Political tsunami, part two?

The news was out at about 3 o'clock today. The Star Online and the New Straits Times were carrying the story as were also The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini. Is there a Part Two to the political tsunami that's going to sweep this country we call home?

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) had called a news conference to announce that they had lost confidence in the national leadership of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the party would table or support a "no confidence" vote in him when Parliament reconvened on Monday (23 June).

It will be the first time that a component party within the Barisan Nasional coalition has so openly expressed a loss of confidence in a government that it is part of but the grouses of the SAPP are real enough. The SAPP truly believe that Sabah has been sidelined and not enough attention is being shown to address their issues.

You will think that the response of the BN government would be to come out strongly and refute the arguments of the SAPP; to show that Sabah's problems were being looked into and that SAPP had been too premature in their actions. That would be how credible politicians would react: counter crises with solid rebuttals and answers to show their credibility and that they are still in command of the situation (or whatever's left of it).

But no, that's not what's happening here. Suddenly, our Number One court jester in the government opened his mouth and said that the "no confidence" motion would not happen any time soon because .... a notice for any motion had to be given in writing to the Speaker at least 14 days in advance and so far, "no such motion has been given as yet."

Oh yes, he took the easy way out: a technical stand. On a technical point, Parliament would need a 14-day notice or otherwise it will also need the Speaker to agree that it is a definite matter, of urgency and of public interest. He's technically correct, of course.

So it is very likely that the motion will fail on a technicality. Oh, what a pathetic response. Aiyoh, very susah, lah, like that. Still no real attempt to address the Sabahans' unhappiness one-by-one. Everything is denied because of a technicality. I say...how can? Is the BN government so short of ideas? Isn't there anyone with the oratory skill? Reasoning skill? Persuasion skill? Can't anyone stand up and refute the SAPP? Isn't there any person who can think logically and talk logically? Is there anybody who is not paralysed from functioning?