SM the power broker

Forget the 4th floor, forget Kamaluddin Scomi and forget Ultra KJ.  There's a new power broker in town.  Bearing the initials SM, this lanky Kedahan was the last crony Mahathir gave birth to before he decided to call it a day.  SM impressed Mahathir with a decent arts museum (Islamic) and promptly extracted enormous patronage from the old man including a port, power stations, palm oil plantations, properties and a "smart" storm drain cum car tunnel.

Anyway, SM first made it big in Johor with a land scam involving the then MB who is now an aspiring PM.  Since Mahathir's retirement, SM has successfully main semua kolam.  He has bought Mahathir a private jet, even met with Anwar in Dubai while at the same time still contributing hundreds of millions (four hundred for the election) of RM to UMNO under Pak Lah.  But now, he wants to shape the future.  He sees opportunity and the stars aligning.

He has hatched a plan with Mahathir to back his old ex-MB friend for the presidency of UMNO. That's why this Muhyiddin Yassin fellow who previously was one of the most insignificant "top politician" has suddenly become the next big thing.

Word is, SM has been the go between bringing messages from Mahathir to Muhyiddin.  Mahathir is tired of waiting for the Mongolian one to make a move against Pak Lah, so is throwing his support and SM's money behind Muhyiddin.

Muhyiddin pula dah geli habis.  He never thought in his wildest dreams that he could fulfill his ambition of becoming PM. But now with Pak Lah so weak in UMNO and the Mongolian one dealing with the murder trial of his best bud Baginda, Muhyiddin must be singing "Its now or never".

SM of course loves this.  He wants to be the crony of choice forever (hence the many hedges) so getting his mentor, Mahathir, to back his old partner, Muhyddin, is a match made in heaven.  Among the deals that Muhyiddin has promised him - the petroleum bunkering project off Tanjong Pelapas which he currently is only a minority shareholder, the new hydro dam in Pahang and the southern stretch of the double tracking project.  Not a bad haul you cunning "Arab"!

Fat Cat: SM = Slippery Monster