Wiseman Speaks

He has spoken. Brave and direct, they say.

The Malaysian Insider has the story.

Tells BN reps they're in charge, to transcend racial thinking, be humble and return to basics

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — With pressure mounting on the prime minister to quit now rather than later, this afternoon’s briefing by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to all BN Members of Parliament, senators and state assemblymen had an air of seriousness befitting the circumstances BN finds itself in after 50 years of near uncontested rule that was disrupted by the tsunami of March 8.
The Dewan Tun Hussein at PWTC filled up quickly before 3pm with politicians from all BN component parties present to size up the PM and see for themselves whether he is a dead man walking.
While the PM’s poltical future depends more on Umno than the BN component parties, any desertion of the BN ranks will surely spell the end for Abdullah. Some representatives from states in which BN is now the Opposition came to listen to what Abdullah had to say about how to deal with life on the other side of the fence. MPs wanted to know what the tone of the debate should be like when Parliament convenes in two weeks.
Generally there was uncertainty in the air before the function. Just after 3pm, Abdullah walked in with Najib. As he made his way on stage there was a warm but subdued applause for him. As the emcee called out the names of the leaders on stage, beginning with Abdullah, Najib,and then all component chiefs including those who lost, the applause became warmer and the hard edge that people felt initially was softened.
There were no introductory speeches and Abdullah immediately took to the podium. Just as he had done with at the Umno information machinery gathering more than a week ago, Abdullah came out firm and confident.
He didn’t waste time on platitudes and boring sound bytes – typical of pre-tsunami Abdullah. He was sharp, articulate and bold. He told the BN representatives that the party cannot afford to continue to dwell on the
result of the election. It was time to move on.

Read More here

But, it has been said too that a wiseman speaks when he has something to say, a fool speaks when he has to say something. Go figures!

Abdullah umum tanding jawatan Presiden

14/04/2008 5:05pm
Utusan Online-Terkini
KUALA LUMPUR 14 April – Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berkata, beliau akan mempertahankan jawatan Presiden pada pemilihan UMNO Disember ini.Mengenai pelan peralihan kuasa, beliau berkata, perkara itu akan dibincangkan dengan timbalannya, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak untuk menentukan bila ia akan dilaksanakan. - Utusan

And spoken he has...

Perbahasan sentuh sensitiviti kaum boleh dikenakan tindakan - Abdullah

14/04/2008 6:03pm
Utusan Online Terkini
KUALA LUMPUR 14 April – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mengingatkan anggota Parlimen supaya tidak membahaskan isu yang boleh menimbulkan sensitiviti kaum di dalam negara ini semasa perbahasan di Dewan Rakyat kerana Akta Hasutan boleh dikuatkuasakan di dalam dewan yang mulia itu.Perdana Menteri berkata, mereka perlu memastikan perbahasan yang berkualiti di samping sentiasa ingat bahawa isu yang boleh menimbulkan sensitiviti kaum dan yang melanggar Akta Hasutan dielakkan daripada dibawa.“Kerana Akta Hasutan boleh dikuatkuasakan dalam Dewan Rakyat dalam erti kata Akta Hasutan boleh dipakai juga di dalam Dewan Rakyat.“Mereka tidak dibebaskan untuk bercakap apa juga yang melanggar Akta ini,” katanya selepas majlis perjumpaan beliau bersama Anggota Dewan Negara, Dewan Rakyat dan Dewan-Dewan Undangan Negeri Barisan Nasional (BN) di Dewan Tun Hussein Onn, Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di sini hari ini. - Bernama