Archive for April, 2013
‘Soi Lek a tiger or political eunuch?’
By Ho Kin Chai | 11:50AM Apr 13, 2013
Malaysiakini
COMMENT Following its poor performance in the 2008 general election, MCA is at the crossroad – to take the bull (its rival) by the horns or sink into the road of oblivion.
The current MCA leadership, particularly president Dr Chua Soi Lek, has failed to seize this opportunity to take on Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah.
Lim (left) has taken a bold gamble by thrusting himself into the traditional BN and MCA stronghold.
Johor is the backyard of MCA which won seven out of eight parliamentary seats it contested in 2008.
The DAP wrested Bakri, causing a dent. As the MCA president, Chua should seize this golden opportunity to take up this challenge.
By not taking up the challenge, he was sending a negative signal to its senior partner, Umno, and the MCA candidates and general membership.
Being the MCA supremo, he must rise up to the occasion to give Lim the strongest possible resistance.
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s general election: A time of gifts
Posted by Kit in Elections, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Sunday, 14 April 2013
The benefits of incumbency versus the lure of the unknown
The Economist
Apr 13th 2013 | SINGAPORE |From the print edition
SINCE Malaysia’s independence from Britain in 1957, the main question answered by general elections has been the size of the government’s majority. The poll that the election commission this week announced would be held on May 5th, is the first the government faces a real possibility of losing. Even if it does not—and the odds must still be in its favour—the election is likely to have a profound impact on Malaysian politics.
The ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, is dominated by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), whose leader, Najib Razak, is prime minister. He has never led the party through an election, having taken over in 2009 after the humiliation of his predecessor, Abdullah Badawi, in the election the previous year. For the first time, Barisan lost the two-thirds parliamentary majority that enabled it to change the constitution. Ever since, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, a three-party alliance, has sniffed power. Its most prominent figure, Anwar Ibrahim, was once in line to lead UMNO.
Helped by a strong economy, Mr Najib has been doling out goodies: cash handouts for poorer families; pay rises for civil servants; and promises of affordable housing and new highways. A lot is at stake: simultaneous assembly elections will be held in 12 of the 13 states. In 2008, five elected opposition administrations. More largesse is promised in Barisan’s manifesto. Since its own is equally open-handed, Pakatan accuses its opponents of plagiarism.
Read the rest of this entry »
What will it be for BN — Ibrahim Ali or 1 Malaysia?
By Jahabar Sadiq
The Malaysian Insider
April 08, 2013
COMMENT
April 8 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) has unveiled a centrist manifesto that fits its 1 Malaysia philosophy but Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s endorsement of Datuk Ibrahim Ali as a coalition candidate would appear to be at odds with the concept.
The stout Perkasa chief has been anything but centrist or even 1 Malaysia in his approach to push for Malay rights at a time when BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been advocating a gradual economic liberalisation and equity for Malaysians.
But why would the country’s longest-serving prime minister, who spoke in 1991 of a future Bangsa Malaysia plump, for an ethno-centric Ibrahim (picture), who ran on a PAS ticket in Election 2008 only to turn pro-Umno after winning the Pasir Mas seat? Read the rest of this entry »
Dr M should campaign honourably
― Ravinder Singh
The Malaysian Insider
April 13, 2013
APRIL 13 ― Dr Mahathir Mohamad is obviously very unhappy that Lim Kit Siang is contesting in Gelang Patah. That is his right: to be unhappy and say so.
In his recent write up on this, he says “when Kit Siang wins Gelang Patah” ― here, he is acknowledging that this candidate is going to win.
What is regretted is that Dr Mahathir then goes on to say that this candidate’s win would result in racial confrontation and “even if there will not be violent clashes as seen in many countries where people are divided by race or religion, but confrontation between the three major races in Malaysia will be disruptive and will not be conducive to the development of Malaysia.”
Instead of making such irresponsible statements that can give wrong ideas to some people, he should take the honourable way of neutralising this candidate’s chances of victory. Read the rest of this entry »
The EC Must Address These Doubts
Posted by Kit in Elections, Kee Thuan Chye on Saturday, 13 April 2013
By Kee Thuan Chye | Saturday, 13 April 2013 17:19
Malaysian Digest
WHILE announcing the date for the 13th general election, the Election Commission (EC) also said that it would make the event “the best” ever held. In pledging this, its chairman, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, reiterated what he had said on Feb 5.
But somehow the pledge rings hollow. Many Malaysians have lost too much confidence in the EC to believe that it will be, in Abdul Aziz’s words, “transparent” and that it “will not help any party to win”. Its actions and pronouncements have too often indicated the contrary.
Besides that, NGOs that have engaged with the EC know how frustrating the experience can be. The latter is notorious for not replying to pressing questions concerning the electoral process or improper conduct at elections. Its dismissal of Bersih’s demands for electoral reform compelled the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections to take its cause to the streets in July 2011.
The EC is also noted for its apparently cavalier attitude towards calls for cleaning the electoral roll. Instead of getting down to the task of doing it, it has been giving excuses – even though a Merdeka Center survey in April 2012 revealed that 92% of Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia want the roll cleaned.
Read the rest of this entry »
The NEP and Corruption: Why Malaysia is Lagging Behind
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Economics, NEP on Saturday, 13 April 2013
By Koon Yew Yin | 13th April 2013
My object in writing this is to support Professor Dato Dr. Woo Wing Thye’s lecture on 12th April in Syuen Hotel, Ipoh. In his lecture he listed 5 root causes for our poor performance in comparison with South Korea and Taiwan.
Prof. Woo, possibly because of the election fever, tried to be politically correct and made little mention of the New Economic Policy role in our failure to keep up with our neighbours. In fact it is not only Prof. Woo who is silent on the NEP – most analysts appear to have sidelined this policy in the election debate to date.
This is a mistake as the real policy culprit explaining our failure to devlop as quickly as our neighbours (see table attached) is the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the abuse of power in the B.N. Government’s implimentation. As a result, our neighbours are doing much better than us in spite of the fact that they all did not have the natural resources such as oil and gas.
Presidents of MCA, GERAKAN and SUPP have lost their political and moral legitimacy to lead
For the first time in Malaysian history, at least three incumbent Presidents of BN component parties will not be standing as candidates for their respective parties. They are MCA President Dr Chua Soi Lek, GERAKAN President Dr Koh Tsu Koon and SUPP President Peter Chin. They may be joined by a fourth – PPP President M.Kayveas.
Their non-candidacy is yet another indication of the emasculation of the BN component parties under the ‘rule’ of ‘Big Brother’ UMNO. Not only has UMNO forced other BN component parties to ‘return’ seats such as the Grik parliamentary seat (GERAKAN) and the Kuantan parliamentary seat (MCA) and the Pasir Panjang state seat in Perak (MIC) to ‘Big Brother’, there are strong indications that even more seats would be given to UMNO including Wangsa Maju in the Federal Territories (MCA) and the Gelang Patah seat in Johor (MCA) which I will be contesting in for the upcoming General Election.
If this trend continues, the Barisan Nasional (BN) might as well change its name to UMNO Plus since it will comprise of an over-dominant UMNO plus a number of powerless component parties helmed by Presidents whose candidacies are decided by the UMNO President.
Furthermore, by not contesting, these leaders have lost all legitimacy to lead their respective parties within the BN. They will not represent the BN in parliament or in the cabinet unless they take the ignominious road of being ‘back door’ Ministers via the Senatorship route which some, including Dr. KohTsu Koon, have shamelessly done. They will be sitting at the BN table as non-elected representatives while being surrounded by UMNO leaders who are elected representatives.
Read the rest of this entry »
22-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Mahathir has another 24 hours to withdraw and apologise for his chauvinist blog on “Gelang Patah” making irresponsible and baseless attacks on me or face legal action for defamation for his lies and falsehoods
Tun Mahathir has another 24 hours to withdraw and apologise for his chauvinistic blog on “Gelang Patah” making irresponsible and baseless attacks on my reputation and character or face legal action for defamation for his lies and falsehoods.
Yesterday, I had challenged Mahathir to stop spewing more lies and falsehoods but to produce evidence to substantiate his baseless attacks on my reputation and character or he should retract and apologise for his lies and falsehoods against me in his blog on Thursday.
There has only been silence on Mahathir’s part and I am giving him another 24 hours to vindicate himself, produce proof to substantiate his allegations against me or behave as a responsible “elder statesman” and retract and apologise for his defamatory blog against me.
In his blog, Mahathir made the most chauvinistic, scurrilous and totally baseless attacks on me, accusing me of wanting to contesting Gelang Patah because
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I want the Chinese in Gelang Patah and Johor to “reject working together and sharing with the Malays”;
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urge the Chinese in Johor “to dislike and hate the Malays” to create “conflict and antagonism between the races”;
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create “an unhealthy racial confrontation” between the Malays and Chinese in Johor, which will be “disruptive and will not be conducive to the development of Malaysia”.
All these three allegations by Mahathir are downright lies and falsehoods, which I had never uttered in Gelang Patah and Johore since the announcement on March 18 that I would be contesting in Gelang Patah.
Read the rest of this entry »
No votes for racists
Zan Azlee
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 12, 2013
APRIL 12 ― I turn to my right, and I see two Malaysians. Their names are Cherish Leow and Cynthia Ng. I look further down to the left; I see another Malaysian. His name is Thinesh Kumar. This is my workplace. Read the rest of this entry »
Lim’s return to Johor emboldens the Chinese
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, DAP, Elections, UMNO on Saturday, 13 April 2013
From Sakmongkol AK47
Free Malaysia Today
April 12, 2013
The return of Lim Kit Siang to Johor should not matter to Umno and BN. Why should it cause worry? Isn’t it mathematically impossible for PR to go from 1 seat to 15 parliamentary seats? The Johor Chinese are different. They have an unshakeable allegiance to the state. So the Johor Chinese are by definition, naturally indifferent to what is happening around in the country.
The Chinese are a very practical people, says Chua Soi Lek. He must of course be referring to their apparent indifference to his sexual escapades. By that reasoning, the Chinese must also be indifferent to whatever stories are said of Anwar Ibrahim and they should be indifferent to Najib’s overextended and boring self-praising assessment of his Alphabet Soup vision. Ah Jib Gor does what Ah Jib Gor does best – tell tall stories mostly about himself.
Being practical they want to know, whether we can establish a good government. One that will practise good governance, consists of good, selfless and dedicated people. They want to go about making wealth under a government that upholds the rule of law. Which in turn require that the institutions that safeguard the rule and implementation of law be strong and independent and are established on principles of integrity. The Chinese want to live peacefully with the other major races in Malaysia. These are hallmarks of practical people.
I don’t think being practical means, they accept corruption, wheeling and dealing with the powers that be, accepting hegemony from others. If they are like that – that’s not being practical but being sly and acting like hustlers. The things that made the Chinese practical is economic independence. So being practical as in economically independent, the Chinese can exercise wider choices. They will chose to side with Pakatan Rakyat. That’s practical and acknowledging reality. Read the rest of this entry »
Stealing the elections: Act One
Posted by Kit in Articles, Lim Teck Ghee on Friday, 12 April 2013
by Dr Lim Teck Ghee
Centre for Policy Initiatives
Even before the dust has set on the fixing of the polling date, the Barisan Nasional (BN) had already begun the hijacking of the elections. With the apparent connivance of the Election Commission (EC) – the pit bull ensuring BN’s electoral victory for the past 12 general elections – they have imposed a 10-minute slot for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties to explain their polls manifesto over the official media.
According to Rais Yatim, the Information, Communications and Culture caretaker minister, the short time offered to PR will be more than enough to showcase their pledges. Although an attempt has been made by the EC at damage control over the government’s ludicrous but at the same time deadly serious intent – it has explained that the opposition had misunderstood the offer which was intended to be serial and not one-time – the objective of the government is clear.
This is to use its monopoly of the official (and much of the unofficial print) media to ensure a BN election victory by seeing to it that the public – especially rural and Malay voters – will hear only the good side and promises of the BN and to downplay, ignore or demonize the PR side. Read the rest of this entry »
23-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Dr M in his post-PM decade has emerged as the greatest enemy of his own Bangsa Malaysia concept in Vision 2020 and the single greatest threat to Malaysian nation building
Posted by Kit in DAP, Elections, Mahathir, nation building on Friday, 12 April 2013
Tun Mahathir had no qualms in breaking his pledge to leave politics “completely” when he stepped down ten years ago as the country’s longest Prime Minister for 22 years, and despite his brief departure from the UMNO Baru which he had formed, Mahathir is now so firmly ensconced in the corridors of power that he is undoubtedly the most feared man by all UMNO/Barisan Nasional politicians.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak fear him most as Mahathir has proven that he could make and unmake Umno Prime Ministers, and the last thing Najib wants is to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Tun Abdullah of being toppled as Prime Minister after failing to secure an acceptable winning majority in Parliament in the 13GE.
But the saddest and most tragic aspect of the second rise of Mahathir in the UMNO/BN corridors of power is his baleful and baneful influence on Malaysian politics and nation-building, as he has emerged in his post-PM decade as the greatest enemy of his own Bangsa Malaysia concept in Vision 2020 and the single greatest threat to Malaysian nation building.
In the past week, Mahathir provided two examples of the baleful and baneful influence as the arch-enemy of Bangsa Malaysia and the greatest threat to Malaysian nation building.
Firstly, Mahathir’s sky-high praises for the Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali, elevating the patron of the Malay supremacist group as a “saviour” of the nation and leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that Ibrahim Ali would be the ideal candidate for Mahathir to be Prime Minister of Malaysia!
Secondly, his utterly racist blog yesterday warning of a “race confrontation” if I win in Gelang Patah in the 13GE. Read the rest of this entry »
Apathy and change
APRIL 12 ― There’s an old wives’ tale about the boiled frog. That a frog would get used to water that is slowly boiled and die without trying to escape. It isn’t true but it illustrates how people can slowly get used to changes without realising it.
This holds true in some parts of Malaysia, especially politicians who tell us to stick to the status quo and warn us of chaos if there is change, just like what caretaker Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman cautioned Malaysians last night against voting for the opposition in Election 2013.
“Don’t try to experiment,” Musa told a thousand-strong cheering crowd at the launch of the Barisan Nasional (BN) machinery in Penampang, Sabah.
“What can you hope for in the opposition? They talk about bad things, create trouble, chaos, Bersih 1, Bersih 2, for what?” he added. Read the rest of this entry »
Let Us Ubah!
by Allan CF Goh
Bring on the transformasi.
Start the cleansing tsunami.
From Johor to fair Sabah
Let the change of wind ubah.
Sweep clean the foul corruptions,
And all unjust restrictions,
Break down slavery’s fetter
To make Malaysia better!
Drown out the vile racism,
And foul communalism.
Let’s vote for a one-nation,
Where folks live without friction,
In nationwide harmony,
Free from harsh acrimony.
Come General Election,
Vote for the best selection
Of good, moral candidates.
On that vital polling date,
Ubah! make the country well,
Make citizens, with pride, swell.
Citizens, come out to vote,
Let’s build a nation of note!
Bishop Sebastian Francis: “Your vote should not only be secret but sacred as well!”
Posted by Kit in Elections, Martin Jalleh on Friday, 12 April 2013
by Martin Jalleh
BN woos Indian votes but indifferent to Hindus
by Aliran
11 April 2013
It is appalling that the higher-ups in the civil service are totally not bothered about Hindu sensitivities, observes P Ramakrishnan citing his experience with medication supplied at a general hospital.
The Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional have been very busy going after the Indian Malaysian votes. They seem to be addressing some issues to pacify the Indians in their attempt to win them. The Indian vote is very crucial to the BN and they are desperately trying to woo them.
But it would appear that they are not bothered about the sensitivities of the Hindus. It is appalling that the higher ups in the civil service are totally not bothered about Hindu sensitivities. They are indifferent and insensitive to the Hindus.
One good example is the medication that is provided by the General Hospital.
Those suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) have been put on the medication ‘Duspatalin’. I am one of those taking this medicine for a number of years. Read the rest of this entry »
Silly conjectures
The Malaysian Insider
April 11, 2013
APRIL 11 – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad must not be feeling confident of a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory in Gelang Patah.
The former BN chief wrote today that a Lim Kit Siang win in Gelang Patah will result in racial confrontation, arguing that Chinese-Malay economic partnership will be ruined.
“Kit Siang is going to bring about conflict and antagonism between the races, to wage the Chinese to dislike and hate the Malays,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his chedet.cc blog.
“When Kit Siang decided to contest in Chinese majority Gelang Patah it is because he wanted the Chinese there and in Johor to reject working together and sharing with the Malays.
“An unhealthy racial confrontation would replace Sino-Malay cooperation which has made Malaysia stable and prosperous.”
How ridiculous is this conjecture? That an opposition win will cause racial conflict.
Is this how to scare voters to support the BN? Through fear not respect or popularity.
Is this what Dr Mahathir has to fall back to get BN to win Gelang Patah, no matter whether MCA or Umno gets to stand there? Read the rest of this entry »
Dr M: Race confrontation if Kit Siang wins Gelang Patah
By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
April 11, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 – A Lim Kit Siang win in Gelang Patah will result in racial confrontation, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today, arguing that Chinese-Malay economic partnership will be ruined.
With weeks left to Election 2013, the former prime minister continued his doomsday prediction by hammering on the opposition leader with his warning that Lim’s victory in the southern state would trigger racial clashes that would replace the existing cooperation between the Malay majority and Chinese community.
“Kit Siang is going to bring about conflict and antagonism between the races, to wage the Chinese to dislike and hate the Malays,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his chedet.cc blog.
The 87-year-old Dr Mahathir has become a de facto campaigner-in-chief for the Barisan Nasional (BN), going on the stump with the vigour of a much younger man as the 13-party coalition faces what is seen as its stiffest challenge ever from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact.
The Johor-born Lim has been bearing the brunt of Dr Mahathir’s attacks ever since announcing his plan to battle BN on its home turf – the birthplace of its anchor party Umno and the last standing home of Chinese partner, MCA.
Dr Mahathir has been relentless in chipping away at the predominantly Chinese DAP’s credentials to share power with its political allies, whether the Islamist PAS or the urban-based PKR led by his former deputy, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Read the rest of this entry »
Soi Lek: 50-50 chance of MCA ceding Gelang Patah to Umno
by Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
April 11, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 – Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said today it is still a toss-up between MCA and Umno for the Gelang Patah contest, despite strong indicators pointing to Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman as Barisan Nasional’s (BN) likely candidate.
The MCA president told a press conference here that no decision has been made, even reminding pressmen to report him saying that the chances of a seat swap between Umno and MCA in Gelang Patah was still 50-50.
“We are still negotiating,” he said, before a reporter asked if MCA would cede the seat to Umno.
“Maybe yes and maybe no. You must write maybe yes and maybe no to be fair to me… if not, I will call and scold you,” he added.
Ceding the Gelang Patah seat to Umno, however, would mean MCA loses another federal seat in the coming polls contest, narrowing its chances to make a bigger comeback in Election 2013. Read the rest of this entry »
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