It’s the big picture that ultimately counts although it is said that little things can often upset the apple cart unexpectedly and in more ways than one.

In any case, as newly-elect opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim should for starters pay the Agong courtesy call as soon as possible. When something is done right, no matter how casually, it sets off a chain reaction that will snowball to epic proportions.

sultan mizan zainal abidin 13th agung king malaysia 121206 3 There should be no further delays as in the past or going off at a tangent; it simply further muddies an already murky picture, unnecessarily so.

Protocol dictates that Anwar first write to the chief secretary to the Agong – with a carbon copy to the chief secretary to the government-cum-cabinet secretary for good measure but not necessarily a pre-requisite - seeking audience.

Anwar would probably be accompanied by his wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

If Anwar and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi can both see the Agong together, so much the better, but this is unlikely to happen since the feudal Umno warlords would come down like a tonne of bricks on the latter.

However, should Abdullah leave with his supporters in Umno, the Hadhari faction, both Anwar and him seeing the King together is a definite possibility.

Anwar may have to eat humble pie for a while and accept his old post of deputy prime minister while Abdullah finishes his term as prime minister. Anwar has pledged there would be five deputy prime ministers in a Pakatan Rakyat government, one for each of the five major ethnic groups.

Strong mandate

Abdullah obtained a strong mandate in the general election by any democratic standard and should be allowed to finish his term of office, albeit with his wings clipped. People ultimately get the government they deserve.

It is therefore “unpardonable”, in their view, that the feudal Umno warlords should unashamedly decide to chase out Abdullah and bring in his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak, instead.

bn supreme council abdullah announcement 081008 04 Najib has no mandate to rule. Abdullah can always decide to remain as prime minister even after opting out from the race for the Umno presidency, say his supporters.

The post does not belong to the Umno president or the BN (Barisan Nasional) chairman.

It has been more than a month since Anwar won the Permatang Pauh by-election. There were more than a few anxious moments that Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, judging from his earlier “no hurry” public remarks, would resort to some sort of last minute delaying tactics, but in the end, good sense prevailed.

A man is judged, not by the manner in which he falls, but the manner in which he rises after every fall.

Even under normal circumstances, a newly-elect opposition leader should meet the Agong. All the more so when he claims to “have the numbers with him” to form government. The Opposition Leader should be given the benefit of the doubt.

The fact that not even one Pakatan MP has defected is telling. Yet Umno is unwilling to have a no-confidence motion on the basis that it is neither specific, urgent and of public importance.

wan junaidi tuanku jaafar Deputy Sarawak Speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has an ingenuous suggestion, “There are no laws, rules or procedures on this. If he (Anwar) can defeat the budget, outvote the government on the budget, then that could be construed as the passing of a vote of no confidence.

“Anwar would have a lot of opportunities to vote down the government when Parliament reconvenes on Oct 13. Twenty four times, in fact.”

Have Sarawakians suddenly found their voice and joined the human race? Do they no longer suffer from a collective combination of dyslexia, autism and depression?

Junaidi in his press conference claimed the he was asked five times to defect to Pakatan, for money. If so, why isn’t the Anti Corruption Agency taking his claims seriously?

Or, are they waiting for instructions, as usual, from their political masters on whether to prosecute or persecute?

Najib at the gates

Hence, it is important that the Agong be brought fully up to speed on the shifting alliances in the Dewan Rakyat. Otherwise, Najib, will turn up at Istana Negara to be sworn in as prime minister.

anwar sodomy trial 081008 One of Murphy’s laws comes into play here: “Action expands to fill the void created by inaction”.

Murphy was a British colonial civil servant in India who came up with various “laws” after observing the Indian bureaucracy – Babudom – more in slumber than in plodding action.

The constitution is clear in this matter: “His Majesty, the Agong, will call upon a member of the House of Representatives, who in his opinion, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members.

"That person is to be sworn in as prime minister, and he will then go on to appoint his Council of Ministers.”

Even nursery school kids will understand this. The constitution doesn’t mention a deputy prime minister.

In short, no one can just simply turn up at Istana Negara's gates, clamouring to be let in and to be sworn in as prime minister.

The chief secretary to the government should be briefed by the opposition leaders on the actual situation in the Dewan Rakyat. He should not be taken in by the powers-that-be rubbishing the opposition’s claims in this regard unless he wants his head to roll and be cited for technical offences at a later date.

The chief secretary to the government should not commit the cardinal sin of making arrangements with the chief secretary to the king for any “illegal” swearing-in ceremony.

Getting the big picture (Part 2)

JOE FERNANDEZ is an educationist, former newspaper editor, ex-civil servant and one-time senior manager who feels compelled to put pen to paper when something doesn’t quite gell with his weltanschauung (worldview).