Finance Twitter : Malaysian Chinese have suddenly become a precious commodity this month. As expected, their value skyrockets every time there is an election. With the political campaign for the Johor state election entering its second half, every politician and political party treats the ethnic Chinese like a diamond, saying the Chinese are the best, the cleverest, the kingmaker, and whatnot.

Chinese voters form the largest voting bloc in about 12 of the state’s 56 seats, most of them urban. Hence, it makes perfect sense why UMNO orders its top racist punk – Akmal Saleh – to stay silent. Even Selangor Chief Minister Amirudin Shari, whose government is cracking down on temples and pig farming, shamelesslypretends to admire the Chinese by invoking the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. 

Everyone can smell Amirudin’s stinky lies when he said that Malays, Chinese, and Indians were equal citizens. And if he is trying to hoodwink the Chinese that he is “Liu Bei” by bragging about how Selangor’s governance record was built on leaders who were capable, courageous and empathetic, he has failed miserably. Liu Bei did not demolish temples, let alone close down pig farms.

Demonizing Cao Cao does not automatically make Amirudin the hero “Liu Bei” in the Chinese classical novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. Whether Cao Cao was “really bad” is debatable. While Cao Cao was a ruthless warlord capable of immense brutality, at the same time, he was also a brilliant statesman and poet who stabilized Northern China during a chaotic era.

Did the Selangor Chief Minister realize that without the Five Tiger Generals – Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong – and strategist Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei would have likely perished as a minor warlord? Before Zhuge Liang joined him, Liu Bei was a wandering mercenary who bounced from warlord to warlord. He lost battle after battle because he lacked long-term, macroeconomic strategy.

But Amirudin isn’t the only Malay leader trying to appease and impress upon Chinese voters. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose People’s Justice Party (PKR) is on track to be wiped out, is begging the Chinese community to return home to vote in Johor on July 11. If only he had fairly and sincerely defended the minority races from UMNO Youth Chief Akmal’s act of terrorism for the last 3 years.

The racist Prime Minister’s best joke was not about urging young voters not to believe anti-Chinese political rhetoric at a time when he desperately needs the Chinese votes – despite the fact that he was the chief “enabler” in promoting and encouraging UMNO-Malays to attack the Chinese. Neither was it about his boastful – and laughable – claim that he was the leader who was fair to all races in the country.

The best joke of the week was when PM Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan chairman, cried, whined, and bitched that rivals have ganged up against him because his Madani government is tough on corruption. He even has the cheek to claim that his administration’s uncompromising policy towards those who steal public funds or abuse their positions for personal gain had made certain quarters uneasy.

“That is why, as you can see now, all these parties are joining forces to bring me down. Why? Because they know we are strict. They know we safeguard everything,” – he lied through his teeth while speaking at the PMX Meet-and-Greet programme for the Senggarang state constituency in conjunction with the Johor state election on July 5 (Sunday).

“I have come to Johor dozens of times. Did I take any land? No. Did I take any projects? No. Did I take any shares? No. We must instil this principle in our elected representatives. If we want a prosperous state, we must uphold integrity,” – Mr Anwar proudly proclaimed. What he did not want people to know is that corruption continues to flourish under his administration.

Did the PM facilitate a royal pardon for ex-PM Najib Razak, who had stolen billions in the infamous 1MDB scandal? Yes. Did he protect Azam Baki, former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner caught with his pants down in shareholding and corporate mafia scandals? Yes. Did Anwar quietly throw away UMNO president Zahid Hamidi’s 47 corruption charges? Yes.

Did Anwar Ibrahim work hand-in-glove with MACC to cover up Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor’s corruption scandal despite a series of exposé videos released by a whistleblower? Yes. Did the MACC seize over RM100 million in cash stashed in a “safe house” linked to  aides of former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, but suspiciously no charges have been made? Yes.

Did PM Anwar fiercely defend his trusted aide, Shamsul Iskandar, despite being exposed for issuing a letter of support for six contractors involved in a hospital project? Yes. Did Anwar’s Cabinet award Bestinet with an “extension” in early 2024 after lobbying, despite an earlier promise to terminate the monopoly contract for the company known for exploiting migrant workers? Yes.

Did the Madani government sweep under the carpet the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) scandal involving RM9.14 billion contract to build six warships for the Royal Malaysian Navy? Yes. Did the MACC close both eyes on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s former aide-turned-crony, Farhash Wafa Salvador, in corruption and corporate mafia scandals? Yes.

So, what type of fighting corruption con artist is Anwar Ibrahim trying to lie? Opposition Perikatan Nasional does not need to join forces with Barisan Nasional to topple Mr Anwar because the Prime Minister has done an excellent job in killing his own Pakatan Harapan coalition by marginalizing the minorities, protecting corrupt cronies, freeing UMNO crooks, introducing more taxes, and whatnot.

More importantly, to claim that rivals have ganged up to overthrow him means PAS (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia or Malaysian Islamic Party) and UMNO (United Malays National Organization) must be super corrupted. The burning question is why the MACC has yet to arrest and charge those in PAS or UMNO whom he suggested were dirty, thus wanted to bring him down?

In the same breath, Anwar was contradicting himself when on one hand, he called on Johor voters to give Pakatan Harapan (PH) the opportunity to govern the state to ensure “clean governance”, yet on the other hand, PH Johor had not raised any criticism about corruption in the state since November 2022. He has to make up his mind whether the Johor government was corrupted or not.

Exactly why the Premier is still begging when he is currently Malaysia’s “most popular” political leader, holding a 52% approval rating according to a nationwide poll released by the independent pollster Merdeka Center, is beyond comprehension. He should have faith in the Democratic Action Party (DAP) under the leadership of Anthony Loke to deliver 95% of Chinese votes for PH.

Amusingly, he made a spectacular tactical blunder – arrogantly bragged that whatever the outcome of the Johor state election, he would remain as Prime Minister. If that is the case, then it doesn’t matter whether the disillusioned and disgruntled Pakatan Harapan voters stay at home or cast their ballots for rivals to teach Anwar Ibrahim and his gang a lesson, no?

Equally hilarious was the absence of the usual screaming of “Reformasi” by the PKR president. Unable to sell its traditional gimmick to hoax gullible voters, the fake reformist has resorted to selling anti-corruption, moderate politics, a fair and clean government, and all types of promises meant to be broken once the election is over.

However, the common issues that unite the voters of Johor – regardless of ethnicity – are the high cost of living, high property prices and lack of affordable housing, traffic congestion, lack of good job opportunities, and water crisis driven by surging demand from a booming data center industry, frequent river pollution, and droughts. Mr Anwar is selling the wrong product to the voters.