Muhyiddin: Devil's advocate to some, Devil's apprentice to others

Every Cabinet Minister has one

At least one faction within Umno has dubbed Najib Razak's deputy in party and government Muhyiddin Yassin a pengkianat (traitor) for his statement on the PM's 1MDB and the Home Minister's 3-month ban on The Edge last night. I thought that was excessive. I'm more inclined to agree with the guys at the Unspinners, who are pro but not rabidly pro-Najib, who contend that  Jika TSMY membodek, usaha meyakinkan rakyat take maenad ... In a nutshell, there is another faction within Umno who believes that Muhyiddin had to play the Devil's advocate in order to keep the people's faith in the party and in Najib.

Personally, I would go as far as to say that Abang Din is the last Umno man you'd call a pengkhianat.  If he hadn't stood up when everyone else would not dare to even look up back then, Pak Lah would not have stepped down in 2009 and Najib would not have become Prime Minister and Tun Mahathir might not have succeeded in toppling his successor.

All the same, it's hard not to find his depedence on the Edge for information on 1MDB a little mind-boggling. He could have asked Abdul Wahid Omar or Rahman Dahlan to help him understand the 1MDB issue if he's not confident that Husni, the MOF 2, is qualified enough There's also the Fact Sheet on 1MDB that was given to every Minister to help them understand what the 1MDB issue is all about. 

Anyway, since my brain has been dyed, allow me to share the SMS (and the Reader's conclusion and post-MRI comments):

Dear Reader: Morning Datuk, comment please: If Not The Edge Then Which Source Can Be Trusted For 1MDB Report, asks Muhyiddin, The Malaysian Insider,  26 july

Bru: Morning. I'm still digesting this fantastic piece of news. Muhyiddin went along with Najib's plan to postpone UMNO elections and did not "step out" when his boss gave Cabinet ministers the ultimatum you're with me or resign. This is also not the first time Abang Din is swimming against the tide (remember the closed door clipping of him asking 1MDB Board to be sacked?). Therefore, for all we know, and given their history of working very closely and quietly together, this could be a silap mata (magic show) by Najib and Muhyiddin. Far fetched? We have seen this Umno silap mata time and again since Tunku was squeezed out subtly by Tun Razak and Ghafar Baba by Anwar Ibrahim not-so-subtly. And all the wayang kulit between Anwar and Mahathir, Mahathir and Musa, Ghafar and Mahahtir, Musa and Ku Li, Najib and Pak Lah. But then again ... Jeng Jeng Jeng ...

Of course (it could be for real). Muhyiddin's back may be against the wall.  Zahid Hamidi (Zahid lebih berani dari Muhyiddin) has emerged as a strong contender for No 2 and the 3-month suspension of the Edge is a move that will win Zahid big support in Umno, (Muhyiddin's) own Education portfolio is giving him nightmares, his son and son-in-law's business ventures are the subject of cruel gossips in the corridors of PWTC, and Tun M's pressure on him to act is piling up! 

Dear Reader: Wow, that's lengthy! 

Bru: The short answer is - Pening! 

Dear Reader: Yes  

Bru: What is YOUR take on Muhyiddin's speech? Wait, watch this clipping first. There are nuances here that are not in the TMI article. 

Dear Reader: This clipping from last nite or the previous talk? 

Bru: Last night's 

Dear Reader: Okay, I'll listen to it.

Two minutes later ...

Dear Reader: Sebagai seorang rakyat marhaen, saya rasa dia melawan boss dia (As an ordinary citizen, I feel that he is going against his boss).

At this point, I had to say goodbye to Dear Reader to keep my 11am appointment with the MRI:  a 20-minute claustrophobic session inside a freezing, futuristic capsule that felt like a coffin and forever. I imagined I was on the beach (which didn't work) and then  imagined I was attending a rock concert with my eyes closed. The banging and clanging was not so bad after a while and I think I know now what which might have inspired Pink Floyd's best.

As I'm writing this, I received a final text from the reader.

Dear Reader: I have listened (to Muhyiddin's clipping). And I do agree w what he said.
Saya #teammuhyiddin

Well, you can't win them all.