Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Khalid nudges his way in
- Political politeness
- Tanda Putera director lashes out at critics
- Tussle over Johor Chinese-majority seats
- Yap, Wee on a collision course
- Next GE could be Anwar's last one
- Analysts: have election soon, or Pakatan will strike
- BN is losing the battle
- ‘Pakatan ready for polls… but will it be fair?’
- Umno fears a revived Usno?
- Delay polls and risk punishment
| Posted: 08 Sep 2012 03:01 PM PDT
Is Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim trying to secure his own political future by positioning his party boss Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the forefront of Selangor politics? Joceline Tan, The Star THE body language between Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and his party boss Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has grown warmer of late. The two men have not been the best of friends over the last few years but those who attended the Mentri Besar's Hari Raya open house last month noticed that Khalid was particularly attentive and deferential towards Anwar. Quite a number of people were surprised to see Anwar and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at the receiving line, playing host alongside Khalid. This was essentially Khalid's do but the Mentri Besar was sharing the limelight with Anwar. This has not always been the case because Khalid has had no qualms about showing people that he is in charge in Selangor or that he is more adept at economic matters than Anwar who is the Selangor economic advisor.  Celebrity look: Khalid and Anwar (second and third from left) sporting snazzy sunglasses as they welcome guests at the Mentri Besar's recent Hari Raya open house at the state government complex together with Dr Xavier (left), Dr Wan Azizah and assemblywoman Elizabeth Wong. They even sported identical-looking sunglasses as they stood in the bright sunshine in the compound of the state government complex. The dark glasses were quite ironic because both politicians apparently had lasik treatment so that they could improve eye contact with people. Generally, dark glasses are a big no-no for politicians because it makes them look aloof and removed from ordinary folk, but it did give the pair a certain celebrity look. It is evident that Khalid has been trying to get on the good side of Anwar to the extent of inviting him as the VIP guest and to address the crowd at the Selangor Merdeka eve parade on Aug 30. With the general election widely expected in November, Pakatan also wanted to elevate Anwar's profile to remind voters that he is their candidate for prime minister. But it has since become a political issue and opinion out there has been deeply polarised over whether the state should have given the Penang-born Anwar such a prominent role. The state government scrambled to do damage control after the outcry over why Anwar, who is not Selangor-born nor a wakil Rakyat in the state, should have been up there addressing the gathering. The fact that the Selangor palace saw fit to comment only made it more awkward for the state government. Merdeka Day has never been this political or contentious. Some attributed it to the fact that this year's celebration coincided with a blue moon, a phenomenon where there is a second full moon in a month. Strange things do happen on a full moon, what more a blue moon. Pakatan leaders had accused the Barisan Nasional of playing politics over the Merdeka Day theme of Janji Ditepati. But they have been no less political: at the Selangor affair, Anwar had begun his speech by urging for fair and clean elections before proceeding to talk about national unity.  Mohd Zin: Concerned about the signal being sent out about the role of the palace. Patriotic events are always about loyalty to king and country. Hence, they are rarely complete without a sovereign figure up there. The Sultan not being there is one thing but to have Anwar there alongside the Mentri Besar did not go down well with many people. "I suppose they put him there to show that they rejected the federal government's national day celebration. They wanted to show their power in Selangor and allow people a peek at the future if Pakatan wins Putrajaya. It was their way of saying that politicians will play a bigger role than at present. But they shot themselves in the foot. Why give the Barisan a chance to attack and why antagonise the palace?" publisher Datuk A. Kadir Jasin pointed out. Or as state Barisan coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed put it: "What kind of signal are they sending out about the role of the palace?"  Nik Aziz: Wondered if trouble-makers at demonstration were possessed by evil spirits. On top of that, the police and military excused themselves from the parade pleading logistics issues. But for days after the event, rumours were rife that the two bodies withdrew because they did not want to have to salute Anwar. PKR assemblyman and state exco member Dr Xavier Jayakumar called a press conference a few days later to defend the State's action. He said Pakatan Rakyat was democratically elected and could invite anyone to speak at the Merdeka event. Datuk Seri Hadi Awang of PAS and DAP's Lim Kit Siang were also invited but could not attend. Dr Xavier is perfectly right to say that the ruling coalition can invite whomever it wants but given the fallout, inviting Anwar may not have been the wisest thing to do.  Khusrin: Fingers pointed at him when things went wrong over the Merdeka parade. "This is a very formal and official occasion but I suspect that some of them think it is like another ceramah," said restaurateur Juhaidi Yean Abdullah. Some have suggested that it was mooted largely by Khalid who looked like he was having a great time that night, especially when he called out "Merdeka!" at the stroke of midnight. It was Anwar who seemed a little unsure of himself, as though he felt out of place in the Selangor setting. Campaign bus Khalid definitely eclipsed his rival and Selangor PKR chief Azmin Ali that evening. The MB calls the shots on such occasions and Azmin looked like a bit player in the Merdeka tableau. There has been endless talk that Khalid is on the way out but it looks like the man is fighting to stay on by currying favour with Anwar who will have the biggest and last say on candidates and seats. Last month, PKR launched a campaign bus, a refurbished double-decker that is said to have cost RM500,000. Khalid paid for it out of his own pocket and it is for Anwar to use in his country-wide campaign. Both sides of the bus are screen-painted with big portraits of a smiling and handsome Anwar. It was a big gesture on the part of Khalid who is a multi-millionaire but is famous for being tight-fisted with money. The bus can seat 19 people, has a conference area, Wi-Fi, top quality public address system and a stage that folds out from the baggage compartment. But the best part about this bus has got to be the two high-end massage chairs for tired bodies. All that must have catapulted Khalid into the good books of Anwar. Khalid is evidently not as naive as he has been made out to be. For instance, he knows that the Sultan does not look kindly on street protests. Just recently, the Tuanku advised Selangoreans going on the Haj or umrah not to tarnish the country's image by holding demonstrations in the Holy Land. It was a hint of the royal figure's opinion of street protests. It is no coincidence that all those Bersih protests have not been allowed in his state. But Pakatan is in danger of making protests the centrepiece of their governing tactic. When they won in five states, there was not a word about dirty elections but now that they are not sure of holding on to those five states, they are accusing their opponents of rigging the elections. After more than four years in power, Pakatan is in danger of being associated with street politics rather than the new politics they had promised. The last two big street protests have damaged rather than won them fans among the Malaysian middle ground. The recent Merdeka eve march organised by the Bersih group of people was largely peaceful but the string of unfortunate incidents – people waving an "alternative flag", the stomping and mooning of pictures of the Prime Minister – has again hurt Pakatan. It was not a very Malaysian thing to do, and because it happened at what was basically an anti-Barisan demonstration, the incidents, rightly or wrongly, became associated with Pakatan. Utusan Malaysia frontpaged the photographs of every single culprit from the group, from the duo happily waving the "alternative flag" to the boy with the now most famous butt in the country. Pakatan politicians were quick to point the finger at Barisan saboteurs but the political alignments all seem to point to Pakatan parties. The person behind the "alternative flag" turned out to be none other than Najwan Halimi, the deputy information chief of PKR's Youth wing. Najwan, 26, works as an aide to Anwar and was a defence witness in Anwar's sodomy trial. He admitted to having designed the flag in 2007. The female stomper, a glamorous model, turned up at the police station in Johor Baru accompanied by DAP MP for Bakri Er Teck Hwa. Pakatan leaders have since distanced themselves from the acts but only Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat came down hard on the culprits, saying that Malays and Muslim should not do such shameful acts. "Maybe those involved were possessed by evil spirits. Why should we change the flag, it has been accepted by the world. I really regret that this happened," said the Kelantan Mentri Besar. The incidents had eclipsed the larger purpose of the demonstration. It was similar to what happened at the Republican convention in the United States – there were many interesting speeches but at the end of it, the most talked about part was the rambling and incoherent debut by Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood. Some Malay nationalists have wondered why Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak does not react to such provocation. There is a very simple answer to that. Najib knows that he has secured the Malay ground and that the traditional supporters have returned to Barisan. His focus is now on the middle ground, a group of people who are not aligned to either side and who will vote according to issues, candidates and situations. Incidents like these will impact this group most of all. Najib is adopting a very shrewd approach to win the middle ground. Khalid has been anxious to sort out the fiasco over his state's Merdeka do. Fingers had been pointed at state secretary Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi when things went wrong but Khalid has cleared the top civil servant's name. He also claimed that Anwar attended the event not as the "guest of honour" but as a "guest speaker". Some thought it rather unbecoming to downsize a VIP guest in this manner and that Khalid should have stood his ground. Khalid has secured his place in his party's list of election candidates. But his coalition is still struggling to secure its hold over Selangor and his jazzed-up campaign bus may find that the GPS may not have the roadmap to Putrajaya.
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| Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:31 PM PDT
Culture and courtesy are under attack by youthful ignorance IGNORANCE is far too often the cause of much unnecessary grief among young people and their hapless parents. The barely adult, rebels without causes and spoiling for one in a peaceful and prosperous country like Malaysia, are easy targets for less-than-responsible politicians. That some supporters of the so-called "Janji Demokrasi" gathering on the eve of Merdeka Day were reported to the police for public displays of offensive behaviour that could lead to a public disturbance suggests that many have no real sense of the importance of constructs intended as embodiments of national sovereignty and identity -- an insult to which is punishable by law. National emblems fall within this category, and all nations go to great lengths to cherish and protect them.The National Emblems (Control of Display) Act 1949 defines a national emblem as "any flag, banner or other emblem... of any state... or any likeness or resemblance however reproduced of any national leader or former national leader of any state or the leader or former leader of... political organisation(s)". What the act does is to regulate and safeguard the public use of these emblems. Though the punishment of offenders is not severe, its writ is large and includes the power of arrest without warrant. A reasonable cause to believe that an offence under the act is being committed can be considered evidence enough. Unfortunately, how many of our compatriots know this? To many, a flag is more decoration than symbol of national dignity. This is borne out by the many faded and tattered Jalur Gemilang left to litter public spaces. But this casualness is different from the dishonour of replacing or equating the national pennant with something else. The insult alleged to have happened at the same gathering to pictures of the prime minister and his wife is also demonstrative of the infantile nature of political discourse in the country. After all, we do not wish any of us to be so profaned, so why would we wish it on our leaders? Since the 2008 general election, Malaysians have been treated to astonishing spectacles of incivility. Politicians have been happily photographed stepping on the posters of their foes. Such immaturity cannot be a good thing given that politics consists of the serious business of deciding what is best for the greater good. Every voter must participate and party manifestos, speeches and door-to-door campaigning are the given methods of persuasion. Why then this recent rush to offensive and sometimes violent expressions of protest? Why this sudden descent to barbarism? This is not how Malaysians should conduct their politics and exercise their democratic rights. |
| Tanda Putera director lashes out at critics Posted: 05 Sep 2012 02:06 PM PDT Shuhaimi Baba speaks to FMT in a brief e-mail interview about her upcoming controversial film that will depict the May 13 bloody race riots. Teoh El Sen, FMT Filmmaker Shuhaimi Baba has declared that she is open to a debate to discuss her latest controversial movie "Tanda Putera", provided that such talks be held after the movie is screened. The award-winning director, whose movie retells the story of Malaysia's second prime minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, and deputy prime minister, the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, amid the bloody May 13, 1969 race riots, said in an e-mail to FMT that she would not mind sharing views as long as it was done in a "mature" manner. The director, who has received open scorn from critics lately, has also called on all Malaysians to just "cool it", stressing that she and her crew have put in a lot of love into their work and are not about "peddling hatred and propaganda". Even before it has hit the silver screen, Shuhaimi's movie, which is now re-scheduled to be screened on Nov 15, has been criticised for allegedly providing only a one-sided view of history. Shuhaimi had denied accusations that the movie promoted a pro-Malay agenda. She also had to douse accusations that it featured a character based on DAP leader Lim Kit Siang in a negative light. Another controversial aspect of the movie was that the RM4.8 million cost was fully funded by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the Multimedia Development Corporation (Mdec), with questions raised over whether a movie that did not gel with the "official version" would receive such support. The film, according to critics, demonises early leftist movements, with its trailer allegedly showing scenes of Chinese groups marching through the streets of Kuala Lumpur city after the success of the opposition parties in municipal elections carrying the Labour Party flag and other banners bearing anti-Malay slogans. However, despite all the "unexpected and upsetting" response she has received, Shuhaimi maintained that she has done her legwork. "I looked as far back as confrontation to understand the deep psychological resentments at that time until May13. But the catalysts were – the 'hooliganism' – the choice of words and insults thrown at the Malays, the over-the-top celebration by the opposition parties. "The movie is not about judging and blaming any side in particular. Touchy as it may be, we needed to drive home the point of the trauma of May 13 (that we should not let it happen again) and how Tun Razak and Tun Ismail succeeded in making the country overcome the trauma and forget May 13. The movie sets out to do that as we share the journey taken by the two heroes," she said. Tanda Putera – rated PG13 – stars Rusdi Ramli (Tun Abdul Razak), Faezah Elai (Toh Puan Rahah), Zizan Nin (Tun Dr Ismail) and Linda Hashim (Toh Puan Norashikin). The film, a joint production by Pesona Pictures together with Finas and Mdec, tells the story about the friendship of the two national leaders and their struggles in healing the nation after the riots. Below are excerpts from the e-mail communiqué: FMT: Firstly, the meaning behind the title "Tanda Putera", if you could elaborate more on the choice of words? Shuhaimi: Tanda Putera means "Mark of a Leader". This is the closest my team of writers and I could draw from our original title "Incurable Hero". It was written for a documentary drama in English. However, after several friends read the documentary script , they convinced us to do justice by writing it as a screenplay and a feature-length movie. The thought was scary at first, the amount of research, detailing and design work and most of all the budget needed gave me sleepless nights. But then after going through several material, I thought: 'Yes, why not? The two heroes deserve this tribute'. Could you share with us your feelings so far, are you perturbed by the controversy the movie had courted? Controversy, well, I think it comes with the territory. You know, it's only the movies after all! Expect anything in film-making – there are always issues to deal with. There was my first horror film 'Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam' – after 30 years of horror films being banned. But I went ahead and it opened doors for the industry. There's also the first feature-length movie on local folk lore 'waris jari hantu', the tigerman and the boy-girl character (hermaphrodite). They were contentious and controversial – only because the ideas were fresh and unexplored . But the 'restless' and 'opinionated' [ones] settled down anyway and cinema goers accepted the film. So yes, I didn't expect the May13 scenes to go through without the usual noise. But I didn't expect the attention from people who don't watch local movies. They have no idea what movie-going culture is about and rant over the movie trailer! Aiyooo… what to say. Attention from politicians are much worse, I can say that much. Their reasoning is simply: 'See it my way or no way'. I have a team of young people managing the Facebook for the movie and it turned into a 'battleground'! I had to keep reminding the admin team to keep their cool and it was tough for them to manage the racial slurs and hate-mongers. But you know, like other times, I told them these are people who need to get things off their chest and they will tire. I briefed them on the background of the country's history especially from Konfrontasi onwards so that they are confident and they know what they are up against. Other than the threats, obscene language, racial slurs and hatred – I think although it was very unexpected and upsetting – we managed to calm everyone down reminding them this is nothing, we must deal with it as cool as possible. Why was this movie being done? What prompted you to take up the challenge of such a touchy topic? Difficult question. But I will try to answer. Malaysia was the only country in a unique dangerous situation – where the prime minister and deputy PM were facing critical illness at the same time – in a critical fragile situation. Their brave sacrifices needed to be told. It captured my imagination – I believe it would 'capture' others too. It's only touchy if you don't respect someone else's views and creative expression. When I first read Dr Kua (Kia Soong's) book, I thought what came out first and shining through was his prejudices against Malays and his resentment against the office of the prime minister then. His accusations – alluding to who was responsible for May 13- that is, Tun Razak, was not only atrocious but irresponsible. But then he knows that, I am sure, since he's more intelligent than most men, and he does it for effect and propaganda and to rile up Chinese sentiments. It was too easy for him. As a writer, he preferred to be biased and did not shed any light on the riots but even considered the communists had nothing to do with it.
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| Tussle over Johor Chinese-majority seats Posted: 04 Sep 2012 03:58 PM PDT PKR claims its multiracial branding gives it a better chance in 'mixed seats' which are in effect Chinese-majority constituencies which DAP has been serving. Leven Woon, FMT PKR and DAP in Johor are yet to resolve their differences in at least three Chinese-majority seats in Johor. Both parties believe that they each have an upperhand in these constituencies. The Pakatan Rakyat coalition of PKR, DAP and PAS is aiming to break into the Umno bastion state in the upcoming general election. The tussle involves the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat, and the Tangkak and Johor Jaya state constituencies. Both PKR and DAP are still in negotiations, said Johor PKR election bureau chief Michael Chong. It is understood that the Bakri parliamentary seat is also in the list, as the Johor PKR chairman Chua Jui Meng seeks a comeback in his former stronghold, despite the seat being controlled by DAP now. Interestingly, in all the seats mentioned, the Chinese form the majority of voters – 54% – except for Johor Jaya where the community is at 49%. The opposition, it seems, is banking on the anti-establishment sentiments of the Chinese community. Chong admitted that the seats are much sought after because they are "winnable seats". He, however, declined to categorise the seats as "Chinese-majority seats", saying that a Chinese seat should come with at least 70% of Chinese voters. "There is an unwritten rule that PKR would not get [take] a Chinese seat from DAP because they have been contesting there from the start. "But we felt the seats we are demanding now are mixed seats, and our track records show PKR did slightly better in obtaining Malay votes in mixed areas," he told FMT in a phone conversation yesterday. DAP a better bet Chong said it is important to have the support from all races to win in those seats. "It's better for PKR to field a Chinese or Indian leader," he said. Chong also denied requesting the Bakri seat from DAP, saying that there is a consensus in Pakatan not to do so in the winning seats. DAP's Er Teck Hwa won the sole parliamentary seat for Pakatan in the 2008 election, after MCA decided not to field Chua, the then incumbent, as candidate. Meanwhile, Johor DAP chairman Boo Cheng Hau said the party could do better in those seats because it is more popular and has a better service records. "Certain parties are better known in certain areas," he told FMT. Likewise, he also denied pursuing the seats for Chinese votes, saying that Pakatan engaged a non-racial approach in seat distribution. He said the results from the past election are also "favouring the Rocket" (DAP party symbol). "Last time there was a three-cornered fight between PKR, DAP and BN in a constituency, and the PKR candidate ended up losing his deposit. "Over the years, they have never worked in the area," he said, implying the Johor Jaya seat where DAP's candidate garnered 3,726 votes in the 2004 election, to PKR's 1,714 votes. Boo said DAP is using scientific findings and evidence to prove its case.
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| Yap, Wee on a collision course Posted: 04 Sep 2012 02:52 PM PDT
Dong Zong's threat to demonstrate outside the Parliament on Sept 26 may have little to do with the Chinese education cause and everything to do with the personal agenda of its president Yap Sin Tian. They admit that Yap is committed to Chinese education but his combative nature, his inability to work with others and his overwhelming ambition has made him too controversial for the good of the Chinese education cause. Joceline Tan, The Star ONE of the most controversial figures to ever lead Dong Zong, Yap Sin Tian, is on a collision course with Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong. Yap, known for his contentious nature, is taking his disagreements with Dr Wee to Parliament, so to speak. He is organising a rally in front of the Parliament on Sept 26 to demand the resignation of Dr Wee on the grounds that the deputy minister has failed to settle Chinese education issues. He is also hoping that the Parliament protest will be a repeat of the huge rally in Kajang earlier this year to protest the shortage of Chinese teachers. Yap had used the occasion to humiliate Dr Wee who attended the event. But Chinese education activists are wary about Yap's motives this time around. It is quite clear by now that Yap's issues with Dr Wee have more to do with his personal ambitions than the cause of Chinese education. Everyone knows that Yap, who is desperate for another term as Dong Zong president, may not be able to do so because of a technical clause and he is blaming Dr Wee for that. Moreover, they think that Yap has gone overboard in demanding Dr Wee's resignation. "Some people agree with Yap but others say that it is unreasonable to ask Dr wee to resign. They think that Dr Wee is sincere about the Chinese education cause and he is trying his level best," said Tang Ah Chai, CEO of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. The Chinese educationists are also unhappy that Yap has equated his Dong Zong position with the future of Chinese education. He is said to have portrayed his problems with Dr Wee as a "life and death struggle" for Chinese schools in Malaysia. "That is too much for us to swallow. Chinese schools will go on with or without him," said a retired headmaster. Dong Zong, the national body for the boards of governors of Chinese schools and its sister organisation Jiao Zong, which represents the Chinese school teachers, used to be a very powerful force under the umbrella body of Dong Jiao Zong. But Dong Zong's image has suffered under Yap, whom Chinese NGOs view as a polarising figure and difficult to work with. Yap's reputation languished after his very public and acrimonious feud with the academic staff at the New Era College (NEC), the flagship college run by Dong Zong, which resulted in the ousting of the NEC principal Dr Kua Kia Soong. The dispute caused divisions in the Chinese school movement and has yet to heal. But Yap's biggest humiliation was when a student marched up to him during the NEC graduation ceremony and gave him a bloody nose in front of a packed hall three years ago. Earlier this year, there was a lot of adverse publicity about the string of degrees and PhDs that he claimed to have. He did not respond and the matter died down. However, the Chinese language papers, which give him a lot of coverage, have stopped referring to him as "Dr Yap" and that says a lot. Yap was eyeing a fourth term as Dong Zong president and that was how his problem with the Education Ministry started. Anyone vying for a seat in the Dong Zong leadership must be on the board of a Chinese school. Each school board has to comprise three members each from the five main bodies associated with the school, namely, the parent-teacher body (PIBG), alumni, trustees, sponsors and the government. The list of board members has to be approved by the state education department. Yap used to be the board chairman of SJKC Jinjang Utara but he quarrelled with the PIBG and the school alumni over almost everything from the running of the school canteen to what to do after the school was hit by flash floods. Things grew so dire that the PIBG and alumni refused to have anything to do with him and, earlier this year, they formed their own 15-member board of directors. Yap then came up with a rival list of board members but could not fill the remaining six slots with PIBG and alumni members who had boycotted him. Both lists were submitted to the state education department, which accepted the full list instead of Yap's incomplete list. Yap was furious and placed the blame on Dr Wee. He evidently felt that Dr Wee should have made an exception for him. Unless Yap is able to parachute into another school board elsewhere, he will be out in the cold when his term as Dong Zong president expires next year. Many think that this is basically what the rally on Sept 26 is all about – it is Yap's personal vendetta against Dr Wee. They are concerned that Yap is exploiting the Chinese education cause in such a brazen manner. They think that it is wrong but seem powerless to stop him. "This is a tragedy for the Chinese education cause. He said he is doing this to save Chinese education but it is actually to save himself. "He is using us to bring down Wee Ka Siong and it is not right. I don't think he is fit to be president," said the retired headmaster. Even Jiao Zong has refused to have much to do with him. For instance, although Jiao Zong sent representatives to the March rally in Kajang, they refused to co-organise it with Dong Zong. Yap is not without his support in the movement and the Chinese politicians in DAP and PKR are standing behind him. But some Chinese activists are reluctant about being dragged into what they regard as Yap's personal agenda. They admit that Yap is committed to Chinese education but his combative nature, his inability to work with others and his overwhelming ambition has made him too controversial for the good of the Chinese education cause.
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| Next GE could be Anwar's last one Posted: 03 Sep 2012 03:44 PM PDT
Although such a role is widely acknowledged, a disastrous election outcome may spark a rethink among his coalition partners, some of whom may decide to go their separate ways. If that happens, Anwar may indeed have to pack up and retire a disappointed man. The Straits Times (Singapore) Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has floated the idea of retiring from politics if the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition which he leads fails to take over Putrajaya, the seat of the federal government, in the general election due in the next few months. He first spoke about his retirement plans in a July interview with the Financial Times and repeated it at another occasion on August 18, to the consternation of his supporters and critics. "If we don't get the mandate, then we should give space for the second-liners in leadership," he said during an online forum broadcast on YouTube. As a dominant figure in Malaysian politics, his absence from the scene would be felt and would certainly trigger some realignment in the opposition ranks. Political observers may dismiss his remarks as just another of his posturing in the lead-up to the election to gain voter sympathy. But his talk of retirement may have been dictated by the political reality that he is confronted with. First, the former deputy prime minister is running out of time. At 65, he is not as agile a politician as he was before he was sacked by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1998 and later imprisoned for corruption and sodomy. He was released from jail in 2004 after the sodomy conviction was overturned, and returned to Parliament quickly. The coming general election will be his last shot at the premiership if he can lead his coalition to topple the Barisan Nasional, which has ruled for more than half a century. By the time the 14th general election is held in 2017, he will be 70, and likely too old to lead the coalition. Second, over the next few years, the opposition leader will be preoccupied with defending himself in court against a lawsuit. The prosecution has filed an appeal against his acquittal on a second sodomy charge by the High Court in January. After the third rally for electoral reforms by Bersih in April, he was detained and charged in May with inciting an illegal street protest. If he is convicted in both cases, he will be behind bars for many years. Even if he is acquitted of all the charges, Anwar would have been busy attending court hearings that would leave him with very little time for party work. It would also sap his energy and would render him less effective as a political leader. Third, his popularity ratings have declined compared to his arch rival, Prime Minister Najib Razak. Anwar is a popular leader with charisma, but many surveys have shown that voters are not as keen on him being prime minister. For example, in a survey by the University of Malaya in January, some 27 per cent of Malaysians see Najib as the more capable leader in managing the country's economy compared to Anwar, who scored 21 per cent. Part of the reason for this is his chequered record when he was an Umno superstar and deputy prime minister until he was sacked. Fourth, his credibility as a leader has suffered in recent years. One glaring incident was his promise that he would march to Putrajaya to claim his place on Sept 16, 2008, when enough Barisan Nasional MPs would have crossed the floor to give his coalition a simple majority in Parliament. The much-promised switch never took place, to the embarrassment of him and his PR colleagues. Another example was his failure to announce the opposition's shadow Cabinet line-up as he had promised in 2009. Finally, his critics have questioned his leadership of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PR. The sodomy charges against him and the alleged sex video purported to involve him have sullied his reputation as a leader, even though the courts have cleared him and no conclusive evidence has been found to prove his involvement in the scandal. The Economist, in an assessment of him, said in its Jan 14 issue: "Although Mr Anwar remains a charismatic figure and a forceful speaker, his reputation has been tarnished. That won't matter to his acolytes, but at 64, he also seems a distant and untrustworthy figure to many younger Malaysians." Another observation is that he has not allowed a second generation of leaders to develop within PR, hence preventing the emergence of younger opposition figures who could challenge him in the future. Given the reality that he is facing, Anwar may choose to step aside after the election if PR fails to unseat the Barisan Nasional. But his critics think otherwise, given the man's resilience and commitment to politics. He may want to stay on, thinking he is still needed because of his role as the glue that unites the disparate forces of the coalition and as the politician who brought together the secular Democratic Action Party and the Islamist Parti Islam SeMalaysia into one entity. Although such a role is widely acknowledged, a disastrous election outcome may spark a rethink among his coalition partners, some of whom may decide to go their separate ways. If that happens, Anwar may indeed have to pack up and retire a disappointed man.
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| Analysts: have election soon, or Pakatan will strike Posted: 03 Sep 2012 03:13 PM PDT He also pointed out that urban voters have remained receptive towards Pakatan which, he claims, have also made inroads in rural areas in the Peninsular mainly through PAS. "In the urban areas there is a strong feeling of change. It's the rural areas that will decide the outcome. You'll see in rural areas now Umno and PAS are almost running back to back. There is no clear middle in the rural areas now so this is why I say it's 50-50." Syed Zahar, Malaysian Digest Speculation that the 13th General Election will be held in November may have some ring of truth to it after all. With a renewed buzz over a possible November polls following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's strongest hint yet on it on Sunday, political analysts believe Barisan Nasional (BN) would be better off if it was to hold the pivotal election in November or even earlier.
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| Posted: 03 Sep 2012 01:51 PM PDT Anwar Ibrahim has probably grown immune to the system to the point that the system is crashing under his weight. Amir Ali, FMT The tactic of targeting Anwar Ibrahim – using ruffians to throw stones and bottles at pro-Pakatan Rakyat supporters – is a definite sign of reckless behaviour by the ruling coalition. This, coupled with the holding of ceramah next to the Pakatan rallies, is an indication of the bankruptcy of Barisan National. The events at Pantai Dalam some months ago where Umno thugs disturbed, under the nose of the authorities, the rally organised by PKR is not only shameful but also further tarnished the image of BN and its leaders. After Perkasa, which attacked the opposition in its ceramah and rallies, it is now Umi Hafilda Ali and Tibai (Tolak Individu Bernama Anwar Ibrahim) doing the same shameful acts. The disturbance created by the hooligans wearing the "Patriot" T-shirt – who did not garner support during Bersih 2.0 – is something of grave concern. It shows that BN is growing desperate. Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's constant accusation that Pakatan will turn violent if it loses the next general election is another indication of the panicky state of affairs in BN. Despite the supposed success of Umno's 66th anniversary rally in August, BN is facing bad times. Its problem is that Pakatan is winning the battle. BN has been waging a psychological war against Pakatan and Anwar since the latter won the Permatang Pauh by-election. BN and Umno are doing everything to divide Pakatan, from the secret talks with PAS to the poaching of opposition members. But they did not make any headway. Since 2008 in the aftermath of the worst electoral debacle for BN, we have seen numerous examples of the psychological warfare waged by the BN machinery. These include the Perak takeover, the Sodomy II affair, the Bersih 2.0 and 3.0 rallies, the Apco issue and many others. Anwar more upbeat There have been many accusations against Anwar but no one from the BN side dared sue the opposition leader. On the contrary, Anwar has sued most of his accusers albeit the courts rejected the cases, at times on flimsy grounds. BN thought the "court defeats" would destroy Anwar's political career, but they had the opposite effect: Anwar is more upbeat now. The Perak takeover will come back to haunt the BN come the 13th general election. It will be seen as a mistake, which was proven when the former menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin won a by-election by a large margin. Following his victory, the state has not really recovered from the shock of the overthrowing of the Pakatan-led government. The BN is saying it has the edge in Perak but on the ground it says otherwise. The fact that it took the courts years to deal with the Sodomy II case is an indication that the Pakatan de facto leader is a tough nut to crack. The Sodomy II case is a landmark defeat for those who plotted the case against him. The case came to light before the massive "Arab Spring" in the Middle East and, at first, it looked as if the opposition leader was doomed to a jail term. But the turn of events – not that these were the reasons why Anwar was proclaimed innocent – in the Middle East with the fall of several Arab regimes, made it virtually impossible to put the leader behind bars. From the beginning of the Sodomy II trial, it was evident to many observers in the country that Anwar was not guilty. The appearance of medical reports denying there was sodomy was sufficient for the public to come to that conclusion. BN is today in a state of shock following the Bersih rally which created waves while the Bukit Jalil gathering was an obvious "flop". The repeated delays in the announcement of the 13th general election date is not playing into the hands of BN as well. The hesitation is leaving fissures in the ruling coalition and this is being shown by the violence organised by thugs at Pakatan rallies.
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| ‘Pakatan ready for polls… but will it be fair?’ Posted: 02 Sep 2012 05:00 PM PDT Pakatan is confident of taking over Putrajaya if polls are held in November, but expresses doubt that the short notice is enough to clean up the 'dirty election roll'. Anisah Shukry, FMT Pakatan Rakyat is ready for a possible November general election, opposition leaders said today, but added that they were not prepared to face a "dirty election roll" which could hamper their win. Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had emphasised heavily on his favourite number 11 in a speech in Sandakan – an indication that he may call for a general election as early as November, The Star reported. "Six times 11 equals 66, five times 11 equals 55 and 2 times 11 equals 22. The 11 factor appears in all, it is unique and good," Najib was quoted as saying, in reference to Umno's age, Malaysia's 55th National Day and Sabah Umno's age. PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar said that Pakatan had been long prepared to take on Barisan Nasional in the general election, but it was unlikely that the Election Commission (EC) would be able to clean the electoral roll by November. "We have been prepared since the beginning. The only thing we are not prepared for is the dirty electoral roll. We are not ready for that," he told FMT when asked to comment on the November polls speculation. "We just want clean and fair management of the elections. Is the EC ready? There are many issues they must handle such as phantom voters, immigrants given citizenship, etc, " he said. He was referring to the influx of immigrants in Sabah who are said to be given blue identity MyKad in return for a vote for the ruling government. Although the government had recently announced it would set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the issue, it has yet to officially appoint the commissioners. "Is the EC capable of solving all this by November?" Mahfuz said, his voice tinged with scepticism. FMT has attempted to contact the EC for comments, but was unable to obtain a response. Meanwhile, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar also confirmed that Pakatan was prepared to take on BN at whatever time, including November, as they were forced to rely on the prime minister to decide on the dates. "As the opposition in Malaysia, subservient to PM [with regard to] general election dates, we have little choice except to be very ready," the Lembah Pantai MP said in an e-mail to FMT. Najib has consistently delayed calls for an election that must be held before BN's mandate expires in April next year. The November polls "hint" is merely one among many that have been spotted by political analysts and various sources throughout this year. "We've been taking the multiple hints seriously to date. Looking to the escalation of violence and the prime minister's penchant for using malicious allegations this Merdeka, it seems that a November election might be a real possibility," Nurul said. She was referring to Najib's accusation that Pakatan was masterminding a plan to change the national flag after several individuals were spotted waving flags with altered designs during last Thursday's Independence Day countdown in Dataran Merdeka. But despite Najib's finger-pointing, Nurul said she was very confident in the wisdom of the rakyat "predicated upon free and fair elections, devoid of political violence and scare-mongering tactics". Pakatan's shadow cabinet When asked whether Pakatan would be revealing its shadow cabinet soon in response to the speculation of looming polls, Nurul was coy. "We will make sure the work of our shadow committees is presented to the public," she said. "Lest we forget, Pakatan's commitment is towards a lean cabinet – and our prime minister will not simultaneously hold other portfolios – such as finance and women's ministry – which have hit a snag in recent times," she said, in an apparent jab towards Najib. Najib, aside from being the prime minister as well as the finance minister, had taken over the position of Women, Family and Community Minister in April this year after its former minister Shahrizat Jalil had stepped down following the National Feedlot Corporation scandal. Nurul also said that the public can be prepared for a host of other policy pronouncements from Pakatan prior to the election, adding that Pakatan was currently working towards a joint manifesto.
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| Posted: 02 Sep 2012 04:37 PM PDT The only reason Kuala Lumpur is hesitant to approve the registration of a new Usno is because it will mean the death of Umno in Sabah, claims its pro tem leader. Joseph Bingkasan, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Is the acronym Usno and its equally colourful founder Datu Mustapha Datu Harun so powerfully etched in the minds of Sabahans that Umno fears its resurrection before the 13th general election? Is this "fear" the reason why the Umno-led federal government has kept former members of United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) waiting in the wings for approval of their party? Two years on, ex-members of Usno are fuming over the choke-hold grip the federal government and Umno have on Sabah and its future. The once all-powerful and controversial Sabah party is – naively, perhaps – relying on the goodwill of Umno, which it helped set root in Sabah in 1991 by dissolving its own moribund party and joining en masse the Peninsular Malaysia-based party. That goodwill has not been reciprocated, but that has not prevented the "pro tem committee" of the new Usno from anxiously waiting in the wings. The party's stop-gap vice-president until it can be registered, Abdullah Sani Abdul Salleh, sees no reason for the delay in registering his party apart from Umno fearing for its own survival. He said the party wants to field candidates in the 13th general election but is having difficulty getting the consent of the federal-controlled Registrar of Societies (ROS). Abdullah Sani senses that this reluctance to approve Usno's revival stems from Umno's growing insecurity in the state which the Barisan Nasional coalition government of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak calls its "fixed deposit". The new Usno, if approved, is a far cry from the old. The Usno established by Mustapha in Kampong Ayer, Kudat, on Oct 26, 1961 and dissolved in 1991 to allow all its leaders and members to join Umno en bloc is of a different era. In the years after Usno's dissolution even Mustapha and his old party colleagues regretted leaving it by the wayside for Umno, which they had always considered a party bearing no association whatsoever to Sabah. Now a group of born-again Usno supporters headed by his younger brother, Abdul Salam Datu Harun, believe the time is right for the return of the political party. The first step was to register the new Usno as an NGO and when that failed, sent in an application to register it as a political party with Mustapha's fourth son Datu Badaruddin as pro tem head on Oct 26, 2010. In the party's Merdeka Day message, the new Usno indicated that it is moving ahead with plans to contest the coming general election in Muslim-majority constituencies in Sabah. Usno has already joined hands with Jeffrey Kitingan's Sabah State Reform Party (STAR) with Badaruddin and Jeffrey signing an election pact termed "Semporna Declaration" in February . "Umno fears the combined political strength of Usno and STAR," Abdullah Sani said, adding that Usno still commanded respect and loyalty in the state although it was dissolved a long time ago. This respect and loyalty, he said, was what Umno feared the most and was stalling their bid to get registered as a party. He believes that Umno, instead of being thankful to Usno for making way for the Peninsula-based party to spread its wings to Sabah, was acting strangely by blocking the party's return to the state's political stage. "There is no other reason for the delay [in registering Usno as a political party]. "If Makkal Sakti's application for registration was approved within 60 days, why is the ROS sitting on Usno's application?" he asked.
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| Delay polls and risk punishment Posted: 02 Sep 2012 01:31 PM PDT The Bersih leader takes the prime minister to task for delaying the general election with no good reason, describing this as disconcerting and irresponsible. Elaborating on electoral reforms, Ambiga said that Election Commission chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof cannot lead the commission as he was a former Umno member. RK Anand, FMT In 2009, Najib Tun Razak took over the leadership reins after his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi relinquished the post following Barisan Nasional's biggest electoral setback to date. Najib and his retinue of advisers had the unenviable task of reversing the political fortunes of the ruling coalition, which seemed to suffer from an incurable perception malaise. But during his initial period in office, the prime minister appeared to be pressing the right buttons, his popularity soared and speculations of a snap polls were rife. However, Malaysians still remained in the dark about the 13th general election, with the latest talk being that the polls would be held in November, on the 11th, which happened to be Najib's lucky number. Those close to Najib argue that the premier was being cautious while the grapevine had it that intelligence reports painted a bleak picture for BN. Describing this as both "disconcerting and irresponsible", Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga warned Najib that the continued delay could prove to be perilous for him and BN. She said that it would not come as a surprise if the voters, including the fence-sitters, punished him for this feet-dragging in the next polls. "I understand it is the Westminster system and it is the prerogative of the prime minister. But a good government should be prepared to take on the election and not be afraid to set a date," she told FMT. "We have been in election mode since he [Najib] took over and everyone has been pumped up. He drops hints [about the polls] and that is irresponsible. You don't toy with people's feelings. "People are fed up! They can't plan things like going on holidays and so forth. Furthermore, it affects investor confidence. "That's why I say it is irresponsible. If this is how a government is going to play with the election date, then it would be best to have a fixed date for polling," she added. Ambiga said as political leaders in other parts of the world discussed the economic crisis and recession, their Malaysian counterparts were still engrossed in politicking. "So who is running the country? This is unacceptable," she stressed. Is the government afraid? Ambiga said that Bersih had also called for the election to be postponed in the past with regard to the implementation of electoral reforms. She added that if the government claimed that the election was being delayed in order to push through the reforms, then it would be justifiable. "But everyone has forgotten about electoral reforms. So the election is being dragged for no reason. "It seems the government is concerned about the results [of the election]. Otherwise, they would have called for it," she added. Elaborating on electoral reforms, Ambiga said that Election Commission chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof cannot lead the commission as he was a former Umno member. "He cannot claim that he would discharge his duties without bias. There are enough grounds to believe or to suspect that he would be biased and this makes him unfit for the post," she added. Ambiga also dismissed claims that Najib was concerned that if the polls were held before the term expired in April 2013, Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states would not dissolve their respective assemblies. "I don't buy that excuse. He [Najib] kept the nation on election mode. Even the recent Merdeka celebration was an election campaign," she said. Commenting on the Merdeka celebrations, Ambiga expressed disappointment that both political blocs could not set aside their differences for one day. The Bersih leader also pointed out that the government's Merdeka campaign appeared to be centred around the prime minister. "It's a case of adoration for the PM… Where is his team? And I am also saying this with regard to Section 114A of the Evidence Act," she said. On Aug 14, Najib had twitted that he was instructing the Cabinet to review the controversial amendment of Section 114A following protests on the social media network. However, Najib's announcement was met by contradictory statements by the Cabinet defending the provision. The new law imposed a presumption of guilt on Internet users and service providers for Internet abuses such as slander, hate speech and seditious comments posted through their network.
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They came to show their disapproval of the government's hijack of this year's celebrations by imposing the theme 'Janji Ditepati' (Promises Fulfilled), which is actually the ruling party's election campaign slogan. They came to remind the government that it had indeed not fulfilled its promises – above all, the promise of clean and fair elections.
These were people who came of their own accord, braving the possibility of arrest. Very different from many of those who would be attending the official Merdeka Day celebrations the next night at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, the extravaganza organised by the government to display its might.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, in defending the use of 'Janji Ditepati' as the Merdeka theme, says there is no reason for anyone to dispute it "unless a person is not used to keeping promises". He says everyone should fulfil their promises, including ordinary people. "If the people want the country to be peaceful, stable and more prosperous, the people must promise to contribute to peace and prosperity."
Second, many of the people of his so-called "majority" are those still zombified by the massive doses of government propaganda they are fed every day through the mainstream press and television, and have therefore not awakened to the government's chicanery.
