BETCHA, EVEN CESAR MILLAN HAS LOST HIS TEN FOOT POLE.

Alternative title to this post is: Too many PACK Leaders or UMNO power struggle as elections loom.

Whilst all eyes are on GE-13, the stage is being set for the next UMNO general assembly, where the signal for Muhyiddin's exit is being set.

The Mahathir camp is busy working out the strategy for this shift and the Muhyiddin camp is fully aware of this danger so both sides are preparing for battle - after the battle to wrest the government of this country.

Win or lose it is rumoured that BN will seize power, if they seize power after losing they reckon this process will be much easier in an emergency-like situation, where Najib will remove Muhyiddin in favour of his not so intelligent cousin Hishamuddin Hussein the stop gap deputy, and then get Mukhriz to step into his shoes by giving Hishamuddin a position outside the Federal Cabinet.

The recent talk about Mukhriz going for the position of Mentri Besar of Kedah was initiated by the Muhyiddin camp in an effort to force Mukhriz into accepting it to take Kedah out of PR's control, and then neutralise Mukhriz' ambitions for Muhyiddin's position, the plan seems to have backfired, because according to our sources Mahathir smelt the rat as soon as he got the news and got UMNO to immediately go into damage control and deny it before it got too big. Remember this item was reported in the government backed print media, both the suggestion and the denial.

There is talk about moving Muhyddin back to Johor as Mentri Besar, and the excuse will be that UMNO and BN is losing ground in this their strongest state. Muhyiddin will be touted as the right person to handle the job and the entire supreme council will be directed to back the plan, many of its members have already been approached.

The intrigue in UMNO today is greater than the intrigue in the forbidden city during the last days of Chinese Emperors, it is a sure sign of the decline of UMNO, it's a 'dog-eat-dog' situation according to an UMNO veteran, "never before in the history of UMNO, not since Razak went for Tengku in 1969, nor in 1977 when Mahathir went for Hussein Onn in proxy be unleashing his pet Sulaiman Palestine - the then UMNO information chief has UMNO gone into such dirty politics," said this UMNO veteran whose son is a very successful Malay and UMNO sponsored businessman.

"This will be played dirtier than when Mahathir cheated in the 1987 UMNO elections and supposedly won the elections, he knew he lost so he got the judiciary into a mess, if the appeal then had gone through unhindered and without government intervention, it would have been a totally different Malaysia today, totally different, maybe not so many foreigners in our country," said this gentleman who now resides in Penang.

"Probably we will not be sitting here for a drink it could have well been in a hotel in town this may not even have been built, and I would have been able to enjoy my scotch in the open like we used to before," he said in between sips after dinner in a place at the Straits Quay.

On the other front, Muhyiddin has asked his camp to play low key, if anything has to be unleashed against Najib and his "mentor" it has to be sudden and at a crucial time in UMNO that there will not be an opportunity for the Mahathirian camp to fight back, "it should be swift and decisive, there will be no turning back, " Muhyiddin was quoted as having said.

Muhyiddin is very uncomfortable with Mahathir, and he has to watch every step he takes, he can't have his plans leaked, he seems to be doing fine on that score, but you can never tell in UMNO as Mahathir is famous for buying out UMNO boys to get what he wants, and there are people in Johor UMNO who are willing to align with Mahathir in this war.

Mahathir has the funds or at least the sources from which he can squeeze it out, Muhyiddin has his back against the wall, normally an UMNO deputy will be able to muster funds at will, but now after the Sharizat affair it has been made very difficult for him and in UMNO today as it was during the good old days of Mike Tyson it's money that talks, not Bahasa Melayu, but money talk, in UMNO Bahasa Melayu is for showtime at the assembly, it is not understood; only money is understood loud and clear in that party.

Others may support you only on condition that they'll be given a significant part in government and money machines if he wins, so it is an uphill task for Muhyiddin, but sources say he has a good following and can turn the tables-money politics or not.

The not so intelligent Hishamuddin does not have enough money to spend so lavishly to win any position, he does not have the support of the grassroots to make himself invulnerable, so he goes the way of Mukhriz, whose father and siblings together with their cronies will outbid anyone on the scene, so Hisham will play the Mahathirian plan although he hates it, like his father he will be used by Mahathir as a stop gap premier and then moved out ungraciously.

Mukhriz has been rather quiet, he is said to be actually learning the ropes, and he is rather sure of himself in the seat of the prime minister in the next five years.

Mahathir is rushing for Najib to call for the next elections and Najib is in no hurry, if he loses he will be out sooner rather than later, but Mahathir is sure to secure the government by hook or by crook and Najib knows that, if he wins he will remain for another five year term.

On the other hand Najib is banking on the possibility that Mahathir may not live till then and Rosmah may do a number on Mukhriz and get him out so there is no real hurry on the part of Najib.

What is cooking in the Mahathirian camp is so secretive that even Najib who is being directed by it does not know the real details, all he has to do is follow instructions, and for the time being he is not, not all instructions at least, this has given Muhyiddin some breathing room, with a divided Mahathirian camp he is finding it easier to move as both Najib and Mukhriz look over their shoulders.

Trying to shut Anwar out is a Mahathirian plan through and through which has the tacit support of all camps in UMNO, with Anwar out they feel they can sweep the next elections and live to fight out their own battles another day, but in politics you can never say, will Muhyiddin look at the other side in desperation. In politics as we all know, "there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends."

So whilst they are worried about Anwar they are busy at the same time planning their own strategies in this huge UMNO power struggle.

If UMNO wins we will have another government fighting shadows and not governing, so please cast your vote wisely, PR has proven in all states they have controlled that they are capable of serving the people, so there is no alternative.

GO THE ABU WAY! VOTE FOR PAKATAN RAKYAT. THEY ARE NOT PERFECT BUT THEY ARE NOT ROTTEN. THEY HAVE A RECOGNISED PACK LEADER.

Posting courtesy of TOFEE'S TURN