Month: March 2008

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The decision to appoint a PAS Assemblyman Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin as Perak Mentri Besar has caused shock and consternation to DAP leaders, members and supporters.

The DAP Central Executive Committee, at its emergency meeting in Penang on Sunday, 9th March 2008, had given approval for the formation of a Perak coalition government comprising 18 DAP Assembly members, seven PKR Assemblymen and six PAS Assemblymen.

DAP is prepared to accept DAP chairman and Assemblyman for Sitiawan Ngeh Koo Ham or PKR Behrang Assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi as Perak Mentri Besar.

As the appointment of PAS Assemblyman for Pasir Panjang Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin as Perak Mentri Besar representing the third and smallest political party in the proposed coalition has not received the mandate of the CEC, DAP Perak Assemblymen will stay away from the swearing-in ceremony for Perak Mentri Besar scheduled tomorrow.

I had thought that the tempo would have lessened considerably after polling day on March 8 to allow for some rest and physical recovery, but it was the exact opposite – an even more hectic period since the results started flooding in on the same night of a political tsunami which saw the historic loss of the ruling coalition’s hitherto unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority for 50 years, the loss of five state governments by the Barisan Nasional and the toppling of Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.

I left Ipoh for Penang at about 10 pm without being able to wait for the official results of the Ipoh Timor parliamentary seat when results were clear that Barisan Nasional had lost power in Penang to a DAP-led coalition government.

When I arrived in Penang by car after midnight, I learnt that the political tsunami had also swept Barisan Nasional from power in Perak, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan.

The next three days were dizzying days, rushing up and down again and again from one state to another, particularly in the three states of Perak, Penang and Selangor to deal with the aftermath of the political tsunami of March 8.

The high point was undoubtedly the swearing-in of Lim Guan Eng as the DAP Chief Minister of Penang yesterday. At the surprise birthday cake presented by Penang DAP on February 20, I had made a birthday wish that DAP under the leadership of Guan Eng could capture the Penang state government in the general election. I had told newsmen to ask me about what birthday wish I had made after the general election, and I revealed after Guan Eng’s swearing-in yesterday of my birthday wish which had come true.

I apologise that this blog was disrupted because of very heavy traffic on the night of polling day and is only restored last night.
I also apologise that because of the hectic pace of keeping up with the events post-March 8, I have not been able to do any updates on the many portentous events taking place in the country or to follow the huge volume of comments.

In a very quick and cursory check, after the restoration of the blog, various comments have been made about Guan Eng’s statement and announcements after he was sworn in as Penang Chief Minister.

I am trying to settle down, including updating this blog regularly.

Let us start with Guan Eng’s swearing-in statement and announcements, so that commentators will not have to depend just on media reports which may not give the full and proper picture.

This is Guan Eng’s statement after his swearing-in as Penang Chief Minister:

(Speech By New Penang Chief Minister, Bagan MP and State Assemblyman for Air Puteh And DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng In Komtar Building Upon His Swearing-In On 11.3.2008)

Penang DAP & PKR Coalition Government’s Agenda For Change To Re-establish Rule By The Rakyat

Three days ago, the people of Penang voted for change by giving DAP and PKR a clear mandate of a two-thirds majority to form a coalition government. Today, we present you the Agenda for Change – from this Government of the rakyat.

DAP and PKR’s coalition government’s Agenda for Change to re-establish rule by the rakyat will centre on the key areas of Economy, Governance and the Social Needs of the People.

This is a government that is based on democracy – the core of governance. This is a government that advocates and practices Integrity and Transparency. This is also a government that believes in equal opportunity and socio-economic justice. Continue reading “The mornings after the 12th general election…”

There is a political tsunami in the 12th general election, with the Barisan Nasional suffering probably its biggest setback in history.

From available reports, DAP has won victories, in some cases with huge majorities, in the following Parliamentary seats:

1. Bagan
2. Tanjong
3. Bukit Glugor
4. Ipoh Timur
5. Batu Gajah
6. Petaling Jaya Utara
7. Seputeh
8. Kepong
9. Bukit Bintang
10. Cheras
11. Bandar Kuching
12. Segambut
13. Kota Melaka

(Note: Announcement of Sandakan win was premature. DAP parliamentary candidate Shanty Chong lost by a mere 174 votes.)

DAP is leading in the following Parliamentary seats:

1. Sarikei
2. Serdang
3. Klang
4. Taiping
5. Bruas
6. Teluk Intan
7. Jelutong
8. Bukit Bendera
9. Batu Kawan

For state assembly seats, DAP has won

1. Subang Jaya;
2. Teratai

In Penang the three state seats of Tanjong and Bagan have also been won by DAP. Other Penang state seats won by DAP are Air Puteh, Prai, Batu Lanchang, Pulau Tikus and leading in all the other state seats contested by DAP. DAP has also won new state seats in Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johore.

One of the most noted state assembly win is the Sri Tanjong seat of Tawau, Sabah.

Top DAP Ceramah Donations during the 12th general election campaign:

29.2.08 Ipoh Timor RM22,311
01.3.08 Penang RM38,000
02.3.08 Ipoh Timor RM38,025
03.3.08 Kota Melaka RM50,000
04.3.08 Klang RM63,000
05.3.08 Puchong RM35,000
05.3.08 Port Klang RM42,000
06.3.08 Penang RM133,000
07.3.08 Ipoh Timor RM82,000

This is not a complete list and will be revised with new information.

The great support to the DAP general election campaign, both in mammoth ceramah turnouts and unprecedented donations, give hope that the 12th general election is set for a major political change in Malaysia.

Lets keep our fingers crossed that when the votes are counted, Malaysia will be set to begin a new political era for democracy, accountability and integrity.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his 9 pm TV polling-eve message said:

“You have to vote for our future. You have to vote for our children…

“What will happen if there is chaos and there is instability?”

Abdullah got only the first part right, that Malaysian voters must vote for their future and their children.

He got the second part completely wrong – as the choice before the Malaysian voters is not between Barisan Nasional on the one hand and chaos and instability on the other.

This is a false choice.

The real choice in the ballot box today is whether to choose a Malaysia of excellence , glory and distinction or a Malaysia of mediocrity, indignity and shame; a Malaysia where every Malaysian regardless of race or religion has a equal place under the Malaysian sun instead of a Malaysia where the best and brightest are driven to foreign lands in one exodus after another to bestow excellence, glory and distinction to other countries instead of to their homeland. Continue reading “Abdullah got it wrong again in his polling-eve TV message”

It is regrettable that the understanding between DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for a “one-to-one” contest against the Barisan Nasional (BN) could not be extended from Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah and Sarawak, resulting in three or multi-cornered contests in the two East Malaysian states.

After the 12 days of campaigning, it is clear that in both Sabah and Sarawak, where DAP candidates are involved in three or multi-cornered contests, the real battle is between the DAP and the BN candidates.

In the 2007 general election, where every parliamentary and state assembly seat counts in the national objective to smash Umno political hegemony, it is imperative that the voters in Sabah and Sarawak are fully conscious and mindful that they should not allow any BN candidate in the two states to win because of split Opposition votes – which could only prevent the DAP candidate from winning by allowing the BN candidate to slip into victory by minority votes.

We can look forward to at least 3 DAP MPs from Sabah and Sarawak each in the general election tomorrow, provided there is no split votes to let the BN candidate win by default of split majority votes. Continue reading “At least 3 DAP MPs each from Sabah and Sarawak – provided no split votes”

Marking growing panic in the Barisan Nasional at the strong winds of change rising up in the land, highlighted by last night’s 60,000-strong DAP ceramah crowd at Han Chiang Chinese School grounds in Penang which collected over RM130,000 in public donations, the Putrajaya Fourth-Storey Boys have rushed up to Penang with their final bag of dirty tricks to check, counter and reverse the tide of change embracing Penang and the whole nation in the 12th general election.

The twin DAP objectives in the March 8, 2008 general election – to deny Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority in Parliament and the Penang State Assembly – seem to be increasingly feasible and within reach, and this is causing panic in Barisan Nasional circles.

Can the Putrajaya 4th-Storey Boys block and reverse the rising wind of change in Penang and Malaysia?

One brain-child of the Putrajaya 4th-storey Boys is the unprecedented live telecast of the Prime Minister to the nation as the final election campaign message of the Barisan chairman, which will be telecast live to the nation over the television channels.

This will be in the form of an interview with the Prime Minister by The Star Group Editor Datuk Wong Chun Wai and TV3’s Fuad Abdul Rahman in the Bual Pilihanraya programme at 9 pm.

This final election campaign message, to be telecast live over the television channels, will also be the final election abuse by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is completely indifferent to ethics, morality and integrity of government leaders, especially during the period of the election campaign after dissolution of Parliament until the election of a new Parliament and government, when he is only caretaker Prime Minister and all Ministers mere caretaker Ministers.

A caretaker Prime Minister has no business to give his final election campaign message as Barisan Chairman unless similar live-telecast time is offered to leaders of political parties in the Opposition to similarly deliver their “final election campaign” messages. Continue reading “Putrajaya 4th-storey boys rushed in Penang – BN panics at wind of change in polls”

(Media Conference Statement 2 at DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre on Friday, 7th March 2008 at 12.30 pm)

The Star headline “Opposition senses victory – Anwar and Kit Siang confident of forming next govt with PAS” today are downright double lies.

This is the Star report (N 12):

PKR and DAP will form next Government , say Anwar and Kit Siang

By AUDREY EDWARDS and CHAN LI LEEN

KUALA LUMPUR: Buoyed by the large crowds at their rallies, opposition parties are now claiming they can win the general election and form the next Government.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his DAP counterpart Lim Kit Siang both expressed confidence that their loose coalition, which also includes PAS, had the support of the voters.

In Rembau, Anwar said he was confident the Opposition would win and “our first duty to the people is to bring down oil prices.”
“God willing, we will win on March 8. You tell those Barisan (Nasional) boys we will win,” he saud.

“And when DAP, PKR and PAS win on March 8, we will bring down the oil prices on March 9,” he said at a ceramah yesterday.

In Ipoh, Lim said a strong and powerful wind of change was blowing in the land and he was also confident of the voters’ support.

This, he said, was evident by the mammoth turnout, enthusiastic responses and generous donations of Malaysians at ceramah held in various states.

“The crowd numbered from several thousands to more than 10,000 at the ceramah I attended in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak and Penang in the past three days,” Lim told reporters yesterday.

“But the question is whether the wind of change rising will be strong and powerful enough on March 8 to make it a day of history and a day of destiny for Malaysia,” Lim added.

There is nothing wrong with the report filed by the Star reporter Chan Li Leen but everything wrong with the heading given by the sub-editor or editor. Continue reading “Devilish Star heading with two lies in 11 words – call for nation-wide firestorm protest without instant Star online apology”

(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary Candidate for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre, Ipoh on Friday, 7th March 2008 at 12 noon)

I am utterly shocked and stunned – that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has done what even Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in his most undemocratic excesses had never done in 22 years as Prime Minister, trying to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan with the irresponsible threat that they could end up without any Chinese Ministers or representation in Government.

It is a grave sign of political desperation and bankruptcy – that Abdullah himself should go down into the gutter to indulge in the politics of scare, intimidation and blackmail to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan candidates.

The MCA leadership has been adopting a “Jekyll-and-Hyde” attitude – playing both the role of human being and the devil at the same time – with the MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy boldly declaring only yesterday that MCA is confident it will be able to capture the majority of the 40 parliamentary and 60 state assembly seats it is contesting, while on the other hand, egging Abdullah to warn that the Chinese will end up not having any representation in the Government if the Chinese give the DAP their votes. Continue reading “No Chinese representationn in govt – then Pak Lah must step down as PM as he had promised to be PM for all races”

(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary Candidate for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang at DAP Ipoh Timor Ops Centre on Thursday, 6th March 2008 at 12 noon)

Tomorrow is the last day for campaigning before the country goes to polls for the 12th general election on Saturday, March 8, 2008.
Will March 8, 2008 usher a paradigm shift in the Malaysian political landscape by stripping the Barisan Nasional of its unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority and deal a fatal blow to Umno political hegemony?

It is a tall order just to deny the Barisan Nasional two-thirds parliamentary majority on Saturday, for the DAP, PKN and PAS will each have to win at least 25 seats to ensure that the BN is defeated in at least 75 parliamentary seats, the “magic figure” to make BN’s two-third parliamentary majority and Umno political hegemony history in Malaysia. Continue reading “BN leaders – grow up and accept ups and downs of democratic process”

BY Azly Rahman

During presidential elections in the United States, it has become customary for the main candidates (almost always the candidates of the two main parties, currently the Democratic Party and the Republican Party) to engage in a debate. The topics discussed in the debate are often the most controversial issues of the time, and some have said that elections can be won or lost based on these debates…. Presidential debates are held late in the election cycle, after the political parties have nominated their candidates. The candidates meet in a large hall, often at a university, before an audience of citizens. The formats of the debates have varied, with questions sometimes posed from one or more journalist moderators and in other cases members of the audience – from Wikipedia Continue reading “Election debates – just do it!”

(Media Conference Statement (2) by DAP Ipoh Timor parliamentary candidate Lim Kit Siang at Ipoh Timor Ops Centre on Wednesday, 5th March 2008)

IGP should suspend Segamat OCPD for using force on seven-month pregnant woman DAP candidate in Labis to demonstrate police respect for women dignity and rights.

The Johore police called an unprecedented 1.30 am press conference in Johore Baru yesterday morning to give their version of the scuffle over a mike between the Segamat OCPD Supt Abd Majid Mohd Ali and the seven-month pregnant woman DAP candidate for Labis Teo Eng Ching in Labis on Monday at about 2.30 pm during my 24-hour four-state 11-stop election whistlestop tour.

This is a reflection of the power of the internet for immediately after the scuffle in Labis at about 3 pm, the Internet was abuzz with reports of a police officer in a scuffle with a seven-month pregnant DAP parliamentary candidate which resulting in her being hospitalized, creating concerns about the health and welfare of both the mother and the unborn child.

Continue reading “IGP should suspend Segamat OCPD for using force on seven-month pregnant woman DAP candidate in Labis to demonstrate police respect for women dignity and rights”

(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary candidate for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 1.30 pm)

When MCA should be most influential and powerful after the 1999 general election when Chinese voters saved Umno and Barisan Nasional to ensure their getting two-thirds parliamentary majority, MCA was weakest in allowing the rise of Umno political hegemony

New Straits Times has turned into a MCA and Barisan Nasional (BN) propaganda broadsheet today with the front-page headline: “Chinese voters have a simple c hoice: a bigger say in parliament and government, or a louder voice in parliament without real influence…”

Quoting the MCA strategist, Datuk Wong Mook Leong,said “the reality was that whenever the DAP did better than MCA, it was a major setback for the community”.

Wong said: “In 1986, DAP won 24 seats while MCA got 18. In 1990, DAP continued to lead MCA by two parliamentary seats.

“DAP claims that in those two terms, it was a major step for democracy. But the truth is, it was two terms of major setbacks for the Chinese community.”

This is a very dishonest distortion of Malaysian political history. Continue reading “More seats won by MCA will only result in worsening Umno political hegemony”

(Media Conference Statement by DAP Ipoh Timur Parliamentary Candidate Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre in Jalan Kampar, Ipoh on Tuesday 4th March 2008 at 2 pm)

I have just returned from a 24-hour four-state 11-stop
whistlestop tour which I find most encouraging as the wind of change is blowing strong and hard in Malaysia – and the question is whether it could reach the velocity to change the political landscape by denying the Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority.

I left Ipoh for Johore by car at 3.30 am on Monday morning, starting with a 10-hour swing of Johore to campaign for DAP candidates in eight state assembly and three parliamentary constituencies in Johore, namely Senai, Skudai, Stulang, Yong Peng, Bekok, Jementah, Tangkak, Bentayan (state) and Kulai, Segamat and Bakri (parliament) from 8.30 am. to 6.30 pm, followed by huge ceramahs in Malacca, Rasah (Negri Sembilan) and Subang Jaya. I returned to Ipoh at about 3.30 am – a real 24-hour affair! Continue reading “Smack the MCPs in Parliament and outside”

First of its kind not only in Tawau but in Sabah and Malaysia as well – a breakfast ceramah at 7.30 am.

Turnout at Sin Onn Market, Tawau by Tawau voters and their families for the breakfast ceramah was over-capacity and overwhelmingly supportive and most encouraging – highlighting the reality that the battle in the Sri Tanjong state Assembly contest is between the DAP candidate Jimmy Wong Sze Phin and the Barisan Nasional candidate while the Tawau parliamentary contest is between the DAP candidate Chan Foong Hin and the BN candidate, although there is a third candidate in both constituencies.

If not for the third candidate in Sri Tanjong, Datuk Kong Hong Ming (Keadilan), many Tawau voters would say that “Tiger” Jimmy Wong would have an edge over the BN candidate, a DAP “renegade”, especially as Jimmy Wong had done more than the incumbent BN candidate to fight for the rights and welfare of the people of Tawau – especially in his successful espousal of the cause of the people of Tawau to defend their “open spaces” from despoilation by an irresponsible axis of the local government and developer, an issue which affects not only Tawau and Sabah but the whole of Malaysia!

In the circumstances, Datuk Kong cannot win on his own but can only draw votes away from Jimmy to ensure that the BN candidate is the sole beneficiary by slipping into victory with a minority vote, which goes against the larger state and national objectives to ensure the defeat of every BN candidate, whether at state or parliamentary level on March 8, 2008.

In the interests of the larger state and national objectives to ensure that March 8 general election delivers a major blow to Umno political hegemony, whether at national or state level, Datuk Liew should seriously consider withdrawing from the Sri Tanjong contest – or the voters should ensure that every vote is husbanded to defeat the BN candidate by voting singlemindedly for Jimmy Wong and not wast away their votes and fundamental constitutional rights through split votes which is the greatest hope and wish of the BN candidate!

by M. Bakri Musa

Spring comes early in my part of California. Already there are exuberant splashes of dancing daffodils on the hillsides. Soon the colorful California poppies will pop up. With the weather becoming warmer, the rattlesnakes too will soon emerge from their winter slumber.

Talking of rattlesnakes, I am reminded of the story of the kindly lady who saw one such weakling that was dying from the long cold winter. Taking pity on the poor critter, she took it home and nursed it back to health. One day while she was feeding the now robust creature, it took a swipe at her hand and bit her.

As she lay dying she asked the snake why it had done that. “You should have known better, lady! You knew I was a rattlesnake, you should have killed me back then!”

On March 8, 2008, Malaysia will have a general election, with Prime Minister Abdullah seeking a second term, having secured an overwhelming mandate back in 2004. This will be the votersÂ’ collective judgment of what Abdullah did with that mandate.

If Barisan Nasional retains its supra-majority and Abdullah remains as Prime Minister, rest assured that he will continue the pattern he set in his first term. He will once again reward his cronies and family members with sweetheart mega billion contracts san competition, just as he has done during his first term. His excuse then was that he did not know that he was doing it! He will continue dozing off during meetings in the mistaken belief that Malaysians approve of such mediocre performances. Also, expect the bureaucracy to become even more bloated. This self-styled “number one civil servant’s” answer to every problem is to spend more money and employ more staff. Continue reading “The Tale of the Rattlesnake”

Over a thouand people at the DAP Sandakan ceramah last night for our parliamentary candidate and two State Assembly candidates in the Sandakan area.

DAP parliamentary candidate for Sandakan, Shanty Chong delivered her maiden political speech – humorous but hard-hitting which will strike fear and terror among erring Barisan Nasional leaders.

She had served 17 years in the judical service and very few can compare with her in integrity as nobody could or would doubt her incorruptibility.

No time to write more, except to record that I announced that she would make an ideal choice as Chairperson of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Independence and Integrity of the Judiciary in the new Parliament.