Iskandar Dzulkarnain | May 29, 2014
Free Malaysia Today

In this satirical piece, the writer nails home some home truths in a humourous way.

COMMENT

Dyana SofyaThe antics of Umno Youth who seemed to act like organised thugs in the storming of the Penang State Assembly should not be blamed on Umno and BN for no apparent reason.

Neither should they be blamed for the manifestation of unmitigated gangsterism, racism, hooliganism, foul language, threats, destruction of property, the baying for blood, sexism, fake photographs, rowdiness and mob violence by motorbike gangs plaguing the current Teluk Intan by-election campaign.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has issued a statement that BN does not condone violence or sabotage. Umno is very neutral since it not contesting any seats and therefore have no reason whatsoever to cause any ruckus. More likely the outbreak of violence should be attributed to Independents or sympathetic BN supporters.

Unlike DAP who wants to conquer every seat, Umno is more ‘inclusive’ to allow other coalition parties and even Independents a fighting chance to contest.
Is it a wonder why more and more NGO’s, Independents and other mosquito parties are starting to support BN? Read the rest of this entry »

Ahmad Fadli KC
Malaysiakini
May 28, 2014

TELUK INTAN With the clock ticking down for polling day on Saturday, it was supposed to be a feather in BN’s cap: scores of DAP members would cross over to the ruling coalition.

Or so the media was told.

But what transpired in Teluk Intan late last night was something different from the script.

And some DAP members were bewildered when they found out the real reason behind the event.

One such person was 46-year-old taxi driver S Shantini.

Not being informed about the purpose of the event, Shantini was shocked when it was announced that she was one of 150 former DAP members who now support BN. Read the rest of this entry »

YourSay
Malaysiakini
May 29, 2014

YOURSAY ‘Is there anything wrong with different posters of Dyana?’

Mukhriz puzzled by Dyana’s many looks

Fair Play: Truthfully, I didn’t even know how many “faces” DAP candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud has until Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir pointed it out.

But then, I am not him and never paid much attention to her ‘looks’ but only see her as a right-thinking Malaysian who could make a difference for our children’s future.

Multi Racial: I totally agree with Mukhriz. We have to vote leaders who are consistent and who do not speak different things to different audiences, like many BN leaders, particularly our PM and deputy PM.

So far I cannot see any inconsistency in Dyana. Her photos with different dressing and different images are fine. Nothing wrong with her to have different posters, some dressed in modern garb and some wearing a headscarf. At least, it represents her real personality. Read the rest of this entry »

OLEH HASBULLAH AWANG CHIK
The Malaysian Insider
May 28, 2014

Lim Kit Siang menyifatkan Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud mampu menangkis serangan pemimpin Umno dengan ciri 3B yang dimiliki calon DAP itu bagi bertanding dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Teluk Intan Sabtu ini.

Ketua Parlimen DAP itu berkata, ciri 3B yang ada pada Dyana bukan sahaja membuktikannya seorang yang cantik tetapi berani melakukan perubahan kepada landskap politik di Malaysia.

“Pemimpin Umno kata apa guna undi seseorang yang memakai gincu. Seorang lagi kata Dyana bukan terlalu cantik dan tidak seperti dalam gambar.

“Semua ini jatuhkan politik kepada satu tahap yang sangat rendah. Saya ulangi Dyana ada 3B. Dia ada beauty (kecantikan), brain (kecerdasan) dan bravery (keberanian),” katanya ketika berucap di depan ribuan pengundi Teluk Intan di Jalan Mahkota, malam tadi. Read the rest of this entry »

Ram Anand
Malaysiakini
May 28, 2014

ANALYSIS After nine days of campaigning, the fate of the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election could ultimately be decided by voters not even residing in the constituency itself.

A return of these outstation voters would likely result in a DAP victory, while a low turnout could well work in BN’s favour.

Like many small towns in Perak, a large population of Teluk Intan’s registered voters are residing outside the town, mainly working in the Klang Valley.

By BN’s candidate Mah Siew Keong’s estimate, almost 30 percent of registered voters live away and need to return to Teluk Intan to vote, most of whom are young people inclined to the opposition.

This is why DAP has launched a Jom Balik Undi campaign, to urge voters to return to Teluk Intan this Saturday, while its leaders consistently stress the need of a high turnout for the party to confidently win the by-election.

In the last general election, Teluk Intan registered a 80 percent turnout, the highest ever recorded in the constituency.

But with the aim to takeover Putrajaya no longer feasible a year on, it remains to be seen if the outstation voters would return in droves to vote in this by-election. Read the rest of this entry »

– Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
May 28, 2014

Today, DAP is a much-envied party. Its political ideals and more important, the resolute leadership qualities have gained new adherents.

Young and open-minded Malays are not easily taken by the simple labelling of DAP as a racist and chauvinist party. It is seen as a champion for the underdog, champion for rule of law, for good governance, for the pursuit of policies that are fair and just.

It is fully committed to making changes through the ballot box. It is not a militant group. These are causes that gain traction among Malaysians of all races.

A practical and strategic choice

The choice of Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud as its candidate for Teluk Intan is both practical and strategic. It was not a choice that went down easily among the DAP grassroots initially.

Eventually, as I have noticed over and over again, the wisdom by the DAP’s CEC prevailed. Read the rest of this entry »

John R.Mallot
Malaysiakini
May 27, 2014

In ancient days, kings claimed that they had a divine right to rule, and that they were accountable only to God. They thought that they and the country were one and the same, and that everything and everyone belonged to them.

They could confiscate your lands and wealth, or they could give you property and riches. They could lock you up in the Tower, or make your dreams come true. It was all up to them. King Louis XIV, who ruled France for 72 years, famously said, “L’etat, c’est moi” – I am the country.

And so it is with Umno. Because it has ruled Malaysia continuously since independence in 1957, Umno has come to believe that it, the government, and the nation are all one and the same.

Because it is the self-proclaimed defender of the Malay race – a people whom Umno says are still constantly under threat despite 57 years of protecting their interests – Umno thinks that all Malays should support it.

If a Malay does not, then they risk being denied business and educational opportunities, tried for sedition, or even branded as a “traitor,” as Umno Wanita leader Shahrizat Abdul Jalil brazenly suggested DAP candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud was one last week. Read the rest of this entry »

By Zurairi AR
The Malay Mail Online
May 27, 2014

TELUK INTAN, May 27 — Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud might have the looks, but she lacks “inner beauty” that would make her a good leader, said the former vice-chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Tan Sri Dr Ibrahim Abu Shah last night.

Warning the crowd of a Barisan Nasional (BN) rally against voting for Dyana solely for her popularity, Ibrahim and other Umno leaders reminded them that Datuk Mah Siew Keong’s experience counts much more than looks.

“Do we just want to choose a pretty face? Is that a criteria to choose a leader?” Ibrahim told a crowd of thousands in Taman Melor here.

“Gentlemen, beauty is not just physical. It counts for outer and inner. If I were to compare DAP’s candidate and BN’s, I would say BN’s candidate is prettier than DAP’s.”

Ibrahim’s remark on the appearance of the DAP’s Teluk Intan hopeful however was just one of many made in the BN rally, even as the coalition seeks to divert the attention away from Dyana to its own candidate. Read the rest of this entry »

by Anisah Shukry
The Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2014

Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud said last night a vote for her in this Saturday’s Teluk Intan by-election will send five messages to the long-ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

The DAP candidate told a crowd of about 3,000 people in Anson Industrial Park, Teluk Intan, that casting a vote for her would tell BN that the people rejected the rising price of goods.

“We oppose the rising prices of goods. Before the (13th) general election (last year), they promised all sorts of things. Now, the promises are forgotten. The (price for) electricity has increased, petrol has risen, sugar has risen.

“But our salaries have not risen, although our blood levels have increased. We reject the rising price of goods,” she said.

She said voting DAP would also show BN that they rejected racist politics, noting that the ruling pact constantly used race to divide the people.

“I don’t know why they keep trying to divide us. As the government, they should be uniting us,” said Dyana. Read the rest of this entry »