Permatang Pauh may be Abdullah's downfall in UMNO..and as PM

How Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chooses the BN candidate for the Permatang Pauh Parliamentary seat by-election may be very crucial for Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's continued support and survival both within UMNO, and also the the Barisan Nasional. It may be 'final straw' that may decide on whether he will still remain PM or not.

Clearly the practice of ignoring the choices of the local UMNO members, and choosing from Putrajaya is something that UMNO members today may not want anymore. Obviously, the Trengganu ADUN candidates, save for Ahmad Said, seem to be a choice of the top brass without consultation and/or agreement of the local membership. Divisions, branches and ordinary members stood behind Ahmad Said for Menteri Besar - and it was also apparent from the lack of numbers that the former MB and the rest of them ADUNs did not really have much support.

Now, we have Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid, the Permatang Pauh Umno Division chief, coming out openly stating that he wants to be the candidate for BN - and that his Division fully supports him. Malaysiakini gave him the space to express himself - and for the said Division to state its position clearly for Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to hear and just follow the choice of grassroot members. (Wonder though whether it was just the Division committee - or all the members of the branches in the Permatang Pauh UMNO Division...mmmm)

Permatang Pauh Umno wants a local to be chosen as a Barisan Nasional candidate for the forthcoming by-election for the parliamentary seat.

MCPX

And the division has proposed that its chief Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid is fielded to face PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The division unanimously agreed to submit Abdul Jalil's name as a candidate at a special meeting on Monday night, reported Bernama today. -Malaysiakini, 6/8/2008 Permatang Pauh Umno wants its chief as candidate

To make matters worse - this is a Penang UMNO Division, and if Abdullah listens to the voices of the UMNO grassroots here - would not people also say that he did so because it was home state....

But then, the BN is supposed to be a coalition of parties - and after all, why should the seat be contested by UMNO and not some other coalition member. After all, UMNO has already got so many Parliamentary seats - maybe GERAKAN should get the seat.....or maybe that GERAK person.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi certainly cannot afford to lose the Permatang Pauh seat by an even bigger majority...

Will UMNO come together for this by-election -- OR will they be too caught up with the internal UMNO struggle for power.

And if the BN loses, the timing of the charging of Anwar will also be blamed on Abdullah Ahmad Badawi...