Anwar 31,195
BN 15,524
Ind 92
Majority 15,671
FLASH NEWS (2)! Anwar’s majority more than Azizah’s
Permatang Pauh by-election – history in the making. Anwar’s majority should be a few thousands more than azizah’s majority – in the 16,000 region.
[ sys admin – we are moving into strip down mode to cope with the increased load on the server ]
STOP PRESS! Latest! Anwar’s majority more than Azizah’s
Counting of the by-election result proceeding. From all indications, Anwar Ibrahim’s majority will be more than Wan Azizah’s majority in March 8 general election, which was 13,398 votes.
A Merdeka upside down?
by Azly Rahman
“Our Nation, Malaysia is dedicated to: Achieving a greater unity for all her people; maintaining a democratic way of life; creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably distributed; ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural tradition, and building a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology.
We, the people of Malaysia, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends, guided by these principles:
• Belief in God
• Loyalty to King and Country
• Upholding the Constitution
• Sovereignty of the Law, and
• Good Behaviour and Morality”
– From the Rukunegara, circa 1970
The words above constructed and proclaimed in 1970, after the bloody riots of May 13, 1969, contain internal contradictions if we are to analyse them today.
As we approach Aug 31, our independence or Merdeka Day, we read the following stories: Continue reading “A Merdeka upside down?”
No smooth 2009 Budget presentation if Anwar is not sworn in as MP to become Opposition Leader
A spate of news reports quoting the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia as saying that the oath-taking ceremony to swear in the winner of the Permatang Pauh by-election today would most likely be held in mid-October and that he did not see any urgency to “fix a quick date” has raised eye-brows all round and thrown up a flurry of questions.
There can be no doubt that if the Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar wins the Permatang Pauh by-election, he would definitely be sworn in as MP in Parliament this week, latest by Thursday if not tomorrow itself – so that it could be used by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as a much-needed confidence-booster after the devastation suffered by the Barisan Nasional in the March 8 “political tsunami” relegating the Barisan Nasional to the Opposition benches in five states – Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan – and depriving for the first time in Malaysian history of its two-thirds parliamentary majority.
I believe nobody in Malaysia doubts that if Arif could win the Permatang Pauh by-election today, he would be sworn in as MP in Parliament tomorrow or latest by Thursday.
Why then should the position be any different if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is re-elected as MP for the constituency and storms back to Parliament with a historic majority?
Abdullah, the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who had spearheaded the Barisan Nasional Permatang Pauh by-election campaign to be a 4Ds campaign – the dirtiest and the most disgraceful, dishonourable and divisive election strategy – and other Barisan Nasional leaders may not want to see Anwar return to Parliament in triumph to take his seat as the Parliamentary Opposition Leader exactly opposite Abdullah for 2009 Budget presentation on Friday, but this is not for them but for the voters of Permatang Puah to decide today! Continue reading “No smooth 2009 Budget presentation if Anwar is not sworn in as MP to become Opposition Leader”
One Bangsa – 50 years on?
Letters
by Jeff Lim
Man on the Street
I am 51 years of age, Malaysian, a self made businessman, married with 3 adult children and living in Penang. I am just a down to earth man on the street earning a decent living and community service is part of my life. If there is RM50 to give away now. There are many individuals and families who would need it desperately just to get a square meal and get by a few days.
It saddens me to see disparity amongst the races and politicians fighting pitching against themselves and within themselves. This country is a mad house. A truly Malaysia context should be fighting for all Malaysians and energy and time should be use to address other priority issues.
The wealth indicators are often used to display the racial social standing status in terms of success and wealth. Chinese have much to be proud of. They could be better if not for the brain drain and political agendas. The others have only grievances to complain about one after another, simply because their living skills to help themselves is seriously lacking.
Yes, we lack true leadership in shaping the country. Singapore, our neighbour has forever been used as an exemplary example. Irrespective of who you are, be it a Malay, Chinese, Indian, whatever colour, meritocracy is the ONLY way of life. Nothing must stand in the way, nor politics nor religion nor corruption. In the days of P.Ramlee, we were all just one. Why must it be different now. Continue reading “One Bangsa – 50 years on?”
Permatang Pauh voters – tryst with destiny
Polling for the Permatang Pauh by-election has just started.
This a tryst with destiny for the voters of Permatang Pauh. They have the opportunity to make history for themselves, 27 million Malaysians and future generations for a new Malaysia.
Let the Permatang Pauh by-election mark the rise of a pioneer generation of Bangsa Malaysia to herald the beginning of the new politics of Bangsa Malaysia to liberate Malaysians from the divisive and negative politics of race and graft of the Barisan Nasional.
In the past 10 days, UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders pulled out all the stops to conduct the dirtiest, most disgusting and dishonourable election campaign in the 51-year history of nation, breaking all election laws against money politic and violating all moral and ethical principles of a clean and honest election campaign.
As I said in two eve-of-polling ceramahs last night, there is no doubt of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being re-elected as MP for Permatang Pauh and his return to Parliament after an absence of a decade.
The only question is Anwar’s majority. I will not be satisfied unless it is an even bigger majority than Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s 13,398-vote majority in the March 8 “political tsunami” – to trigger a mini political tsunami in Malaysia by itself!
Let us be a witness to PP’s tryst with destiny.
American-Style Crony Capitalism
by M. Bakri Musa
(www.bakrimusa.com)
Beware of lecturing others; you may have to learn that same lesson. And sooner than you may think!
In 1983 when the Soviets shot down a Korean Airline 747 jet, there was outrage especially in America, and rightly so. How could those Russians be so barbaric? How could they not recognize a jumbo jet on a clear moonlit night? Barely five years later, an American missile cruiser shot down Iran Air Flight 655 on a clear morning, also killing hundreds of innocent passengers.
As an aside, the Soviet general who ordered the shooting was disgraced while the American commander was honored upon his retirement.
In 1997 with an economic contagion destroying much of Asia’s recently-gained prosperity, the ‘Washington consensus’ demanded, as the price for its much-needed assistance, greater transparency, end of crony capitalism, and “shock therapy” to wean citizens off subsidies.
A decade later, with America reeling from its humongous sub-prime mortgage mess that threatens its (and the global) financial edifice, there is little indication that America is willing to learn the very lessons it dogmatically preached earlier to Asia and the world. Continue reading “American-Style Crony Capitalism”