December 16, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – “LISTEN carefully, Feyd,” said Baron Harkonen. “Observe the plans within plans within plans.”
In Frank Herbert’s Dune, the baron told his psychopath nephew and heir, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, about the interlocking plans of a grander scheme.
My current escape from the non-stop politicking in Malaysia is to watch Dune: Prophecy. It is a science fiction television series that focuses on Bene Gesserit (an all-female secret order that possesses superhuman powers and abilities), Shai-Hulud (massive sandworms that swim through the oceans of sand and produce sought-after spice) and intergalactic politics.
But the politics in Dune are similar and just as entertaining as those in Malaysia, which have plans within plans.
I was privy to alleged plans within plans when a businessman, claiming he was not the whistleblower who secretly filmed and edited selectively videos of Sabahan assemblymen, called me on Wednesday afternoon. He said he had tips on the drama gripping the political elites in my state, Sabah, like a Dune film.
I’ve called the Sabah political drama “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. The player has no control over which ball is potted – the cue ball, black ball, solid blue, or striped red.
Langkah Billiards is not a drama to expose corruption but to use the subject to topple the Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The businessman, who got me to send him an undertaking not to reveal his identity, claimed he had evidence that Sabah Star president and Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan was involved in the plans within plans within plans.
The next day, the businessman called after I asked him for evidence of his allegation.
“You saw that video that is viral now. Inside, got Jeffrey’s Whatsapp messages talking about the CM post,” he said.
“But it is just a screenshot of WhatsApp messages. We don’t know if the messages are authentic,” I said.
He agreed.
On Friday, Dr Jeffrey issued a statement saying that he was aware of a video circulating on social media accusing him of conspiring against the Chief Minister.
“No such conspiracy exists or has ever existed,” he stated, adding Sabah Star and he had fully supported Hajiji to be Chief Minister in 2020, and since then, their support has not wavered despite various challenges.
The Keningau MP and Tambunan assemblyman said the accusation was categorically false, misleading, and politically motivated. He said it aimed to divide Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (the backbone of the Sabah government) and Sabahans going into the state elections.
“The referenced screenshot, allegedly from Nov 1, 2024, features a fragment of a conversation taken entirely out of context and aimed to falsely support the accusation. Furthermore, these allegations appear timed to coincide with recent unfounded accusations against the Sabah state government, which are currently under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). I trust the authorities will reveal the truth in due course,” he said.
Back to my Thursday chat with the businessman. Curious, l asked him what the alleged plans within plans were for Dr Jeffrey to be chief minister.
“Jeffrey is DCM mah. If Hajiji gets into trouble, he automatically becomes CM mah,” he said.
“But, like I’ve said, maybe GRS won’t allow it because PGRS got the most assemblymen,” I said, referring to Hajiji’s Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah with 26 assemblymen.
“PGRS might not give it to Dr Jeffrey. GRS can bubar (dissolve) the assembly,” I said.
“But if bubar, who is the loser?” he said. “PBS and Star can go with Warisan mah.”
PBS has seven assemblymen and Sabah Star six are with PGRS in the coalition with Sabah-only parties. Parti Warisan and Umno are in opposition in Sabah.
“Fair enough,” I said.
“Star and PBS can go to Warisan anytime mah. Who is the loser? I mean, who is the paling (most) loser? It is PGRS mah,” the businessman said.
My GRS sources have told me that the whistleblower is harassing GRS YBs (assemblymen) to persuade/threaten them to bring down Hajiji. So far, the plans within plans are not panning out. The GRS YBs, like during the failed Langkah Kinabalu in January 2023, are not falling for the divide-and-rule game usually played by KL. The YBs are bersatu (united) that Sabahans and not KL will determine their future.
On Friday, I spoke to the businessman, who did not want to be identified, and told him that the alleged Dr Jeffrey WhatsApp drama had fizzled out with the maverick politician issuing a denial.
“After this the opposition sure will ask him (Dr Jeffrey) to make a police report,” he said.
True enough, hours later, Sabah Umno issued a statement asking the Sabah Star president to lodge a police report over “war will begin” WhatsApp messages.
“The whistleblower told me that actually Jeffrey and V (a Sabah assemblyman) had met up. Jeffrey will get DCM I (deputy chief minister I), and Finance Minister and V will be CM,” he said.
The businessman’s allegation confirmed my suspicion that any offer to GRS assemblymen to be CM is a trap. The offer seduces the politician to abandon the state government only for V to be installed as chief minister.
The political intrigue in Dune and Langkah Billiards contains “a feint within a feint within a feint”, “tricks within tricks within tricks”, and “treachery within treachery within treachery.”
I can’t wait for this Monday’s Dune: Prophecy Season 1 Episode 5. On Tuesday, the Sabah political drama might fizzle or blow up with the news of who Sabah’s governor will be.
Those watching Sabah politics should listen carefully and observe the plans within plans.