Reining in A Rebel Boy and Hitching a Cart to A Truculent Beast

The rebel boy's choir is desperate and in desperation, a chorus of discordance is afoot. Such is the vileness of power hungry scum that one gets the feeling that a large segment of the populace have lost all sense of rationality and balance. This post :http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/pakatan-rakyat-see-the-agong-now-and-we-the-rakyat-will-hartal-isa-to-support-you-err-will-we/ and much of the comments posted within it is reflective of the bankrupt minds that operate within the country. From the ruling elite to the opposition, the discourse of the day is the gnashing of teeth, menacing threats and social upheaveal through hartal, bantal and what not. Nevertheless, in moments like these, calm heads are neccessary. The fact that the Prime Minister has assumed the Defense Portfolio is indicative of two things:

1. He wants to remove a potential threat to civilian government by neutralising the army and its sabre rattling through his stewardship - in which case the premier's democratic mien comes to the fore
or
2. He wants to assume control to direct a purge that will excise a poisonous canker within the local body politic - in which case, the premier is about to remove his velvet glove and unleash his steel fist to pummel an illegal coup d'etat into smithereens .

For (2) is a good legal option as the other option which i will comment upon further down this post.

The legality of (2) is clearly outlined in the Constitution, that "venerable and document" of all secular democrats avowedly swear by, despite their prostrated supplication in front of tin deities within the quiet confines of their bed chamber. Let's observe the relevant Article 149, which would apply in this instance:

Article 149 : If an act of parliament recites that action has been taken or threatened by any substantial body of persons, whether inside or outside the Federation -(a) to cause, or to cause a substantial number of citizens to fear, organised violence against persons or property; or(b) to excite disaffection against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or any Government in the Federation; or(c) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or other classes of the population likely to cause violence; or(d) to procure the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of anything by law established; or(e) which is prejudicial to the maintenance or the functioning of any supply or service to the public or any class of the public in the Federation or any part thereof; or(f) which is prejudicial to public order in, or the security of, the Federation or any part thereof, any provision of that law designed to stop or prevent that action is valid notwithstanding that it is...........

In a previous post, i have demonstrated that the rebel boy's act of petulance in issuing an ultimatum and his recent manouverings in the neighbourhood swamp in search of frogs clearly violates subsection (d) as it seeks to remove a legally constituted government by devious means/subterfuge. Now issuing an ultimatum of surrender to any legally instituted government definitely constitutes a threat to public order or security. This isnt something trivial like Cockerel B walking into Cockerel A's coop and takingover the latter's harem of hens and chicks.. that's the animal kingdom, we are.... I digress ;)

So based on the above, it is evidently clear that the Premier is entitled and legally right to declare an emergency. And in the course of that emergency, detain the troublemaker and his cohorts and throw them into the slammer lest we have a "rapla" (tamil for ruckus) on our streets induced by some hartal conjured by a smart arse wakil (Hindi/Urdu for lawyer) whose recent fiascoes include a failed petition, an upside down flag and a melodarma of someone dying in custody....(go to the link above for the full stories). While this increasingly seems to be the most likely course of action, it would fly in the face of world opinion especially among our trading partners and investors and create the wrong image that we are right on course for the Stone Age.

Alternatively, the premier can call the rebel boy's bluff and beat him at his own game via a fresh round of elections as provided by article 43(4):

(4) If the Prime Minister ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the House of Representatives, then, unless at his request the Yang di-Pertuan Agong dissolves Parliament, the Prime Minister shall tender the resignation of the Cabinet.

Such a move would the better choice since the executive has a bagful of economic (with recent declines in global prices of commodities and oil) and political (including wooing a certain fractious political party that is getting increasingly edgy)bullets at his disposal. In light of this, an election would be the better and more rational choice and though i have long eschewed "them crazy" as an instrument that can ever effect change, it seems that in the circumstances to be the least bruised apple in a crate of rotten ones. Further, rebel boy would hardly deign to molest his beloved "venus" would he, given that he had always extolled her virtues!.

In other words, a fresh election will serve to checkmate this maverick gelding and compel him to face the wrath of the public for brazenly trying seize the public trough. I am sure, he will prance about in public and neigh that he had been trumped and that his grazing and drinking rights suborned but that would be the price he would have to pay for ever deigning to bolt the cart rather than wait patiently for it to be hitched within the next five yaers...oops..minutes.

Revert: But then again, a crazy horse is always a maverick proposition full of tricks.............