, Najib and some others are behaving 'disrespectfully' - and certainly not in a manner consistent with the 'traditions' or 'old ways' of UMNO... They are trying to paint a picture that Pak Lah is not contesting - and Najib has taken over the helm.

There seem to be a movement within UMNO to force Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to decide not to contest for the UMNO Presidency....

The UMNO Supreme Council meeting was held on 26/9/2008, and a few days later Cheras UMNO makes a move creating the impression that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is not running for Presidency - and this was followed by yet another Division, the Kampar UMNO division --- and it is important to note that Mohd Najib Razak is saying nothing - not even let's wait for Pak Lah's announcement first. Or better still, that he supports Pak Lah for Presidency and that he will be going for Deputy Presidency...

CHERAS Umno has decided to nominate Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as its candidate for Umno president and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the Deputy’s post, Sinar Harian reported.

Division chief Senator Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshee said the division held a special meeting on Sunday to discuss the matter and unanimously agreed that Najib and Muhyiddin were the best candidates.

Syed Ali said the nomination of the two should not be challenged, as party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had announced the transition plan.

“Pak Lah has announced the transition of power, so Cheras Umno feels that there is no need to wait for Oct 9 (to see) whether he would defend his post because it is a waste of time.

“So we feel that something needs to be done and Cheras Umno’s announcement of the candidates is rational and appropriate,” Syed Ali said. - Star, 30/9/2008 Cheras Umno to pick Najib for top post

Kampar Umno division will nominate Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the president and deputy president’s posts respectively in the party polls in March.

Its chief Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan said the division had been looking for a change in party leadership since the March general election.

“Umno members are waiting for new directions and directives.

“At present, we lack instruction and motivation. That is why a new leader is needed,” he told reporters at his Hari Raya open house here yesterday. - Star, 3/10/2008 - Kampar to name Najib and Muhyiddin

Then, we have one of Mohd Najib Razak's former political secretary announcing that he is offering himself as Deputy President of UMNO..., giving a strong impression that the post is vacant since Najib is going to be President - and he is there to "join forces with..." Najib to lead the party...

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the first to throw his hat in for the Umno deputy presidency at the party elections next March.

“Yes, yes, I will be contesting (the deputy president’s post),” the Umno supreme council member told mStar Online yesterday...

...He said he had decided to go for the post because of the current political scenario affecting the party and due to requests by the grassroots for him to join forces with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to lead the party.

“After the recent Umno supreme council meeting when (Umno president) Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that the transition of power would be earlier, the scenario in Umno began to change,” Zahid said, adding that others then felt he should consider going for the deputy presidency.

Zahid, 55, is the Bagan Datoh MP and was Umno Youth chief from 1996 to 1998. A former political secretary to Najib, he was once also a close ally of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in 1998. - Star, 3/10/2008,Ahmad Zahid to go for No. 2 post in Umno

Now, Ali Rustam has also said that he is going for No. 2

Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam is the latest to join the race for the Umno No 2 post, reflecting growing sentiment that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will carry through with a plan to step down by March next year.

MCPX

"I am ready to contest as long as there is a vacancy for the deputy presidency of the party, I offer myself," Mohd Ali, who is also one of the party’s three vice-presidents, was reported as saying by Bernama today. - Malaysiakini, 3/10/2008 - Ali Rustam to contest Umno No 2 post

Did Abdullah Ahmad Badawi say that he was not running for UMNO Presidency? The answer is "No" - all he said was that the transition of power, which was earlier stated to be in mid-2010 will be speeded up.....

If he does not run for Presidency of UMNO - he would be rendered a "toothless" Prime Minister from now on - just like (or worse than ) what has happened to Bush of the US as he approaches his end days. Remember Mahathir was President UMNO when he handed over power...

Abdullah would have to at the very least contest for the Presidency - and get the required nominations come mid-November, after the UMNO division annual general meetings.

Then, if he wants to hand over power to some other, he may decline to run at the last minute during the UMNO elections in March - and then proceed to hand over power.

Or maybe, Abdullah will go out to secure nominations for Presidency and then evaluate what he does after that. If he secures more than the required number of nominations, it will be an indication that UMNO grass-roots want him to remain the head of UMNO - the PM.

Maybe, the question is going to be as to who will be the Number 2 - hence the fight will really be for the No. 2 in UMNO - and after the members indicate this, Abdullah will hand over the leadership to this new "No.2"...

Or if he does withdraw from contest in March - and hand over to his challenger for Presidency that also managed to secure sufficient nominations. If Abdullah runs for Presidency, would Najib also run...and if he also runs, would he get sufficient nominations.... Maybe, that is what Pak Lah may do - let the members choose...

If Najib or Ku Li or some other do manage to get more nominations - then there will be several months which may result in one or two of the successful candidates withdrawing - and there will be no elections. This would also mean the decision goes back to the members..

Q: An early transition? Does this mean you won’t be defending your post in March?

A: I have not announced any decision as far as this particular point is concerned. And I intend to do it before the divisional meetings begin.

Q: Will you go on leave soon?

A: Am I going on leave? How do you know? No, I am not going on leave. I have got a lot of work to do. A lot of work to do. I am not going on leave.

Q: What do mean by “facilitate early transition”?

A: To do whatever is needed and whatever I need to implement. The decision (when to hand over) will be made by me and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Q: Are you sticking to the original plan?

A: If we are talking about an early transition, then the original 2010 plan no longer arises. There is no more 2010....

Q: Is it right to say that you will not be contesting the party post in March?

A: It will be my decision, right or not. Whether to contest or not, it will be my decision. You can go on guessing but the decision will be mine. - Star, 27/9/2008, Q & A with Umno president (Selected questions and answers only are copied)

Pak Lah had made a lot of promises - and there are things still left not done. The Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and the proposed Judicial Reforms arejust some of these examples. What has Pak Lah completed --- nothing really. What has been Pak Lah's contribution to Malaysia...SCOMI? and KJ? Maybe, that is why he wants to finish what he has set out to do first rather than leave now...

After all, remember that many States have already come out in support of him, and in support for that earlier transition of power plan in 2010.... so, why must he now suddenly quit in October 2008 or even March 2009...

While young 55 year old Najib may be presuming too much (and he has behaved disrespectfully, by action and ommission, without even waiting for the Pak Lah announcement), Muhyiddin, on the other hand, is waiting ....

Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will announce the post he is going for once Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi states whether he wil defend his presidency or not.

Muhyiddin said he was waiting for a signal and clear indication from Abdullah before he declared the post to offer himself for. - Star, 2/10/2008 - Wait for Abdullah to announce decision: Muhyiddin

Who will the bells toll for ....Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mohd Najib Razak ...or both of them...or UMNO and the BN??

"Perchance he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may think myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that.

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