Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:41 PM PST

The number of people at an event does not determine the strength or weakness of a political party.

By Shen Yee Aun, FMT

The numbers at any political event is not the right and accurate benchmark to indicate a political party's weakness or strength. I wonder how can some claim that the current Himpunan Hijau protest is a sign of a death knell for MCA ?

In the past when Barisan Nasional was at its peak, we saw large numbers attending opposition ceramah but the opposition still failed to make inroads during the polls.

MCA's mega dinners have drawn an attendance ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 in each division but did MCA ever claim that it would win the next general election or that Pakatan Rakyat is losing steam?

MCA only claimed that it was recovering and was stronger than before. MCA would never take the numbers game for granted to brag that it was a sign of early victory.

In 1998, the Reformasi movement saw huge crowds, bigger than those who turned up for the Bersih and Lynas rallies, taking to the streets. But still MCA did well in the 1999 general election.

If the strength and weakness of a political party were just based on the impact of the numbers at a protest, then we must also include the 1,500 NGOs that participated in a rally with Barisan Nasional recently. Do we interpret this as BN's strength?

If we want to play the numbers game, then 1,500 NGOs is much bigger compared to Himpunan Hijau. If we are talking about numbers, then it would be 1 (Pakatan) vs 1,500 (BN).

What about the recent 2,000 single mothers who protested against the Selangor Pakatan government that had cheated and manipulated them with empty promise after taking over the state? Is this the death knell for Pakatan in Selangor?

Selective environmentalism

The Lynas issue is actually one of the most successful political deceptions, lies and manipulations in history. Until today, there are still many who believe Pakatan that Lynas is actually a nuclear plant.

Any neutral science expert would tell you that the radiation of Lynas is way lower than the radiation from our mobile phones and even the radiation of taking flights. In reality, Lim Guan Eng's solar plant in Penang would produce more radiation than Lynas.

READ MORE HERE

Just words and lip service

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:35 PM PST

The Umno president's speech lacked substance and had no clear policy direction for the people and country, says Chua Jui Meng.

By Chua Jui Meng, FMT

Najib Tun Razak delivered his presidential address at the annual Umno general assembly yesterday. It was shocking that his speech lacked substance – no clear policy direction for the people and country, just words and lip service.

It was also an amazingly short policy speech, if not the shortest, ever delivered by an Umno president.

To quote William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Najib was "full of sound and fury signifying nothing".

Pre-Umno assembly Najib had also claimed that change can be initiated within Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in general.

After 55 years, did we see any change in the attitude of the party national delegates, in the quality of debates at the assembly?

It was the same old rhetoric featuring inflammatory issues coupled with ridiculous claims like "God has chosen Umno".

The May 13 bogey was still used to intimidate Malaysians to continue to support Umno and BN, racist remarks like "Malays will lose power if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) rules" and "May 13 will recur if PR rules".

Is Umno claiming that only Umno Malays are Malays or Muslims? What about the Malays and Muslims in PKR, PAS, and others?

What changes are Najib and his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, talking about?

Clearly, there has been no change after 55 years and after the March 2008 political tsunami. The same arrogance is displayed by Umno and BN.

Do you mean there are no important and serious public issues covering competency, accountability, transparency, integrity, abuse of power, corruption and economic policies to discuss or debate?

If Umno has really changed, how could its top leaders go into the assembly pretending as if the following did not happen:

The ongoing French court probe on alleged corrupt practices in the Defence Ministry's purchase of two second hand Scorpene submarines at RM6.7 billion and Deepak Jaikishan's explosive admission of his ties with Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor and his role in private investigator P Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration (SD) that neutralised a first damning SD that implicated the prime minister and his wife in the murder of Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu.

How and who erased the Immigration Department's records of Altantuya's entry and exit?

Ex-IGP Musa Hassan's allegations of infiltration of criminal elements in the force, political interference and the lack of control by the current IGP.

Ex-serviceman Nasir Moni's revelation that he and several colleagues had to mark thousands of postal ballots meant for soldiers during general elections. Hence the need for international observers in the next general election.

Compare the above with what the Umno leaders focused on their debates:

READ MORE HERE

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Jumaat, 30 November 2012

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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