While Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi agreed that Malaysia is a democracy country to speak up one’s own mind, most of the taikos in cabinet would like him to shut up and remain in sleeping mode.

However, Tun Mahathir said something which is true enough, where he expressed disappointment that some ministers who were also in his Cabinet were questioning his right to criticise instead of answering his questions.

"What is disappointing is that instead of explaining, all the talk is whether I have been right in making the criticism, whether I’m following the Umno tradition," he said. "Maybe they don’t have answers, that is why they try to demonise me or try to make me appear very bad. "Apparently, from the way ministers invariably support everything the Prime Minister says, there cannot be much debate in the Cabinet. 

"Two days before, they say we will build the bridge. When the Prime Minister said we would not build the bridge, everybody said we would not build the bridge. I am a bit sad. 

"I raised questions, none has been explained. Instead, they say Dr Mahathir should not speak like that. He has no right as an ex-prime minister … should go back and sleep, not disturb people. "Every time I say something, the same people or members of the Cabinet will give their standard comments.

The "standard comments" phrase strike my mind.

While Tun Mahathir wanted answer from the Government, but didn’t the "standard comments" scenario was nurtured throughout his decades of administration?

Finally, Mount Merapi erupts.

Thanks to the alert from Global Voices Online half an hour ago.

To a lot of Malaysians, the damage had been done.

Mixed reactions can be heard, some say former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad should have shutted up, some say he has the right to voice his opinions and remaining Malaysians choose to wait and see from the sideline.

This morning, this blogger was wondering how the whole issue is going to spin out of the loop.

Now, let’s read the outcome. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak plays it smart, cabinet rallies behind Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Young Professional Chamber of Malaysia (PROMUDA) says Tun Mahathir has every right to air his views and what’s more, when NST’s Brendan Pereira plays the story to the extent that Tun Mahathir looks like an angry old man.

Reporters rushed to the World Islamic Economic forum last night hoping for some choice soundbites from Abdullah. He disappointed them and Dr Mahathir — it is not in his nature to get personal.

When Abdullah does speak in the days ahead, his words will not likely be steeped in venom. He knows some people on the sidelines want a confrontation, but he also knows that is not what 25 million Malaysians want or need right now.

Too many years in the past three decades have been spent in fighting mode, turning friends into foes and distracting the country from its goal of becoming a developed country by 2020.

Too many years have been wasted trying to paper over fissures in the ruling party.

Abdullah is not willing to go down that path again. Whatever the provocation. That is why even after being told that he headed a "half-past-six" administration, and after being chided in public for not going ahead with the bridge to replace the Causeway, Abdullah was happy to meet Dr Mahathir in Tokyo recently.

Dogs show it is.

Via Malaysiakini:

"Having chosen him as my successor - in fact, he was not the first choice, he was second as he didn’t have the highest vote. (Deputy Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak) had," Mahathir told a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya today.

In the conference, Mahathir told reporters he has tolerated the Government as much as possible, but that he could not longer keep quiet.

However, he denied that he was campaigning to oust Abdullah as leader of ruling party UMNO.

A few more hours to go, national press will hit the street. We shall sit back and watch how the whole issue is going to spin out of the loop.

Hot air rises.

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Over and over again, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has proven that he is someone who bites hard on scenarios.

First, it was the International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz when Tun Mahathir slammed the Government for its auto import policy, which he has said benefited a select group of well-linked businessman.

Then, it was the Government decision to scrap the construction of new bridge that infuriated Mahathir to go as far as chiding the Government of showing too much of respect to the Singapore. It’s also worth mentioning that, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz came out to the defence of government not for once, but twice, refuting Tun Mahathir by saying that he has said too much.

However, being a small fry he is, Tun Mahathir didn’t not response to him, but continued to voice his dissatisfaction towards the present administration. The latest is when he was interviewed by Malaysiakini.

But today, Tun Mahathir upped his stake against the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, accusing him of reversing many of his decisions, of betraying his trust and coming close to stabbing him in the back.

"Having chosen him as my successor, I expect a reasonable degree of gratefulness," Mahathir told reporters.

"I’m in the habit of choosing the wrong people," Mahathir said, adding that in his lifetime, he has helped many people, "only for them to stab me in the back."

Asked if Abdullah has stabbed him in the back, Mahathir replied: "Minor bruises."

However, Mahathir wouldn’t openly say whether he regretted choosing Abdullah to succeed him instead of current Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, whom Mahathir claimed had obtained more votes in the Cabinet to
inherit the leadership.

"One cannot tell what a person would do when the person is out of your control. I thought I had made the right choice," Mahathir said.

He said he wasn’t campaigning within the ruling United Malays National Organization to unseat Abdullah.

"I’m not capable of doing that," Mahathir said. "I cannot have him removed. I’m not going around campaigning to people…(but) I would be failing in my duty as an ordinary citizen, as ex-PM, if I did not direct my attention" to issues affecting national interests."

Coincidentally, Asia Times Online’s Mageswary Ramakrishnan wrote about the tussle between Pak Lah and Tun Mahathir, saying that Mahathir has aired his complaints and grievances at a time Abdullah’s popularity is clearly on the wane.

Let us think about confidence deficiency, if this phrase makes sense to you.

But before that, something is running in my mind: It’s ain’t over till it’s over.

Is it an auspicious date, the apocalypse, or merely a day with endless of possibilities?

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz told off his ex-boss Mahathir Mohamad, saying that the former premier had gone beyond the line of criticism.

It was early of May when Nazri reminded Mahathir that he had not been given a "blank cheque" to criticise the government.

"Why send letters (criticising the decision) to all MPs and Umno divisions leaders? This shows that he wanted to go beyond criticising." […]

"That can be seen as an attempt to discredit the government and leadership."

Nazri, in his usual frank speaking style, insisted that he has full respect towards Mahathir, each time coincidentally right after he chided Mahathir, for the second time in 2 months.

By choice or by default, Nazri knows.

Despite all fancy talks of setting up of Disneyland in Malaysia, Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday that it has no plans to build a theme park in Malaysia. 

"We are constantly exploring opportunities around the world as we look to grow our parks and resorts business. At this time, however, there are no existing discussions in Malaysia and we currently have no plans for a Disney-branded resort development in that country," Lisa Haines, a spokeswoman for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, told the media. […]

"Oriental Land Company, which owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort as our licensee, is a valued partner; however, they have no role in evaluating or negotiating other opportunities for Disney outside of Japan."

Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Effendi Norwawi denied saying that the Government was bringing Disneyland into Malaysia.

"At no point did I categorically say that we are bringing Disneyland into the country."

Is Universal Studios the next option available? Else, what’s next?