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In this Game of Thrones (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 06:01 PM PDT

I am no longer looking at the 13th General Election. I am looking at the post-GE period and the 14th General Election. And I am worrying about how the game in this Game of Thrones is going to be played in the period between the 13th and the 14th General Elections. The 13th General Election is not the end of our problems. It is only the beginning.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Many of you are still entry-level 'politicians'. From your comments it can be seen that you are political novices, and armchair political 'analysts' on top of that. Many of you probably became politically active or politically conscious only in 2007 or 2008.

Many of you look at the 13th General Election on 5th May 2013 as a contest between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional or a contest to choose the next Prime Minister -- Najib Tun Razak or Anwar Ibrahim.

You probably never even heard of the names of the various game-changers in this Game of Thrones. And, yes, this is what it is: a Game of Thrones. And the game-changers may not necessarily be those 2,000 or so candidates who are contesting the general election.

For example, Abraham Lincoln was definitely a game-changer but John Wilkes Booth was an even bigger game-changer. John F. Kennedy was yet another game-changer but Lee Harvey Oswald was an even bigger game-changer (unless the conspiracy theorists are correct).

How many of you novices know or remember names such as Daud Samad, Lorrain Esme Osman, Jalil Ibrahim, Ibrahim Fikri, Asri Muda, Rahim Bakar, Onn Jaafar, Ghazali Shafie, Hussein Ahmad, Mohamed Yaacob, Nik Hassan Abdul Rahman, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, and many more? (You probably would have heard of Onn Jaafar and Tengku Razaleigh).

Who is Nik Hassan and what is so significant about him and why is he a game-changer? Nik Hassan was the Menteri Besar of Terengganu who went into conflict with the Terengganu Sultan and was eventually forced to retire and hand the 'throne' to Wan Mokhtar Ahmad. And Wan Mokhtar was the Menteri Besar who agreed to the 5% oil royalty for Terengganu and eventually Sabah and Sarawak too were subjected to the same terms.

Hence Nik Hassan 'created' Wan Mokhtar. In fact, Wan Mokhtar was Nik Hassan's handpicked successor who eventually 'betrayed' the state by agreeing to the 5% royalty. Therefore, Nik Hassan was the game-changer and if he had not gone into conflict with the Sultan and was not forced to hand over the reins of the state, Tun Razak Hussein could not have twisted Terengganu's arm to accept 5% (mainly because Nik Hassan was a fighter and if you dare challenge the Sultan then you are definitely a fighter).

Okay, many of you may disagree with me about Tengku Razaleigh. You may not think of him as a game-changer. But I do. And I think so not because I think he is Prime Minister material but because he was the man who pressured Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad into accepting Anwar Ibrahim into Umno.

Dr Mahathir did not agree to this but eventually, because of Tengku Razaleigh's persistence, he relented. Hence, if not because of Tengku Razaleigh, Anwar would have become the President of PAS, as what Fadzil Noor had wanted, instead of the Deputy President of Umno. And, today, PKR plus Pakatan Rakyat would not exist and PAS and DAP would be two separate opposition parties of no threat to Barisan Nasional (because there would not have been any political crisis in 1998 where Anwar was ousted from Umno).

Lorrain Esme Osman was the man in the centre of the BMF controversy that implicated Tengku Razaleigh. The BMF crisis more or less messed up Tengku Razaleigh's chances of taking over the Presidency of Umno in 1987. Many of the Umno delegates believed that Tengku Razaleigh was somehow involved in the BMF affair. And Jalil Ibrahim's murder in Hong Kong angered enough Malays to vote against Tengku Razaleigh (although there were allegations of fraud as well).

Anyway, those are just some examples of how fate decides who becomes the game-changer and the game-changers are not necessarily those who sit on the throne but those who decide or influence who gets to sit on the throne.

The 13th General Election on 5th May 2013 is more or a less already a fait accompli or foregone conclusion. Those in the corridors of power already know who is going to form the government on 6th May 2013 and who is going to be the Prime Minister.

What we are currently seeing are the games they are playing -- a show of strength to con the voters and, hopefully, sway the last few stragglers or fence sitters. To most of us, the committed, we have already made up our minds and there is very little they can say or do to change that.

MCA, MIC and Gerakan, who collectively won 20 seats in 2008, are going to get wiped out. MCA may be down to six or seven seats with zero for MIC and Gerakan. East Malaysia, which saw 54 seats going to Barisan Nasional in 2008, may see only 35-40 seats going to the ruling party this time around.

Hence Umno needs to grab some 'Malay' seats from PKR and PAS if they want to remain in power. And to do this Umno has to increase the Malay popular vote from 51% in the last election to as close to 60% as it can get this time around, maybe 54-56%. If not then Umno and Barisan Nasional are doomed.

Anwar cannot form the federal government just by winning seats in the general election. Anwar can only do it if he can convince 15 to 25 Barisan Nasional (and/or independent) Members of Parliament to cross over AFTER the general election.

There are four states that are critical to whoever wants to win the general election. These states will give you the federal government and these states are Perak, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak. These four states control 106 of the 222 seats in Parliament, almost half. Hence Barisan Nasional needs to retain these four states, and at a large majority on top of that, if they want to stay in power.

So that is Umno's and Barisan Nasional's 'Waterloo' -- Perak, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.

Most of you are still focused on winning the general election or concerned about who is going to win the general election in slightly over a week's time. That is the novice's way of looking at things. It is actually too late to worry about that. That should have been our worry up to last year.

What we need to worry about now is post-GE. What is going to happen post-GE? In other words, how is the Game of Thrones going to be played? And how will this determine the outcome of the 14th General Election in four or five years from now?

Remember one thing: Malaysian politics is the politics of winner takes all and loser loses all. What we need to know is not who the winners and losers are going to be on 5th May 2013 but in what way we, the voters/rakyat, are going to win or lose post-GE.

We can't change the present. But we can change the future. And the future is the post-GE period and how this period is going to determine what happens in the 14th General Election. After all, we are not a player in this Game of Thrones. But we can certainly be the game-changer.

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.

***************************************

在这个王位争夺游戏里

我不再为第13届大选来伤脑筋了。我注重的是大选后会发生的事情和第14届大选。我为第14届大选前王位争夺游戏的新玩法感到担心。第13届大选并不是问题的终结而是问题的开始。

原文：Raja Petra Kamarudin

译文：方宙

你们当中很多都是刚入门的'政客'。从你们的留言中就看得出来，而你们那站着说话不腰疼的'政治分析'更出卖了你们的身份。你们都是在2007/08年才开始接触政治的。

你们有很多人都认为5月5的大选就是民联-国阵之争，或者是安华和纳吉的首相之争。

你们很有可能听都没听过以下这些王位争夺游戏的'游戏更改者'。是的，这是一场王位争夺游戏，而那些游戏更改者并不一定是那2000个大选候选人。

打个比方，林肯是个游戏更改者，但约翰·威尔克斯·布斯是个更大的游戏更改者。肯尼迪也是另一个游戏更改者，但李·哈維·奧斯瓦爾德才是另一是个更大的游戏更改者（除非那些阴谋论支持者都是对的）。

你们这些新手有多少人知道或认识Daud Samad, Lorrain Esme Osman, Jalil Ibrahim, Ibrahim Fikri, Asri Muda, Rahim Bakar, Onn Jaafar, Ghazali Shafie, Hussein Ahmad, Mohamed Yaacob, Nik Hassan Abdul Rahman, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah呢？ (你很有可能听说过Onn Jaafar翁嘉化和Tengku Razaleigh东姑拉沙里)
谁是Nik Hassan，他做过什么很有影响力的事情和为什么他是个游戏更改人呢？Nik Hassan是登嘉楼前州务大臣，他因违抗登州苏丹而被迫退休和把他的'王位'传给Wan Mokhtar Ahmad。Wan Mokhtar过后答应了只接受联邦政府5%的石油税而最终沙巴和砂劳越也跟随同样的条款。

所以说Nik Hassan'制造了'Wan Mokhtar。事实上，Wan Mokhtar是Nik Hassan亲选的接班人，而这个接班人最终'背叛'了整个州属。故此，Nik Hassan是个游戏更改人，如果他没有跑去对抗苏丹而被迫离职的话，那敦拉萨将会很难要求登嘉楼接受5%的石油税（那是因为Nik Hassan本身是个斗争者，如果一个人胆敢和苏丹对着干的话，那他必定是个斗争者）。

好了，你们可能不同意我对东姑拉沙里的看法，你们不认为他是个游戏更改人，但我确实是这样认为的。我并不是因为他是个当首相的材料才这样想，我是因为他成功地说服敦马接受安华才这样讲的。

马哈迪一开始并不同意，但在东姑的坚持下，他最终妥协了。所以说，如果没有了拉沙里，安华现在将会如 Fadzil Noor希望般成为伊斯兰党主席而不是巫统副主席。再者，公正党和民联将不会出现，而伊党和行动党将不会联盟来威胁国阵（安华在1998年被踢出巫统的事情根本就不会发生，所以就会毫无政治危机可言）。

Lorrain Esme Osman是BMF（Bumiputera Malaysia Finance，此译马来西亚土著金融）丑闻的中心人物。BMF或多或少影响了东姑拉沙里在1987年接管巫统主席一职的机会。许多巫统代表都认为东姑拉沙里有份参与在内。而Jalil Ibrahim在香港被谋杀一事更触怒了马来人来推翻东姑拉沙里（虽然说那些指控都是不正确的）。

这些都是一小撮的例子来显示命运是如何决定谁是游戏更改人。很多时候游戏更改人并不是那些掌权的人，而是那些决定或有份影响谁会上位掌权的人。

5月5的大选或多或少已经成为了'fait accompli'（既成事实）。那些走在权力走廊上的都已经知道谁会在5月6号组织政府和谁会成为首相了。

我们现在看到的只是他们玩的游戏----一个玩弄选民和忽悠中间选民的游戏。我们当中大多数人都是已经作出决定的了，他们那些人很难能改变我们的想法。

上届大选马华，国大党和民政一共赢得20个席位，但此届大选他们将死得很惨。马华很有可能输剩6，7席，国大党民政将会一席也没有。而东马原有的54个国阵议席将会降到35-40席。

所以说巫统必须从公正党和伊党手中夺得一些'马来'议席才能继任。从2008年的51%马来票，他们这次必须取得60%，而如今他们只取得了大约54-56%。如果他们拿不到60%的话，那么国阵就'玩完'了。

而安华单靠大选赢得的议席是不足以组成政府的。他必须得说服15-25个国阵（和独立）议员在大选后跳槽。

有四个州属是此次大选的重要关键，它们就是霹雳，柔佛，沙巴和砂劳越。这四个州属控制了国会里222个席位的106个，大约有一半之多。所以说如果国阵想要继续执政的话他们必须要保有这4个州属的多数席位。

而这就是巫统和国阵的滑铁炉----霹雳，柔佛，沙巴和砂劳越。

你们很多人还在为谁在一个星期以后会胜出而担心；这是新手们才担心的东西，其实早在1年前你们就该开始担心这个了，而不是到了现在才这样做。

我们现在应该担心的是大选后的事情。大选后会发生什么事呢？换个说法，这个王位争夺游戏会怎样地玩下去呢？而这对4，5年后的第14届大选又有怎样的影响呢？

记住一件事：马来西亚的政治是个胜者为王，败者为寇的政治。我们需要知道的是我们，这个国家的人民，是大选后的输家或赢家，而不是那个政党是大选里的输家或赢家。

我们改变不了现在，但我们改变得了未来。未来是指大选后和第14届大选前所发生的事情。我们不是这个王位争夺游戏的玩家，但我们绝对能够成为这个游戏的游戏更改人。

麻烦你再记住一件事：无论你的选择是什么，这世界里没有所谓的'好政府'。所有的政府都是烂透的。他们在位越久就烂的越严重（国阵就是个很好的例子）。我们应该怎样做才能确保一个烂政府不变烂呢？

这就是你和我现在必须专注的。

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Coalitions running neck and neck, survey shows
Malaysian Chinese may drop Najib as fear of riot repeat ebbs
Mat Taib – a prize that comes at a price
A valley divided

Coalitions running neck and neck, survey shows

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 09:18 PM PDT

"It's very close, not more than 5 per cent. No party can say it will win," said the centre's director Mohammad Redzuan Othman, declining to say who was ahead or provide precise numbers.

Carolyn Hong, ST

THE ruling Barisan Nasional and opposition Pakatan Rakyat are running neck and neck in the lead up to Malaysia's May 5 polls, a survey by Malaysia's oldest university showed, as both sides raised their campaign tempo with nine days to go to the election.

The survey by University of Malaya's Centre for Democracy and Elections found both coalitions to have over 40 per cent support, with a slight margin.

"It's very close, not more than 5 per cent. No party can say it will win," said the centre's director Mohammad Redzuan Othman, declining to say who was ahead or provide precise numbers.

"There is a long way to go."

Besides, he added, things change too fast in an election to state with any certainty.

The survey, which polled 1,047 voters in Peninsular Malaysia from April 3 to last Saturday, found that 9 per cent said they were still undecided. They were mostly Malay civil servants and teachers who are first-time voters.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim criss-crossed Malaysia as the campaign intensified. Mr Najib was in his home constituency of Pekan in Pahang for the second day while Mr Anwar headed to Bentong in the same state to campaign for environmentalist Wong Tack, who is up against Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai.

Since Nomination Day on April 20, there has been a spate of violent incidents.

In George Town, Penang, police picked up three suspects in connection with a minor blast at a BN rally on Tuesday. The men were between 21 and 45 years of age.

In the Tuesday incident, a home-made bomb planted in a pile of garbage behind the main stage at a Gerakan event went off and injured a man.

In Perak yesterday, a molotov cocktail was hurled into a BN operations centre near Buntong.

Although both coalitions were neck and neck in the University of Malaya survey conducted a week ago, Professor Redzuan said things can change very rapidly.

In 2008, he said, it was only in the last three to four days - after a mega-opposition rally took place in Penang, that the PR gained the momentum that propelled it to unprecedented gains.

"Things are still very dynamic. A five percentage point swing can make a lot of difference," Prof Redzuan said.

More than 13 million people are eligible to vote in the May 5 polls.

Malaysian Chinese may drop Najib as fear of riot repeat ebbs

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 07:45 PM PDT

Chinese, who make up about a quarter of Malaysia's population, are growing intolerant of affirmative-action programs for Malays propagated by Najib's alliance of parties, the most recent national poll indicates. Any mass defection by Chinese voters raises the risk of the ruling coalition's first election loss since it was formed after 1969 race riots.

Daniel Ten Kate, Bloomberg

Malaysian businessman Stanley Thai says he's joining thousands of fellow ethnic Chinese citizens in abandoning support for Prime Minister Najib Razak and voting for the opposition for the first time in elections next month.

"Why are the Chinese against the government -- it's simple," Thai, 53, owner of medical glove-maker Supermax Corp. (SUCB), said in an interview last month. "We don't want our children to suffer what we suffered, deprived from education, from career opportunities, from business opportunities."

The violence of 1969 helped persuade many Chinese to back Barisan Nasional, which Najib has led since 2009, as they accepted racial preferences for Malays as the cost of peace. Thai said thinking changed when the government's electoral take sank in 2008 with little sign of renewed social unrest. "Everyone said, 'Wow, the time has come,'" he said.

Now, the opposition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, sees the end of race-based policies that have hindered companies such as Supermax as key to long-term economic growth. Najib counters that his gradual reform of the affirmative-action programs will assure stability and avert a slide in stocks and the ringgit that would accompany any opposition victory.

Vision Contest

"It's a contest ultimately about visions -- do you believe the country is Malay-centered or a state of all its citizens?" said Clive Kessler, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, who has studied Malaysian politics for half a century. "Najib no longer has adequate non-Malay support," said Kessler, who estimates the ruling coalition must win about two-thirds of Malay votes to stay in power.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index (FTSEMIB), which has lagged other Southeast Asian benchmarks this year, gained 0.3 percent today to close at a record high. The ringgit advanced for a third day, the longest rally in three weeks, on speculation further monetary easing in Japan and Europe will boost demand for emerging-market assets.

Anwar's Group

About half of Malaysia's 29 million people are Malays, while roughly a quarter have Chinese roots and the rest are mostly ethnic Indians or indigenous groups. One in five ethnic Chinese think the country is headed in the right direction, compared with 75 percent of Malays, according to a February survey by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, the most recent available.

In 2008, the ruling 13-party Barisan Nasional coalition won by its slimmest margin since it was formed, with three Chinese parties losing half their parliamentary seats. Anwar's own multi-racial coalition, which includes a Chinese-majority party and a mostly Malay party that advocates Shariah law in criminal matters, has pledged to eliminate race-based policies to fight corruption.

"What we're seeing with the implementation of the policy is enormous rent-seeking and patronage and corruption," said Edmund Terence Gomez, a professor at University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur who edited a book on the affirmative-action program. "The electoral trends clearly indicate that Malaysians are saying they've had enough of race-based politics."

Malay Preferences

In 1969, Malaysia suspended parliament for more than a year after race riots in the wake of a close election killed hundreds of people. Abdul Razak, Najib's father, then initiated the racial preferences in 1971 as the country's second prime minister.

The New Economic Policy sought to raise the share of national wealth to at least 30 percent for Malays and indigenous groups known as Bumiputera, or "sons of the soil," that make up about 60 percent of the population. They got cheaper housing and quotas for college places, government contracts and shares of listed companies.

While Najib has tweaked the policy for publicly traded firms and extended benefits to poorer members of all races, many other elements remain intact. Malaysia favors Bumiputera companies in awarding contracts from the government and state- owned enterprises, the U.S. Trade Representative wrote in a March report.

"We don't play the racial card -- we play a moderate Malaysia, an inclusive Malaysia and we're talking about power sharing," Najib said in an April 17 interview. "That's the kind of storyboard that we are trying to convince the Malaysian Chinese."

College Rejection

Thai, whose father fled China in 1949 during the Communist takeover, is dubious. After growing up on a farm with 13 siblings in Johor, which borders Singapore, he failed to gain entry to a university where Malays received priority and moved to Canada to get a college degree. On his return, he built a business aimed at exporting rubber gloves to avoid restrictions on selling within Malaysia.

Supermax, the nation's third-largest medical glove-maker, now exports 24 billion gloves a year, said Thai, whose holdings in the company are worth about $93 million. For years he and other Chinese entrepreneurs were wary of publicly speaking out about corruption in the 42-year-old affirmative action program due to concerns of reprisals.

Fear Factor

"We have been brainwashed from Day 1," Thai said. "We were born and bred with fear and threats by our own government."

Mahathir Mohamad, who ruled from 1981 to 2003 and was Malaysia's longest-serving leader, alluded to those fears in a blog post this month urging Chinese voters in Johor to back the government. An opposition win would undermine the racial balance the Barisan Nasional aimed to achieve, he wrote.

"An unhealthy racial confrontation would replace Sino- Malay cooperation which has made Malaysia stable and prosperous," Mahathir wrote.

Najib said in last week's interview that his pursuit of gradual change would avoid the upheaval that engulfed the Middle East after longstanding governments collapsed. An opposition win could trigger "catastrophic ruin" that would cause stocks and the currency to plunge, he warned.

'Still Complaining'

Chinese parties in Barisan Nasional are urging voters to stick with the government to promote social justice and warning that the Malay parties in the opposition will seek to impose Islamic laws. Malays and other indigenous groups owned 22 percent of share capital at limited companies in 2008, compared with 35 percent for Chinese, according to the most recent government statistics.

"The Chinese feel that the government has not done enough for them, but the same can be said of the Indians and the Malays," said Wilfred Yap, an official with the Chinese- majority Sarawak United People's Party, which is part of Najib's coalition. "They are still complaining that the Chinese still control a big chunk of the economy," he said, referring to the Malay and Indian populations.

Meantime, Anwar's alliance is emulating Barisan Nasional's original formula by promoting policies that seek to unite races and religions, according to Liew Chin Tong, a lawmaker with the Chinese-majority Democratic Action Party, one of three in the opposition coalition.

"They are suffering now because they are now only focusing on the Malay votes," Liew said in an interview last month, referring to the government. "With Mahathir playing the racist card, they are speaking to only the Malay audience in the hope to push the Malay vote up to 65 percent."

Mat Taib – a prize that comes at a price

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 02:50 PM PDT

Not all in PAS liked the idea of the controversial Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib joining the party but he has helped a lot of people during his time as Selangor Mentri Besar and he wins votes for PAS in rural seats.

The positive way of looking at it is that PAS is willing to forgive and accept its enemies. The negative take is that PAS is an opportunist and will do anything in its quest for power. But it is always good to look on the light side of things Mat Taib is the flavour of the month for PAS. The party will parade him around Selangor like a prized trophy from now until May 4 never mind if the trophy is somewhat chipped.

Joceline Tan, The Star

"MIKE Tyson" or Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib made his first appearance on the PAS stage in Shah Alam earlier this week.

The former Umno leader drew quite a big crowd because many people are curious about this once most powerful man in Selangor joining PAS.

His joining forces with PAS at this crucial political juncture has not been the knockout punch that PAS had hoped it would be, but it has been the talk of Selangor and it will have some impact.

Mat Taib, as the former Selangor Mentri Besar is also known, has appeared at PAS ceramah in several places in Selangor. Tonight, he is scheduled to speak in Tanjung Karang.

But those hoping to understand his actions will be disappointed. His speaking appearances at PAS ceramah have been bland, to say the least. At each of these ceramah, he spoke for barely 20 minutes and seemed anxious to make a quick getaway.

He has yet to subscribe to the PAS dress code of jubah and kopiah, but the once immaculately groomed man now looks a little out of sorts.

He turned up for a press conference at the PAS headquarters on Tuesday unshaven and looking a little uncomfortable because he is in unfamiliar territory. His hair has turned completely silver but he is still in good shape.

Journalists had flocked to the press conference hoping for answers. Mat Taib arrived with another former Umno politician Tamrin Ghafar and said that he had to leave immediately because he had an "emergency meeting" and quickly left. Tamrin was left to read out a press statement urging more Umno members to follow Mat Taib in joining PAS.

Until today, no one can quite explain why he is doing this. Had he been younger, it would have been explained as mid-life crisis or an attempt to reinvent himself.

But he is 65, extremely wealthy and has lived a life that most people could only dream of. His friends in Umno see it as the behaviour of a bitter old man.

In an exclusive interview with Sinar Harian on Wednesday, he came across as disjointed, unsure and lacking conviction about why he had quit one party for another.

But piecing together bits and pieces gathered from his ceramah and public statements, his action could be roughly summed up as wanting to unite and strengthen the Muslims and to be a beacon in Islam.

He is also unhappy about the liberal lifestyle he sees around him especially in Selangor. He is not interested in returning to politics or political posts and he wants to follow the right path in Islam.

Mat Taib dropped out of the political scene after losing in the contest for the Umno deputy president's post in 2009. His friends said he felt let down by the party and had decided to devote his time to religion, spending time in the surau.

He has certainly made a grand return into the public eye. News of his recruitment was timed to give PAS a much needed edge in Selangor.

It was PAS' way of telling Selangoreans that even this former Umno big gun regards PAS as the better party.

He has helped many people in the state and PAS is hoping these people would remember what he has done for them and give their vote to PAS. They believe Mat Taib can make a difference in marginal seats where PAS is struggling for the Malay vote.

"People in Tanjung Karang have been talking about him speaking there. There will be impact," said a Selangor PAS member.

Mat Taib was a popular Mentri Besar and also a controversial one. He eloped with a Selangor princess and his career crashed when he was detained in Australia's Gold Coast for not declaring a large amount of cash that he was carrying.

PAS and DAP had targeted him throughout his career, accusing him of everything from alleged corruption to cronyism. Not everyone in PAS is comfortable about their new friend.

Many in PAS have not forgotten the bad things their party leaders used to say about Mat Taib.

They think the party should be more discriminating and that recruiting him is a contradiction of what the party stands for. The more cynical said they would not be surprised if the party tries to recruit Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo next.

The positive way of looking at it is that PAS is willing to forgive and accept its enemies. The negative take is that PAS is an opportunist and will do anything in its quest for power.

But it is always good to look on the light side of things Mat Taib is the flavour of the month for PAS. The party will parade him around Selangor like a prized trophy from now until May 4 never mind if the trophy is somewhat chipped.

A valley divided

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 02:46 PM PDT

There are two clear sections in the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency where the approach taken by the candidates can either be appealing or inconsequential.

Lembah Pantai is a valley divided, just like the nation, as we begin the countdown to the big day. The fight is close and intense, and this is best illustrated at Kampung Kerinchi where the operations centres of both sides are just next to each other.

Wong Chun Wai. The Star

WARUNG Nasi Ayam Pak Ayub is a well-known stall at the Kampung Kerinchi low-cost flats. It is here that many of the flat dwellers, mostly working-class Malays, come to have their meals, especially at night.

The conversation these days is all about elections. In urban settings, it is generally acknowledged that the voters are more likely to side the Pakatan Rakyat.

But here at these low-cost flats, which are but a short distance from many high-end apartments that have come up over the years, Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin is the hero to the lower income group.

Kampung Kerinchi is the poor section of Lembah Pantai while the urbane, affluent and fashionable is on the other side of the constituency, Bangsar.

Many speak fondly of how the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister has been able to help them buy the low-cost flats at only RM35,000 per unit.

In the past, many had to rent the units from the City Hall but through a rental-ownership scheme, the poor have now become proud owners.

Despatch clerk Mohamed Yusuf made it clear he would vote Barisan Nasional, saying that Raja Nong Chik had cleaned up the flats, tarred the roads, made the lifts work, and has a well-run service centre to help the people.

Puffing on a kretek cigarette, he said it was not easy to survive in Kuala Lumpur with its high cost of living, and he never imagined he could own a flat.

"Raja Nong Chik made it possible, so he is the hero. My friends ask me why I won't vote Nurul Izzah. Yes, she can speak well but I have never seen her face here once ... except her face on the big billboard along the Federal Highway," he said.

Ironically, Raja Nong Chik, in fact, is ridiculed by his opponent as the "Lembah Pantai MP" for spending his time in this constituency.

PKR supporters claimed that his high-handed supporters had stopped Nurul Izzah, the incumbent MP, from entering the flats.

"There is no level playing field here. The flats are filled with BN flags because many of us cannot even get past the gates," said a worker.

There are 72,533 voters in Lembah Pantai with the Malays in the majority at 55.3%. The Chinese (22.8%), Indians (20%) and others make up the rest.

This is one constituency that has shown a sharp increase of voters in the 2008 polls, the number of voters was 56,650, and Nurul Izzah won with a 2,895-vote majority, beating Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

In an interview with Malaysian Insider, political analyst Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin said bread-and-butter issues were more important to the working class than "hot air" issues like human rights, freedom and democracy that only appealed to middle-class and affluent Bangsar voters.

"It is the working and lower middle-class of Lembah Pantai who shall deliver him the seat," Dr Shamsul Amri told the portal.

"In the last five years, Nurul Izzah has been a fantastic good listener, but can't give or deliver anything. Raja Nong Chik wasn't the MP, but minister; he doesn't need to make any promise, just deliver. He has delivered," added the founding director of Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

It will be in this part of town, where the bulk of the votes reside, that the outcome of this hotly-contested constituency will be decided. Raja Nong Chik is now seen as a serious challenger and many think that an upset could take place here.

It will be a tough fight and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been making regular appearances at ceramah to help his eldest daughter shore up support.

But over at the upmarket eateries and pubs in Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, it is a different story altogether with BN-bashing being the order of the day.

Paul Michael, who lives in the vicinity, said he does not even need to ponder who he shall vote for come May 5.

He said his mind had been made up long ago, and that he just wanted to see the present government changed.

"Nurul Izzah is pleasant, clever and articulate. It helps that she looks good, so my choice is clear," he said, over a mug of cold beer.

His friends, all professionals including lawyers and accountants, said they were eager to punish BN for what they termed as all the wrongs in this country.

Asked if he was bothered by PAS pushing for hudud law, Michael said he did not care as he was staying in Kuala Lumpur.

"I don't care what PAS wants to do in Kelantan but over here in KL, I am just going to party and have my beer here," the 35-year-old bachelor said.

His concerns are issues like corruption, human rights, democracy, justice and freedom, which he is passionate about.

His businessman friend, however, was more guarded, saying he was worried about the outcome of the polls.

"Look, I am a businessman. I need the economy to be smooth, I don't want to see people out in the streets after polling day because some people are not happy with the results.

"If this happens, my cash flow will be hit and I will need to use my savings to pay for the wages and bills," he said.

But his friends think it is a small price to pay for change.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysian leader hits out at Australia's lack of support
Hindraf chief denies being sacked
Just die, Anwar tells Dr Mahathir
Reveal stand on Islamic state: Karpal to Anwar
Exodus from Sabah PKR?
Hudud is a must, say PAS leaders
Chua: PR can’t take six states
Stop making hudud statements, Boo tells PAS
Lahad Datu: 3 Opposition leaders linked to Sabah incursion, says Zahid
Support for both BN and Pakatan within 5% difference
Instant Media's Got Malaysia
GE13: Uthayakumar – Get rid of Indian leaders
Don’t vote for Zul Noordin, says MIC veep
Najib defends ‘Allah’ ban, rules out election debate
Cars of PKR candidate's daughter set ablaze
Navy denies killing 35 'militants' trying to enter Malaysia

Malaysian leader hits out at Australia's lack of support

Posted: 26 Apr 2013 01:57 AM PDT

Mark Baker, The Sydney Morning Herald

The man who could be Malaysia's next prime minister has attacked Julia Gillard and other Labor leaders for failing to support the country's democracy movement.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim says he has been shocked by the refusal of Ms Gillard, former prime minister Kevin Rudd and Foreign Minister Bob Carr to meet him during their official visits to Malaysia in recent years.

In an exclusive interview with Fairfax, Mr Anwar said the Labor government seemed to be more interested in courting trade and asylum-seeker deals than in defending democratic principles.

''You come from a tradition that gives respect and recognition to the opposition, so why can't I meet the Prime Minister of Australia?'' he said. ''I go to India, I meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In Indonesia, I meet the President. What is so different about Australia?''

Mr Anwar's three-party coalition poses a serious threat to the 56-year dominance of Malaysian politics by the United Malays National Organisation in next weekend's national elections.

If he wins power, Mr Anwar has promised to end the endemic corruption within Malaysia's ruling elite, lift all restrictions on the government-controlled media and restore the independence of the judiciary and bureaucracy.

He was Malaysia's deputy leader and finance minister before being abruptly sacked by then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998 and then jailed for six years on discredited sex and corruption charges.

Mr Anwar said that if countries such as Australia believed in democratic values they had to be prepared to support those same values in countries where they were abused.

He said Mr Rudd had refused to meet him when he visited Malaysia as prime minister in 2008, Ms Gillard had avoided meeting him when she came to Malaysia in late 2010 on her first overseas trip as Prime Minister and Senator Carr had not met him when he was in Kuala Lumpur last November.

During his 2008 visit to Malaysia, Mr Rudd is reported to have said: ''Democracy is not just alive and well in Malaysia, it is flourishing.''

Mr Anwar said he later contacted Mr Rudd and challenged him on the remarks: ''I said, Kevin, you're not serious … you can say you are happy to have good bilateral relations but you can't go further.''

He criticised Senator Carr for not meeting him on his visit to Malaysia in November: ''Even when Bob Carr was here he didn't see me. Then he quietly called me on the phone later.''

Mr Anwar said he had good personal relationships with a number of Australian politicians but they needed to stand up for what they claimed to believe in.

Hindraf chief denies being sacked

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 09:25 PM PDT

Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy denies an SMS being circulated that he has been sacked by the Indian rights group's supreme council.

(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy denies an SMS being circulated that he has been sacked by the Indian rights group's supreme council.

The SMS also claims that Mr Waythamoorthy's brother P. Uthayakumar was now Hindraf's de facto leader and would continue to champion an "anti-Barisan Hindraf crusade".

When contacted, Mr Waythamoorthy said there was no truth in the SMS, adding that a Hindraf Supreme Council did not exist and that Mr Uthayakumar had no say on the matter as he was no longer a Hindraf member.

"He left Hindraf to form his own human rights group. He's always been a one-man show. He disagrees with us, so he got a few people and now he is saying that I've been sacked and he's the de facto leader," Mr Waythamoorthy said.

He said that Mr Uthayakumar was opposed to Hindraf's endorsement of Barisan Nasional for GE13, following a memorandum of understanding signed last week.

Barisan had also endorsed Hindraf's blueprint for improved conditions for Malaysian Indians.

On March 8, the Registrar of Societies approved the registration of Hindraf as Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, a non-governmental organisation, with the pro-tem committee headed by Mr Waythamoorthy.

He said the deputy chairman was W. Sumbalingan and adviser was N Ganesan.

"Uthayakumar's name does not appear in the registered organisation," he said.

He reiterated that the organisation would support Barisan in the upcoming elections but acknowledged that the tussle with his brother could lead to confusion among Hindarf supporters.

Just die, Anwar tells Dr Mahathir

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 08:09 PM PDT

(Malaysian Digest) - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday called on former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to "just die" instead of campaigning for Barisan Nasional.

"Sudah mau mati, dah 83 tahun. Berapa la lama lagi? Kalau dah nak mati, mati saja lah (It's almost time for him to die, at 83 years old. How long more? If you are going to die, just die)," he said at a ceramah in Kampung Abdullah here.

(Dr Mahathir is actually 87 years old.)

Anwar (pic) was Dr Mahathir's deputy when the latter was prime minister but was sacked following allegations of abuse of power and sexual misconduct.

Anwar added in a sarcastic tone that he had forgiven Dr Mahathir, as he knew the latter would not survive a prison term and that there were no prisons wanting to accept him as he was too old.

He also called for the premature death of BN, and its component parties, the MCA and MIC.

Earlier, he had accused BN of trying to prevent DAP from using the party's "Rocket" symbol for the election.

"When Pakatan said fine, we will use the moon (PAS's logo) nationwide, BN panicked and pushed to say DAP can use their rocket logo," claimed Anwar.

He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Present were other opposition coalition candidates, including Johor PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng, who is contesting the Segamat parliamentary seat and PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub who is contesting the Pulai parliamentary and Nusajaya state seats.

Salahuddin had also taken up the "premature death" theme, saying BN was irrelevant and its leaders were "almost dying".

He said the Gelang Patah BN candidate, outgoing Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, was a reluctant candidate and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang would bury him there.

Dr Mahathir, when asked to comment on Anwar's remarks, said he was merely exercising his rights of freedom of speech.

"The opposition leaders have yet to form the government, but they have asked the people to shut up.

"People had used vulgar words against me when I was the prime minister.

"Some of them had even labeled me as firaun (pharaoh), a racist and an ultra-Malay but I never asked the authorities to arrest them.

"So now, why are they trying to deny my right to speak up?"

Reveal stand on Islamic state: Karpal to Anwar

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 07:55 PM PDT

Regretting that PAS has raised the issue now, the DAP chairman wants the PKR supremo to state his stand.

Athi Snankar, FTM

DAP chairman Karpal Singh today demanded PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim to publicly declare his party's official stand on PAS' Islamist agenda.

Karpal said he was clueless as to why Anwar and PKR were playing dumb in this issue which had cropped up following statements by various PAS leaders, including president Abdul Hadi Awang.

"I don't know why Anwar and PKR are quiet about the issue. Anwar should publicly declare his and his party's stand on this issue. I think the public expects it.

"You got to ask him. I can only speak on the behalf of DAP," Karpal, who is defending his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat, told a press conference here today.

Karpal regretted that PAS had raised the issue of hudud and Islamic state halfway through the election campaign despite the agenda not mentioned in Pakatan Rakyat's common manifesto

He said he was taken aback by Hadi's statement that DAP disagreed but did not oppose hudud and Islamic state.

"It's contradiction in terms. When we disagree, it's true that we oppose it. Otherwise there won't be a disagreement. DAP's stand on hudud is very clear.

"I've time and again said that hudud ought not be and should not be brought into the country," he added.

Karpal insisted that his statements on PAS Islamic state reflected the official stand of DAP.

He said MCA was making an issue of it that the Lim father and son – Kit Siang and Guan Eng – were quiet about the issue and therefore they did not oppose hudud.

"I don't state my personal stand. I speak on behalf of DAP. It becomes the stand of DAP," he added.

Besides Hadi, PAS ulama council chief Harun Taib, deputy spiritual leader Dr Haron Din, Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah have all issued statements stressing that PAS would implement the hudud law and its Islamist policies if Pakatan Rakyat takes over the federal government.

Pointing out that Barisan Nasional's had exploited the issue, he called on PAS leaders to cease bringing up the issue.

He agreed that Pakatan had not reached a consensus on the PAS Islamic agenda.

But he said all Pakatan allies have reached a common understanding on other larger issues that the electorates would consider.

He said PAS leaders should rather highlight larger issues of public interest like the price of petrol, essential commodities, human rights and other economic issues.

READ MORE HERE

Exodus from Sabah PKR?

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 03:31 PM PDT

Resigning Sabah PKR division chief claimed Anwar Ibrahim told them that Lajim Ukin and Bumburing would only get 'one seat' each in Beaufort and Tuaran.

(FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: Is the resignation of several Sabah PKR division leaders and grassroots members and their crossover to Umno, a sign that the long since rumoured exodus from the party has begun in time for the May 5 polls?

Resigning division leaders yesterday said their reason for quiting was because PKR de factor leader Anwar Ibrahim had "lied" about Lajim Ukin and Wilfred Bumburing's inclusion in Sabah PKR.

Following the entry of Barisan Nasional defectors Lajim and Bumburing as Anwar-PKR allies in Sabah, rumours have been rife that an exodus was imminent.

Lajim and Bumburing are current incumbents in Beaufort and Tuaran parliamentary divisions.

In July last year, they formally announced that they and their respective platforms – Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) and Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS) – were aligned to Anwar. Neither was willing to become PKR members.

Over the months ground reports of scuffles and disagreements between PKR "originals" and "copies" (referring to Lajim and Bumburing's people) have been dismissed as "rumours" or "not a serious issue" by the central leadership.

The simmering anger appeared to peak when Tuaran PKR division chief Ansari Abdullah pre-empted PKR announcement of the Sabah candidates by releasing its own list of seven individuals purportedly endorsed by seven divisions.

Deputy PKR president Azmin Ali dismissed this and toeing the line was Sabah chief Thamrin Jaini.

But Anwar's pre-nomination announcement that APS and PPPS had been allocated five parliamentary seats each and collectively 23 state constituencies – just over a third of Sabah 60 seats – to contest has cut deeply through the party.

At a press conference here yesterday, four division chiefs and a deputy division head announced their resignation and their move to Umno.

Anwar 'lied'

Ansari was not on the list but he reportedly said that Bumburing who is contesting in Tuaran will not get the support of the division's 6,000 members.

Ansari claimed Bumburing "betrayed" him.

Those who quit were Sandakan, Batu Sapi, Kota Belud and Kalabakan division chiefs: Mazhry Nasir, Zainuddin Hassa, Saidil Simoi and Irianshah Yunus respectively.

Putatan PKR division's acting chief Abdul Zainal Atin also announced his resignation at the Umno headquarters here in the presence of caretaker Deputy Chief Minister Yahya Husin and Sabah BN secretary Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

Rumoured to be joining Umno any day now are some1,500 PKR members from Beaufort where Lajim is the incumbent MP. Former Beaufort PKR division chief Abdul Jarih @ Ramli Ukin had earlier quit the party.

Anwar is scheduled to visit the state over the weekend.

Speaking to reporters here, Mazhry said their decision to resign from the party was made after taking into considerations that Anwar had "lied" about Bumburing and Lajim's role and their inclusion into Sabah Pakatan Rakyat and the central leadership dismissal of state-level decisions.

Said Mazhry, who was until his resignation yesterday Sabah PKR's deputy election chief: "I have been in PKR since 1999, and I made the decision to leave the party because of unavoidable reasons. Sabah PKR is no longer reflecting what the people want.

"All decisions are made by the central leadership without consultation with state leaders.

READ MORE HERE

Hudud is a must, say PAS leaders

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 02:42 PM PDT

From left: Datuk Harun Taib, PAS Ulama council chief, Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner II and Datuk Dr Haron Din, PAS deputy spiritual leader.

(The Star) - MORE PAS leaders have come out in support of the implementation of the hudud law should Pakatan Rakyat capture Putrajaya.

They expressed their support for party deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din who had said that hudud would be implemented in a Pakatan government even if the DAP opposed it.

Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner II Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the willingness of the DAP to use the PAS symbol (when it faced deregistration) showed that it no longer feared the implementation of hudud.

Nik Mohd Amar, who is contesting the Pasir Puteh parliamentary seat, said it was incumbent on PAS to implement hudud if Pakatan took over Putrajaya.

"Everyone should welcome hudud of their own free will. But if one is a Muslim, it is considered a must to embrace hudud," he said in an interview. "It is fine if some of you do not want to embrace the (hudud) law, but do remember that there is a path to heaven and another to hell. One can choose."

The hudud issue had resurfaced in the run-up to the May 5 polls, with PAS adamant on imposing punishment for crimes according to Syariah law.

On Tuesday, Dr Haron said: "I am confident that the DAP will accept hudud because of its willingness to contest under the PAS symbol.

"Pakatan must take over the federal government. Only then can we amend the Constitution to implement hudud."

Party Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Harun Taib said the objections of the DAP would then not matter as it would be up to the new Parliament to decide on the implementation of hudud.

However, PAS Supporters Congress chairman Hu Phang Chaw said the party leaders should not be talking about hudud at the moment.

"Now is not the time to discuss hudud. We can talk about it another time, not during the elections," said Hu, the PAS candidate in a straight fight for the Air Hitam parliamentary seat in Johor against MCA Youth chief Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong,

"PAS and its allies in the opposition front should be talking about their desire for a new Malaysia."

In Petaling Jaya, observers noted the serious implications of implementing hudud, referring to cases when Islamic law was imposed on non-Muslims as well in Kelantan.

In December last year, four non-Muslims two men on a plane-spotting outing and a couple in a park were issued with summonses for "indecent behaviour".

The incidents followed a nationwide uproar when fines were imposed on salon operators who allowed their stylists to cut the hair of customers of a different gender, regardless of whether they were Muslims or not.

In Kedah, the PAS-controlled government laid down guidelines for public celebrations of the Chinese New Year, which infuriated the community.

Chua: PR can’t take six states

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 02:38 PM PDT

(The Star) - Pakatan Rakyat will not be able to capture six states, including Perak, in the May 5 polls, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

He said PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who claimed this in an interview with Singapore's Channel News Asia, could continue to dream or "hallucinate" but the fact was his party was crumbling.

"Only two of PKR's 34 founding members are still with the party.

"Eleven of Pakatan's elected representatives in the last general election have also left the coalition," Dr Chua said after a ground-breaking ceremony for SJK (C) Lawan Kuda Baru's basketball court here yesterday.

He said Anwar had also claimed that 30 Barisan MPs would leave to join Pakatan on Sept 16 shortly after the 2008 elections but it turned out to be a hoax.

Dr Chua, also Perak MCA chairman, said Pakatan would not be able to repeat its feat in Perak this elections.

Apart from Perak, the other states captured by Pakatan in 2008 were Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Kelantan.

In the last elections, DAP won 18 state seats while PAS and PKR won a combined 13 state seats, against Barisan's 28, resulting in Pakatan capturing the state.

However, three Pakatan assemblymen declared themselves as independents and Barisan-friendly in 2009, resulting in a new state government being formed by Barisan.

Dr Chua said DAP not only failed to service the people after its victory, but also deserted them to chart its entry to Johor this round.

The Opposition, he added, had always taken the people's support for granted.

Dr Chua said he was confident that Barisan would be able to wrest back the Gopeng parliamentary seat and its two state seats - Teja and Simpang Pulai - this round.

On PAS' agenda to implement its brand of hudud, he said this could happen when Pakatan wrested Putrajaya.

"Of the 222 MPs in the country, 145 are Muslims.

"It only takes PAS to propose the amendments to the Federal Constitution in Parliament, and all Muslim MPs would have to support it out of religious obligations," he explained, expressing his concern that many Chinese and non-Muslims were still not clear about this.

As such, he said a vote for DAP was a vote for PAS and its Islamist state.

On the blast near a Barisan operations centre in Nibong Tebal on Wednesday, Dr Chua said there was no need to resort to violence.

He also lamented that DAP had been practising politics of hatred since last elections and this had affected some young people.

Dr Chua said DAP would condemn anyone who did not support the Opposition or its agenda.

Stop making hudud statements, Boo tells PAS

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 02:34 PM PDT

(The Star) - PAS deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din should not have made statements on behalf of the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat on the issue of hudud implementation, said Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau.

Such statements, he said, would only lead to backlash from the public and Pakatan members.

He said Dr Haron should have instead consulted DAP chairman Karpal Singh, adviser Lim Kit Siang or secretary-general Lim Guan Eng before making such comments, adding that as a senior leader in PAS, he should have been more tactful.

"He is entitled to his own views and has the right to do so but he needs to take into consideration the effect his words will have," he told reporters here yesterday.

Dr Haron was quoted as saying in Arau on Tuesday that hudud would be implemented if Pakatan took over the federal government even if its Pakatan partner DAP opposed the move. He had also said the DAP would accept hudud because of its willingness to contest under the PAS symbol.

Dr Boo said the comments by Dr Haron did not represent the views of the DAP. "All three parties under Pakatan have a common platform and manifesto, which were agreed upon, and Dr Haron must respect that."

Lahad Datu: 3 Opposition leaders linked to Sabah incursion, says Zahid

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 02:17 PM PDT

(The Star) - The Defence Ministry has identified three opposition leaders in connection with the Feb 12 incursion of Sulu gunmen in Sabah.

Defence Ministry Datuk Seri Abdul Zahid Hamidi said on Friday the ministry had enough evidence that link the three - two from Peninsular Malaysia and one from Sabah - to the incident.

He said the evidence would submit to the Attorney General office for further action after this general election.

Support for both BN and Pakatan within 5% difference

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 01:55 PM PDT

Twenty-two percent of those polled in a UMcedel survey are still uncertain about which coalition's manifesto will be able to fulfil the rakyat's hopes.

Alyaa Azhar, FMT

With just 10 days to go, anything can happen in the 13th general elections, said the University of Malaya Centre for Election and Democracy (Umcedel) director Mohammad Redzuan Othman today.

Umcedel had conducted a survey on voting trends ahead of the GE on May 5.

Redzuan said that unlike in the 2008 general election, in the May 5 polls both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat will contest on the same footing.

"Support for both BN and Pakatan is very close. The difference is not more than five percent.

"Everything will depend on the campaigning done by both sides in these last 10 days," he said.

Redzuan also said that in Malaysian politics, no one can predict what will happen.

"You have to understand the dynamics of Malaysian election, anything can happen in the last 10 days before election.

"The political tsunami in 2008 started during the last four days prior to the general election," he said.

He said according to the survey, the rakyat was more accepting of Pakatan's manifesto as opposed to Barisan Nasional's (BN).

When asked which manifesto will be able to fulfil the rakyat's hopes, he said 42% of those polled gave the nod for Pakatan, 36% for BN while 22 percent remained undecided.

However he stressed that acceptance of a particular party's manifesto did not mean that the individual would vote for the opposition pact in the coming general election.

"What I can say is that there is a general acceptance of Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto.

"But both Pakatan and BN have to show that they will be able to implement whatever stated in the manifesto.

"Pakatan's intention to bring down the price of oil and cars and abolish tolls were probably factors which attracted voters to be more accepting of its manifesto," he said.

Redzuan however declined to disclose who the respondents felt would win in the coming election.

"We are not a body which conducts research on who is going to win or lose the general election, because everything is based on academic data," he said.

READ MORE HERE

Instant Media's Got Malaysia

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 01:22 PM PDT

(Asia Sentinel) - "Watching the Watchdog," a study released this week by Malaysia's Center for Independent Journalism in conjunction with the UK-based University of Nottingham, found just how biased the mainstream media can be.

The current campaign bypasses the biased mainstream

Online media, already a major factor in Malaysia's 2008 general election, has exploded this time around with newer platforms like Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and others transforming electioneering for both the opposition and the government..

In a country where virtually all mainstream media outlets are owned by pro-government political parties, the rapid growth of social media outlets is not just a social phenomenon but also a key part of the political process.

According to statistics, there are 2 million Twitter users in the country, compared with only 3,000 in 2008. Any large political event is amplified by millions of tweets and posts as dramatic pictures are passed around showing tens of thousands of supporters attending opposition rallies. Who cares about the front page of a newspaper? If violence threatens, as it often has, witnesses record the action, posting it immediately on Facebook, which has 13 million user accounts in Malaysia, and YouTube, where 67 percent of all online videos end up.

The online media is crucial to the opposition, which is nearly frozen out of traditional print and broadcast outlets. "Watching the Watchdog," a study released this week by Malaysia's Center for Independent Journalism in conjunction with the UK-based University of Nottingham, found just how biased the mainstream media can be. Drawing from data gathered the week of April 7-15, the chart below shows the ruling Barisan Nasional, or BN, getting 97.5 percent favorable or neutral coverage in the mainstream media, against less than 20 percent for the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

GE13: Uthayakumar – Get rid of Indian leaders

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 12:05 PM PDT

(fz.com) - Uthayakumar says he is standing in Kota Raja, not to represent Indians, but all Malaysians.

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Uthayakumar's theory is very simple: The Federal government and the state governments – both BN and Pakatan Rakyat – have devised a scheme where they appoint Indian mandores (foremen) to solve the issues facing Indians, and when the mandores fail, the Indians will blame the mandores and the community will end up fighting among themselves.

"Get rid of the mandores and the problems of the poor Indians in this country would be solved. We do not need Indian leaders in this country to solve the Indians' problems," said Uthayakumar matter-of-factly.

"It is in the hands of the Chinese and Malay leaders to end racism in this country. I would prefer a Chinese or Malay leader to address the Indians' issues," he said.

Historically, under the British rule of Malaya, the mandores were leaders of labour gangs in the rubber estates who were appointed to ensure that the Indian workers in the estates maintained work discipline.

Uthayakumar has not changed much in appearance or views since his arrest under the now-defunct Internal Security Act (ISA) in December 2007 and release in 2009. He is still a firebrand and does not mince his words, one reason he is not wanted by any political faction, he said.

"I will not be their mandore," said Uthayakumar.

Don’t vote for Zul Noordin, says MIC veep

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 12:02 PM PDT

(FMT) - M Saravanan says he will never forgive Zulkifli Noordin for degrading and passing racial remarks against the Indian community.

Vowing not to forgive the Barisan Nasional candidate for Shah Alam, MIC vice- president M Saravanan has advised Indians not to vote for the Perkasa leader.

"I will never forgive him (Zulkifli). I will continue to tell Indians not to vote for him, he doesn't deserve their votes.

"If I were to say something disrespectful towards Muslims or their beliefs and then apologise, do you think they will accept it?" he asked.

"It is the same, we are Malaysians and the thought of disrespecting other religion should never even cross our mind.

"I respect the Prime Minister's (Najib Tun Razak) choice. But his candidacy degrades BN on the whole, he is a disgrace to the party," said Saravanan, who is contesting the Tapah parliamentary seat.

In an old video clipping which surfaced recently, Zulkifli had questioned the Hindu concept of God and mocked the Ganges River, which is considered sacred by Hindus.

"I have been to Sungai Ganga before. How can you say it's pure? There are chicken carcasses and small sticks floating," Zulkifli had said in the video clip.

He has since apologised for his remarks.

PKR candidate confident in Tapah

Saravanan is defending the parliamentary seat against PKR's K Vasanthakumar, who is contesting the polls for the first time.

Vasanthakumar carved a name for himself with Hindraf and was one of the five detained under the now defunct ISA after the 2007 Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur.

Tapah consists 38,000 registered voters with 46.47% Malays, 27.86% Chinese, 13.31% Indians and 12.36% others, including Orang Asli.

Speaking to FMT, Vasanthakumar was confident of beating the incumbent, saying that he was more capable in providing service to the voters of Tapah.

"I have done my research and I know what the people here need and want, I think I know more than anyone else," he declared, when met in Tapah.

"Poverty is one of the main issues here. About 30% of the people here suffer from poverty. We promise to uphold our minimum wage pledge as stated in our manifesto," he added.

He also claimed that the Orang Asli communities in the constituency have also shown confidence in him.

"I would like to take this opportunity to call Saravanan for a debate by April 27. Show me what you have done for the people here. Show me if you are a worthy enough to stay a second term.

"I would in turn reply with my grounds on how I would be able to perform better than you and serve the people of Tapah better," he added.

Change this barisan goverment goverment goverment la... - Barisan Kolaveri Song:
ehuGPOIsDKM

Or watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehuGPOIsDKM

Najib defends ‘Allah’ ban, rules out election debate

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 11:58 AM PDT

(TMI) - Datuk Seri Najib Razak has expressed support for the appeal to overturn a High Court ruling which allows the use of the Arabic term "Allah" for God by non-Muslim groups in Malaysia, according to an interview with global news station Al Jazeera.

The caretaker prime minister also told Al Jazeera English's Veronica Pedrosa in the interview, to be aired tomorrow, that he did not intend to have a public election debate with Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim before the May 5 polls.

"The concept of Allah is different in the Muslim sense than in the Christian sense, we should not upset the Muslims and Muslims should not upset the Christians, we are living in harmony for years and it should continue," he was quoted as saying in an excerpt distributed by Al Jazeera English.

The Court of Appeal has fixed May 30 for another case management on the government and Home Ministry's appeal against the 2009 High Court decision that the word "Allah" can be used by the Catholic weekly newspaper Herald.

In 2007, the government limited the usage of the term to the Muslim context only. This was revoked by the High Court two years later as the judge said the law was unconstitutional. Putrajaya appealed the ruling and the short-lived implementation of the 2009 court verdict has since been suspended.

After the ruling, there was a series of firebombing and stones thrown at several houses of worship in Kuala Lumpur. Some of the culprits were charged and later punished but the case continues to rankle.

The Christian community forms less than 10 per cent of the 28 million population in Malaysia but both Najib and Anwar have long started wooing them ahead of Election 2013.

Najib also said that he preferred engaging the public directly rather than debating with his political opponent.

"There are many ways to reach out to the public, both political parties have a lot of space in Malaysia … It is unlikely we will have a debate, we need to engage with the people, the opposition will engage with people," Najib told the Talk to Al Jazeera

Najib's interview will be first aired globally tomorrow at 12.30pm (local time). It will be on Astro Channel 513. Repeats of the 30-minute interview will be on Sunday at 4.40pm, Monday 3.30am and 10.30pm.

Cars of PKR candidate's daughter set ablaze

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 11:51 AM PDT

(The Malay Mail) - In what is believed to be another politically motivated incident, two cars belonging to PKR candidate Dr Xavier Jayakumar's daughter were set afire when a group of men threw kerosene containers at the entrance of her residence in Taman Klang Jaya, Klang yesterday.

During the 11pm incident, election agent Sangetha Jeyakumar, 30, was with her father at their Pakatan Rakyat service centre for a meeting following a ceramah session.

A neighbour who did not want to be identified said that two men, one armed with parang, in a silver-coloured Kia Sephia alighted from the vehicle and climbed over the house gate to get into the compound.

"My dog began to bark as both men were shouting loudly before climbing over the gate.

"I shouted back to warn my neighbour but was threatened by them to stay away or else they would throw the kerosene containers into my house," he said when met at the scene.

Husband, toddler and maid at home

Sangetha's husband Dr Arnil Srimanne, 36, her one-year-old toddler and their maid were at home when the incident occurred.

"I heard the commotion and peeked out of my window when they shouted obscenities and threatened me," said Arnil.

He said that the suspects then broke the rear window of his wife's car which was parked on the front porch before dousing it with kerosene and setting it on fire.

"In haste since others members of the public had gathered, the suspects then threw one of the kerosene containers at the other car before leaving the scene," he said.

NONE Within several minutes the Fire Department arrived to put out the flames.

When met, Seri Andalas incumbent Xavier (right) said he believed that the incident was politically motivated.

"This incident was brought upon my daughter as she is involved in politics with me. Such culture should not be encouraged by either side of the political divide," he said.

Meanwhile police who arrived at the scene are investigating the case under arson.

Xavier is defending his state seat at the May 5 general election in a five-cornered fight with MIC Youth chief T Mohan, P Uthayakumar of the Human Rights Party and two Independents, KS Kottappan Suppiah and Hanafiah Husin.

Navy denies killing 35 'militants' trying to enter Malaysia

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 11:38 AM PDT

(Rappler) - The Philippine Navy on Thursday, April 25, denied that navy personnel shot and killed 35 "militants" trying to enter Malaysia.

The Navy said there is no such report coming from the Tawi-Tawi naval task force commander, contradicting reports released by the Malaysian press earlier in the day.

"We have contacted our naval task force commander based in Tawi-Tawi and he said that there is no such report that has come to his attention," said Col Edgardo Arevalo, Navy spokesperson on West Philippine Sea matters.

Reports in Malaysian media said the 35 militants came from Sulu, and were killed by personnel from the Philippine naval and coast guard forces.

The militants were shot before they entered Malaysian territory, The Star newspaper in Malaysia reported Thursday, April 25, quoting Malaysian Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who spoke in a press conference in George Town, Malaysia.

The Star, quoting Hamidi, said the group was attempting to enter Sabah to "cause problems" during the Malaysian general elections.

"If they had entered our waters, we would have taken them out. We will defend our country," The Star quoted Hamidi as saying. - Rappler.com

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Jumaat, 26 April 2013

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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