On the next 13th election (6 months) and the effect of these racist talk by the No. 1 Racist, below are some interesting excerpts of relevance from Nazri bin Tan Sri Abdul Aziz’s reply to Utusan Malaysia’s “Awang Selamat”:-

(Quote) ///How can I not dub you a racist when you seem to be upset with the praises and positive responses I got from the non-Malays and attempt to put it as something negative on me, especially those coming from (Lim) Kit Siang and (Lim) Guan Eng?

By doing this you have clearly defined your position as “we Malays against you non-Malays”.To be a Malaysian does not necessarily mean to be anti-Malay.
Are the comments and praises of the Malays [the] only [ones that] count, and the rest can go to you-know-where? You have a long way to go in accepting that Malaysia is a country belonging to Malaysians of all races who swear their loyalty to the land of their birth….

I am right about your zero experience in politics because you wrote “When the Malays don’t vote”. Well, let me tell you our analysis has shown that “When the Non-Malays don’t vote”, the effect is the same. You have never understood what I have been trying to say, that the most important point is that “When the majority of Malaysians don’t vote” then we all are in trouble…….

I read with extreme happiness your support for Umno and Barisan Nasional and to ensure that we will succeed. I want you to walk your talk and support the 1 Malaysia policy which is the brainchild of the President of Umno and Chairman of Barisan Nasional. He is working very, very hard to win the next General Election, so please don’t make it difficult for him……

Awang does not need to tell me about how Utusan is a Malay institution and that its struggle is the same with Umno. Long before you joined Utusan, I have been in Umno Youth — right from being appointed exco member to the post of deputy leader — and for one-and-a-half years acting leader of Umno Youth Malaysia. That is my credential.

If I am a Malaysian leader today, a lot of credit must be given to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. I hold him responsible for what I am today and I owe him a lot. I just want my “sifu” to continue to help me and the others to be good leaders of this blessed country of ours and not to divide us by race, creed, cult and gender. To be a Malaysian does not necessarily mean to be anti-Malay. I hope this will be understood by all.

Sad to say, the non-Malays perceive Utusan as racist, period. And that is why I brought up the issue of Malaysian first and Malay next, in case you don’t understand why.

By the way, I still do not know who you are, Awang? /// (Unquote)

[Reference The MalaysianInsider’s report of Sept 26th under caption “Nazri responds to Utusan’s Awang Selamat”.]

What it appears to boil down to is this:

All within UMNO & BN (naturally) desire to win the 13th GE, in way more convincingly than 308’s 12th!

Power (more than race though race is used) is the first, middle and last objective of and in politics, BN or PR!

The big question for BN is how – based on the light shed from the analysis of the results of last 12th GE and the by-elections that followed – not to just merely to win it with a hung parliament, federal/state of almost equal power but to win it convincingly, with a credible margin necessary not just for efficent and unobstructed governance but also as some would say it for efficacy of traditional “stealing”, if you will, that power enables….

In this connection there are two schools of thought:-

The first school believes in the essentiality of support from Non Malays and Mainstream Malaysian including a portion of moderate Malays. Hence the importance of an inclusive platform of 1 Malaysia/NEM/GTP in lieu of Ketuanan Melayu and NEP that didn’t quite deliver the intended results in last 12th GE. PM Najib and his more vociferous supporters like Nazri and KJ subscribe to this. Mark what Nazri said to Utusan malaysia’s ‘Awang Selamat’: “Well, let me tell you our analysis has shown that “When the Non-Malays don’t vote”, the effect is the same. You have never understood what I have been trying to say, that the most important point is that “When the majority of Malaysians don’t vote” then we all are in trouble…….”

The second school to which the so called No 1 Racist and others rallying around him believe is that it is already too late in the day. No amount of inclusive ideology (1 Malaysia/NEM or GTP) will save the day to recover Non-Malays’ and mainstream support that have gone the other way. It is just too far gone in the day. The better bet is to place all the chips on the traditional Malay voting bloc appealing to primordial sentiments of race and religion to galvanise all sections of Malay support.
This represents the better of the two options to hold back, delay and stave off PR’s inexorable march to PutraJaya that represents to some people not just lost of opportunities to self aggandise but personal threat to well being in having to account!

These two schools of thought are not reconcilable. Those who believe in the first school are aghast at those who subscribe to the second school of thought whilst the second think the first incompetent novice. The first views the second as doing something counter-productive: whilst trying to save UMNO/BN will frustrate the necessary end result by alienating the all important Non Malay and mainstream vote, especially from fixed deposit states in east Malaysia.

It depends on which of the two schools one believes is correct in reading the situation (from UMNO/BN’s standpoint). If one subscribes to the first being correct, and one wants “Change”, then one should ironically as well as perversely be happy that the subscribers of the second school raise their racist rhetoric in voices stentorian that will surely serve to alienate in the process the crucial, nay pivotal and decisive 10-15% swing votes of non malays and the mainstream against UMNO/BN in the 13th GE.

Choice of timing for GE is based on advantage for BN or disadvantage for PR.

Though Najib has until 2012 there is nothing to suggest Najib has more advantage later. The economy might get worse. The argument that more time is needed for 1 Malaysia/NEM/GTP to show electorate their results is dim against the backdrop of strong opposition from his party warlords, TDM & Perkasa and other NGOs. In fact having an earlier election is a good excuse to remove a few of the warlords and those opposing his agenda in cabinet. Governing the country now based on TDM/warlords’ mandate (since Pak Lah was ushered out) is no fun. The sooner he gets his own mandate from the GE the better!

This means the choice of timing for 13th GE would be based on when in Najib’s view is the time most inconvenient for and least preparation on the part of the Opposition.

As elections need lots of funding naturally BN’s well worn tactic has always been to call state and nation’s elections all at one go to dilute and stretch the meagre resources of the Opposition whilst leveraging on its own comparative funding resources. But this time around since PR controls 4 states and chooses the timing of the state elections – to not coincide with GE, the next best thing to do is to concentrate on the flashpoint state that matters most, which is probably might well be Sarawak.

Flashpoint in the sense if there’s a change in swing this is where it’s going to be decisive.

The swing in Peninsular & Sabah either way is anticipated to be not as decisive as in Sarawak one of the 2 fixed deposit states. In part the CM is not that popular and BN can’t get him to give up his post. Also “Allah issue” not resolved yet and Sibu has shown winds of change at least amongst constituencies with substantial Chinese voters.

If Taib decides on November this year for State Elections, if I were Najib, why not??? 11 is said his lucky number. He can’t take advantage of DAP (organizationally stronger) as much as he could, PKR. PKR is eyeing to contest for more seats in Sarawak and is still negotiating on the seat allocation among PR members. Then PKR is going to have its party elections and party members torn between Amin & Zaid.
Anyone who thinks Sarawak is pivotal and seeks to deny PR the opportunity to concentrate all its meager resources on one focal point in this pivotal state of Sarawak may think it opportune to coincide Sarawak state elections with the next General Elections.

If so – if Taib decides it is November this year (he has only until July next year) – then November this year is as good a time as any to dissolve parliament and for 13th GE, since waiting later does not promise any concrete advantages for BN as balanced against the lack of preparedness on PR’s (on seat allocation) and PKR’s side (on who runs the show).

If Kit Siang tells PR to get ready in 6 month for snap election, then it has to be earlier – much earlier than the 6 month – to neutralize PR’s preparedness!