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| SPR results as at 3.45am 6th May 2013 Posted: 05 May 2013 01:53 AM PDT  |
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| Crying foul, Anwar disputes GE13 results Posted: 05 May 2013 04:36 AM PDT
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, TMI Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he will not accept the Election 2013 result, accusing the Elections Commission (EC) of rigging the polls to give Barisan Nasional (BN) victory. As results streamed in, the PKR de facto leader said Pakatan Rakyat will not recognise the legitimacy of the outcome, claiming that several hotly-contested seats were marred by allegations of widespread fraud. "As of now we are not accepting the results," the visibly upset Anwar told a press conference packed with supporters, local and international pressmen.
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| Posted: 04 May 2013 11:33 PM PDT
Anwar Ibrahim asks Umno and the Election Commission to accept the people's decision. (FMT) - Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim claimed that Pakatan Rakyat has won the 13th general election. "Pakatan has won. We urge Umno and the Election Commission [EC] not to attempt to hijack the results," said Anwar on his microblogging site, Twitter at about 7pm. An aide of Anwar said that the Twitter message was not the job of hackers and it came from Anwar himself. He said that when he contacted Anwar the opposition leader said that it was his genuine Twitter message. Later, the Prime Minister's Office stressed the need to wait for official results. "People decide elections, not politicians. We must all wait for the official election results to be announced by the EC," said PMO via Twitter.
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| ‘Phantom voters employed by Pakatan’ Posted: 04 May 2013 07:53 PM PDT
BN cyberytroopers claim phantom voters were employed by Pakatan to discredit the caretaker government. Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT Barisan Nasional cybertroopers are claiming Pakatan Rakyat had employed phantom voters to discredit the caretaker government. This claim comes following numerous reports by Pakatan observers that foreigners – mostly from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal – were seen queing up at polling stations across the country to cast votes. However, several pro-BN blogs have claimed they have evidence that the foreigners were employed by Pakatan themselves to be used to discredit BN. They also said that reports have been filed at the Election Commission (EC) and claimed the issue would be addressesed during the EC's press conference later this evening. "Our parties have discovered PKR's modus operandi in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam and Pantai Dalam not too long ago. PKR had employed these foreigners, gave them ICs, sent them to polling stations and pretended to be caught to give them (PKR) credit," blogger Afiq KLTown said on his Facebook page today. "The opposition are all desperate and cannot accept the fact that they will lose, and therefore had resorted to create this cheap propaganda," he added. He however did not explain how PKR could give ICs to the foreigners when the National Registration Department was under the purview of the BN-controlled federal government. Controversial blogger Papagomo further claimed that two Bagladeshi nationals had been detained by the police after admitting that they had received RM250 each from PKR to manipulate votes. "Three Malaysians were detained with two Bangladeshi's in Lembah Pantai today in suspicion of creating chaos," Papagomo said. "The suspects are believed to have been trying to manipulate the election today by claiming the Bangladeshi's were voting on behalf of BN," he added. It was reported earlier today that a suspicious voter from Sabah was questioned by Pakatan Rakyat workers in Pandan, Selangor, when he attempted to claim money at their booth after voting. Pandan PKR candidate Rafizi Ramli told reporters that the voter could not sing national anthem Negaraku, and could not recall the address stated on his IC. The man then claimed to have voted for PKR, and the 'Rocket' DAP as well, which had fielded its candidate for the Teratai state assembly seat there.
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| Rival groups scuffle in Air Puteh Posted: 04 May 2013 06:41 PM PDT
A '1Malaysia' group member has been detained by the police following a scuffle with DAP supporters. (FMT) - Rival groups from Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional were embroiled in a scuffle outside a polling station this afternoon. The incident took place outside the Kong Min Chinese, Air Itam, Penang school at 3pm. "A group of motorcyclists wearing 1Malaysia T-shirts confronted the DAP supporters here," said an eyewitness. Following that, an argument ensued and this turned into a fight with both groups tradings punches. Some onlookers joined the fight and assaulted the "1Malaysia" group as they fled the scene. The police have detained a member of the "1Malaysia" group who had sustained minor injuries. Though the fracas was a small one, it caused a major traffic jam in the area. Incumbent Wong Hon Wai of the DAP is facing a straight fight with Gerakan's Loo Jieh Sheng for this state seat.
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| Kedah police identify group planning to cause disturbance at 15 polling centres Posted: 04 May 2013 05:48 PM PDT
(The Star) - Kedah police have identified several individuals planning to cause disturbances at 15 tallying centres in the state. Kedah police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim said also being put under close security are several government department buildings including the state administrative building Wisma Darulaman. "We receive information that certain groups planned to stage gatherings at tallying centres with the intention to cause disturbance. "We also received information concerning text messages circulating among these groups calling for the gathering," he said in a press conference on Sunday. He said police would take action on the illegal gatherers under Section 141 of the Penal Code. "We will give them warning, but if they refuse to disperse, we will take action on them," he said.
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| Anwar’s politicisation of ‘fraud’ Posted: 04 May 2013 04:53 PM PDT
Anwar and the Pakatan have built their campaign upon the perception that the electoral system is rigged in favour of the incumbent. Nile Bowie, FMT There is no doubt that social-media commentators will not take kindly to the message of this article. Regardless of our political persuasions, those in the electorate should not abandon objectivity when assessing the claims of political orators on both sides of the divide. According to recent polling evaluations conducted by the Merdeka Center, the country is nearly spilt down the middle with respect to May 5th's decision; the result is too close to call for anyone to make a definitive conclusion. Therefore, some would call Anwar Ibrahim's recent assertion that only 'massive fraud' would prevent his victory, to be deeply disingenuous and politically irresponsible. This statement presupposes that any election result that yields anything other than Anwar's victory is: invalid, illegitimate, and fraud. This and other statements made by the opposition leader alienate anyone who votes for Barisan Nasional (nearly half the country, according to independent polls). For a man who has spoken at length to foreign press about turning Malaysian into a 'mature democracy', such a scathing statement utterly fails to communicate these aspirations by demonstrating his willingness to politicise hearsay and disregard polls that claim Barisan has about the same level of support that he enjoys. Anwar and the Pakatan have built their campaign upon the perception that the electoral system is rigged in favour of the incumbent, and in doing that, speculation on opposition news portals has become unquestionable truth for many who get their news through social media. Momentary hysteria ensued following recent allegations that the Election Commissions' indelible ink can be washed off, which was used allege that BN would cheat its way into power by allowing people to submit multiple ballots. Read more at: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/05/05/anwar%E2%80%99s-politicisation-of-%E2%80%98fraud%E2%80%99/ |
| Manager mistaken for phantom voter assaulted Posted: 04 May 2013 04:47 PM PDT
(The Sun) - A policewoman's husband was beaten up by a group of men at a voting centre at Rawang after being mistaken for a phantom voter this morning. Tajudeen N. Anver Bacha, 49-year-old manager who is a Malaysian was walking towards a voting centre at Batu 17, Rawang when he was blocked by the men were loitering in the vicinity. They accused him of being a Bangladeshi before ordering him to leave. When he tried to explain he was a local, the assaults began. "There were about 20 or 30 of them.They were violent and attacked me from behind. I was kicked and stopped from voting by the men. They also snatched an elections slip with my voting details I printed out." Tajudeen told theSun at noon. The victim whose wife is a police officer at Bukit Aman lodged a police report at the Rawang police station soon after the assault. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar in a press conference at Bukit Aman at noon said police will not tolerate such actions and will look for the assailants. Khalid was asked on allegations of phantom voters who arrived in buses at Kulai, Johor this morning who Johor police later clarified were Rela members reporting for duty, he said if the Kulai police chief had said they are Rela members then it should be accepted by the complainants. "We want to make it clear that we are not going to protect or defend any party for wrongdoings during the voting process. We have no reason to lie, if we find they are not phantom voters then that is our findings. "Anyone with information of Bangladeshis or other foreigners arriving in flights and buses should lodge a report with the police and we will take necessary action. Do not take the law in your own hands. "How can you tell someone is a foreigner in Malaysia when we live in a multi-racial country," he said.
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| Pakatan in Putrajaya: Taib, Dr M in dock? Posted: 04 May 2013 01:04 PM PDT
Losing the 13th general election will be akin to opening the Pandora boxes owned by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Taib Mahmud, Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah. Awang Abdillah, FMT The 13th general election is being turned into the toughest, ugliest and dirtiest election ever in the history of Malaysian politics, mainly due to the incumbent government's unwillingness to accept defeat. But it is not so much the defeat itself that Barisan Nasional fears but rather the consequences of a defeat. So much is at stake for Taib Mahmud and his Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) if Umno-BN loses this general election. Firstly, losing the polls will mean surrendering the executive power in the government. This means the loss of opportunities to continue enriching themselves and squandering more of the nation's wealth. Secondly the exposure of all their misdeeds by the new government backdated to the year 1981 until today. And lastly the retributions they will get from the law. Hence the phobia of these three realities compel the Umno elites to plan all kinds of strategies to stop the opposition from winning in the forthcoming election. The Umno elites are desperate to keep all their ill-gotten riches in secrecy and, away from public knowledge. These filthy rich Malaysians are the nation's unsung billionaires. These crooks forget that whatever one does has a tag attached or associated with it. As all these riches are mostly obtained by corrupt and unlawful means, their wealth is associated with evilness and they cannot escape the consequences of keeping, owning or spending them. Keeping these stolen riches is akin to owning a Pandora box and losing this 13th GE will be akin to opening the box. Read more at: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/05/05/pakatan-in-putrajaya-taib-dr-m-in-dock/ |
| Ink not so indelible after all Posted: 04 May 2013 12:49 PM PDT
(FMT) - A reader told FMT that he washed away the indelible ink on his finger by using toothpaste. A reader today told FMT that he managed to wash away the indelible ink put on his finger by voting officers this morning just after one hour upon casting his votes. "All I did was to wash my finger with toothpaste. Although there are small signs of ink around my fingernail, by large, I managed to remove the ink," he said. He also provided FMT with a photo of his ink-free finger. Just like this reader, there are other voters who have taken to the social media to state that they too have successfully removed the ink from their fingers.
FMT journalist K Pragalath is another voter who managed to wash away the ink. "I washed my left index finger half an hour after polling with a dish washing detergent. Ninety percent of my finger is clean," he said [see photo below]. Read more at: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/05/05/ink-not-so-indelible-after-all/ |
| Final push in Malaysia elections Posted: 04 May 2013 09:32 AM PDT
(The China Post) - A survey released by polling house Merdeka Center predicted Najib's Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition could win 85 parliamentary seats, while a three-party opposition alliance led by Anwar Ibrahim will take 89 seats. It said 46 seats were too close to call while two seats will go to smaller parties. Malaysian politicians made a final campaign push as an independent survey showed Prime Minister Najib Razak's long-ruling coalition running neck and neck with the opposition alliance ahead of Sunday's general election.
A survey released by polling house Merdeka Center predicted Najib's Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition could win 85 parliamentary seats, while a three-party opposition alliance led by Anwar Ibrahim will take 89 seats. It said 46 seats were too close to call while two seats will go to smaller parties. Anwar said only fraud can stop his Malaysian opposition from scoring a historic election win as the rival sides launched a last-ditch campaign blitz Saturday. Sunday's elections are the first in the country's 56 years of independence in which the only government Malaysia has known faces possible defeat. The uncertainty has given rise to a bitter campaign, with Najib warning of chaos and ethnic strife under the opposition, which has countered with numerous allegations of government vote fraud. Anwar set the stage for a possibly destabilizing challenge to the results, accusing the Barisan regime of cheating to thwart what he called a "democratic revolution."
"We have advised our supporters to remain calm, not to be provoked, not to take the law into their own hands, support the process," Anwar told AFP in an interview in his home seat in the state of Penang. Read more at: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/malaysia/2013/05/05/377824/Final-push.htm |
| GE13: Husam's mother passes away just before polling day Posted: 04 May 2013 09:20 AM PDT
(The Star) - PAS vice-president Datuk Husan Musa's mother Salma Idris has just passed away a day before the election. A report on Harakah daily's website, stated that Husan's mother would have her solat jenazah (prayer for the departed) after the Asar prayers at the Masjid Kota, in Salor, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Husan, who is PAS' candidate in Putrajaya, is also contesting for the state seat in Salor, where he is the incumbent. "Pemergian Bonda memilukan saya, namun takdir ini saya anggap pembuka kemenangan saya dan Rakyat Malaysia yang dahagakan Malaysia Baru yang Bersih, Adil & Berjiwa Rakyat," posted Husam, on his Facebook page. This is translated as "Though I grieve my mother's passing, I accept this as the opening to victory for me and the Rakyat who thirst for a new Malaysia that is clean, fair, and in line with the will of the people" |
| On the eve of an election, the Malaysian web comes under attack Posted: 04 May 2013 09:12 AM PDT
(The Verge) - Access suspects the ruling party is instituting the blocks using deep packet inspection, with the assistance of the (supposedly independent) ISPs. Opposition party websites and Facebook pages are falling to DDoS and web censorship Malaysia holds its national election this Sunday, pitting the ruling National Front party against an unusually strong People's Alliance coalition in what observers are calling the most closely contested race in the nation's history. But as citizens head to the polls, the country has seen a flood of ISP blocks and DDoS actions against opposition sites and independent media. The most visible actions are DDoS attacks, a technique that floods sites with bogus traffic, making them inaccessible to normal users. It's a technique often aimed at opposition parties in the days leading up to an election. DDoS mitigation service Cloudflare told The Verge it has seen several news organization come under attack in the past week, and that the vast majority of the actions have been Layer 7 attacks originating from within the country. It strongly suggests that whoever's behind the attack is local. OPPOSITION PARTY FACEBOOK PAGES WERE ALSO TARGETED BY THE BLOCKS Alongside the denial-of-service attacks, Malaysian ISPs have instituted a more sophisticated kind of web censorship. An Access Now report detailed five Malaysian ISPs that had begun blocking domains, simply refusing to serve requests made to certain web addresses. After early complaints, ISPs also blocked specific content within those domains that was critical of the standing regime. Read more at: http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/4/4299844/before-election-malaysian-web-comes-under-attack |
| Malaysians prepare to head to polls Posted: 04 May 2013 09:10 AM PDT
(Al Jazeera) - Malaysians are set to cast ballots in their first election in history with a change of government at stake, as a decades-old leadership battles to hold off an opposition pledging sweeping reform. Voting gets under way at 8:00am [0000 GMT] on Sunday with tensions high after a bitter campaign in the multi-ethnic country marked by charges of election fraud, divisive racial rhetoric and widespread violence. Malaysians have awaited the vote since 2008 polls saw a newly united opposition make unprecedented gains against the The coalition dominated by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and led by premier Najib Razak has been expected to edge the Pakatan Rakyat (People's Pact) alliance captained by former UMNO member, Anwar Ibrahim. But recent opinion polls have indicated the race was too close to predict. Pakatan has capitalised on anger over corruption, authoritarianism and controversial policies that favour majority ethnic Malays, while wooing minorities and a younger generation exposed to alternative views found online. Pakatan pledges sweeping reform, including an end to cronyism and corruption that it says sustains a powerful elite. 'We will win' The opposition has set the stage for a possibly disputed result with numerous accusations of Barisan electoral fraud. These include an alleged scheme to fly tens of thousands of people of "dubious" and possibly foreign origin to key constituencies to sway results. The government claims the flights were part of a voter-turnout drive. Indelible ink applied to voters' fingers to prevent multiple voting - touted by Najib as a safeguard against fraud - also was found to wash off. "Unless there's a major massive fraud tomorrow... we will win," Anwar told the AFP news agency on Saturday. Anwar, a former deputy premier ousted in a 1998 power struggle and jailed six years on sex charges widely viewed as trumped up, has drawn festival crowds in the tens of thousands on the stump. But it remains to be seen whether Malaysians will vote out the only government they have ever known, and Najib has played on fears for stability while pledging continued solid economic growth. His ethnic Malay-dominated regime retains powerful advantages, including control of traditional media and an electoral landscape critics say is biased. Najib also has exploited racial and religious insecurities by claiming a conservative Islamic party within Pakatan would implement sharia law. The occasionally fractious opposition, which also includes Anwar's multi-racial party and a secular one dominated by minority ethnic Chinese, condemns such rhetoric as dangerous racial fear-mongering. Campaigning has been marred by hundreds of reports of violence, intimidation, arson and two small explosions, although no deaths have been reported. Polling stations close at 5:00pm [0900 GMT] with results expected to begin rolling out within hours. Listen at: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/05/20135422192937370.html |
| BN faces fight of its life in M’sia vote Posted: 04 May 2013 09:09 AM PDT
(Today Online) - Malaysians vote today in an election that could weaken or even end the rule of one of the world's longest-lived coalitions, which faces a stiff challenge from an opposition pledging to clean up politics and end race-based policies. Led by former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition is aiming to build on startling electoral gains in 2008, when the Barisan Nasional (BN), or National Front, ruling coalition lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority. The historic result signaled a breakdown in traditional politics as minority ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indians, as well as many majority Malays, rejected the National Front's brand of race-based patronage that has ensured stability in the Southeast Asian nation but led to corruption and widening inequality. Under Prime Minister Najib Razak, the blue-blood son of a former leader, the coalition has tried to win over a growing middle class with social reforms and secure traditional voters with a US$2.6 billion (S$3.2 billion) deluge of cash handouts to poor families. He can point to robust growth of 5.6 per cent last year as evidence that his Economic Transformation Program to double incomes by 2020 is bearing fruit, while warning that the untested three-party opposition would spark economic ruin. Najib, who is personally more popular than his party, has had some success in steadying the ship since he was installed as head of the dominant United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in 2009. Formidable advantages such as the coalition's control of mainstream media, its deep pockets and a skewed electoral system make it the clear favourite. But opinion polls suggest a tightening race that could further reduce the coalition's majority and lead the opposition to dispute the result over claims of election fraud. The opposition alliance has been buoyed by unusually large, enthusiastic turnouts at campaign rallies in recent days. It says its "X factor" may be a surge in young, first-time voters who are more likely to be attracted to its call for change after 56 years of rule by the BN coalition. Read more at: http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/bn-faces-fight-its-life-msia-vote |
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| Pakatan not likely to win, Malay support lukewarm Posted: 04 May 2013 05:43 PM PDT
The irony of this election, then, is that ordinary Chinese, in having seized a seeming opportunity for electoral gain, will only have deepened their marginalisation. And ordinary Malays, in voting once again to subsist on a drip of paltry benefits – and to savour a warm mist of racial supremacy – will have done most to prop up the wealth of Umno's warlords. (Free Malaysiakini) - The 13th general election has been portrayed by many analysts in hopeful ways: the best prospect ever for opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim to win the prime ministership; a chance at last for democratic change; and an end to the country's insidious 'race-based' politics. Just now, I am in the southern state of Johor, birthplace and bastion of the country's dominant Umno. It is here, then, that after their electoral gains five years ago, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat has opened a new front. Pakatan is a lively coalition in which Anwar's vehicle, PKR, mediates between DAP, made up mostly of ethnic Chinese, and PAS, a mostly provincial Islamic party.
To be sure, a Pakatan rally in the town of Skudai night before last, featuring Anwar, Salahuddin, Kit Siang, and his able son, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, drew some 70,000 to its car park locale. But the audience appeared to be entirely Chinese. And the more the Chinese might declare their solidarity, the more the Malays take fright, their disgust over corruption in Umno outweighed by reawakened worries about the loss of their indigenously framed 'special rights'. In turn, Umno, with its coalition partner, MCA scorned by most Chinese, prepares to go it alone, banking on re-energised Malay support. And indeed, with only the urban Malay middle class having attained self-confidence enough to heed Pakatan's call, Umno will claim three-quarters of the community's vote. Pakatan, then, will not win even the 30 percent support among the Malays which, combined with the backing of the Chinese, its leaders estimate would bring them victory – all things being equal. And to add to Pakatan's problems, of course, things are not equal. Instead, under the Malaysian variant of authoritarian rule, sometimes cast by analysts as 'electoral authoritarianism', the playing field is vastly uneven, upended by grievous forms of gerrymandering and malapportionment, a partisan use of civil servants and state resources, extensive vote-buying, off-the-cuff development grants, a badly distorted electoral roll, a pliable election commission, a misrepresentative first-past-the-post system, an absurdly abused media, and a worrying usage of goons.
I anticipate, then, that Pakatan will make scant headway in the 13th general election. Kit Siang will be defeated, though narrowly, in the constituency of Gelang Patah. PAS' candidates in Johor and Putrajaya, some of the bravest in the party, will lose much more decisively. Anwar will withdraw from national politics to more international platforms. Thus, Pakatan's component parties, having given it their best shot, will grow strained as they return to more narrow party strategies and regional gains. And a gloating Umno will substantially renege on its last-minute pledges to the Chinese, though perhaps follow through on a few commitments to returning Indian sons. The irony of this election, then, is that ordinary Chinese, in having seized a seeming opportunity for electoral gain, will only have deepened their marginalisation. And ordinary Malays, in voting once again to subsist on a drip of paltry benefits – and to savour a warm mist of racial supremacy – will have done most to prop up the wealth of Umno's warlords. Thus, after this election, Malaysia will re-equilibrate in its standard trajectory, achieving far better standards of development than regional norms, yet perpetuating much inequality. However belatedly, Prime Minister Najib Razak is at his heart's extremities a reborn reformist. The coolness of his tweets has legs. He cannot debate Anwar Ibrahim, for he will lose. He cannot deny Rosmah Mansor her diamonds, for he will lose again. And he can hardly refuse Perkasa. And of course, he carries the baggage of amassed patronage resources – as any leader of Umno must do. But ingatlah: quite in keeping with Malaysian political tradition, he is a reasonable and astute leader in what is surely one of East Asia's most complex societies to oversee. Malaysia will thus remain in above-par hands. Lastly, let me offer a word for the Royal Malaysian Police, the alleged partisanship of whom is often decried. Over the past week, I have seen them at Pakatan ceramah directing traffic many hours on end, bareheaded, standing in the heat and the rain, waving through middle class Chinese motorists, assisting parking, and generally keeping order. I hear too that they have held the line between Pakatan and BN bullyboys. The police did say that they would keep the peace this election. By gum, much in contrast to their counterparts in other regimes in the region, they have done it. Let us hope that the rest of the state apparatus can do the same if in the very unlikely event that Pakatan comes to power.
WILLIAM CASE is professor in the Department of Asian and International Studies and former director of the Southeast Asia Research Centre at City University of Hong Kong.
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| Non-Chinese confused, split as they head for the polls Posted: 04 May 2013 09:35 AM PDT
The non-Chinese in Malaya are both split and confused by the politics as they head for the polling booths. When people are confused, they will vote the way they did the last time. Joe Fernandez The Malays in Malaya are clearly split down the middle. They are caught between two equally strong political groups i.e. PKR/Pas and Umno. They see themselves as having been done in as individuals by Umno and getting nowhere as a community in the retail economy, for example, because of corruption, deviations and distortions on the part of the ruling elite in cahoots with proxy Chinese businessmen. Hence, they seem to be forever dependent on lowly-paid government jobs and the government sector, subsidies and handouts, virtually like a beggar community, and getting sick of it. The Malays no longer want to have anything to do with the dependency syndrome foisted on them since 1957 by Umno. They are even more sickened by the porn material which Umno employs in its campaigns and its constant harping on the sex life of various Opposition leaders. The party is seen as morally depraved, increasingly bankrupt in its politics and desperate. The party has become notorious for being inundated with all sorts of unsavoury characters or linked with them. Wanita Umno Chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin in the lunatic fringe readily come to mind. The split in the Malay community has forced the Chinese to evaluate whether to support PKR/Pas as their Malay allies or back Umno through BN. They see the writing on the wall for Umno after 56 years. Hence, the Chinese decision from Kangar in Perlis to Tawau in Sabah to back Dap and in its absence the party's Malay allies i.e. PKR and Pas. Mahathir has tried to discredit Dap as a racist party fielding candidates only in Chinese-majority seats. That's the same thing being done by Umno in Malay-majority seats, a point which Mahathir chose to ignore as he threw tantrums in public. The Malays meanwhile will find it difficult to vote for Indians and Chinese in Malaya fielded by BN in seats where they (Malays) form the single biggest group but still less than 50 per cent. All these seats will fall to Malay candidates fielded by PKR/Pas and supported by Dap. Besides, Malays have come to detest the MIC and MCA in particular as racist parties thriving on Umno, the mother of all racist parties. This means that the non-Umno BN parties in Malaya will either be wiped out -- read MIC, PPP, Gerakan -- or will be virtually -- read MCA -- wiped out. MCA may win as little as five parliamentary seats in Malaya. The Suluks in Sabah are split down the middle and this is not due to the Lahad Datu intrusion. The Suluks -- and to an extent the Bajau -- are unhappy with Umno. They have been unhappy for a very long time over their increasing marginalisation and disenfranchisement by the continuing influx of the Bugis illegal immigrants in particular into areas along the east coast where they had traditionally squatted since from even Malaysia in 1963. The Suluks are from the nearby Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines, the Bugis are from Sulawesi in Indonesia. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is a Bugis with, it's suspected, some Dutch blood in Indonesia and Indian in Malaysia. The skeletons in the family cupboard are beginning to tumble out into the open. The Orang Asal (original people) are for Parti Bersatu Sabah and Star only as they see too many parties splitting up the community and weakening its political clout. Upko, except for Bernard Dompok in Penampang, and PBRS may not survive the 13th GE. Umno will lose its Orang Asal, including Muslim, seats in Sabah. The majority of the Orang Asal are Christians when they are not practising an ancient form of Hinduism, mistaken by western scholars in the past as paganism/animism. In Sarawak, more Bidayuh and Orang Ulu have joined the Chinese to turn against Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, a Melanau, who has stubbornly refused to step down after 30 years despite publicly pledging to do so during the 2011 state election. Mas Gading (Bidayuh) and Baram (Orang Ulu) will be the barometers. It will be interesting to see how the Ibans vote this time considering the growing anti-Taib feeling among the Bidayuh and Orang Ulu. The Melanau are still with Taib. The Sarawak Malays are increasingly unhappy with Taib and the Melanau. It remains to be seen whether PKR and Pas can translate this into votes for them. The Sarawak Malays are actually mainly Bidayuh living along the coasts of the 1st Division and mainly Iban living along the coasts of the other Divisions who converted to Islam over the last 300 years. If 15 or 16 parliamentary seats in Sarawak fall to PR, it will be clearly seen as virtually a revolt against Taib. A day before polling, PR was certain of five parliamentary seats, and cautiously optimistic in another two to four seats. New and young voters everywhere in Malaysia can be expected to largely vote for the Opposition. These are the ones who are sure to turn up at the polling stations. The Opposition will win the popular vote on May 5 but this may not translate into 112 seats for PR to enable it to take Putrajaya. It has been estimated that Umno/BN can obtain 112 parliamentary seats with as little as 18.9 per cent of the votes cast. This is due to the many tiny seats where Umno dominates. Putrajaya for example has only 15,000 voters, up from the 6,000 not so long ago. There are many Putrajaya-like parliamentary and state seats in Malaysia. It is by no means clear at this juncture whether Star will win enough parliamentary seats in Sabah to help PR make up the difference to secure 112 seats. Star may pick up Mas Gading in Sarawak. Star chairman Jeffrey Kitingan has said that his party will support whichever coalition can form the Federal Government in Putrajaya. Jeffrey made it clear however that he hopes PR, rather than BN, makes it to Putrajaya. Star's support for ruling coalition will be confined to Parliament and would not mean the party joining the Federal Government. If PR takes Putrajaya, there might be crossovers in that case from non-Umno Sabah BN to Star and from Sabah Umno to PKR. Star is set to be a player in the next Sabah state government no matter who forms it. Umno may be forced to emulate PKR post-May 5 and open its doors in Malaya to Indians and Chinese instead of trying to revive the failed BN component parties. Hindraf Malaysia Association (Himas) members led by chairman P. Waythamoorthy are likely to be among the first Indians to join Umno. The same cannot be said of hardcore Hindraf Makkal Sakthi activists. The ad hoc apolitical human rights movement is also led by Waythamoorthy but he has to contend here with P. Uthayakumar, his elder brother and the movement's de facto chief as a key founder. Waythamoorthy, it's feared, fell into a trap set by Umno when he signed a MOU recently with BN on some modest concessions for the Indians, long smarting under internal colonisation policies. Many analysts see the MOU as a pretext by Umno to indulge in massive electoral fraud. We will know before midnight on May 5. If PR takes Putrajaya by some miracle, Mahathir can be expected to drop dead from a massive heart attack. This won't be surprising considering that he's a control freak in the extreme. Already, doctors have been warning that those caught up too much in following the race to Putrajaya risk heart attacks, either out of excitement or disappointment.
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| Posted: 03 May 2013 11:27 PM PDT
Shailender Bhar In a matter of hours, Malaysians will be heading to the polling booths. The 13th general election is no ordinary election. It is about hope. It is about change. It is about making a difference. Over the last few weeks, many of us have heard what the two coalitions have had to say about their economic reforms in the coming years. Each has presented its manifesto albeit not simultaneously. Each aspires to reach out to different segments of society. However, the current regime has refused to debate. We are told that it is not our culture to debate. Why shouldn't those aspiring to win our votes engage in a debate? Is it not part of our legitimate expectation to hear both sides exchange their views? Are not debates, which includes exchange of views and opinions, one of the cornerstones of democracy? If it can be done in other democratic nations, why can it not be done in Malaysia? Not being part of our culture remains nothing but a feeble excuse at best. In Malaysia, public perception plays a pivotal role in politics and, perhaps, everyday life. There are no doubts that the current regime failed to take avail of the numerous opportunities offered to them by Pakatan Rakyat. It sent out the impression that the current regime was afraid and scared of engaging with those canvassing opposing political and economic views. If it came to public perception, the current regime showed that even after 55 years of ruling the nation, they really had not heard the heartbeat of the nation. They failed to understand the citizens of this nation. They failed to understand the voters sentiments. Instead, what we are constantly reminded of by the current regime is how grateful we should be to them. We should be grateful that we live in peace, harmony and tranquility. We should be grateful for the economic benefits brought to the people. Yes, the people will be grateful but only if you have led with honesty and integrity. What have Malaysians from all walks of society seen over the years? Malaysia has never been more racially polarised than ever before under the current regime. Malays and non-Malays have been constantly pitted against each other. The current regime talks about Pakatan Rakyat eradicating Malay supremacy. Ask yourself this question. Apart from a handful of Malays, who are mainly cronies of the current regime, what have the Malays really benefitted? They still remain poor and economically disadvantaged. All they get is a once-every-five-years handout of a few hundred ringgit. Is that fair? The current regime has failed virtually every Malay in this country. The New Economic Policy introduced more than three decades ago is one of the biggest failures of the current regime. It hoodwinked virtually every right thinking Malay into believing that they would get the economic assistance that they deserved. They did not. The current regime has also pitted Malaysians against each other through its other component parties. They have attempted to sow seeds of fear of PAS' hudud agenda knowing very well that it will take much more than a simple majority in Parliament for it to be implemented. We have already been told that it would require a minimum two thirds majority in Parliament in implementing any form of hudud laws. All the current regime does is try to increase hatred and discourse amongst Malaysians. Even the usage of the word "Allah" was eventually politicised by the current regime. In all honesty, what need was there for them to politicise this issue? For several decades and for generations, Arab Christians and Christians of Sabah and Sarawak have been using the word "Allah" in their holy bibles. Sikhs have used the word "Allah" in their holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, for more than 500 years. Will the current regime, if re-elected, ban the Guru Granth Sahib as well? What is wrong with the current regime? We are supposed to live in peace, harmony and tranquility. Whatever happened to the protection of freedom of religion and it's practice under our Federal Constitution? We had people from Perkasa calling Malaysians, "pendatangs" and "kelings". Perkasa's Zulkifli Nordin made fun of hinduism and its deities. Ibrahim Ali attacked Christianity and threatened to burn bibles. What happened? Did they get charged for inciting racial hatred or sedition? Did they even get questioned? Instead, the current regime hand picks Zulkifli Nordin as its candidate in Shah Alam by the Prime Minister. The same Prime Minister who has been propagating that he is the PM for all Malaysians. He is supposed to be Malaysian first then Malay. His rhetorical slogan of 1Malaysia was announced everywhere. These were nothing but all lies. All clearly designed to hoodwink every Malaysian in this country. What happened to his candidate in Pasir Mas? We were told that each candidate would be hand picked and be winnable. Instead his so-called winnable candidate failed to submit his nomination for a racist bigot. All lies by the current regime. There is no such thing as one Malaysia. The current regime and its leaders have divided Malaysia for their own gains. Is this the Malaysia that we were trying to build for so long? What happened to the Malaysia of yesteryears when all races ACTUALLY lived in harmony? Back then, we never questioned each other's religion or motives. We accepted each others religion as our own. As one writer pointed out in a recent article, back those days people from all races could sit down together have char koay teow, nasi lemak and nasi kandar in a coffee shop without having fear. Calling each other names was always taken in jest and good heartedness. It was a different friendship back then. A different bond. Now it has all changed. All destroyed under the current regime. We are always told to be grateful about the economic benefits given to us under the current regime. What have we really benefitted? Petrol subsidies? Yearly cash handouts? Handphone rebates? Is that what Malaysian citizens are worth? Whilst, Malaysians are handed the crumbs, those in power and who enjoy peerage, literally loot and rape the nation's coffers with bizarre and ridiculously drafted and lopsided contracts. Malaysians have experienced the PKFZ scandal where more than RM12 billion was looted, the highly scandalous MAS buy back deal worth more than RM8 billion, the purchase of two Scorpene submarines worth almost RM7 billion, the NFC scandal of RM250 million, the multi-billion dollar highway concessionaire contracts, the RM2.2 billion to ex top judge of Malaysia and much more. Our Malaysian history is littered with these scandals. Even one Sarawakian is worth more than RM40 billion after looting the state's natural assets. When does it all stop? Are average Malaysians not entitled to share the economic pie? Does every Malaysian not deserve an equal opportunity? An opportunity to succeed in their working lives and businesses? Or should you only be allowed to succeed because you happen to know a, b or c? There must be equality and meritocracy in society for all to do well economically regardless of race or religion. All we see is the constant public hounding of Pakatan Rakyat members. Anything that they dare to question is wrong. Karpal Singh was charged for sedition for expressing his legal views and opinions as a lawyer. Do we not as ordinary members of public turn to noted public figures to help guide us as to the legal aspect of the law? So, why charge him? Are we not allowed to question certain laws anymore? Ask yourself this. Has freedom of expression and speech not been eroded under the current regime? As the world gets bolder and open, we move in the opposite direction. Look at the example of Rafizi Ramli. He led the expose on the NFC scandal. He provided proof by way of documentary evidence given to him. Instead of being given protection under the Whistleblowers Act 2010 and being given a pat on his back for bringing this to public attention, he was charged under Bafia. How do you then expect any member of the public to come forward and disclose any form of abuse of power or wrong doing? But just because he disclosed the misuse of funds by an ex minister's family, he got charged. There are several other examples of Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Azmin Ali, Tian Chua et al. All have stood up for everyday Malaysians in one way or another over the years. And, in return, they have one way or another been punished by being arrested, charged and jailed. If public figures are not going to question the government of the day, then who is expected to do it? The citizens only make their choices once every 5 years. We put our faith and trust in the opposition of the day to question every move and step of the government of the day on our behalf. In a way, they are supposed to be our custodians and guardians. What happens when the authorities are fault? Look at the well publicised Teoh Beng Hock's incident? So, who got charged? Who was held responsible? The best the authorities could come up with was that he committed suicide. No right thinking member of the public agrees with this reasoning. No justice was delivered to the Teoh family. Till today, they live in the hope that one day, someone will be held accountable. What about the Ahmad Sarbani, the customs officer? He is supposed to have committed suicide as well according to the authorities. What about the numerous deaths in custody? So many Indians have died alongside other Malaysians. They are all supposed to have deaths of natural causes? Does the current regime take the Malaysian public as fools? There are just too many coincidences. Today, virtually everyone just assumes that there has been some form of abuse of power by the authorities. Over the decades, a mockery has also been made of the social justice system. In 2008, we expected a complete overhaul and clean up of the judiciary after the video that was leaked by Gwo Burne. We were promised major changes. But soon after 2008, we saw the dereliction of that promise in the Perak fiasco case. The current regime somewhat illegal engineered to overthrow the Pakatan state government. This showed complete disrespect to the people's choice of whom they wanted to run the state. It was subsequently expected that the courts would uphold justice and it did happen in the High Court. But was eventually reversed in the Appellate courts. Democracy was once again damaged. And, in the eyes of the people, the image of the justice system tainted. Many other cases such as Lynas has followed in the same manner and public confidence in the social justice system remains at an all time low under the current regime. There are so many other issues and matters that can be raised where there has been complete and abuse of power by the current regime. The public is just fed up. Can you blame them? Does anyone expect the public to still trust the current regime after all this? Can the current regime expect the people to vote for them again tomorrow? 55 years is a very long time for any party to be in power by any democratic standards. At the end, unfortunately, they have nothing to show for it. Tomorrow, when you go to the polls, you should have the above issues at the forefront of your minds. Whether change happens is in your hands. Malaysia's hopes lie with you. Today's Malaysia owes it to tomorrow's Malaysia. We owe it to our future generations. Vote wisely!
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| Condemning the Misbehaviour of Youth Group in Putrajaya Posted: 03 May 2013 11:26 PM PDT Komunikasi Keadilan There have been reports of a youth group dressed up as Pakatan Rakyat supporters causing mischief in Putrajaya tonight. We have received reports from our representatives from the area who can attest that these individuals are not associated with Pakatan Rakyat or the individual parties in the coalition. We suspect this is an attempt to provide a false image of Pakatan and its coalition members. Further, eyewitnesses have confirmed that this group was escorted up to Presint 10 by the police before they started their actions. This development is probably further evidence that Pakatan is doing well in the parliamentary contest for Putrajaya and that irresponsible groups are using inappropriate means to hurt the image of our coalition. All members and supporters of Pakatan Rakyat have been continually reminded to avoid anything illegal or violent during the election period.
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| Caught In The Dead Of Night – BN’s Suspected ‘Flying Voters’ Say They Are From Nepal! Posted: 04 May 2013 05:08 PM PDT UMNO have admitted they are behind the chartered flights to bring 'voters' in from East Malaysia. They have attempted to say there is nothing wrong in it. But, stunning new footage, posted just hours before polling booths open, now indicates that some of those 'voters' are actually Nepalese plantation workers with foreign passports. The footage, shot by activists, concerns a hundred workers, who arrived from Sabah into KL on a Malindo flight into in the dead of night, May 3rd. Intriguingly the MAS Wings charters that had originally been scheduled to carry the 'voters' from Sabah had turned out to be completely empty, according to the clean election campaigner Haris Ibrahim of ABU (Anything But UMNO). His team were on standby to record the arrivals. Could it be that our earlier expose had caused a change of plans? If so, we question why? Because, if all was above board, as BN claimed, why would these passengers have suddenly been pulled off the planes? However, the activists were soon aware of a separate Malindo flight, which arrived just after, packed with foreign workers from Sabah (Malindo is 51% owned by the Defence Ministry, which Najib Razak was till recently the Minister of). These workers were piled into vans with the rubber industry RISDA logo emblazoned on them. RISDA has already been integral to BN's vote-catching plans. The organisation admitted just a few days ago in Kuching that they had been 'directed' to pay rubber plantation workers an election incentive of RM500, as a boost to the party's attempts to hold on to key seats in Sarawak – payments that had to be distributed before election day, May 5th! The activists filmed the Sabah workers queueing to get their passports back from the organisers and each being handed a mysterious packet at the same time. Read more at: http://www.sarawakreport.org/2013/05/caught-in-the-dead-of-night-bns-flying-voters-say-they-are-from-nepal/
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| Posted: 04 May 2013 04:51 PM PDT 12.49pm : GHOSTBUSTING LIVE UPDATE Hotspots, with PATIs spotted:. 1. Lembah Pantai, Kampung Kerinchi. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151441834945745&set=vb.605855744&type=2&theater 12.51pm : Report jut came in of cash vouchers being given out in Lembah Pantai. Don't yet know how it is supposed to work but its to be exchanged for cash after a vote for Raja Nong Chik 12.52pm : Be on the look out for about 10 cars spotted on Jalan Raja Muda Musa, Klang, bearing flags with Laillahailallah on them. Suspected trouble makers. 1pm : Just got information that saluran 12, SRK Taman Megah, will have foreign voters despatched there. Rakyat, TAHAN your polling station 1.04pm : Just got information that PAS has expelled Ustaz Ridzuan from the party for his continuing to contest in N39 Kota Damansara. Please this info on to N39 Kota Damansara voters 1.10pm : 1 foreigner trying to vote apprehended in Batu. Admitted he got the mykad from Putrajaya 1.14pm : Foreigners heading to N104/31 Subang Jaya. Sekolah Menengah Bandar Sunway PJS 7. Rakyat, please TAHAN your polling stations. Read more at: http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/reporting-live/
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| Posted: 04 May 2013 04:45 PM PDT Perhaps an oxymoron here - Planned Messiness - may be appropriate. It's known the EC lacks impartiality, and has been long suspected of being an UMNO tool. Already voters have shown that the so-called indelible ink could be rubbed off with grass, fortifying the voters suspicion that the ink has along been a joke and not meant to deter repetitive voting by (other camp's) "some".
Read more at: http://ktemoc.blogspot.com/2013/05/planned-messiness.html |
| Using Sentiment Analysis For The Malaysia General Election Posted: 04 May 2013 01:08 PM PDT We recently did a sentiment analysis with JamiQ on the upcoming Malaysia General Election and try to figure out what the internet thinks about the parties and leaders in this upcoming election. Using technology to monitor the internet sentiment analysis is a wonderful tool which analyze posting on the internet to figure out their influence and also sentiment. (You can also check out our other posting on interesting ways to follow the Malaysia General Election) With this, we can figure out how positive or negative the people feel about a particular topic and hopefully make a prediction on the results of the 13th Malaysia General Election. According to wikipedia
Note: All these are 30 days data from the time of publishing. Read more at: http://www.nextupasia.com/using-sentiment-analysis-for-the-malaysia-general-election/ |
| Gambar: BANGLA bernama NAJIB berjaya di tahan di Klang mahu pergi mengundi! [update] Posted by ... Posted: 04 May 2013 12:57 PM PDT Diharapkan "Banglasia" atau warga asing lain di Malaysia tidak layak untuk mengundi pada pagi ini... "Bukan Bnaglasia atau warga asing lain yang menentukan halatuju negara untuk 5 tahun selepas ini, tetapi kita semua rakyat Malaysia" Read more at: http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2013/05/gambar-bangla-bernama-najib-berjaya-di.html |
| Posted: 04 May 2013 09:25 AM PDT Truth be told, politics does not affect my livelihood, I will still get by. Truth be told, I could have stayed on in Australia and be gone from Malaysia more than 20 years ago. But its my backyard. I could be drawing a good salary with good career prospects somewhere else ... but when I read Sydney Morning Herald, South China Morning Post of Singapore's Straits Times ... I don't feel as if I am reading about things or people that mattered to me. There is a disconnect that I cannot explain. It is not so grand a sacrifice on my part to be back in Malaysia, its my backyard. Why should I care if the politicians grabbed billions from the country's resources? Why should I care, when the bulk of people do not? If you look at the manifestos from both sides, they are pretty similar, its not an economic policy issue, it is something a whole lot bigger than that. I cannot just shake my head when I see grave injustice being meted out to others just because they are "in their way". I cannot just shake my head when I sense the judiciary is not truly independent and may just be an extension of the political powers to be. These may not still affect me directly but its affects my fellow neighbours. I think we all deserve something better than that. While there is positive discrimination, I cannot understand why the poor are still poor. I wish for a truly caring government and society that represents what each and every Malaysian's heart in all matters. Bring up our poor collectively. Read more at: http://malaysiafinance.blogspot.com/2013/05/its-my-backyard.html |
| Fascist policemen frightened of flowers Posted: 03 May 2013 11:45 PM PDT Bersih's co-chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan says a just-released video of foreigners suspected to have been flown in to vote in tomorrow's polls shows that there is "real basis" for such allegations. The video, said to be taken early on Friday morning outside KLIA, showed six vans ― two in the livery of Risda, the federal rubber smallholders agency.They were shown preparing to transport Nepalese nationals, who had just arrived on a Malindo Air flight, to oil palm plantations in the peninsula. If true, and Ambiga says there is some basis to it, then this is a real threat to Malaysian democracy and the right of the Malaysian people to determine their own future. This shithead policeman is frightened of flowersSome 16,000 multi-coloured mini flags were first planted inside the Jalan Tempinis roundabout in Lucky Garden in Kuala Lumpur on April 14. Since then, the movement has spread to nearby suburbs such as Damansara Heights, Sri Hartamas and even to other states like Perak and even further afield to Barcelona and London. Urban middle-class Malaysians, ordinary people, decided to plant these flags by the roadside and at roundabouts, as an art installation which they call the Malaysian Spring. But this fascist-sounding cop, who sits near the top of Bukit Aman, says that pretty little flags at roadsides will make masses of people come together for a violent revolution like the "Arab Spring". Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/fascist-policemen-frightened-of-flowers/ |
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DAP founder and advisor Lim Kit Siang (far right) and PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub (centre) have thus descended on Johor to contest the state's parliamentary constituencies. But I am doubtful. Over a bottle of promotional Ubah water, a local director of DAP operations confides that 'the Malays are not as warm as we had hoped'. And PAS' political gatherings are sorely under-attended.
Thus, to overcome so uneven a playing field, Pakatan needs a landslide. But it can hardly expect to attain this, heaving failed to extend its appeal beyond an alienated Chinese minority and a progressive, yet tiny Malay sub-sect, whatever the leadership skills and front stage charisma of its leaders.
