Vilifying Videos Roll On

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(TS) – After a few days’ lull in the Langkah Billiards political drama — those videos supposedly documenting corruption in action — the businessman involved released seven videos of conversations with politicians about money.
It was the second wave in what I believe are attacks against Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government. The first wave began on Nov 9 when the businessman, whose identity is being kept secret by the news portal with which he is working exclusively, released four videos — three of Sabah YBs (assemblymen) and one of a former Sabah Mineral Management officer.
Following Hajiji’s nothing-to-hide stance on the unfolding political drama, some YBs have voluntarily visited the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission office in Kota Kinabalu to give their version of events.
I call the video exposes “Langkah Billiards”.
In billiards, the break shot sets the tone for the entire game. Some amateurs hit the cue ball too hard, hoping that a ball will be potted in the pocket. Hitting it too hard has unintended consequences, though. The player has no control over which ball is potted — the cue ball, black ball, solid blue, or striped red.
The same is true of the high-stakes political game being played by the businessman and his group, which reportedly comprises retired top enforcement officers (some with backgrounds in political intelligence gathering) and an inside man who supposedly manages mineral resources in Sabah.
By fluke or design, the striped red ball (a politician I shall call “V”) could enter the pocket and become Sabah’s next chief minister. Or the solid blue ball (the businessman and the inside man) could be charged with various fraudulent activities and misrepresentation. Or, no ball is pocketed (meaning status quo).
While the first wave of video releases could be perceived as a businessman exposing alleged corruption in Sabah, I believe the second wave exposed his hidden intention: To bring down the Hajiji government and install a chief minister who can reverse the cancellation or expiration of prospecting licences.
This week, the political knives are out. The two parties in the Opposition in Sabah (but together with GRS in the unity government at the federal level), Warisan and Umno, are now calling for Hajiji to step down.
To be fair to the other faction in Sabah Umno, it is the clique around the party’s state chief, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, that has been pressuring the chief minister. The anti-Bung faction in Sabah Umno, which wants to ally with GRS in the next state elections, is reportedly cringing over Langkah Billiards. They know it will jeopardise a possible GRS, Umno, and Pakatan Harapan electoral seat-sharing arrangement.
Politicians from Warisan and the Bung Moktar clique in Umno are asking the chief minister to resign even though Hajiji has not been investigated or even charged. Guilty until proven innocent in their minds, I guess?
When the videos were released in early November, Sabah’s political elite said that this was not a mere exposé of alleged corruption but a meticulously planned power play aimed at toppling Sabah’s chief minister.
Because there is a pattern to the release of the videos. Some feature Umno YBs who supported Hajiji and went against Bung Moktar when the party and Warisan attempted to bring down the GRS government in January 2023.
That political plot was like a billiards game too, and it went very wrong. Warisan and Umno wanted to replace Hajiji as chief minister. However, they had no control over the cue ball as they hit it too hard. The unintended consequence was that instead of a Warisan or Umno chief minister, Hajiji became stronger when several Umno YBs supported his government. Sabah Umno quit the GRS government and ended up in the Opposition.
Some say the YBs in the videos were targeted as revenge for not supporting the move to oust Hajiji last year.
The other pattern is that the videos also show YBs from Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS), which is headed by Hajiji and is the backbone of GRS, a coalition of eight Sabah-based parties.
I’m convinced the release of videos of anti-Bung Moktar, pro-Hajiji Umno YBs and PGRS YBs aims to paint a negative perception of them and pressure Hajiji to quit as CM. It is to goyang (shake) the foundation of the GRS state government.
After all, the businessman has not released videos of YBs from other parties. Why?
Around October, the businessmen approached YBs to ask them to support the ouster move and if not… So far, the YBs have not buckled in the face of the threat.
Will the businessman release their videos if he loses patience with these YBs?
Umno Youth has asked Hajiji to step aside and allow Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan — president of Sabah Star, a key GRS partner — to head an interim state government. It suggested that Kitingan should take the helm following a crisis of confidence triggered by corruption allegations linked to prospecting licensing.
It’s a trap.
There’s no guarantee that Kitingan will be CM, as the plot is for V to replace Hajiji. Allegedly, the businessman has a cancelled licensing deal with V.
Will the Hajiji government survive Langkah Billiards? So far, I’ve been told that the Chief Minister has the temperament to handle mere resignation pressure from Warisan and Umno.
What could bring his government down is the perennial political story of Sabah. It is an equal political fight if it is between two Sabah brothers (say, Tun Mustapha Harun vs Tun Fuad Stephens, or Tan Sri Pairin vs Tan Sri Harris Salleh). But the fight becomes lopsided when big brother Kuala Lumpur sides with one of the two.
Will KL interfere?
source : The Star
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