Pakatan continues fielding heavyweights in Johor


Malaysiakini | 11:54PM Apr 2, 2013

The flurry of heavyweights from the Pakatan Rakyat camp contesting parliamentary seats in Johor continued as former army chief Gen (Rtd) Md Hashim Hussein was announced as PKR’s candidate for the Johor Baru parliamentary seat tonight.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim also announced Steven Choong as candidate for Tebrau, Nor Hizwan Ahmad for Muar and Idris Jauzi for Batu Pahat.

These are also parliamentary seats.

Choong is the PKR deputy secretary-general and is strongly linked with Johor PKR chief Chua Jui Meng.

Nor Hizwan is Muar-born, had worked in MAS, and was active in Ampang PKR before being appointed as Muar PKR parliamentary coordinator.

Idris Jauzi is NGO Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia (Wadah) vice-president and former leader of Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim).
His links with Anwar goes back to the days when Anwar was in the government and Idris was Biro Tata Negara deputy director-general.

Anwar made the announcements in front of a strong crowd of a few thousand at the Ceramah Perdana Merdeka Rakyat in Kg Datuk Sulaiman Menteri, Johor Baru.

“We have a four-star general as your candidate for Johor Baru,” he proudly pointed out.

In fact Hashim’s (right) candidature was supposed to be announced over a week ago.
But he fell victim to a bout of food poisoning on the night of March 23, leading to Anwar abstaining from announcing him as the candidate.

Hashim received his degree in War Studies from King’s College in London and had once led the elite 10 Paratrooper Brigade.

He rose steadily through the ranks and eventually served as army chief between January 1999 to December 2002.

Upon his retirement, he was appointed as the Malaysian high commissioner to Pakistan between 2003 and 2006.

He only joined PKR recently, on March 6.

Anwar’s decision to field Hashim follows two DAP bigwigs being announced as candidates in Johor.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has been confirmed to do battle in Gelang Patah, while Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong will be shifting his base to the Kluang parliamentary seat.

These are PKR’s first major announcement of candidates in Johor with more to come as the opposition attempts to ambitiously wrest away Johor, long known as Umno’s bastion, away from the ruling coalition in forthcoming election.

The Johor Baru seat is currently held by Umno’s Shahrir Samad, who defeated Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s (PRM) Hassan Karim by a majority of 25,349 votes.

  1. #1 by cseng on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 11:28 am

    With all those heavyweight south in Johor, johor land will sink by few inches to a foot, ready for a perfect storm or Tsunami to enshore.

  2. #2 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 11:31 am

    Honestly where is PAS line-up? Where is Hadi Awang, Nik Aziz and the ulamas of PAS? Mat Sabu is great but really not even close to being adequate much less the superhuman feat necessary…

    • #3 by kg on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 9:14 pm

      Guessing: Hadi in Pahang, Nik Aziz in Kelantan, Kit in Johore, Karpal in Penang, Anwar in Perak, Kak Wan in Selangor?

      As far as I know. Mat Sabu is very popular, he is very goooooooood!

  3. #4 by cseng on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 11:35 am

    Johorean, if you admire Penagites’ opportunity to view PSY gangnam style and upcoming Lady Gaga for free.

    Ask PR to organise a Johorean ‘Han Zhiang’, by GE14 you get to see PSY and Lady Gaga in Johor for free.

    Do not underestimate political power, you get too much free goodies….

    Free lunch, free money, free shirts, free?, free?, ask IRB what free means.

  4. #5 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 11:41 am

    I hope Anwar is careful this time to not bring in any BN moles or BN agents!

  5. #6 by lee tai king (previously dagen) on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 12:02 pm

    THIS IS IT.
    PARLIAMENT DISSOLVED!
    EFFECTIVE TODAY, 3 APRIL 2013.

  6. #7 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 12:20 pm

    Najib can’t even dissolve parliament without making a mistake. He said 2012, not 2013. Born a screw-up always a screw up

    • #8 by kg on Thursday, 4 April 2013 - 8:02 pm

      he even said …. saya, timbalan perdana menteri …

      only chengho can explain, is bLackRose or Madey the perdana menteri?

  7. #9 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 12:43 pm

    Today may well signal the end of BN rule!

  8. #10 by PR123 on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 1:15 pm

    Yes, send in all the heavyweighs to Johor
    Penetrate/seize from the south up north
    Set the target right, lead the battle & march on
    Fight head on with tainted, rejected, shameful, arrogant politicians from Barisan
    Johoreans, please come out in full force
    Vote wisely for the right candidates
    Throw BN component parties, umno, mca. mic, gerakan and the like into oblivion
    Show them ‘PEOPLES POWER’ at the ballot boxes
    Its really ‘NOW OR NEVER’

  9. #11 by lee tai king (previously dagen) on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 1:43 pm

    BN!
    BN!
    BN!
    BN!
    Oh, errrr ….
    Bungkus Najib!
    Bungkus Najib!
    Bungkus Najib!

  10. #12 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 2:44 pm

    Its pointless running ahead but the truth is if PR can do the same placing of heavyweights in Sabah and Sarawak this time, Johor would not matter and PR can start packing for Putrajaya..

    Its why UMNO/BN days are numbered sooner or later. Its just that later is just very very expensive, maybe too expensive..

  11. #13 by ahkmlog on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 4:18 pm

    Since the 12 Parliament has been dissolve by PM over 5 hours ago, the contest has now finally begin.

    I’m a Johorean, and the ground here is changing to “Ini Kalilah. UBAH. REFORMASI. Takbir. ABU”. This is what I have observed especially in the JB area. I do hope that all over JOHOR it will be the same.

  12. #14 by monsterball on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 4:58 pm

    At last ….Najib dissolved Parliament…making way for election.

  13. #15 by john on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 5:51 pm

    THIS KiaBo,KiaSi,BoHood,BoLan,C4 a girl,BeiYong, ChowLang, PuakChow All-in-One Forced-in- disgrace to call G Election today. If not forced, he would cling on power on-and-on without any regard for being unelected ‘PM’ AND no qualm at all with such thick-skin / SHAME and still Tokok, Spin, Sandiwara, Big Time Bribing using Rakyat’s funds. AND the most fitting word to descibe is PAR*AH ! a celup of MAMAK.
    These so called heavyweights fielded in Johore MUST able to hit the grounds with facts, points, ,,,,, of substance and not be carry away with the euphoria but FOR the RAKYAT foremost.
    (not to be caught in Bumno’s spin, sandiwara BUT be effective campaigning, counter punch).
    MAMAK is just diversionary, still is C4’s Altantuya, Scorpene , Cowgate, TBH, Ahamd S, PKFTZ,Toyo, etc ALL wrongdoings,,,,,etc.

  14. #16 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 6:09 pm

    Just look at dis: RM155 million 2 cronies 4 cancelling d crooked bridge project, RM20 million 2 another crony in commission fees 4 helping other cronies 2 procure d crooked bridge project fr UmnoB/BN gomen
    Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiit, no wonder UmnoB/BN n cronies love dis UmnoB/BN gomen while d nation bankrupt

  15. #17 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 7:39 pm

    Everyone’s first priorty is to repeat call for NATIONALLY TELEVISED DEBATE between Anwar and Najib

    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!
    DEBATE!

    All the way up to Polling Day..

  16. #18 by chengho on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 9:33 pm

    silly Pakatan strategy , politic is local eh , local people voting

  17. #19 by kg on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 9:43 pm

    Ya, all local folks go to PR ceramah, BeEnd use big loud speakers to kacau. Is this what you mean local?

  18. #20 by PR123 on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 10:14 pm

    TANYA SAMA NAJIB
    SEBAB APA GOYANG
    UMUM TAHUN SALAH
    NANTI JAWAB NAJIB
    JOHOR NAK HILANG!!

    INI KALI LAH
    TUMBANGKAN BN

  19. #21 by Taxidriver on Wednesday, 3 April 2013 - 10:17 pm

    Will UMNO Baru field their supremo and party founder Mahathir? I wonder.

  20. #22 by monsterball on Thursday, 4 April 2013 - 4:19 am

    Johoreans are smart and in the urban areas…are mostly non racist citizens.
    They have been tagging along with the Dictators ….voting for selfish reasons…to have peace and harmony.
    The Umno B racist Govt….loves to divide and rule…disuniting the People as much as they can.
    Came the 12th GE results…time to change…….time to vote for people and country.
    Lim Kit Siang is the first politician to have great faith in Johoreans….doing the right thing.
    As you can see..the BN crooks are caught..surprising all….the move LKS made…and as usual…all sorts of labels hauled at LKS.
    The signal is clear…..BN is very afraid to loose.

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