UPDATED VERSION. UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It’s only March 23 that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the appointment of anyone but Idris Jusoh as Terengganu Mentri Besar is unconstitutional.

Last night, after four days and after a four-hour supreme council meeting, Abdullah and Umno decided to declare its support for Kijal state representative Ahmad Said — not Abdullah’s choice — as the new Terengganu menteri besar.

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That’s being consistent — for not running away from being a flip-flop.

Monsoon Cup and Pulau Duyung bungalows wouldn’t run away either. But would the wang ehsan Petronas for Terengganu folks? Follow the money.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Talk of petrol money, Dr Mahathir has a lot to tell in theSun, now that his ‘good friend’ has taken full control of the free paper:

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There must be a reason why the Ruler refuses to accept the candidate named by the party. But the Ruler chooses not to reveal the reasons and indulge in public debates. He merely expresses his displeasure by refusing to do what normally the Rulers would do.

Concerned Malaysians must ask what has the particular candidate done which is so wrong that it incurs the displeasure of the Ruler.

There are lots of talks in the town. Terengganu is blessed with petroleum deposits. It should get 5% of the total earning from oil production. The Federal Government; fearing the previous PAS government might use this money wrongly had withheld payment.

But when the Barisan Nasional (BN) regained Terengganu the money, now called “Wang Ehsan”, was lavishly spent by the Federal Government on Terengganu. It is not a small sum. Over these years “Wang Ehsan” totalled several billion.

We know that since the BN regained Terengganu in 2004, all kinds of projects have been developed in Terengganu. This includes The Monsoon Cup, luxury housing for sale to foreigners, Crystal Mosque and theme park, university, etc. Some of these projects are very good but many are totally unnecessary and wasteful.

But what the Terengganu people are saying is that all these mega projects costing billions of Ringgit have been contracted out to people outside Terengganu. Terengganu contractors got practically nothing.

But additionally, they say the contracts all went to one person and they are suspicious that behind this person are members of the first family.The rumours also say that the previous Mentri Besar was responsible for these things happening and of course, they think that he might have benefited financially.

The rumours went on to say that the Prime Minister might have influenced the Mentri Besar into doing wrong things. These are all rumours. It will be quite impossible to prove anything as the perpetrators are skilled in hiding themselves.

This is not good for a Government keen to abolish corruption and be transparent. To clear its name, an investigation should be made.

Apparently, Terengganu folks know what khianat and derhaka means in their inherited culture.