vox populi small thumbnail 'Ku Li could use the oil royalty as a bargaining chip so at least his reputation will be intact. Win or lose, the people will benefit. But can Umno give up all the ‘gravy' just to win one seat?'

Ku Li not without options in political chess game

Sarawakian: This is a Catch-22 situation for Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Die if he dares, die if he doesn't. If he fails to capture the seat, it could be the end of the road for him. And if he wins, the DPM will get all the credit.

But as Terence Netto said, Ku Li could use the oil royalty issue as his bargaining chip so at least his reputation will be intact. Win or lose, the people of the state will benefit. But can Umno give up all the ‘gravy' just to win one seat?

We are talking about billions here. Most unlikely.

Neoh Choo Kean: Tengku Razaleigh is caught between oil royalty and party loyalty.

It is very unlikely that Umno will agree to oil royalty for Kelantan to make it possible for Ku Li to accept his appointment to be the BN candidate for Galas; in which case, Ku Li can then say - "It is not that I don't love my party by not accepting the nomination, but that I love Kelantan more. I regret that I have to decline and stay out of the by-election." Checkmate!

Anonymous: Ku Li is being put in a tight spot. If he rejects the position as election campaign director, he will be sidelined in future dealings with Umno leaders. On the other hand, if he accepts the offer and then also told to be the Umno candidate, it will be very difficult for him to refuse. Of course, he has a few issues with Umno leaders in Putrajaya. The oil royalty for Kelantan is one.

Kunta Kinte: While Ku Li can impose a pre-condition, BN could also impose its own condition - that BN must win first before the granting the oil royalty. If BN loses, obviously the blame will go to Ku Li and there goes the oil royalty. And if BN wins, it will definitely forget the promise made and may even impose another condition on Ku Li that the oil royalty will only granted if BN wins the state in the next general election.

Either way, Kelantan will not get the oil royalty and the worst thing is, that will be the end of Ku Li in politics.

Since Ku Li is one of the most respected politicians in Umno, I urge him to sit back and do nothing. Continue the fight for Kelantan oil royalty through other means. After all, that is what being a leader is all about - to fight for the benefit of those that you lead.

Habib RAK: Umno will not yield on the oil royalty payment issue. Only by replacing Umno/BN from Putrajaya with the Pakatan Rakyat government will the intended agreement to pay oil royalty be upheld. Umno is doomed and at the next general election, it will be out together with its coalition partners. Just look at the many silly blunders they keep making, time and again. It's like a death wish that they want so badly.

Take the RM7 million bridge that DPM Muhyiddin Yassin promised at the Manek Urai by-election. The money is loose change for Umno. Yet, they refused to build the bridge simply because they lost. Had they built it despite having lost, they would have gained tremendous credibility.

The Galas by-election was already a very high probability even during the Manek Urai by-election. Yet, Umno's think-tanks could not see this. Their time is up. They will miss even the most obvious pitfall in front of them.

CarL: Ku Li challenged Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1986 and lost narrowly. He then got his supporters to leave and form the second front, and tried to get control of the government via the ballot box. He finally dissolved Semangat 46 and returned to Umno. You think he is going to suck up to PAS and Anwar Ibrahim?

The oil royalty issue, though legitimate, was a way for Ku Li to remain relevant. Well, that has been proven right as Umno is now asking him to come out of the darkness. Trust me, he will remain loyal to Umno.

Don't bet on this royalty issue as something to distract him. If the new sultan's proclamation did not make him wince, what makes anybody think he will do so for PAS and Anwar? He knows Anwar well, over many, many years.

Ku Li is not a Zaid Ibrahim - that one is an opportunist, plain and simple. He would have gone for the president's post if Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had not garnered that much support. It did cross his mind.

SusahKes: Well, it's time to see what Ku Li is really made of, eh? Especially, after all that he has been saying about Umno/BN. But he is a politician, first and foremost. Let's wait and see.

Raveentharan crashes out of Bkt Gelugor race

Ruben: Whatever it is, the soonest PKR gets it act together and closes ranks after the party elections, the better for everyone. Umno is just waiting for PKR to crack. Please don't let that happen. We have had enough of injustice, money politics, dirty politics, and an environment where race and religion are increasingly being politicised.

The BN and its croonies will be going all out to bring PKR down, and if you fall for this without showing the unity and quality of leaders that we expect out of you, then only God can help this beautiful country of ours.

Our country will continue to be plundered and raped. And we would have no other alternative as Pakatan Rakyat would be seen as being incapable of governing as their own house is not in order.

DOGLIFE: PKR must show itself as a gentleman's party. Those who resort to underhanded tactics should be banished for the sake of the integrity of the party. PKR is going to be the umbrella for the opposition. So let us get rid of people who put themselves above the rakyat. Perhaps both leaders should relinquish their posts and a new one should be named.

Three 'attacked' at Sabak Bernam PKR meet

Neutralist: Dalam pengamatan saya, dengan kecelarauan yang berlaku dalam PKR sekarang, siapa saja yang bertanding atas tiket bebas dalam pilihanraya umum ke13 mempunyai harapan cerah untuk menang.

Vijayakumar: PKR please sack those drunkards who caused the chaos. In the future, those who consume liquor and cause problems should be expelled immediately.

 

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