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The role and significance of party elections

Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:10 PM PDT

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Did the party election bring a significance that can be learned by others to enhance the country's democracy?

Or, is the party just marking time and even becoming more and more like the MCA which has been trapped in the quagmire of factional fighting, as some party outsiders criticised?

Soong Phui Jee, Sin Chew Daily

The DAP's Central Executive Council (CEC) leadership line-up elected in December last year was re-elected on 29 September. Although it had been expected that the number of votes received by some candidates would increase or decrease, it had at the same time reflected the subtle changes resulted by the party factional fighting.

An indisputable fact is, through the CEC re-election, the opposition faction has called for checks and balances for the strong leadership of Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng. Both the father and son had received lesser votes this time and Guan Eng had even dropped from the second place to the fifth in the ranking, reflecting the growth of forces of the opposition faction. The changes have received much concern.

In a democratic country, party election is also a very important part in the practice of democracy. Competition brought by a party election could indeed evolve into dispute and division, but there is also a positive side. If party election can really help the party elect a group of outstanding leaders, it will mean complementing a powerful force for the party's future. It provides not only new room for the party's democracy development, but also a very good opportunity for reform. However, the political field has always been filled with interest disputes. Once factional fighting turns over intense, party election will become a dispute of the vested interest group. The life-or-death battle among various factions will weaken the party's overall forces and become unfavourable to the party's growth and development.

How to have a high-quality party election should be the target of all political parties as it is also a crucial foundation for the party's growth and democratic politics.

The DAP party re-election was particularly noticeable partly because it has gained a brilliant victory in the general election this year, allowing party chairman Karpal Singh to have an extremely high expectation of seizing the Putrajaya in the future. Meanwhile, it is also because the re-election was held following an order from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) after finding irregularities in the original polls held on 15 December last year. In addition, Ladang Paroi DAP branch chief David Dass had applied on 10 September for an injunction to stop the special congress on grounds that it was illegal to call for a special congress to hold CEC elections, leading Guan Eng to describe the entire incident a "political revenge".

In any case, the DAP has finally held the re-election successfully. In addition to some arguments over the number of votes gained by some candidates, one point that should earn more concern is, did the party election enhance democracy in the party after going through a series of internal and external tests and controversies? Did the party election bring a significance that can be learned by others to enhance the country's democracy? Or, is the party just marking time and even becoming more and more like the MCA which has been trapped in the quagmire of factional fighting, as some party outsiders criticised?

READ MORE HERE 

Will Mukhriz fly?

Posted: 30 Sep 2013 05:30 PM PDT

Mukhriz, 48, seems to be pressing the right buttons so far in his seat at Wisma Darulaman. The last I heard the civil servants liked his fast-moving style and he has pleased many people by having religious forums and lectures at Seri Mentaloon, the MB's official residence.

Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, MM

Hardly four months into his big job, this could be the baptism of fire that Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir needs.

And it comes two in a row—his bid for Umno vice-presidency and the impending by-election on home soil in Sungai Limau.

Win or lose is not the sole point but rather it is going to be how Mukhriz, a budding political blueblood thrust into the laserlights by assuming the Kedah menteri besar position after the general election, handles the pressure in the coming weeks.

Both are tough propositions. A victory in one will be just opportune, in both he will fly.

However the terrain appears to be rough even with the star ratings he has been getting about his vice-presidency bid from pro-Umno bloggers.

But Mukhriz should know this game very well by now because in the last party election where he contested the youth chief post, he was very much the leading contender against Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo until the final results came out favouring Khairy.

This time Mukhriz has thrown his hat into the vice-presidency ring where the battle is stiffer and the stakes sky high. For one of the three seats, he is up against five other contenders—three formidable incumbents and two tenacious party veterans.

One thing in favour of him is the call for transformation in Umno. But that, as everyone knows, is what is only ringing out loud outwardly. What lies beneath is much more complex and sometimes knotting into intriques.

Yes, he has an influential father behind him. But there are always booby traps around. Already the whispers are being exchanged rapidly about the remarks being made by daddy, party elder Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, about many things, especially the one purportedly saying that Umno is filling up with stupid people as the younger and clever ones never get a chance to go up the ranks.

As reported in The Economist last week, there is also talk that Mukhriz would be a threat to party president and prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak if he becomes Umno vice-president as this could further push certain forces to oust Najib. Another poison arrow.

Mukhriz's camp has denied that he is a proxy for his father or anyone else. But that again is a perception that is hard to erase, especially in a high-stake battle against seasoned opponents some of whom have got a reputation of being "generous" on all fronts.

A menteri besar in the vice-presidency ring would enjoy big advantages 20 years ago when MBs carried so much bargaining power to secure votes. But now Kelab MB is no more and solidarity has faded among them.

As for the Sungai Limau by-election, Mukhriz who is likely to be field commander for Barisan Nasional by virtue of the fact that he is Kedah Umno chief, could score if he plays his cards right.

In the first place, this state seat, like Kedah as a whole, cannot be said to be a Pas stronghold although it is right smack in the padi heartland and not far from the big Pas complex in Kota Sarang Semut.

Situated about 35km south of Alor Star, Sungai Limau is in the Jerai parliamentary constituency and lies in the district of Yan where some of the Kedah's best known personalities and business people come from, including Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli and the famous Hussein family of laureates Tan Sri Ismail, Datuk Abdullah and Datuk Ibrahim.

In the last round, Kedah Pas chief Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak won by a little more than 2,000. In a constituency of 25,000, the majority is not insurmountable for BN when the by-election comes.

Mukhriz, 48, seems to be pressing the right buttons so far in his seat at Wisma Darulaman. The last I heard the civil servants liked his fast-moving style and he has pleased many people by having religious forums and lectures at Seri Mentaloon, the MB's official residence.

Whatever it is, the going is still rough ahead, one coming on Oct 19 when the Umno election results are known and the other not long after that when he leads the  troops in his first by-election battle.

 

Rumblings among the thinkers

Posted: 30 Sep 2013 05:05 PM PDT

The top-down push for a status quo at the Umno vice-president level has not gone down well with the party grassroots who resent being told who to vote for.

The feedback is that delegates resent being told what to do or who to vote for. They said the new election system is meant to give the party grassroots greater say on who they want as their leaders.

Joceline Tan, The Star

KELANTAN Umno politician Datuk Alwi Che Ahmad used to be known for his witty oratory but he has been likened to the actors of the Malay movie Tanda Putera ever since he changed spectacles to the sixties-style, black rimmed glasses.

As a result, Alwi who is vying for a seat in the Umno supreme council, has adopted a unique campaign line: "Think of Tanda Putera, think of me."

Last week, Alwi who is deputy Ketereh Umno chief, was in Shah Alam with the three Umno vice-presidents (VPs) at a function for the Selangor delegates to meet the VPs.

Alwi seems to be one of those who support a status quo at the VP level and he has accompanied the three Datuk Seri's – Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Shafie Apdal – on a number of their state rounds.

They have been well received everywhere they have gone.

At the Shah Alam event, Zahid who spoke on behalf of the trio said: "If re-elected, we will look after Selangor. Menteri Lori" (Hisham­muddin is also acting Transport Minister) will handle the transport problems in Selangor. Menteri Luar Bandar (Shafie) will handle the rural areas. And Menteri Sekuriti will handle the gangsters."

Everyone had a good laugh, especially when Zahid claimed that some of the gangs are trying to escape into Thailand.

"Don't worry, we will stop them at the border, ask them to remove their shirts to check their tattoos," he said to more laughter.

The trio have been campaigning as a team despite denying being a team and there have been calls to maintain the status quo at the VP level.

But laughs aside, the status quo campaign line for the VPs has not gone down well among the Umno delegates, especially those in the urban states.

There have been rumblings among Federal Territory Umno delegates after secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor reportedly asked them to retain the three VPs.

Some felt that as the secretary-general, Tengku Adnan should stay above the fray.

But it has since been claimed it was only a "suggestion" on Tengku Adnan's part.

There was also an attempt by a state chief to get his division leaders to take a stand to endorse the incumbents. But the move failed after some of the division chiefs refused on the grounds that it would not go down well with their grassroots.

More recently, a macho division warlord from Perak had wanted to issue a statement that his division wants to endorse Zahid, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad for the VP post.

But he had to abort his plan after receiving phone calls from top leaders telling him not to do that. He toed the line but was quite cheesed-off.

It is quite clear by now that the three incumbents do enjoy the backing of the top leadership.

The three incumbents are all closely linked to Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Zahid and Shafie were in the Youth wing with Najib during his time as Umno Youth leader.

As for Hishammuddin, blood is thicker than water.

Najib feels comfortable with them and they have worked well together.

More important, none of the three look like the sort who will go against him should the going get rough in the years ahead.

In the past, this sort of endorsement from the top would have guaranteed a win. But times have changed.

The Umno ground especially in the urban divisions, has grown more discerning and demanding of what they want out of their leaders.

Their assessment of a leader is not based solely on what the top man says but also based on how they view the performance and personality of the those vying for posts.

"It is no more like the old days where you tell, they follow. The more you pressure, the more people will be unhappy.

"You can give hints but people don't like it if you tell them do this, don't do that," said deputy Kapar Umno chief Datuk Faizal Abdullah.

Some of the delegates even have their own KPIs for the VP candidates who are ministers and not all of them have passed.

Another important factor is how well candidates have defended the party, the Malays and the religion.

Finally, the candidates are assessed on how friendly and approachable they have been.

This is where the ministers come under great scrutiny because even though they are up there they are expected to be accessible to the Umno rank and file.

The push to maintain the VP status quo looks like it is on the point of backfiring.

The feedback is that delegates resent being told what to do or who to vote for. They said the new election system is meant to give the party grassroots greater say on who they want as their leaders.

The more thinking delegates said that such instructions from the top "insults our intelligence".

"It's very hard to read the VP race. All I can say is that my friends inside and also outside Umno are looking at Zahid and Mukhriz but anything can happen," said Faizal.

The official road show for candidates to meet the delegates begins tomorrow.

These party-organised affairs have been criticised by some as undemocratic but the rules were made with good intentions.

They are aimed at reducing the opportunities for money politics.

But the focus of many candidates are on the four big states – Johor, Sabah, Perak and Selangor.

The big four have a total of 97 divisions, which is more than the total tally of 94 divisions in the rest of the states.

Those hoping for hints on the eventual outcome of the VP race will be closely following the road show.

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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