“Once bitten twice shy” means nothing for leaders of MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other BN component parties in Sabah and Sarawak who are singing to a new mantra of “Once bitten, twice not shy and thrice still willing”

The saying “Once bitten twice shy” means nothing to leaders of MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other Barisan Nasional component parties in Sabah and Sarawak who seem to be singing to a new mantra of “Once bitten, twice not shy and thrice still willing”.

This sums up the sorry saga of the seven-month long Barisan Nasional crisis, which is compounded by the fact that the Barisan Nasional leaders, especially from the 13 other Barisan Nasional component parties, have been acting like ostriches with heads buried in the sand – who do not know or do not want to admit even to themselves that UMNO’s axis with PAS over Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (Act 355) had plunged Barisan Nasional into its worst crisis since its formation 43 years ago in 1973.

In response to remarks by the Deputy International Trade and Industry, Datuk Ahmad Maslan on Sunday, MCA Secretary-General and Second Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, declared that any Government Bill to be tabled before the Dewan Rakyat must take into account the Barisan Nasional spirit of consensus.

He said a final decision of those Bills can only be made after consultation and deliberation among all component parties.

He said: “There is no such thing that Barisan component parties must support the Government Bill.”

It is noteworthy that Ka Chuan was trying to rebut a statement by his own Deputy Minister – clear evidence of the topsy-turvy world in the political hierarchy in Barisan Nasioanal where the MCA secretary-general although second Minister for International Trade and Industry is politically subordinate and subservient to the Deputy Minister in his own Ministry, who is just an UMNO Supreme Council member!

Ahmad had said that all Barisan component parties cannot object to proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 if becomes a Government Bill.

Ahmad was not merely giving his personal view but disclosing an elaborate UMNO strategy to “cement UMNO’s unity with PAS”, and the first step for UMNO support of Hadi’s private member’s bill motion is a government takeover of Hadi’s private member’s bill when the private member’s motion is passed in the March Parliament – which would be equivalent to the first reading of Hadi’s private member’s bill.

In fact, Ahmad was only fleshing out what the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Jamil Kamil Khir Bahrom had revealed to the Umno Overseas Club Alumni annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur, that UMNO had a two-pronged objective in the government take-over of Hadi’s private member’s bill when it moves to the second reading stage:

• To circumvent the due constitutional process, obviating the constitutional requirement to obtain consensus from all states, the National Islamic Council and the Rulers’ Conference; and
• To circumvent the Barisan Nasional consensus of all the 14 BN component parties for any policy or measure to be adopted in the name of Barisan Nasional Government.

Jamil’s disclosure of UMNO’s twin strategy to circumvent firstly, the states and the Malay Rulers is the height of disrespect and contempt by some UMNO leaders for the system of constitutional monarchy entrenched in the Malaysian Constitution and secondly, the circumvention of the other 13 Barisan Nasional component parties proof of the highest contempt of some UMNO leaders for the other BN component parties.

What Malaysians cannot understand is how the leaders of the other Barisan Nasional component parties could be so dumb and dense that thy could not read the UMNO strategy to cement UMNO axis with PAS.

What is the use of the MCA Secretary-General and the Second Minister for International Trade and Industry to mumble that BN consensus is a “must” for government bills – which is already a retreat from the position that BN consensus is a “must” for every BN government action in Parliament and outside – when MCA and the other BN component parties are prepared to be “bitten” again and again?

On 26th May, without Barisan Nasional consensus or Cabinet approval, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Azalina Othman Said moved in Parliament a Ministerial motion to give priority to Hadi’s private member’s bill motion.

On 24th November, MCA President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, the Gerakan President Datuk Seri Mak Siew Keong and other party chiefs of the other BN component parties were in the Dewan Rakyat to give tacit agreement when Hadi stood up to move amendments to his private member’s bill and the understanding that the Government will take over Hadi’s Bill in the March meeting of Parliament. There was neither Barisan Nasional consensus nor Cabinet decision for this new development on Hadi’s private member’s bill motion.

So am I wrong if I say that the “Once bitten twice shy” saying means nothing to leaders of MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other Barisan Nasional component parties in Sabah and Sarawak, as they seem to be singing to a new mantra of “Once bitten, twice not shy and thrice still willing”?

But it is not too late for the 14-party Barisan Nasional coalition to prove that it is not a coalition of perfidy but a coalition where the much-vaunted principle of Barisan Nasional consensus requiring the consent of all the 14 component parties before any BN government policy, measure or stance could be regarded as representing Barisan Nasional had not been smashed to smithereens.

The Cabinet is meeting tomorrow.

It must bring closure to the farce of Hadi’s private member’s bill motion with the Ministers of the other 13 component parties making it very clear that as there is no Barisan Nasional or Cabinet consensus for the BN government to take over Hadi’s private member’s bill, the Barisan Nasional government will not take over Hadi’s amendment bill as Hadi’s private member’s bill motion would not be given priority to be voted upon in the March session of Parliament.

Can Malaysians expect a post-Cabinet announcement tomorrow that as there is no Barisan Nasional or Cabinet consensus, the Barisan Nasional government will not take over Hadi’s private member’s bill in the March meeting of Parliament?