CHIN SU PHIN, NAJIB ADMIRAL IN SABAH?

By : LIM KIM HOI

THE weeks of speculation if Datuk Chin Su Phin (CSP) would be made as a Senator finally ended monday when he was sworn in before the Speaker of Dewan Negara Tan Sri Aziz.

Despite many shortcomings and criticisms of CSP for lack of qualification, the implication of such appointment have far reaching implication in Sabah following the recent Sabah State Cabinet reshuffle by the Chief Minister of Sabah, Musa Aman, who in the fit of anger against LDP, excluded LDP in his Cabinet line up.

The anger was compounded by the fact that CSP has been consistently criticising Musa and even to the extent of asking him to be removed.

Throughout the conflict, the LDP's President, Liew has never been seen to have made serious effort to stop his Deputy (CSP) from criticising the administration of Musa. Liew has used the opportunity to let his Deputy do the dirty job. It is generally known that Liew is not too fond of Musa as Musa has never trusted Liew ever since he took over the LDP's presidency from Chong Kah Kiat (Chong) in 2006 as Liew was handpicked by Chong.

Musa did not even want to look at Liew's recommendation for his YBs' to be included in the State Cabinet or other positions. The relationship did not improve as it is public knowledge that Musa and Liew's predecessor Chong were in loggerheads over the construction of Statute of Mazu in Kudat although many suspected it went more than just a statute.

However, Liew was unfairly caught in the power play between the two giants as soon as he took over the realm of LDP in September 2006 because one month later, Musa slapped Chong with a Stoppage Order to stop the construction of the Mazu.

In protest, Chong resigned as a member of Musa's administration and commenced legal action in court against Musa for abuse of power and citing differences. This put Liew in a fix as he was new in the job and was not holding any government position. The case proceeded but half way through the trial, Musa replaced his lawyers and appointed new ones who quickly applied to strike out Chong's case for want of local standi.

The application was granted simply because Chong's foundation, Thean Hou, that was the plaintiff in the suit, was not registered and therefore has no locus standi, as the Court ruled, to file the suit against Musa. Chong's appeal was to no avail and thrown out by the Federal Court.

With that, Chong's only hope was to rely on political solution. Liew, according to the inner circle, had brought up the case of his predecessor and pleaded to the then PM, Abdullah Badawi, and then later to Najib Razak several times but both PM's hands are tight for reasons best known to themselves.

It was generally felt that Chong's action against Musa was high handed and he did not seek the PM's blessing in the action. He had in fact belittled and did not respect the PM when he filed the suit against the PM's Chief Minister in Sabah.

It was too much for UMNO to swallow and they did not like to see Chong's attempt to destroy Musa for his own self glory. UMNO then rallied behind Musa and Chong continued to be blinded in his crusade of wanting to get Musa out.

By March 2008, Chong's power and influence in LDP began to decrease when Liew led his new team to a total victory for LDP in the General election 12. Realising that he might not be able to will his influence over Liew, Chong put his attention on Liew's Deputy (CSP), who is an easy meat to be cowed and coached.

Further, it is said that between them, they have business interests and government projects together that can last them for generations. Chong cannot afford to let go a milking cow.

Liew on the other hand was a known lawyer trained from England before he took up the presidency of LDP. Generally, a very reserved person and going by the press statements and speeches he has made, Liew is seen as a thoughtful person who does not speak much unless spoken to.

He is not known to have any link in business with Chong or CSP. Liew had established quite a successful legal career spanning over a period of two decades. His family is also generally well off with a reported inheritance of more than USD100million from his late father's properties in Hong Kong.

Liew's wife is also a practising doctor unlike Chong's and CSP's who are only known for their loves for singing, dancing, wines and expensive tastes, LV bags and dresses.

According to the Najib's inner circle, Liew had met the Najib several times since he took over as PM in 2009 to recommend DSP as the Senator. Being a deputy minister in the JPM, Liew has no problem to meet up with the PM at any time.

It was said, however, that Najib was at first not keen on CSP probably because he has been told about CSP's background. But Liew insisted as it was probably Liew's strategy to move CSP to KL while he made preparation to return to Sabah in the coming general election. It would be silly of Liew to want to remain in the capital city now that CSP is there as LDP will be left with no captain in Sabah.

Najib's aide had said that the PM is fond of Liew as he sees Liew as a trusted asset in his administration. Najib has planned to put Liew into his cabinet as a full minister but he is in two minds as he also wants Liew to be back in Sabah together with his blue eye boy - Shafie Apdal who is said to mount a take over from Musa, on Najib's blessing.

Najib is recruiting his commander in chief, generals and armies in building up his power base. He badly need someone whom he can trusted. It is a fact that Najib sees Musa as a liability and this is compounded by the fact that Musa was allegedly involved in money laundering in Hong Kong where a few of Musa's right hand men were rounded up for questioning by the corruption agency both in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Musa is also not seen as Najib's man. During the few UMNO's party elections, Musa had openly went against Najib and Najib is not a man likely to forget the episode.

The appointment of DSP as Senator by Najib is therefore seen as pleasing Liew as well as LDP. At the same time, it also send a strong message to Musa that Najib was extremely unhappy over the handling of the recent state cabinet reshuffle that make a mockery of BN's principle of power sharing. Some other political analysts have even went as far as saying that Musa's days are numbered.