Today, at the launching of the DAP Ipoh Timur election ops centre, I should be standing before you breathing with confidence, vim, vigour, vibrancy and vitality to plunge into the Electoral Battle of the Century.
In the past one week, I should be helping the DAP leaders to develop the great and critical issues facing the people and nation in the 12th general election when 11 million voters exercise their vote – but I feel a great sense of failure that I had not been able to do so as I had been “floored” by the Penang and Perak general election problems that had cropped up in the past several days.
In fact, for the first time I started my blog more than two years ago, there was not a single word from me in my blog yesterday!
With however heavy a heart and mind, I call on Party leaders, members and supporters to immediately and instantly re-focus and not to allow whatever heartaches and mental agonies to undermine their single-minded objective – to fulfill the potential and promise of the March 8 general election as the political watershed for the country, marking a major stride in striking down the ever-powerful Umno political hegemony and the marginalization of other Barisan Nasional component parties by denying two-thirds majority to the Barisan Nasional in Parliament, Perak and Penang.
I call on all party leaders, members and supporters to give the fullest support to the party in this general election particularly on candidate decisions by the party leadership, as sometimes very difficult decisions have to be made, with everyone rallying behind the DAP in the Electoral Battle of the Century.
At least yesterday there is uplifting news, this coming from Sabah – that our Parliamentary candidate for Sandakan will be a person whom I had the greatest respect and admiration, who had been Sessions Court judge in Tawau and Registrar of Borneo High Court – Shanty Chong Chui Lin, 57.
I have no doubt that if she is elected DAP MP for Sandakan, Shanty Chong will bring to the Malaysian Parliament a powerful voice for justice and freedom, as well as for women, Sabah and Malaysia.
If elected, she will be one of the most exciting new MPs for the 12th Parliament.
#1 by pilihanrayaexpert on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 3:31 pm
never see her face before
#2 by Ah Hong on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 3:32 pm
hope she will win! May the force be with you, always.
#3 by yyh on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 3:33 pm
by the way, does she maintain a blog? hope she is as gutsy as chili padi fong but have more inner strength than her. as far as fong is concerned, the greatest loss is felt by the nation. thats the biggest letdown from her. if only she comes to her senses that nation and people comes before her, she will reconsider and fight for whats right, whats justice;not for her alone but for the future of the country.
no, i wont be angry with her;just the disappointment that she pulls out at this critical juncture. i still wish her the best whatever her decision.
having said that, i fervently hope shanty will shine as brightly as fong.
#4 by Libra2 on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 3:41 pm
Please give more info about her. If you say she is great then she must be. Good Luck to her.
#5 by revelation on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 3:47 pm
A very warm welcome to Miss Shanty Chong Khui Lin! You have done a greatest service to the people of Sabah and Malaysia in general.
We need more of a person in your calibre to voice out injustice, corrupt system of the current govt in Parliament!
Will be interesting to see the real lawyer(Karpal) and a real judge(you) against the ‘tin kosong’ law(and taxi) minister Nazri.
Wishing you all the best and pray for your success in the GE!!
#6 by Rakyat Teraniaya on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 3:48 pm
Look, let’s forget about Fong PK already!
DAP has many many more candidates! Let’s all focus our energies on the upcoming elections to give 100% votes to Barisan Rakyat!
VOTE DAP!VOTE PKR!VOTE PAS!
#7 by a-malaysian on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 3:53 pm
We must all unite and move forward. All our best wishes to Shanty Chong.
Fellow Malaysian,
Its time for us to walk our talk. Do whatever it takes to deny the racist umno the 2/3 majority at least or better still throw them out.
We are all over the country and we are the best person to be the eyes and ears for the oppositions. Help the Oppositions to help us.
We need to find out the actual situation on the ground and post them here so that the oppositions can know to what to do in their forth coming ceramahs.
I had already spoken and ask my relatives and friends to vote for the oppositions in their constituencies.
I had also listed all the mobile phone numbers and now am preparing the text messages to send out just before election day. I need some of your help to prepare a strong message. Will this do:
Please help to forward this message to all your relatives and friends. Please vote for the Oppositions to protect our citizen rights of this country. Our educations and religious rights are slowly being taken away from us. A vote for mca, gerakan or mic is a vote for racist umno who is running this country without consideration for other races. Vote for the Oppositions.
Any better phrase text messages, please post here so that we can use them and sent sms to all we know.
I had spoken to people at the coffee shop and they are still undecided who to vote. Many old die hard of bn are still supportive of bn, questioning what can the Oppositions do. Many are still afraid of their rice bowl being smashed. The hawkers are sure to vote for bn fearing that they might have problems renewing their licences and the councils although they are supportive of the Oppositions. Many are also relunctant to talk about politics.
I hope DAP can reach out to them during the coming ceramahs.
Please take this GE seriously and spare the arguements for some other times. We need to do a lot of ground work to ensure victory for the Oppositions.
50 years is ENOUGH
Vote For A Change
Vote For Any Opposition
Give Them A Chance To Change For A Better Malaysia
Remember bn Is A Useless Grouping Of Self Serving, Corrupt, Dictator, Power Crazy, Racist, Kris waving, etc, etc type of parties.
#8 by boh-liao on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 4:03 pm
We need more knowledgeable and committed women candidates to take part in this mother of all GE!
Good luck, Shanty Chong Khui Lin! May the force be with you!
#9 by thang on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 4:28 pm
Yes,reinvent through Barisan Rakyat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#10 by Chong Zhemin on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 4:38 pm
Looking forward for our new DAP MP for Sandakan. If I’m not mistaken this seat was won by independant candidate last election. But this independant MP seems a little like BN MP in parliament. Hope DAP will win it this time and send another female MP into parliament!
#11 by a-malaysian on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 4:58 pm
Just read this email, please use your own judgement and think about it carefully.
This message is to provoke your mind to think whether you want the status quo to be perpetuated. If you want to do your bit to effect a change for the better, think well before you vote at the next general election.
Chances are that the B N will still win but we need to send the proper signal to Pak Lah that enough is enough….
Below is the result of extreme discriminations and marginalization by the BN govt for too many years. Let’s keep circulating this esp before the next election.
And today this is what happened in Malaysia racism.
These lists cover a period of about 49 years since Independence Day in Malaysia (1957):
[DELETED]
And more cases haven’t been discovered.
50 years is ENOUGH
Vote For A Change
Vote For Any Opposition
Give Them A Chance To Change For A Better Malaysia
Remember bn Is A Useless Grouping Of Self Serving, Corrupt, Dictator, Power Crazy, Racist, Kris waving, etc, etc type of parties.
#12 by patriotic1994 on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 5:05 pm
Whoever belonged to DAP, we will support him/her! It does not matter whether we have seen him/her face before. After all, our election system is “vote the party”, not “vote the person”.
We all must ensure leave BLANK to BN ballot box. Put an [X] to the other one. It does not matter who this party you vote, JUST NO X for BN!
#13 by gofortruth on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 6:07 pm
I was told many Chinese factory workers will not be able to vote because they are working full time on Saturday!
#14 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 6:24 pm
We have all always asked you “Are you ready?”, “Are you ready?” but it is obvious you were all NOT ready. And if you are not, then how do you expect to fight the fight of your lives?
You have problems every where, in Penang, in Perak, in Selangor, in Sabah, in Sarawak, in Malacca, in Negri, even in Pahang. In fact just about everywhere. The problem is perhaps your party lacks discipline coupled with problems with your leaderships in every state. Too many Little Napoleons, yes, they exist, even in Opposition parties.
I really don’t know how to have full confidence in the DAP with so many chieftains around. Too many “important” personalities for so few available seats. Everyone wants “safe” seats resulting in severe jostlings. You just can’t broaden your political base.
I am very disappointed to note that of the many candidates that you have introduced, not 1, yes, not one, is a Malay. And yet you believe you can win up to 40 seats? In addition, you antagonise so many of your loyal members that they quit in frustration. Can you blame them?
Too many opportunists and parachute candidates, all wanting seats at the last moment at the expense of long-time loyalists. There will be a backlash I fear. Don’t count your chickens yet as they might not hatch.
#15 by AhPek on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 6:43 pm
YB KIT,
I can understand your frustrations and worse still begin to sense a bit of despondency in the way life has dealt you such a hand on you on the eve of election.I DON’T BLAME YOU.But if there is any consolation you must surely know that there are many out there rooting for you.Many YB, many indeed and don’t you forget that!!
Before I go here’s wishing you A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
#16 by AhPek on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 7:10 pm
Further, YB, you have lived your life fighting for the downtrodden with integrity without any expection of reward and if you continue to do that I am sure the karma will take care of itself.
#17 by mycroft on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 7:29 pm
A Happy Belated Birthday to YB Lim Kit Siang. And as for Shanty Chong, well I don’t know anything about her, but as long as she keeps true to the principles of the party, the people of Sandakan will be guaranteed a conscientious representative.
Sandakan was DAP territory back in the 80s. Here’s hoping that the Rocket will fly high again there.
#18 by dawsheng on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 7:58 pm
“In the past one week, I should be helping the DAP leaders to develop the great and critical issues facing the people and nation in the 12th general election when 11 million voters exercise their vote – but I feel a great sense of failure that I had not been able to do so as I had been “floored†by the Penang and Perak general election problems that had cropped up in the past several days.”
Uncle Kit, I don’t think the party infighting is a big deal, if there’s no lobbying for seats, threats and all that bulls, you definitely are not running a political party, you know that. Stop being sad, you are not allowed to be sad ok. :)
#19 by gary on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 8:24 pm
those who do not know Puan Shanti, let me give you an idea. She has a strong character and a very commanding voice. She can take any challenge from any man not to say women. Compare here with YB Fong she is cilli paddi from Kunak, cilli paddi from Kunak is well known hottest cilli in Malaysia. Prepare to cry when you take it. Use your imagination what I mean when BN goon deal with her.
She join DAP not for personal interest, she come from a well to do family with sucessful law firm. she fight a lot of cases for the kampong folk for free and putting the corrupted official on fear.
She is well respected and another important point is she have a big heart for the poor and defendless.
To me she is women version of “kuan Gong” ?? So those corrupted official please be on the run …..
#20 by jus legitimum on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 8:27 pm
Mr.LKS,
Very true.Your supporters are everywhere and are increasing by the day.It is just unfortunate your predicament is largely caused by gerrymeandering and unfair election rules and the biased EC.Ignore some of the negative comments here.Probably they are from the fifth column.That is my guess.
I have donated to DAP election fund and I am going to donate again soon.
Wish more rockets will fly into the Parliament and the various state legislatures.
#21 by kahtk on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 8:31 pm
What a candidate you got there, Mr Lim! She is very well known locally and I am sure she will win the Sandakan parliment seat hands down even VK Liew is coming over..
#22 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 9:35 pm
YB LKS, in politics the journey is never-ending. Thus, one disppointment or even two or a dozen in the last decade must not be allowed to destroy a lifetime’s work and devotion to democratic ideals.
Soldier on, brother. Malaysians need you and all DAP stalwarts and supporters more than ever at this crucial croosroads in Malaysian history.
I join the thousands and perhaps the overwhelming silent majority to wish you Godspeed. And press on…press on…press on; though your legs may weary, your spirit must keep flying.
#23 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 9:36 pm
Shanty, welcome to the fold of champions for democracy and justice.
#24 by DAP2008WIN on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 10:06 pm
YB KIT,
I am long time supporter of DAP and you in particular.Always admired your courage and still remembered hearing your inspiring speeches when I was a young lad in Malacca (at the 9th storey flats). Continue our struggle against corruption, inequality and the evil UMNO. Please continue to be our MP and it saddened me very much hearing you say that it may be your last term. What is DAP without YB Kit?
#25 by AhPek on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 10:54 pm
This the eleventh hour before the day of reckoning and I see some of you are trying to give DAP and KIT a lecture which I think is completely and only goes to dampen the fighting spirit of some if not all of DAP leaders on the eve of the big fight.Sure there are problems in the party which I believe KIT is fully aware But then again surely in any human organisation more so a political party one can expect all eligible (or worse still some who think that eligible) to be jostling for a limited number of seats.Kit cannot be fully responsible for that.It is a human problem.Secondly some of us also think that DAP may not be fielding the most qualified (highly educated ones without realising that they may not be loyal as well and also may not have the temperament for the rough and tumble of politics).Thirdly some of us think that KIT may not putting effort towards recruiting talents without realising to attract into any organisation also requires having financial muscle as well which all of us must realise that DAP doesn’t have like what PAP of Singapore has.Because of being financially strong PAP is able to take in talents like George Yeo (whom Alvin Toffler a well renown futurist once remarked that George Yeo is perhaps one of the most brilliant minister he has ever come across) and a whole lot of others (wranglers and professor) found in the Singapore Cabinet.Lastly there are hardly any Malay members in DAP and you probably cannot find a suitable one amongst them to be chosen to stand.You can’t simply pick anyone just because he is a Malay.Why there are so few Malays (in fact there are more before and we have had a good Malay a unionist I think before) is again a problem that this country is so racially fragmented that Malays perceived DAP as a Chinese party. Again KIT cannot be blamed entirely.Thus if you look at DAP’s problem from a helicopter point of view,it isn’t such a simple problem as some of us make that out to be!
So I urge everyone to stop this discussion for it isn’t the time or the hour for such an activity. What we should be doing now is to argue why it is TIME FOR CHANGE, nothing else! Berubah Untuk Malaysia!!!
#26 by AhPek on Thursday, 21 February 2008 - 11:08 pm
Correction: ‘This is the eleventh hour before the day of reckoning
and I see some of you are trying to give DAP and KIT a lecture which I think is completely unnecessary and only goes to dampen the spirit of some or if not all the leaders of DAP on the eve of the big fight.
‘Thirdly……………without realising to attract talents into any organisation………………………………..’.
“Why there are so few Malays……that this country being so fragmented and fragmented has somehow been indoctrinated to perceive DAP as a Chinese party.”.
#27 by harrisonbinhansome on Friday, 22 February 2008 - 1:43 am
Uncle Kit,
Never be dissapopinted by some remote internal power struggle in your party. DAP is here because of your selfless sacrifice although I have witnessed some bloggers and commenters far less inspiring comments about you. Keep it going, sir. And Sir, please asked all the State Representatives and MPs to work harder and answer the phone calls. I wish for thier win but hopefully they won’t be too busy with the State and Parliamentary duties. I wouldn’t be saying this if it wasn’t true.
Cheers.
#28 by pilihanrayaexpert on Friday, 22 February 2008 - 6:09 am
Lim Kit Siang Boleh !
#29 by chiakchua on Friday, 22 February 2008 - 7:22 am
Yes, the ‘Tsunami of change’ is brewing; all because of the outright arrogance of UMNOputras and their disrespect of others. They are putting up shows to cheat the common Malays (with NEP & Islamisation) and blough the non-Malays with the help of their running dogs MCA and MIC with eleventh hours goodies! People with ‘love’, people with ‘righteous’ mind are stepping out to voice out their frustration, and DAP is just the right platform for them to realize their ‘dream’ for a Fair, Just and Equal Malaysia!
ALL MALAYSIANS, PLEASE RESPONSE TO THE CALL FOR CHANGE! GO ALL OUT, PLEAD WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, NEIGHBOURS, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS TO ‘VOTE ANY OPPOSITION’! SMS TO THEM (AND REQUEST THEM TO SMS TO AT LEASE ANOTHER 10 OF THEIR FRIENDS FOR THE MULTI-LEVEL EFFECT!) THE MANY MESSAGES YOU MAY BE RECEIVING NOW RE THE ELECTION. DO YOUR PART, WITHOUT GOING OUT, YOU CAN HELP TO MAKE THE CHANGE! YOU COULD BE MORE INFLUENTIAL TO SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS; YOUR SMS MAY WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS FROM UNCLE KIT TO THEM!
JUST DO IT! FOR A CHANGE!
#30 by vertorialamok on Friday, 22 February 2008 - 7:27 am
DAP Boleh! Lim Kit Siang Boleh! Shanty Chong Boleh! All the best!
#31 by kcb on Friday, 22 February 2008 - 8:43 am
“This is the eleventh hour before the day of reckoning
and I see some of you are trying to give DAP and KIT a lecture which I think is completely unnecessary ……” AhPek
I totally agree with AhPek.
Just think of the big picture and make it simple:
Are you satisfied with the treatments you received from the BN Government?
If YES, by all means vote BN candidates!
If NOT, just vote any opposition party candidates!
#32 by badak on Friday, 22 February 2008 - 1:10 pm
The Election commition (E.C ) is the biggest asset for BN.All the major papers are the mouth piece of BN.A few days ago the Sun papers reported … 500 HUNDRED VOTERS REGISTERED AT AN ABONDON ARMY CAMP.. No other papers reported it.
6000 POSTAL VOTES FOR BUKIT BINTANG,Even before the election can begin BN GOT 5900 VOTES.The 10 votes which will go to the opposition,so that the EC can say see ” Oppositon also got some votes “
#33 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 24 February 2008 - 10:21 am
Does a judge have grassroot support? It would take a lot of campaigning still to win even if someone of unquestionable integrity and intelligence..
#34 by shortie kiasu on Sunday, 24 February 2008 - 2:06 pm
She should be a good candidate and leader for the people she represents. She should win but has to work hard, there is no sliver platter.