Can anyone demodulate the pattern of “wagging the dog” that is emerging? Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim incessant rat-a-tatting of the Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister to overhaul Budget 2009 and be probed for abuse of power is a deflection from the fact that the ex-DPM still can’t get it on with deploying a power grab that he earnestly promised he would do so around this time. The man is shooting blanks even if his Gatling gun is big, powerful and ready to cock and fire in a moment’s notice.

Never mind. If the master spinmeister can’t fulfil the pledge to overthrow the BN Government now, he would do it later in his own mealy-mouthed way and we all should be thrilled that such a day still exists. Anwar has the numbers, more than enough BN MPs who have embraced Pakatan Rakyat’s casus belli to form a new federal Government, or so Anwar claims. We can’t form the new government now because BN will try to “buy-back” the deserting MPs, goes the current truism among Anwar’s apologists. But one more day of this and Anwar “I-have-the-numbers” is in danger of becoming a cliché of himself.

Even if Anwar does not possess the numbers, the Opposition leader (PKR-Permatang Pauh) and party supremo will gore his guts first before admitting to that. It’s better for him to walk on a fire of plausible excuses than concede abject defeat. As long as the supplicants are ready to throw their bodies for the ultimate cause, whenever that may be in the near or long future. For now, the strategy of a plausible power grab is waning by the day, even if he does have the numbers.

While Anwar was prattling on against Datuk Seri Najib Razak, one of his pitbulls, Zulkifli Nordin (PKR-Kulim Bandar Baru), decided to make an appearance at the House after being MIA for weeks. No, I am not defecting into Umno and yes, I am facing “minor hiccups” with the PKR leadership. That followed his brazen bull-in-a-china-shop charge in a Bar Council forum on conversion to Islam a few months back. Sure, he made himself into a martyr of sorts and for his effort, attracted a slew of derision from brethrens and rivals alike and disciplinary action by his party for the unwelcome intrusion.

"Disciplinary action is still underway,” Zulkifli conceded. “I have met with the disciplinary board and given a clear explanation to the party. At the same time I am always in touch with Anwar, who has assured me that he shares my struggle for Islam.” That’s all nice but what’s all this talk of him abandoning the PR juggernaut to join Umno? And why did the BN drop the election petition to contest Zulkifli’s victory in the Kulim Bandar Baru parliamentary seat on the March 8 polls?
From Anwar’s point of view, the BN was not confident of winning a possible by-election should they succeeded in convincing the court to overturn Zulkifli’s victory. "The BN realises that the current political sentiments and economic situation does not favour them to face the Pakatan Rakyat in a by-election now,” Anwar posited his theory to reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Both Anwar and Zulkifli were quick to rubbish speculation that the petition was withdrawn to make way for Zulkifli's defection to Umno. "There is no basis (to the speculations). I am in constant communication with him (Zulkifli) and I am sure he has no plans to defect," Anwar insisted.

While he pooh-poohed talk of his defection, Zulkifli demonstrated that he still has a sense of humour. With a little toe in his mouth and a wide grin, he humoured the whole speculation as a possible offer for him to join as DPM. “That I may seriously consider," Zulkifli laughed off the supposition.

That aside, the Federal Territory Ministry, the one making sure Kuala Lumpur folk retain their premier life of style and convenience, can’t or won’t respond to the Opposition MPs queries on many troubling issues. Among them: a study trip to Berlin and Toronto Ministry officials took that was more pleasure than business.

The Opposition MPs did not give the FT Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique any slack since assuming control of Kuala Lumpur parliamentary seats and they have continued to pile up the pressure, including today’s hissy fit of accusations that the Ministry and its Minister were trying to dodge answering MPs’ questions in Parliament.

Tan Kok Wai (DAP-Cheras), his reputation is as one of the Opposition’s most pugnacious campaigner, claimed that his and his fellow MPs questions to the Ministry had been deliberately relegated down the order paper during Question Time. "I find this ridiculous. Yesterday, when I checked, my question was slated for No. 8 but now it has been pushed to No. 28," he remonstrated to Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee at the start of QT.

The Deputy Speaker tried to appease Tan by explaining that the Ministry had the right to move questions according to House business it felt were of importance and suggested that Tan could obtain a written reply if a verbal response was not forthcoming. You could sense feel Tan’s retort even before Kiandee finished his appeasement.

"It is not the same,” Tan decried. “The Minister is doing this to avoid answering the question. A written reply does not provide us the opportunity to seek clarification or further query.”

In the lobby, Tan amplified further his criticism that he was being given the run around in the queuing of his questions. Besides dismissing the trip as a waste of taxpayers money, Tan suggested that to observe how a city is being managed efficiently, the Ministry could have studied Hong Kong, Taipeh or even Seoul. “To me, going to Berlin and Toronto sounds like a pleasure trip."

Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang-DAP) is also lagging in answers to his question as to why City Hall approved a high density project of 43 floors in Jalan Ceylon without considering objections from residents. Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju) is still waiting for a list of landowners who lost their land to road widening works in Jalan Genting Klang.

"I would expect the House to give Kuala Lumpur City Hall some priority (because) of its RM2.4 billion annual budget,” Wee intoned. "Surely the way the local authority spent its money is of interest not just to city members but to everyone else.”

Zulhasnan has engaged the Opposition MPs before in the lair of his office over a variety of issues immediately after the March 8 polls with some unfavourable results but his run-ins with Wee is the most toxic. Wee lambasted Zulhasnan’s appointment as a waste of public funds, being the sole BN MP “without any form of legitimacy and no power whatsoever.”

With that kind of relationship, is the FT Minister seeing it conducive to deal with these Opposition MPs with a very long pole or a very long queue?