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Opposition will clinch the popular vote in the 13 th GE

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 12:35 PM PDT

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Joe Fernandez

Familiarity breeds contempt.

There's no doubt whatsoever that Umno/BN is very unpopular notwithstanding attempts by it to bribe its way back into power with the people's money. If there needs to be a basis for comparison we can use Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the opposition.

The Opposition in general and the PR Opposition Alliance in particular will clinch the popular vote come the 13th General Election. On paper, Umno/BN can win 112 seats in Parliament by getting as little as 18.9 per cent of the votes cast because there are many tiny seats in Malaysia like Putrajaya which has only 15,000 voters. But they won't have a moral mandate to rule.

PR has a very short history unlike Umno/BN which has had plenty of practice over the last 56 years rubbing people the wrong way.

There's universal unhappiness with Umno/BN and that includes the Malays who, except for government jobs, free degrees, subsidies and handouts and a few ringgit in Amanah Saham Bumiputera, have nothing more than the proverbial shirts on the backs. Handouts are something to be ashamed about. It simply shows that the Malays, after 56 years of rule by a Melayu Umno Government, have degenerated into a community of beggars, forever dependent on the Government.

So, it can be said that the great majority of the Malays are very unhappy with Umno/BN. Even then, let's keep on the safe side given the propaganda on bangsa, agama dan negara and confusion and assume that 60 per cent of the Malay votes cast will be for Umno/BN. That's 9 per cent more than in 2008.

The great majority of the Chinese are very unhappy with Umno/BN. In 2008, the figure was 65 per cent. This time, it will be at least 70 per cent of the Chinese votes cast going against Umno/BN. Since Umno can no longer command the undivided support of the Malays, the Chinese see no reason to back the parties claiming to represent the non-Malays in the BN.

An Umno/BN Government not in the interest of Indians

The great majority of the Indians are very unhappy with Umno/BN. In 2008, it was an unprecedented 85 per cent voting against Umno/BN.

This time, it's said the underclass Indians in particular have cooled down somewhat despite Umno/BN still not doing anything for them. It's more like that they have given up on politics and government.

It would be interesting to know what percentage of the Indians registered as voters the last time turned out to vote. Was it a higher percentage than in 2004?

A higher voter turnout means the people are angry and therefore the Government of the Day would be in trouble.

An Umno/BN Gov't is not in the best interest of Indians.

Indians suffered 56 years of internal colonization under Umno/BN. Even now, Umno/BN is just bullshitting the Indians because the racist civil service doesn't release funds to Indians despite public pledges by the politicians. It's more important to throw out Umno/BN than for the Indian underclass to quarrel with PR over the Hindraf Blueprint.

Many underclass Indians are stateless and can't vote

It's not in the Indian interest to "destroy" PR.

Anyway, the Indians – the underclass in particular -- have to decide which way their bread can be buttered.

If they decide wrongly, they will have to live with the consequences for 5 years, hopefully not another 50 years.

Abstaining will deny PR the Indian votes needed and help BN to "win".

Indians must speak with one voice i.e. the Indians in general and members of the underclass who are not stateless.

Divided they would be that much weaker.

Indians can't be rooting for Umno/BN after having suffered internal colonization under them for 56 years. Indians will get a great benefit by voting for PR: they will be able to get rid of Umno/BN once and for all. That benefit itself is enough for the moment.

The enemy (PR) of my enemy (Umno/BN) is my friend.

Fortunately for PR, many Indian underclass are stateless and can't vote while others and Indians in general may not entirely root for Umno/BN despite the Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia (PHM) or Hindraf Malaysia Association (Himas) urging them to do so in return for the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed too little too late with them by the outgoing ruling coalition. Many hardcore Hindraf Makkal Sakthi (HMS or Hindraf) activists themselves are taking an apolitical approach in line with the ad hoc apolitical human rights people's movement's objectives despite Himas claiming ownership of Hindraf.

Sarawak has historical opportunity to secede before May 5 or after

The issue before the electorate for the 13th GE: no party or coalition of parties should be in power for more than two or three terms at a stretch.

The BN has been in power, by hook and by crook, for 56 years and should be asked to go, to be replaced by the Opposition.

The BN's by hook or by crook methods are no longer working.

The likely results, according to my Crystal Ball, come the 13th GE to be held on May 5:

BN 107 parliamentary seats (Umno Malaya 53 + Sabah Umno 12; other BN in Malaya 12; other Sabah BN 6; Sarawak BN 24).

(Note 1: BN will probably try to form a Minority Gov't on the grounds that PR is not a registered organisation and that it (BN) holds the single largest block of votes in Parliament, if not try to hand over power to the Army in the face of imminent UN Sanctions and withdrawal of diplomatic representation by Commonwealth and many countries, if Dap or Pas refuses to abandon PKR and join the BN Government and Sarawak BN decides to secede – "it now or never" -- or remain neutral to wrest greater political concessions for "Sarawak".)

(Note 2: If it doesn't secede (it's now or never), Sarawak BN 24 will either remain neutral or support PR "at a price" to form the Federal Government. PR Prime Minister will be from PKR since it will have more seats than Pas and PKR/Pas combined will have more seats than Dap. Pas will support PKR to hold the Prime Minister's post. Sarawak BN too will support PKR for the Prime Minister's post if it comes to a count.)

It's in the interest of a 3rd Force to have a Hung Parliament

DAP 49 (Malaya 41; Sabah 2; Sarawak 6)

PKR 31 (29 Malaya + 1 Sarawak + 1 Sabah)

(Sabah Umno 12 and 10 Umno in Malaya likely to support PKR after the GE)

Pas 25 (Malaya)

Star 5 (Sabah) – from United Borneo Alliance (United Borneo Front 3; Usno 2)

(Other Sabah BN 6 likely to support Star)

Independents 5 (Malaya)

(MIC will collapse completely if it fails to retain at least 2 of its parliamentary seats)

Note: Both BN and PR will have to focus on the 3rd Force -- Sabah, Sarawak, Sabahans and Sarawakians in Malaya, Orang Asli, Christians in Malaya, other minorities, fence sitters, Indian underclass and other Indians --  some of the seats likely to be won by Usno and Star, if not woo them.

It's in the interest of the 3rd Force to ensure that the next Parliament is a Hung one.  However, it's not in their interest for PKR to swallow Umno or vice versa. We don't want a repeat of Umno Baru swallowing Semangat '46.

Brave New World from creative destruction and chaos

The State Reform Party (Star) in Sabah and Sarawak is taking the "better safe than sorry" position and maintaining that it really doesn't know who will form the Government in Putrajaya on May 5.

It could be, according to Star strategists and insiders, any number of combinations:

(a) Umno/Hindraf-BN Borneo-3rd Force;

(b) Umno/Hindraf-BN Borneo-3rd Force-Dap;

(c) BN/Hindraf;

(d) PR-BN Sarawak;

(e) PR-Umno Sabah;

(f) PR-BN Sarawak-Umno Sabah;

(g) PR-BN Sarawak-Umno Sabah-3rd Force; or

(h) any other combination of parties.

A New Order for a brave, new world can only come out of creative destruction and chaos.

All Governments are Evil and must be constantly cut down to size

If Umno/BN manages to form a Minority Government, come May 5, or a simple majority government – with or without the popular vote – it should share Federal Cabinet and Government posts with the Opposition without the necessity of a Coalition Government. In Parliament, they would continue to sit at the opposite poles.

Sharing the Government will be a pre-emptive strike, preventing the Opposition from taking to the streets and occupying Dataran Merdeka to launch a Malaysian Spring. The Opposition will take this approach if it's convinced that Umno/BN cannot be overthrown at the ballot box.

If the Opposition forms a simple majority government, it can "return the favour" although it has pledged to conduct due diligence of Umno/BN's 56 years in power; audit all development plans of the previous government for corruption elements; and review or scrap Umno/BN development plans as and when deemed necessary.

Royal Fugitive Blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin wrote in http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/56233-in-this-game-of-thrones  "Remember one more thing. There is no such thing as a good government, never mind which government you choose. All governments are bad. And the longer they remain in power the worse they become (as Barisan Nasional and many other governments all over the world that have been in power for too long have proven). The only thing is how do we prevent the bad government from being bad? That is what you and I must now concentrate on."

That's a gross understatement on his part sitting in comfort or otherwise in England.

All Governments are Evil and must be constantly cut down to size and thrown out every term so that the people can be safe from the scoundrels – Jeffrey Kitingan, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Bernard Giluk Dompok, Daniel Tajem, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Khairy Jamaluddin, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Nik Aziz, Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waythamoorthy and his bosom pal Najib Abdul Razak excluded -- who call themselves politicians as a first resort.

Except for Najib, Nurul, Khairy, LGE and Razaleigh, those named are in politics as a last resort. The jury is still out on whether those named are scoundrels or otherwise.

Whether a threat or a vow, Hudud is of no consequence

Democracy is all about the right of the majority in Parliament to rule and the right of the minority -- not the Opposition in Parliament -- i.e. the losing votes in an election to be heard. Under our first past the post system, the voice of the minority is not heard. The majority cannot be viewed in terms of the 55 per cent Malay majority and neither can the minority be viewed in terms of the 45 per cent non-Malay minorities.

Pas has not threatened to implement Hudud. It has vowed to implement it. The Government should cower in fear of the people and not vice versa.

Whether a threat or a vow, Hudud is of no consequence.

Hudud and creeping Islamisation are not only against the Constitution of Malaysia and the 1963 Malaysia Agreement; it's against the vested interests who will not hesitate to take out the pro-Hudud lobby.

We cannot in law and the Constitution have two separate criminal systems to judge the same people -- i.e. Malaysians -- for a crime. The idea that Hudud would only be for Muslims is therefore nonsensical. No Government in Malaysia, even with a two-thirds majority, can amend the secular Constitution and implement Hudud.

The great flaw in Islamic and Chinese legal systems is that they are based on the naive idea that "if headache, pass a law to cure it. If toothache, pass a law to sure it." That's Rule by Law.

Modern law is based on jurisprudence, principles and maxims. So-called Islamic jurisprudence discredits itself when it draws from wahy (divine revelation). That's Rule by Law. God cannot choose to hide himself from mankind for all eternity and claim to rule Earth. The Earth is ruled by man. Man subscribes to the Rule of Law.

Having said that, Pas is neither about religion nor about Islam but politics.

I will be glad if May 5 is the beginning of our "problems".  Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has publicly pledged that Sarawak will have a new Chief Minister after May 5. Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has been cowering in fear since that public pledge.

Detention or house arrest of Taib pre-emptive strike to prevent secession

I hope that May 5 is not at all about self-preservation (the more things appear to change, the more they remain the same). It's said that change comes but seldom, but when it comes it's sudden. In physics, we learn about resistance in the Law of Inertia: A body at rest tends to stay at rest, unless acted upon by external forces. A body in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted upon by external forces.

If Sarawak wants to capitalize on the political disunity in Malaya and the weakness of Putrajaya, the State Assembly should preferably pass a Resolution before May 5 to secede; in which case it would automatically be out of the 13th General Election, although it can also pass the said Resolution after that date. This assumes that the members of the State Assembly are not rounded up before May 5 and detained. Alternatively, the detention or "house arrest" of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud alone should be sufficient to get the State Assembly members in line.

Sarawak's secession, if any, before May 5 should not bring the 13th GE to a screeching halt in Malaya and the declaration of a State of Emergency. The GE in Sabah should be terminated.

Sabah became independent on 31 Aug, 1963 and Sarawak on 22 July, 1963.

The Federal Government has been in non-compliance on the 1963 Malaysia Agreement and other constitutional documents on Malaysia which supposedly came into being on 16 Sept, 1963. Both the governments of Sabah and Sarawak will be super rich when these two Borneo nations are no longer in Malaysia. Their peoples will be ten times better off than they are now.

For another theory on the 13th GE see the following which I didn't read: http://abrahampenrose.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/ge13-malaysia-forecast-using-the-uniform-swing-theory/


Joe Fernandez is a graduate mature student of law and an educationist, among others, who loves to write especially Submissions for Clients wishing to Act in Person. He also tutors at local institutions and privately. He subscribes to Dr Stephen Hawking's "re-discovery" of the ancient Indian theory that "the only predictable property of the universe is chaos". He feels compelled, as a semi-retired journalist, to put pen to paper -- or rather the fingers to the computer keyboard -- whenever something doesn't quite jell with his weltanschauung (worldview) or to give a Hearing to All. He shuttles between points in the Golden Heart of Borneo formed by the Sabah west coast, Labuan, Brunei, northern Sarawak and the watershed region in Borneo where three nations meet. He's half-way through a semi-autobiographical travelogue, A World with a View.


 

The Reality

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 12:21 PM PDT

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You know I have heard many times how people are saying it will be the same whoever we vote for. I beg to differ. 20 years ago it might be the same but today looking at how other countries who were once on par with us and are now a hundred steps ahead of us do make a difference. 

PY 

A vote for stability or a vote for growth and change? Personally this General Election has made me think very deeply as to what do I actually want for myself and for our country. No doubt everyone wants a stable and easy life but think deeper and ask yourself is that enough? I am no judge but I believe our votes this time round reflects our livelihood. Either we have been poisoned to the core to believe that stability is all we can have OR we are awaken by the truth making us hungry for growth and change which in turns brings true stability. 

 

You know I have heard many times how people are saying it will be the same whoever we vote for. I beg to differ. 20 years ago it might be the same but today looking at how other countries who were once on par with us and are now a hundred steps ahead of us do make a difference. It ignites the fire in us wondering why we are left so far behind. What did we do wrong for the past 50 odd years? And is there no cure? 

My dear Malaysians, 

Times have changed. In this era of technology advancement, we are no longer katak di bawah tempurung (Like frog underneath coconut shell). Every move a person makes, we can see and know very clearly. It is a little scary but it also allows us to see the on-goings and correct the wrongs we have done for the many years we have lived. And if we are clean, we won't be afraid to be seen naked. Now with all the articles in the tabloids, read carefully to see what is the difference with the ruling government and the opposition. Which of the two cares for the rakyat and which only cares for themselves? Those in power are they qualified to be holding the important positions in the government or are there be better candidates out there? I am not here to put down either sides but I am making use of this technology advancement to show you the truth. Sometimes, the care shown might just be a chess move to trick us. As they say, anything to stay in power. 
 

 

Eve of GE-13 demands our prayers

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 12:18 PM PDT

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The post-GE-13 outcome or eventuality is also beginning to grip the citizens with deep seated concerns and fears. 
J. D. Lovrenciear
The foregone conclusion on the lips of all thinking and feeling rakyat is that GE-13 is going to be the most fiercely fought battle in the Parliamentary history of Malaysian politics since the times of its independence.

But what is even more disturbing – unprecedented if you may, is the fact that the post-GE-13 outcome or eventuality is also beginning to grip the citizens with deep seated concerns and fears.

Already, some high-ranking Concerned Citizens' Group has penned the very fears in an Open Letter recently. And all of their expressed concerns are not farfetched going by overdose of threats, warnings, the bitter exchanges and gutter politicking we have to put up with so far.

Do we commoners want the country to plunge into darkness simply because of the outcome of the GE-13?  

It is certainly not, for all right thinking and patriotic citizens. But the politicians do not seem to think along similar wavelengths, do they?

It is clear as daylight that BN is not prepared to accept the realities of the day that its popularity is sinking; that the kind of support that it enjoyed in the past decades is not anymore the same today coupled with the highest number of breakaway top contenders standing as independents.

Meanwhile, the opposition pact is cognizant of its growing support – seen by the migration of BN's Who's Who in recent weeks, as well as the ever growing numbers cheering them onwards at the ceremahs with the rakyat's willingness to dip into their pockets and help cover some of the costs of election campaigns.

In the meantime, fire bombs and explosives as well as buring of vehicles and fist-fights are emerging, fueling ever more suspicions.

Much as no patriotic citizens will wish for, there is that gnawing and widely traded talk of a fear of that probability, i.e. that BN political warnings and threats of chaos and even a repeat of the bloody May 13, may be forced to become a reality in an eventuality that BN loses the elections.

That in itself explains the very fragile circumstances under which this general election is being held. So what else can we do as caring concerned citizens of this country when politicians are sharpening their weapons?

It is time for a national congregation of all faiths to pray for peace, common sense and harmony. Perhaps we should do it in the open and all across the nation at an appointed time well before we go to the polls. 

Let the leaders of the respective religions lead their congregation in turns at these public assemblies in prayer. Let no politician hijack this moment of submission of the nation's pleas heaven-wards; and ceratinly let no authority clamp down this event with falsehood fears of security risks.

When the future of a nation is being marred by the sheer quest for continuing power; when shameless determination is the war-game to siege and control at all costs over the citizens' dead bodies and crushed bones; when God and religion are made into political pawns; when race and suspicion are brewed together – it calls for a nationwide congregation of all faiths in the open and together, as they convene to pray in their own tongues for blessings and protection from heaven above.

Will the leaders of all the various faiths agree to lead this nation of people in prayer when all our politicians and their parties are fighting a do-or-die battle? Or will they conveniently shy away with claims that they are already praying in their own places of worship?
  
Let us send a strong message to the powers that be: That Malaysians are no chicken ready for the slaughter and neither are they dead horses to be flogged. Let us in unision convey that uncompromised message that Malaysians are living in harmony and respect for each other's race and religion contrary to what the political masters are peddling ceaselessly. Let us decisively tell the politicians that come what the outcome of GE-13 be, we Malaysians are not traitors to this land and king – as what the politicians would want others to believe.

Let us show the world that when the going gets tough, the tough get going and that is Malaysians. Are we game? Or will we see our congretaion leaders back-peddling by harping a tune of "politics and religion do not mix".

This is not the seasn to be wayside observers. This is not the moment for a wait-and-see-first disposition. We need to pray as one nation of people in the wake of this threat to our democracy.

 

Which Party Should Sabahans Vote For?

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 11:53 AM PDT

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I asked an old friend some time ago why he was still stuck with BN when he himself had so many grouses and complaints against them. His answer was grim and sinister. He said: "BN will do this to me", as he slit his throat with the tip of his fingers in mockery. 

Jaikol Situn, Barrister-at-Law (Gray's Inn); LLM; LLB; BA (Hons)

I asked an old friend some time ago why he was still stuck with BN when he himself had so many grouses and complaints against them. His answer was grim and sinister. He said: "BN will do this to me", as he slit his throat with the tip of his fingers in mockery. I got his message loud and clear. Once you are in BN, you will find it almost impossible to get out. From his expression, it is almost like joining a cult or mob, for that matter. If you try to desert them, beware. They will hunt you down.

Then again, those who have had enough of BN government typified by UMNO, believe that only a handful of people have really benefited. It is an all too familiar decree once used by autocratic regimes such as the Tsar of Russia, Shah of Iran, and Louis XVI of France where only the elites, middle-class and, or select few comprising cronies, and so-called die-hard supporters were richly rewarded, while the rest live in poverty, mediocrity or total subjugation.

By favouring certain classes of people, these regimes were able to rein in the helpless and powerless majority much like a feudal system of a bygone era where the high and mighty oppress the masses. All these regimes have one thing in common: they use fear, threats and intimidation to create a society that is dependent on government as the sole provider and, or savior, perhaps, even above the Almighty. Would you vote for such a party? Let me rephrase this question. Would you vote for a party, any party, in cahoots with such a regime?

Why not PR? Well, you do not have to go inside the party to know what it is all about. PR is the epitome of the English saying: "Too many cooks spoil the broth". Let us start with PAS. I must admit I am not well versed in their ideology, but, from my own research and observation, it seems to be suffering from a serious form of identity crisis. One moment it appears to champion the cause of Muslim brotherhood, the next it is seems to do the opposite. In the 1980s, it was perceived as a radical Muslim party but it has been trying to rebrand itself as a moderate party in recent years in the hope of making it more attractive to non-Muslims and fit in the fragile PR coalition. However, its hard line stance on Hudud Law has reared up once again. It is easy to see why the party is uncompromising in its advocacy for the promotion of this ancient law in a country that is only 55-60% Muslim. After all, it draws 100% of its support from Muslim Malaysians, particularly traditional Malays. I would not vote for such a party, if I were you.

Let us move on to DAP. I am inclined to think that this party is somewhat like the Kuomintang that fled China in 1900s to escape from the Communists. Yet, it has socialist ideals and claims to be a democratic party, a democratic socialist party, rather, according to its founder Lim Kit Siang. History has proven that the infusion of socialist elements into a democratic system is not always workable, as the Labour Party of Great Britain has bitterly learnt. In fact it was the reason for the DAP election fiasco in December 2012. DAP is ruled by a Central Executive Committee (CEC) much like the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Peoples' Republic of China, making it vulnerable to manipulation, power struggle, and non-transparent decision-making processes thus negating its democratic values. It must have been such an embarrassing episode for Lim Guan Eng that the party almost could not field its candidates under its own symbol in this Malaysian general election and all because of his heavy-handedness in the DAP election. Would I want to vote for such a party? I might if I were a West Malaysian.

PKR is a party that does not seem to have a Plan B, C or D in place. Everything it once abhorred about UMNO seems to be have been gladly embraced and/or condoned; cronyism and favoritism for instance. It now looks as if it is the reincarnation of UMNO in so many respects. Major decisions appear to be made arbitrarily and/or at the spur of the moment. Can someone tell me who PKR's actual leader is? Is it Wan Azizah, Anwar or Azmin? Little wonder why you may appreciate that there is some truth in my earlier article entitled "Beaten by a sucker punch". Just look at PKR Sabah. It is in shambles, to put it mildly. 

I could be wrong of course, come 6th May when the full election results are known. But must we remind their leaders again and again that PKR and PR may be good for West Malaysians, but not necessarily for Sabahans and Sarawakians, because regardless of political allegiance, East Malaysians and West Malaysians harbour a mutual distrust or mistrust for each other? Just ask Anwar and Ansari, or Najib and Taib, or Pairin and Mahathir. Outwardly, they are all playing wayang kulit or false pretences but deep within, they are not. It goes without saying that you cannot trust anybody in politics.


Why not SAPP? I have some good words for SAPP not merely because of the fact that it is anti-BN or that it is not so lovey-dovey to PR, but it is a Sabah-based party. What actually puts me off this party is that, I see it more as a Chinese-based party although it claims to be multi-racial, hence, yet another party suffering from identity crisis. This will be its Achilles' Heel during the election as the Chinese community would be unsure which Chinese or Chinese-based party is best for them. Would it be DAP, or SAPP?

What is left requires no formal introduction. You may say my reason for choosing STAR is pretty obvious. My dear sister, Juliana Situn, is contesting as a parliamentary candidate for P179 Ranau, my hometown. And surely my patient readers would agree with me that blood is thicker than water. But then again, I do have other valid reasons. During one of my visits to Ranau recently, I was amazed by spontaneous peoples' support that was only reminiscent of that of PBS in 1985. Remember, nobody gave PBS a chance in 1985 but it defied all expectations.

STAR (Sabah Chapter) of today is the rebirth of PBS of 1985, period. I am under the impression that it has well-defined goals, agenda and manifestos thanks to the excellent vision of its leader who was once the brain of Huguan Siou Pairin himself and PBS. By the way, when I speak of PBS I also mean to include UPKO and PBRS. I have been a PBS supporter all my life until one fine day I said enough is enough. PBS now is nothing like PBS of 1985, the party which captured the people's imagination across the State. PBS now is like a steamship that is waiting to be grounded due to old age. Either its engine requires a complete overhaul or the hull badly needs a massive facelift. The good old days are long gone. The only thing that keeps it afloat is the resolute determination of HS Pairin who is 72 years old. Were he to go one day, do I see any deputies qualified take over, let alone to tie his shoe laces?

The Malay and Chinese voters may not find STAR appealing but given a party that is beset by internal problems such as PKR, or a party that has long overstayed its welcome such as UMNO, or a party that has outlived its purpose such as PBS, UPKO and PBRS, or a party suffering from identity crisis like SAPP, or a party that is more West-Malaysian oriented such as DAP and PAS, I would rather support STAR. So, if you love Sabah, you know which party to support and vote for on 5th May 2013. INI KALILAH, KITA AMBIL BALIK!

 

Anwar demands proof of Sulu allegations by defence minister

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 02:32 AM PDT

(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim has demanded proof behind allegations by Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that the opposition was involved in the Sulu gunmen intrusion in Lahad Datu in February.

"I would like to know what so-called proof do they have. It seems that the opposition is blamed for everything - the next time Manchester United loses, they will say it is our fault," he said at a ceramah at the house of Beaufort PKR candidate Datuk Lajim Ukin here.

He alleged that Mr Zahid's statement that three opposition leaders were involved in the intrusion was yet another attempt to link him to the intrusion.

Mr Anwar added he had no issues with the Sulus, some of whom provided vital labour for Sabah's construction sector.

"The Sulu people are not our enemies. But we stand against any form of terrorism," he added.

Mr Anwar's remarks came as PKR member Darell Leiking claimed he might be named as one of three opposition members Mr Zahid said were involved. The defence minister had said authorities had evidence that the unnamed trio were the culprits behind the intrusion that decimated two villages and killed 10 Malaysian servicemen.

Mr Darell said he might be one of the three names, as he had made a trip to Manila before the February intrusion with PKR leaders R. Sivarasa and Tian Chua.

He said the trip had nothing to do with the Sulus but that they were there to get information on wanted conman Manuel Amalilio, who is accused of cheating 1 billion ringgit (S$407 million) from thousands of Filipinos and now jailed for two years in Sabah for holding a fake Philippines passport.

"We condemn the Sulu incursion and we hope no one distorts the facts to make us look bad," said Mr Darell who is embroiled in a David-and-Goliath match with seasoned Kadazandusun chief Tan Sri Bernard Dompok for the Penampang parliamentary seat in Sabah.

Mr Darell urged the authorities to publicly name the three opposition leaders accused of the plot so they can defend themselves in court.

 

Tycoon dodges millions in land tax

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 11:33 PM PDT

Mark Baker, The Age

One of Asia's richest tycoons has avoided tax on tens of millions of dollars in profits from Australian property deals over the past two decades.

Onn Mahmud - brother of the billionaire chief minister of Sarawak - has used an elaborate global financial network to export his earnings from a portfolio of Sydney commercial and residential properties worth an estimated $100 million.

In one deal, Mr Onn sold an apartment development site in Sydney's Potts Point for $15.5 million in 2007 - realising a profit of $10.8 million. A former senior business associate of Mr Onn said no capital gains tax was paid on the deal and all of the proceeds were transferred to a trust based in the Cayman Islands tax haven.

''All his operations were carefully structured to ensure that he paid no tax in Australia,'' said Farok Abdul Majeed, who ran Mr Onn's Sydney property deals for several years.

Documents obtained by Fairfax Media indicate that Mr Onn gave conflicting information to authorities to secure an Australia business visa and build the property portfolio he ran through Cayman Island trusts managed by merchant bankers Merrill Lynch in the Isle of Man.

Mr Abdul Majeed is fighting to recover millions of dollars he claims to be owed in unpaid fees, commissions and expenses. Leading architects Crone Partners also claim to be owed more than $500,000.

Onn Mahmud is reported to be the second-richest person in Malaysia with a fortune in excess of $2 billion - most of it drawn from deals involving timber exports that have decimated the tropical rainforests of Sarawak.

Mr Onn's wife and children live in a mansion in Carrara Road, Vaucluse, with sweeping views across Sydney Harbour, but he spends most of his time in Singapore and Malaysia.

His 2002 business visa application was sponsored by Ryan Park Limited and three associated companies which he and his family controlled: Ferncroft Limited, Golden Arrow Limited and Cherry Blossom Limited.

In the application, Mr Onn said Ryan Park and the other companies had invested more than $50 million in Sydney real estate. Mr Abdul Majeed said he believed Mr Onn's total property investments in Australia were double that amount.

Ryan Park's Australian Business Number registration describes it as an ''Australian private company'' but it has no record with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and was in fact registered in the Cayman Islands in 1991 as a ''non-resident'' entity.

In March 2007, executives of Merrill Lynch swore in a statutory declaration in the Isle of Man that Ryan Park was ''an unregistered foreign company'' that ''does not carry on business in Australia''.

Ryan Park and the three other companies also registered in the Cayman Islands were struck off the islands' company register several years ago.

The property portfolio assembled by Mr Onn between the early 1990s and 2007 included a hotel and restaurant complex in central Sydney and an office building in Elizabeth Street, Sydney, which was sold in 2005 for a profit believed to be in excess of $5 million.

Mr Abdul Majeed, a Malaysian-born property development and project management consultant, has resumed legal action to recover more than $5 million he claims to be owed by Mr Onn.

In August 2007, a NSW Supreme Court judge ordered Mr Onn to pay $2.2 million to Mr Abdul Majeed for outstanding fees and commissions. The order was discontinued after he failed to appear at a subsequent hearing at which the order was challenged by Mr Onn's lawyers.

Mr Onn did not respond to a series of questions from Fairfax Media sent to his Singapore lawyers last week.

 

Husam Musa: Pakatan boleh menang hingga 122 kerusi Parlimen

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 09:44 PM PDT

(Sinar Harian) - Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yakin akan memperolehi tambahan lima kerusi Parlimen berbanding 118 yang dijangkakan sebelum ini, kata Naib Presiden Pas, Datuk Husam Musa.

Beliau berkata demikian apabila mendapat 'berita' berdasarkan pada perkembangan semasa menjelang hari pengundian 5 Mei.

"Sebelum ini 118 kerusi di seluruh negara, saya tak suka main dengan angka.

"...tetapi kita baru dapat maklumat dari 'sebelah sana', kita akan dapat 122 kerusi pada pilihan raya ini," kata beliau kepada 5,000 hadirin yang mendengar ceramahnya, di sini, malam tadi.
Ceramah itu turut dihadiri Mursyidul Am Pas, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, dan Naib Presiden PKR, Nurul Izzah Anwar.

Mengulas lanjut, Husam yang juga calon Putrajaya dan Dun Salur berkata rakyat tidak perlu takut kepada pemimpin Umno dalam usaha mereka melahirkan sokongan kepada PR pada PRU kali ini.

Katanya, rakyat mempunyai kuasa untuk memilih pemimpin sama ada mengekalkan atau menjatuhkannya.

"...Tengku Adnan lagi takut pada kita (rakyat), fasal kita ramai.

"Kuasa ada pada kita, kita akan jatuhkannya pada 5 Mei nanti, kenapa nak takut?," kata Husam yang mencabar Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Dalam pada itu, Husam turut menekankan mengenai manifesto PR termasuk isu tol, minyak dan sebagainya.

Husam juga mengulangi janjinya kepada warga Putrajaya untuk membantu menyelesaikan masalah yang ada di kawasan tersebut jika diberi mandat pada PRU13.

 

Temporary BN operations post in Kuantan torched

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 09:32 PM PDT

(The Star) - KUANTAN: A temporary Barisan Nasional operations post under a canopy in Kampung Padang here was torched in an apparent arson attack.

Taman Impianku Umno branch chairman Abdullah Mohd Sidek said the incident had happened at about 3.30am Saturday when several people nearby noticed the banners around the canopy were on fire.

"None of our workers were there at that time. The residents here were the ones who helped put out the fire," he said when contacted.

Abdullah said no one saw who had started the fire but they found a plastic bottle believed to have contained petrol.

He said several banners, flags, posters and parts of the canopy were scorched in the incident.

Abdullah said he had lodged a police report.

Meanwhile, Taman Impianku PKR deputy branch chief M. Manoharan said he and four campaign workers were at their operations room nearby and called for help when they saw the fire.

"What I am sure of is this is not the work of our members. We are all from the same neighbourhood and get along well with each other," he said when met at the scene.

When contacted, Kuantan OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Jasmani Yusoff (picture) declined to comment.

 

Name the three, Zahid told

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 06:08 PM PDT

PKR gives the defence minister 24 hours to reveal the opposition leaders purportedly behind the Sabah intrusion.

(FMT) - PKR has given Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi 24-hours to reveal the identity of three opposition leaders said to be behind the Lahad Datu intrusion by Sulu rebels some two month ago.

PKR vice president N Surendran challenged Zahid to come clean and name the three opposition leaders as claimed.

He was responding to a statement by Zahid yesterday that three opposition leaders are behind the Lahad Datu intrusion.

Surendran claimed that the statement was an attempt to cause political damage to Pakatan Rakyat — the opposition coalition made up of PAS, PKR and DAP — as Zahid failed to provide any evidence to support his allegation.

"I challenge Zahid to immediately name the so-called three opposition leaders involved with the Lahad Datu incident within 24-hours.

"Failure to reveal the names and evidence will be proof of irresponsible slander," said Surendran.

Zahid said on Friday the ministry had enough evidence to link the three – two from Peninsular Malaysia and one from Sabah — to the intrusion.

He said the evidence would be submitted to the Attorney General's office for further action after the general election.

Surendran also called on the BN leadership to stop slandering and engage in debates the with opponents instead.

 

‘Who killed Altantuya?’ billboards demolished

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 05:59 PM PDT

DAP's Chong Chieng Jen says the billboards were put up to send a simple but clear message to Najib Tun Razak.

Joseph Tawie, FMT

KUCHING: Three billboards with the words "Siapa bunuh Altantuya" that were erected in strategic points in conjunction with Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak's visit to Kuching today have been demolished.

DAP Bandar Kuching candidate Chong Chieng Jen said the billboards were torn down by Kuching South City council's enforcement officers last night.

Chong said the billboards were erected because the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case continues to remain a mystery.

"The motive of the murder still remains a mystery, and until now there is no answer as to who 'C-4' Altantuya," he said.

"I regret that last night, after we erected the three billboards, immediately two were taken down by the Kuching South City council enforcement officers.

"One of the officers of the city council who is working as an enforcement officer for Bandar Kuching went overboard in his action when he went to Stampin to dismantle the billboards. The Stampin constituency is not within his jurisdiction, so he has abused his power," he added.

Chong said the billboards were simple but contained a clear message for Najib regarding an innocent woman who had been murdered in the most cruel manner.

"We are not only concerned with the murder, but also with the implication of the murder on our security in the ministry of defence. The C4 explosives are only available from an army camp.

"A serious matter like this happened without an investigation being carried out. It is really ridiculous that we don't know when the bomb was missing and who the officer in-charge was," he added.

"So don't be too sensitive. This is the issue the people want to know and it will do justice to Altantuya and her family," he said.

The Mongolian national was murdered and her remains were destroyed with C-4 explosives in October 2006 in a deserted area in Shah Alam. The Shah Alam High court meted out the death sentence to two of the accused on April 9, 2009.

The case continues to make news due to the alleged involvement of persons close to Najib. The latter has denied any wrongdoing.

 

Professionalism missing in Malaysia's Sir Humphrey?

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 03:07 PM PDT

KTemoc Konsiders

There is yet another excellent article in Malaysiakini by Dr Bridget Welsh, an associate professor of political science at Singapore Management University. She is travelling around Malaysia to provide her GE13 analyses exclusively to Malaysiakini.

Her latest article is titled People or party? Wooing civil servants in which she wrote:

In caretaker Premier Najib Abdul Razak's political targeting, one group has received special attention - civil servants. Why would those in the heart of government garner such special focus for an election? The reality is that in Malaysia's close electoral races, civil servants can be decisive in shaping the final tallies. This is one of the groups that I will be highlighting as decisive in this campaign.

Over the past few years Najib's administration has worked to stem the erosion of support from his traditional base of government employees with mixed results.

Civil servants make up 1.4 million voters, or 10.5 percent of the electorate. The civil service is made up of senior appointments, the police, army personnel, teachers, and a variety of industrial and manual (IMG) groups. There are also an estimated 657,000 government pensioners.

There is an incorrect tendency to label all civil servants as pro UMNO, though it's true many are.

In fact, as mentioned by RPK, some civil servants provided (maybe still provide) him with information unfavourable to the BN government which they wanted exposed, indicating those civil servants were not supportive of BN.

My uncle who (postal) voted in 1969 as an army officer told me how a couple of army administrative officers (popularly known by the British Raj term of Admin-wallahs because our military was nurtured by the colonial British military), who administered the military postal voting process in May 1969, were urging the Malay soldiers to vote PAS and the non-Malays (in the non-RMR services) to vote DAP and Gerakan, wakakaka.

And as we have witnessed recently, PKR and PAS have a few senior (retired) military officers of flag rank (admiral, generals) in their membership. So not all civil servants or military members would automatically be pro UMNO. But to reiterate, the majority would be.

But yes, it can be said that most of the middle ranking and senior civil servants have favoured the conservative BN, in particular UMNO.

This is not be so strange as in most countries like Australia, Britain and USA, there is similar political proclivity, where their military stationed overseas would be expected to (postal) vote conservative (eg. Coalition in Australia, Conservative in Britain and Republican in USA), thus like their civilian counterparts, the military middle ranking and senior officers would be in general (but not completely) pro conservative (in Malaysia's case, UMNO).

But I want to talk about a couple of things regarding our very much bloated civil service, probably the biggest civil service per population in the world. The last statistic for the Malaysia Civil Service (MCS) that I know is 1.3 million, equating that to approximately 1 civil servant for every 23 Malaysian citizens.

On that basis we should be well served, but I doubt you'd agree to this.

READ MORE HERE

 

PKR beri Zahid 24 jam dedahkan pemimpin Pakatan yang dikatakan dalang insiden Lahad Datu

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 02:29 PM PDT

Mohd Farhan Darwis, TMI

PKR hari ini menggesa Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi untuk mendedahkan nama tiga pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yang dikatakan menjadi dalang kepada insiden pencerobohan di Lahad Datu.

Naib Presidennya, N. Surendran menegaskan sekiranya Ahmad Zahid (gambar) gagal mengemukakan nama-nama berkenaan, ia jelas menunjukkan itu adalah "fitnah" yang dimainkan Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN).

"Amat mengejutkan Zahid Hamidi gagal memberikan sebarang bukti untuk menyokong dakwaan liar dan berbahaya itu.

"Kenyataan itu jelas untuk menyebabkan kemusnahan politik kepada Pakatan Rakyat ketika menjelang pilihan raya umum ke 13 ini," kata Surendran dalam satu kenyataan hari ini.

Semalam, agensi berita nasional Bernama melaporkan Kementerian Pertahanan telah mengenalpasti tiga pemimpin pembangkang yang menjadi dalang kepada insiden pencerobohan kumpulan bersenjata di Lahad Datu, Sabah.

"Apa yang boleh saya katakan, dua daripada pemimpin pembangkang itu daripada Semenanjung dan seorang lagi daripada Sabah," katanya.

Ahmad Zahid bagaimanapun tidak mendedahkan nama pemimpin pembangkang tersebut, sebaliknya berkata pihaknya tidak mahu dianggap oleh sesetengah pihak tertentu sebagai permainan politik, maka segala tindakan akan dilakukan sejurus selepas pilihan raya umum ke-13.

Naib Presiden Umno itu juga menegaskan segala maklumat dan butir-butir mengenai dalang tersebut akan diserahkan kepada Pejabat Peguam Negara untuk tindakan selanjutnya

"Ia adalah cubaan untuk mengalih perhatian daripada kegagalan kerajaan BN menangani insiden Lahad Datu yang berlarutan sehingga beberapa bulan," tegas Surendran yang juga calon PKR bagi kerusi Parlimen Padang Serai.

 

Like BN, PAS should stop offering goodies

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 02:24 PM PDT

PR politicians must rise above the fray and explain their policies to win over support, not resort to inducements and handouts to get votes — which is their criticism of BN.

The Malaysian Insider

In the run up to GE13, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has criticised and continues to criticise Barisan Nasional (BN) for their bag of handouts and goodies for the electorate.

Not only that, PR slammed the Najib administration for the rising national debt and promised they would do better.

Last night, the PAS candidate for Putrajaya, Datuk Husam Musa, did better, he offered tax-free status to civil servants in Grade 41 and below.

Really, is that the way to go to win votes? Yes, it is an uphill battle in Putrajaya but is offering goodies or using Islam to say that taxes should only be collected from the rich the way to run a country?

He also promised to lower other taxes and reiterated the pledge to cut the four per cent interest for government housing loans.

All this is well and good in the heat of the election campaign. The stark reality is that this will add to the national debt unless PR can find ways of cutting the fat from the budget.

PR politicians must rise above the fray and explain their policies to win over support, not resort to inducements and handouts to get votes — which is their criticism of BN.

Otherwise, they are no different from BN and voters would go for the tried and tested rather than the promise of change. Or rather more handouts.

This isn't a battle of handouts and who is a better Santa Claus. This is a battle for a better Malaysia — something which both coalitions talk about but still resort to old ways of getting to it.

 

Hudud is PAS’s agenda, not Pakatan’s, says Mustafa

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 02:19 PM PDT

Mohd Farhan Darwis, TMI

Hudud is a PAS agenda and not Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) but the Islamist party will only implement the Islamic criminal law through democratic means when the coalition wins power, party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said today.

He said Umno has been using the Islamic law to trap PR component parties and show that there were differing views in the hope of wrecking the coalition.

"This is PAS's agenda and not PR's agenda. If PAS wants, we do it through the democratic process ... not automatically," Mustafa told a press conference at the PAS headquarters here.

"This is the reason Umno-BN is making this an issue. I plead to all PAS and DAP leaders to not continue disputing this issue in the media because it will enter into Umno's and BN's trap," he said, adding that the discussion must stop as the issue had been resolved last September.

Mustafa said his party acknowledged the DAP has never accepted hudud and the issue shows up the glaring difference between the two PR parties, but stressed that they had more things in common.

"There are differences, that we admit. And I can give a guarantee that the hudud issue will not split PAS and the other PR members.

"As it is we are quite united and we are always frank... our focus is to fight Umno, fight BN," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Election issues which could be decisive for parties

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 02:16 PM PDT

Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily

Election campaign activities are reaching a climax. PAS deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din's statement of implementing hudud laws if Pakatan Rakyat takes over the federal government even if the DAP opposes the move has allowed the BN, originally caught in a position of being attacked, to grab an opportunity to launch a counter-attack against Pakatan Rakyat.

Despite Haron later saying that the question of whether to implement hudud laws or not was the internal affairs of the three Pakatan component parties and thus should be negotiated and hudud laws are only applicable to Muslims, his earlier remarks have set off ripples and again brought the conflict between PAS and the DAP to the surface. 

DAP chairman Karpal Singh immediately issued a statement, stressing that the DAP firmly opposes to the establishment of an Islamic state and the implementation of hudud laws. Party parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang also pointed out that the implementation of hudud laws is just PAS's target and has never been an agreed political programme of Pakatan Rakyat.

It can be predicted that the BN will keep attacking Pakatan Rakyat on the issue as many Chinese of the older generation are still fear of an Islamic state and hudud laws. BN needs only to strengthen their fear to win their support.

However, BN has also made some mistakes that can be taken advantage of by Pakatan Rakyat. For instance, it is a mistake to allow controversial figure Datuk Zulkifli Noordin to contest the Shah Alam parliamentary seat as a "friend of the BN". The notorious Zulkifli is Perkasa's vice-president and his remarks insulting Hinduism had caused an uproar. Not only the Indian community dislikes him, the Chinese community also regards him as an extreme racist.

Similarly, infamous Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali will be contesting in Pasir Mas parliamentary constituency while BN candidate Che Johan Che Pa did not only withdraw from challenging him, but also openly pledged to support him. It has triggered strong dissatisfaction and criticisms in the Chinese community. Pakatan Rakyat even accused Che Johan of following the instructions of Umno and the so-called disciplinary action to be taken against him was just a show.

Chinese education is another issue affecting the voting tendency of the Chinese community. After the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) made five demands, DAP deputy chairman Tan Kok Wai said that it did not make sense and urged Dong Zong to stop the act and stand beside the DAP. BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak's political secretary Wong Nai Chee later accused Dong Zong of raising the threshold by demanding the replacement of SPM Bahasa Malaysia with UEC Bahasa Malaysia, causing an impasse to the recognition of UEC. Dong Zong urged Tan not ignore the role and independence of non-governmental organisations while accusing Wong of starting a rumour.

Obviously, Dong Zong's principle to go beyond political parties but not politics is favourable to neither the BN nor Pakatan Rakyat. However, if its demands are reasonable, political parties should respect and be co-operative instead of using the recognition of UEC and Chinese independent schools as political chips. Although the reputation of Dong Zong has somewhat faded over all these years, its status and influence in the Chinese community should not be underestimated. It is not wise to be hostile to Dong Zong.

As the election campaign intensifies, it is expected that issues like hudud laws and Chinese education will continue to ferment and even play a role in the voting trend. It is now up to political parties to take control of these issues and turn them in their favour.

 

Bishop jabs ‘Mat’ Tyson

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 01:55 PM PDT

Bishop Paul Tan has criticised Muhammad Muhammad Taib for his shocking remarks on the alleged Christian propensity for violence.

RK Anand, FMT

PAS' latest recruit has irked Bishop Paul Tan with his statement that Christians have done more killing in their time than the Muslims.

According to the head of the Johor and Malacca diocese, the remarks made by former Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib during a ceramah here was "the sort of statement one would expect from a wild-eyed radical living in Timbuktu rather than a member of a responsible political party."

In the course of remarks voiced in apparent regret that Islam had been misconstrued to be a militant religion, Muhammad Taib had said the misperception was the work of Jews and Caucasians who harbored evil intent against a peaceful religion.

Muhammad Taib – popularly known at 'Mat'  Tyson – then compared the track records of Christians and Muslims, claiming that the former had done more killing than the latter.

'Fantastic and shocking in their ignorance'

Commenting further, Tan said Muhammad's remarks were "fantastic and shocking in their ignorance".

The bishop added that he could not understand how a man of the former MB's stature could utter such patent nonsense.

READ MORE HERE

 

SAPP won’t support ‘any’ reverse takeover of Sabah

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 01:53 PM PDT

As far as SAPP is concerned, neither Sabah PKR and its NGO allies - PPPS and APS – nor STAR, will qualify to form the government irrespective of how they fare in the GE13. 

Quevllie To, FMT

KOTA KINABALU: A week into the campaign period, things are not looking comfortable for the Independents and at least one of the two registered local opposition parties.

Early indications are that SAPP is struggling to win over voters and its president Yong Teck Lee, a former Sabah chief minister, has shifted tactics and taken the fight to the national opposition front Pakatan Rakyat.

However, the party's manoeuvre may also be construed as helping the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition which is facing what appears to be a downslide in support.

He said that in the event the BN loses Putrajaya to Pakatan and consequently some of the Sabah Umno YBs defect to PAS and PKR to make up a majority of Sabah state seats, "SAPP will reject such reverse takeover of Sabah which replaces Umno with another Umno using 'frogs'".

"This is unacceptable as, it will do more harm to Sabah," said Yong.

He said that should the BN lose power at federal level on May 5, then it was probable that BN component parties like Upko, PBS and LDP would abandon the coalition paving the way for political autonomy at state level.

Yong, like other local politicians struggling to make their voices heard in an atmosphere of change in the state, said it would be a waste of time and effort for the people of Sabah to vote for those political parties which are not registered in Sabah, especially if they are contesting in the state constituencies.

This, he said, is because of a 1990 amendment to the Sabah Constitution which states that the leader of a political party that has won the majority of seats will be made the chief minister.

He noted that the amendment was made just before the PBS state government faced off against the Usno-LDP-AKAR pact in the state elections of 1990.

He said the amendment came about to prevent a repeat of the 1985 power grab by Berjaya and Usno assembly representatives who won a combined 22 seats as opposed to PBS's 25 seats out of a total of 48 at the time. One seat, Moyog, went to an independent.

"The effect is that for the purposes of forming the state government under the state constitution, the combined number of seats won by Usno, LDP and AKAR does not count as one bloc," said Yong.

"This is because Usno, LDP and AKAR were contesting as separate parties and not under one party with one common symbol.

"As far as the constitution is concerned, it is the political party that counts. Electoral pacts using different symbols by different parties do not count as one single entity under the law," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

New Malay dilemma: Stay with Umno or not?

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 12:11 PM PDT

But now that BN seems weakened, the Malays are getting cold feet

In a poll by the Merdeka Centre conducted in January and February, 72 per cent of Malays said the country was headed in the right direction, versus just 20 per cent of Chinese who felt that way. Asked if they were happy with the government, 63 per cent of Malays polled said they were, compared with 20 per cent of Chinese.

Reme Ahmad, ST

IN the 1999 general election, many Malays were upset with Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) over the sacking of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

But Chinese voters backed BN, arguing against changing a stable government that had grown the economy, never mind the perceived corruption in parts of the government.

Thirteen years later, the roles are reversed.

The issue of corruption is finding more resonance now with Chinese voters, many of whom are swinging towards Datuk Seri Anwar. That has given the opposition its best chance to topple the long-serving BN.

But now that BN seems weakened, the Malays are getting cold feet, some analysts say.

Indeed, many who had misgivings about BN earlier now seem to be rooting for it, according to several private pollsters and surveys by government agencies.

There are sound reasons for this.

Under BN, the Malay community's wealth and educational levels have risen sharply over the decades. Some Malays are also concerned that the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance, if it won power, would dilute Malay and Muslim rights.

"There is a long, deep-seated relationship between the Malay community and Umno," says Malaysian writer Karim Raslan.

Malays form 63 per cent of the country's population of 28.3 million.

In a poll by the Merdeka Centre conducted in January and February, 72 per cent of Malays said the country was headed in the right direction, versus just 20 per cent of Chinese who felt that way. Asked if they were happy with the government, 63 per cent of Malays polled said they were, compared with 20 per cent of Chinese.

Umno leaders have long been a steady presence in towns and villages, attending to community needs and winning the loyalty of Malay voters.

But this could be changing, Mr Raslan said, with younger Malays not as anchored to Umno.

Indeed, you might call this the New Malay Dilemma.

To be sure, reading the tea leaves on Malay sentiment isn't easy. Although they still embrace Umno, many are uncomfortable with its image as a party that has not always acted firmly against the corrupt.

The young and Internet-savvy avidly follow the scandals that have surrounded some BN figures, such as the one where a government soft loan to breed cows was ploughed into buying expensive real estate.

Urban Malays, along with the Chinese and Indians, are also irked by other issues - for instance, inflation and rising crime in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru.

Take Mr Muhammad Hafifi, 28, a former Penang factory worker who now helps his mother sell fruit in Simpang Ampat, Perlis.

Mr Muhammad gets his news from links provided by friends through Facebook postings.

There is a "big difference", he says, in how issues are discussed online and in the mainstream media.

His parents, he said, are for Umno, but he has yet to decide.

Still, the government is reasonably certain that come Election Day, Malays will still vote for Malaysia's Grand Old Party, Umno.

"We live comfortably in our country. I don't think we want to see problems with racial harmony, though I do know there are weaknesses in Barisan," said retail shop supervisor Embong Zahari, 48, in Alor Setar.

The Pakatan Rakyat has said it plans to ease affirmative action for Malays, and help everyone based on needs, not race.

But these are programmes that have also produced a surge in the number of Malay engineers, accountants and rich businessmen.

Some Malays are worried that the Chinese, who dominate business and the rich lists, would become even more dominant economically.

BN leaders such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have played up this fear of an end to affirmative action.

Dr Mahathir, 87, is a hero among rural Malays for taking the community out of poverty and overseeing the rise of Malaysia's prosperity.

The BN is tapping into these fears by - indirectly and directly - fielding two controversial candidates from Malay supremacy group Perkasa. Should they win, it would be a clear sign that the Malays are suspicious of PR's agenda.

And while Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) talks a lot about religion, there are Malays who feel it has failed to protect Malay and Islamic rights in Selangor and Penang, where PR is in power.

Also, in places where PAS has implemented Islamic laws, not all Malays liked what they saw.

Yes, Malays do want Islam retained as Malaysia's official religion and do not want alcohol sold in convenience stores. But they baulk at laws that for instance, require men and women in Pas-controlled Kelantan to use separate supermarket counters.

"Umno practises moderation in religion and offers a balance between material and spiritual development," said Kelantan BN campaign director Hassan Harun.

In the end though, it could come down to a perception that life has indeed improved for the majority of Malaysians.

Retiree Rahim Salleh, 65, in Pendang, Kedah, has two sons who are engineers in the industrial town of Sungai Petani and in Penang. His daughter is a teacher in Kuala Lumpur.

"I am happy that they don't have to work under the sun like me," said the former padi farmer.

 

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Election issues which could be decisive for parties

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 02:16 PM PDT

Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily

Election campaign activities are reaching a climax. PAS deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din's statement of implementing hudud laws if Pakatan Rakyat takes over the federal government even if the DAP opposes the move has allowed the BN, originally caught in a position of being attacked, to grab an opportunity to launch a counter-attack against Pakatan Rakyat.

Despite Haron later saying that the question of whether to implement hudud laws or not was the internal affairs of the three Pakatan component parties and thus should be negotiated and hudud laws are only applicable to Muslims, his earlier remarks have set off ripples and again brought the conflict between PAS and the DAP to the surface. 

DAP chairman Karpal Singh immediately issued a statement, stressing that the DAP firmly opposes to the establishment of an Islamic state and the implementation of hudud laws. Party parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang also pointed out that the implementation of hudud laws is just PAS's target and has never been an agreed political programme of Pakatan Rakyat.

It can be predicted that the BN will keep attacking Pakatan Rakyat on the issue as many Chinese of the older generation are still fear of an Islamic state and hudud laws. BN needs only to strengthen their fear to win their support.

However, BN has also made some mistakes that can be taken advantage of by Pakatan Rakyat. For instance, it is a mistake to allow controversial figure Datuk Zulkifli Noordin to contest the Shah Alam parliamentary seat as a "friend of the BN". The notorious Zulkifli is Perkasa's vice-president and his remarks insulting Hinduism had caused an uproar. Not only the Indian community dislikes him, the Chinese community also regards him as an extreme racist.

Similarly, infamous Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali will be contesting in Pasir Mas parliamentary constituency while BN candidate Che Johan Che Pa did not only withdraw from challenging him, but also openly pledged to support him. It has triggered strong dissatisfaction and criticisms in the Chinese community. Pakatan Rakyat even accused Che Johan of following the instructions of Umno and the so-called disciplinary action to be taken against him was just a show.

Chinese education is another issue affecting the voting tendency of the Chinese community. After the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) made five demands, DAP deputy chairman Tan Kok Wai said that it did not make sense and urged Dong Zong to stop the act and stand beside the DAP. BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak's political secretary Wong Nai Chee later accused Dong Zong of raising the threshold by demanding the replacement of SPM Bahasa Malaysia with UEC Bahasa Malaysia, causing an impasse to the recognition of UEC. Dong Zong urged Tan not ignore the role and independence of non-governmental organisations while accusing Wong of starting a rumour.

Obviously, Dong Zong's principle to go beyond political parties but not politics is favourable to neither the BN nor Pakatan Rakyat. However, if its demands are reasonable, political parties should respect and be co-operative instead of using the recognition of UEC and Chinese independent schools as political chips. Although the reputation of Dong Zong has somewhat faded over all these years, its status and influence in the Chinese community should not be underestimated. It is not wise to be hostile to Dong Zong.

As the election campaign intensifies, it is expected that issues like hudud laws and Chinese education will continue to ferment and even play a role in the voting trend. It is now up to political parties to take control of these issues and turn them in their favour.

 

New Malay dilemma: Stay with Umno or not?

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 12:11 PM PDT

But now that BN seems weakened, the Malays are getting cold feet

In a poll by the Merdeka Centre conducted in January and February, 72 per cent of Malays said the country was headed in the right direction, versus just 20 per cent of Chinese who felt that way. Asked if they were happy with the government, 63 per cent of Malays polled said they were, compared with 20 per cent of Chinese.

Reme Ahmad, ST

IN the 1999 general election, many Malays were upset with Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) over the sacking of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

But Chinese voters backed BN, arguing against changing a stable government that had grown the economy, never mind the perceived corruption in parts of the government.

Thirteen years later, the roles are reversed.

The issue of corruption is finding more resonance now with Chinese voters, many of whom are swinging towards Datuk Seri Anwar. That has given the opposition its best chance to topple the long-serving BN.

But now that BN seems weakened, the Malays are getting cold feet, some analysts say.

Indeed, many who had misgivings about BN earlier now seem to be rooting for it, according to several private pollsters and surveys by government agencies.

There are sound reasons for this.

Under BN, the Malay community's wealth and educational levels have risen sharply over the decades. Some Malays are also concerned that the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance, if it won power, would dilute Malay and Muslim rights.

"There is a long, deep-seated relationship between the Malay community and Umno," says Malaysian writer Karim Raslan.

Malays form 63 per cent of the country's population of 28.3 million.

In a poll by the Merdeka Centre conducted in January and February, 72 per cent of Malays said the country was headed in the right direction, versus just 20 per cent of Chinese who felt that way. Asked if they were happy with the government, 63 per cent of Malays polled said they were, compared with 20 per cent of Chinese.

Umno leaders have long been a steady presence in towns and villages, attending to community needs and winning the loyalty of Malay voters.

But this could be changing, Mr Raslan said, with younger Malays not as anchored to Umno.

Indeed, you might call this the New Malay Dilemma.

To be sure, reading the tea leaves on Malay sentiment isn't easy. Although they still embrace Umno, many are uncomfortable with its image as a party that has not always acted firmly against the corrupt.

The young and Internet-savvy avidly follow the scandals that have surrounded some BN figures, such as the one where a government soft loan to breed cows was ploughed into buying expensive real estate.

Urban Malays, along with the Chinese and Indians, are also irked by other issues - for instance, inflation and rising crime in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru.

Take Mr Muhammad Hafifi, 28, a former Penang factory worker who now helps his mother sell fruit in Simpang Ampat, Perlis.

Mr Muhammad gets his news from links provided by friends through Facebook postings.

There is a "big difference", he says, in how issues are discussed online and in the mainstream media.

His parents, he said, are for Umno, but he has yet to decide.

Still, the government is reasonably certain that come Election Day, Malays will still vote for Malaysia's Grand Old Party, Umno.

"We live comfortably in our country. I don't think we want to see problems with racial harmony, though I do know there are weaknesses in Barisan," said retail shop supervisor Embong Zahari, 48, in Alor Setar.

The Pakatan Rakyat has said it plans to ease affirmative action for Malays, and help everyone based on needs, not race.

But these are programmes that have also produced a surge in the number of Malay engineers, accountants and rich businessmen.

Some Malays are worried that the Chinese, who dominate business and the rich lists, would become even more dominant economically.

BN leaders such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have played up this fear of an end to affirmative action.

Dr Mahathir, 87, is a hero among rural Malays for taking the community out of poverty and overseeing the rise of Malaysia's prosperity.

The BN is tapping into these fears by - indirectly and directly - fielding two controversial candidates from Malay supremacy group Perkasa. Should they win, it would be a clear sign that the Malays are suspicious of PR's agenda.

And while Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) talks a lot about religion, there are Malays who feel it has failed to protect Malay and Islamic rights in Selangor and Penang, where PR is in power.

Also, in places where PAS has implemented Islamic laws, not all Malays liked what they saw.

Yes, Malays do want Islam retained as Malaysia's official religion and do not want alcohol sold in convenience stores. But they baulk at laws that for instance, require men and women in Pas-controlled Kelantan to use separate supermarket counters.

"Umno practises moderation in religion and offers a balance between material and spiritual development," said Kelantan BN campaign director Hassan Harun.

In the end though, it could come down to a perception that life has indeed improved for the majority of Malaysians.

Retiree Rahim Salleh, 65, in Pendang, Kedah, has two sons who are engineers in the industrial town of Sungai Petani and in Penang. His daughter is a teacher in Kuala Lumpur.

"I am happy that they don't have to work under the sun like me," said the former padi farmer.

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

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