Posted on by Kit

Pas win with bigger majority in Manek Urai by-election will be a clear and unmistakable signal to Najib that his Hundred Day performance and goodies are just not good enough and people expect meaningful reforms in his next 100 Days

I just returned from Manek Urai in Kelantan where I attended the last Pakatan Rakyat ceramah at Kampong Perial last night, which saw a record ceramah crowd for the by-election campaign.

The prognosis is most favourable and a Pas win with bigger majority in Manek Urai by-election than the general elections last year will be a clear and unmistakable signal to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in two senses:

  • That together with the people in the West Coast in Peninsular Malaysia as demonstrated in the three by-elections after Najib became Prime Minister, i.e. Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambu and Penanti, the people in the East Coast stand as one in their solid support for Pakatan Rakyat in the nation-wide demand for political change; and
  • That Najib’s Hundred Day performance and goodies are just not good enough and people expect meaningful reforms in his next 100 Days.

The voters of Manek Urai have a historic mission tomorrow. In the 1978 general elections, when PAS was nearly smashed to smithereens by Umno winning only two State Assembly seats in Kelantan after Pas was thrown out of Barisan Nasional and a period of emergency rule, Manek Urai was one of the two.

In 1978, the voters of Manek Urai were the “saviours” of PAS but tomorrow, the voters of Manek Urai have the mission to be the “saviours” of Malaysia in paving the way for another historic political tsunami in the next general elections for the ending of Umno political hegemony and Barisan Nasional rule at the national level.

Najib’s absence in the Manek Urai by-election is most significant for it is a barometer of Umno’s lack of confidence that it could win in Manek Urai despite the Umno and Barisan Nasional’s politics of 3M – money, mass media and (Federal government) machinery.

If Umno has the possibility of winning the Manek Urai by-election, Najib would have been in the forefront of the Umno by-election campaign in Manek Urai.

It is most regrettable that the Umno and Barisan Nasional by-election commander-in-chief Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had resorted to the old politics of money, inducements and ransom to win voters in Manek Urai when he should be spearheading the new politics of ideas.

As reported by the Star report “Golden offer to voters”, Muhyiddin offered “a new deal to turn Manek Urai into a new development area in Kelantan provided Barisan Nasional wins tomorrow’s by-election”.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the “offer” was not confined to physical development but would also encompass the social and economic well-being of the people.

Muhyiddin said a bridge, estimated to cost between RM7 mil and RM10 mil, would be built to connect the old and new sections of Kampung Manek Urai, which were separated by a river.

Muhyiddin said Manek Urai would be considered “a golden area” of choice by the Barisan Nasional federal government for development of commercial farming of oil palm, rubber, vegetables and other crops – on the condition that Barisan won the by-election.

If this is not the old corrupt politics of bribery and buy-and-sell votes, I do not know what is. It is most deplorable that in the new era of integrity, the new Deputy Prime Minister should resort to such disreputable methods of electioneering.

Muhyiddin should have set a good example of new politics by telling the voters of Manek Urai that regardless of whether Umno wins or loses in the by-election, the Barisan Nasional federal government would respect the right to development of the people in Manek Urai and would build a new bridge for the area.

Muhyiddin may have even violated the laws, both electoral and MACC – but nobody believes that we have the institutional independence in the country for impartial investigations and actions to be taken.

At the minimum, Muhyiddin should publicly apologise for resorting to such old politics of electoral corruption.

35 Replies to “Pas win with bigger majority in Manek Urai by-election will be a clear and unmistakable signal to Najib that his Hundred Day performance and goodies are just not good enough and people expect meaningful reforms in his next 100 Days”

  3. The offer of a bridge by DPM if BN wins the Manik Urai by-election clearly smacks of political bribery and indecency. UMNO thinks that the voters in Manik Urai are fools and can be bought with such so-called development. But come polling day tomorrow, BN particularly UMNO will be greatly disappointed.

    I ask what is the MACC doing in this case of political bribery. It proves its worthlessness to serve its political masters once again!

  4. I am reliably informed that as of this morning, this by-election will be very close which will catch many by surprise.

    Kelate folks can be unpredictable especially with a new PM who has stronger support from the Malay community. And PAS’s internal bickering will have some negative effects.

    Pity Wee Choo Keong who speak Kelate lingo didn’t appear (did he?). Instead he spends his time accusing his PR brothers of conspiring with criminals.

    Win or lose, what the heck. I am tired of all this. No mas!

  5. DPM promises to build and widen the bridge immediate if BN win? Is this corruption so to say, if not why 7 PR was being targeted and being investigated among the one who donated 10k to the mosque was investigated.

    It has come to such a low being used and willingly being the running dogs and shaking tails of some political masters. What a shame.

    Let look at what all this while Mr. Nades has said in his articles published in the Sun about the tactic used by MACC. Instead of coming to him for investigate the issues raised by him they as reported more interested in the sources that the Sun have. So this tactic was the same being used in the 7 PR case, where they try to scare the assemblymen from PR so that they will not do things that benefits the people.

    It was very sad that why this agency has come to this stage. More so they are funded by the tax payers money. This was some thing that was very strange and it happen to Malaysia a country boost to achieve it goal as developed country???

    The people from Manek Urai should show BN off and give a clear message that the people are disgusted by BN tactics. Where by it seem it need a by election to have development.

  6. “Muhyiddin should have set a good example of new politics by telling the voters of Manek Urai that regardless of whether Umno wins or loses in the by-election, the Barisan Nasional federal government would respect the right to development of the people in Manek Urai and would build a new bridge for the area.”

    I think Muhyiddin did the right thing… exposing the ugliness of UMNO politics. He helped UMNO shoot its own foot yet again by kicking the ball into its own goal post. People have wised up to UMNO’s bullying tactics and not many are going to fall into them. The politics of blackmail may work with the previous generation but not this present one.

  7. There’s some risk to assert that if Pas wins with bigger majority in Manek Urai by-election tomorrow it will be a clear and unmistakable signal to Najib that his Hundred Day performance and goodies are just not good enough….because if PAS if PAS wins with lesser majority than the general elections last year or worse still if what Sheriff Singh posted at 19:11proves true – that “I am reliably informed that as of this morning, this by-election will be very close which will catch many by surprise” – what will that unexpectedly vindicate? That Najib’s Hundred Day performance and goodies are very good and reversing the tide against Pakatan Rakyat?

    Or is Muhyiddin’s disreputable methods of electioneering ie the bridge, estimated to cost between RM7 mil and RM10 mil (for development of commercial farming of oil palm, rubber, vegetables and other crops) – a method of “old corrupt politics of bribery and buy-and-sell votes” – to be blamed? :)

  8. There is no excuse for the DPM to bribe the voters of Manek Urai with a bridge project worth something like RM10 m except to resign immediately.

    That is a very bad leader as it is meaningless for the by election which cost the taxpayers plenty of money only for the illegal DPM to bring it to disrepute.

    This has set the direction of GE 13 as in all previous general elections especially the rigged GE 2004 and GE 2008 as confirmed.
    http://ge-2004-2008.blogspot.com/2009/01/in-defence-of-public-interest-appeal.html?showComment=1232329020000#c9135895316752982134

    pw: 31 maggie

  10. Perhaps if that alleged RM1.0bn in oil royalties/development capital owed to the state and people of Kelantan had been handed over in a timley manner by the DPM and his UMNO-led federal government – as it clearly should have been – then perhaps Tok Guru and PAS could have built that bridge and those hospitals and better roads and other necessary state infrastructure themselves and probably also kitted out all state schools with quality IT and sports equipment for quality and healthy learning ages and ages ago.

    So why the irrational behaviour and asinine charade from the DPM on that bridge?

    And how come the EC not investigating him for what seems like trying to apply undue duress on the MU voters with that (untrue?) offer to build the bridge the very next day if UMNO wins there? Is that sort of offer/behaviour allowed under fair election rules?

    Let’s hope the MU voters will point their fingers wisely in the right direction and tell the DPM and his UMNO federal government to go and fly some waus tomorrow.

    “Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.

  11. What corruption?
    One party willing to give, dying to give
    to uplift the life of the people there
    to change the life of the people there
    The other party, the voters, then make
    calculated, informed choice
    Free market at work
    Furthermore, is there really any difference
    between Umno and Pas? Sama sama saja

  13. BN only cares for votes! They don’t care abt rakyat! Muhyiddin’s remarks can be expressed as “NO VOTE for BN, NO DEVELOPMENT”. This is a very obvious threat to Kelantanese! Really shame on UMNO.

  14. It is as though constituencies occupied by PR does not belong to Malaysia if BN starts this type of policies, restraining or stopping developments in these constituencies.

    May I ask the DPM whether the people in these constituencies are EXEMPTED from paying taxes to the Federal government? If they are still paying taxes, why are they deprived of developments?

    It is like treating these constituencies as ORPHANS, nobody’s children! Had the BN government thought of using reverse psychology, by treating the people in these constituencies well even if they are under opposition rule, the people may be touched by such gestures and may cast their votes in favour of BN in the next GE! But looks like BN guys are all BAD LOSERS! They will NEVER do such things!!!!!!

  15. Hi boh-liao,watch what you said.There’s pretty much dfference between Umno and Pas.Umno is a most greedy and corrupted party.Pas though is not perfect but most of its leaders have integrity and good principle. Hence there are not “sama sama saja” ok. Umno talks about self interest ,wanting more power,more money,more ISA detainees,more illegal grab of opposition’s state government,creating more multi billion ringgit scandals,destroying more educational valves and more increasing of our daily needs like bread ,mee,rice etc etc hence creating a much greater burden for you and all others to carry.Pas ,I think they talk and expect more people especially non muslim to understand better the Islamic teaching. They never talk about using islamic laws to force you or I and all non-muslim to follow their laws.Don’t you think Pas is fair. So,it’s not sama sama saja,again. I’m pretty sure PR/Pas will win the Manek Urai by election with a comfortable majority.

  16. PAS made the right decision to declare Tue as a public holiday to enable voters to exercise their rights. Foreign and local investors should not question the state government, but should seriously question the EC for its decision (or rather UMNO’s decision) to put many by-elections on a weekday. The EC and UMNO are responsible for any business disruption due to their highly irresponsible and malicious intent of putting by-elections on a weekday to purposely reduce the voter turnout. For future by-elections in any Pakatan state, declare a public holiday if the EC fixes the by-election on a weekday. Let’s hope PAS wins by a larger margin tomorrow!

  18. I agreed that DPM is politically bribing the residents with bridge and development projects as he make such promises with the condition they voted for BN. This shows that the hypocrisy and corruptness of BN government.

    If the Federal Government has the sincere care for welfare the Rakyat they would have already carried out the development projects in Manek Urai and elsewhere regardless whether the constituencies is under BN or PR since they are already the Federal Government. This kind of corrupt mentality of bribing the people with so-called development projects and goodies during the election campaigning is very sickening, distasteful and loathful.

    Thus it re-affirmed that 1Malaysia the PM is promoting is just a slogan and BN/UMNO leaders are just corrupt, power crazy and self-centred and Not People First nor Performance Now.

  19. Folks at Manek Urai had been without that bridge for so long that the bait won’t be taken.We should have a bit of faith in the simple kampong people to know what is right and what is wrong. They been starved so long that this is just going to be another election to them and all the while they had been saying no to umNO. Today they are going to prove that again.

  21. Boh Liao says: “Furthermore, is there really any difference between Umno and Pas? Sama sama saja.”

    I agree with Boh Liao. Honestly, we don’t even know who PAS is, with all the unity talks going on. Are they really a part of Pakatan Rakyat or they a component party-to-be of Barisan Nasional? Only God knows. For all you know, there will be quite a number of protest votes because of this.

  22. Manek Urai has 12,293 (25 postal) voters, the composition of which is Malay (99.2 per cent), Chinese (0.46), Indian (0.23), others (0.11). Pitted against PAS’s 50-year-old fish wholesaler Mohd Fauzi Abdullah is Umno/Barisan Nasional’s (BN) former Kesedar manager Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat a people friendly technology management graduate from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

    Pakatan Rakyat (PR)/PAS cannot remain sanguine. Last General Election PAS candidate won by just 1,352 majority. BN needs only 10 percent swing to recapture this seat.

    The threat to Opposition is not Muhyiddin’s carrot of RM7-10 million bridge. Or Najib’s slew of 11 reforms. It is the enemy within.

    In O8 GE, there was no power struggle within PAS. Now there is – subterranean. (Remember how in post mortem some said BN lost because of internal sabotage?) I repeat: BN needs only 10 percent swing to recapture this seat.

    There is possibly a strong faction still favouring Unity Talk with UMNO that Nik Aziz opposed. Even a minority of 10 out of the 23 PAS reps came out publicly to support Nik Aziz’s stand. No one is sure about the remaining 13’s position. [The infighting is not confined to PAS’s Malay Muslims. Deputy president Yap Kok Seng of Kelantan Pas Supporters Club (reportedly) at that time advised leaders who supported the unity government proposal to stay out of the campaign in Manek Urai!]

    Even when Nik Aziz evemtually had his way and got Hadi to sign along with Anwar & Kit PR’s joint statement against bilateral Unity Talk/Govt with UMNO, the matter did not end but has taken another form under euphemism of “intellectual talk”. Of late Nik Aziz also relents to pressure by conceding intellectual talk on Religion is OK.

    Now Manek Urai is Nik Aziz’s backyard. I read somewhere posters and banners on Manek Urai’s main road are dominated by pictures of Nik Aziz. Conspicuously missing are posters with picture of rival party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang. A by-election loss in would reflect adversely Nik Aziz’s leadership. It will represent a truimph for the rival faction lobbying for unity with UMNO. Why did this faction in the first place succumb to blandishment of collaborating with UMNO under the auspices/pretext of Unity talk now euphemestically described as intellectual talk? Whatever constitutes incentives then (for Unity Talk leading to Unity Govt) are still present to galvanise a sabotage of Nik Aziz’s candidate in Manek Urai, in the process Nik Aziz’s leadership itself so that the faction favouring UMNO will achieve their ends.

    It is not only PAS but divisions and infighting amongst wider PR : as sheriff singh has noted “Wee Choo Keong who speaks Kelate lingo didn’t appear (did he?). Instead he spends his time accusing his PR (DAP) brothers of conspiring with criminals.” Sheriff also said “I am reliably informed that as of this morning, this by-election will be very close which will catch many by surprise”.

    I won’t be surprised.

  24. Bookies are mostly right. They have better feel of the ground. If they favour PAS’s candidate then the tide could have turned due to sudden appearance of PAS deputy President Nasharuddin kissing Nik Aziz’s hand – the kiss, an act of submission by rival side to his wishes as Spiritual leader? [In this respect UMNO supporters’ earlier making a police report against Nik Aziz and attacking him personally lose points].

  25. “Muhyiddin … regardless of whether Umno wins or loses in the by-election, the Barisan Nasional federal government would respect the right to development of the people in Manek Urai and would build a new bridge for the area.”

    Muhyiddin did the right thing. LKS is wrong.

  28. BN tactics of using economic development to win votes in elections does not always work as demonstrated in the 12 GE last year. THE BN promise to pump in billions of ringgit to develop Kelantan should BN win the state but in the end PAS and PKR still managed to win 39 of the 45 DUN seats. No sound education policy, no proper strategy in place to change the mindset of the rural people to face the modern world, not to mention the seemingly lack of serious effort to deal with widespread corruption allegations and abuse of power….. No wonder BN is losing the confidence of the people. Yes, people do want political change – from the vast rural interiors to urban areas, from Perlis to Sabah. My guess is from the estimated 9,000 to 10,000 votes cast, PA could get at least from 5,500 to 6,000 votes, giving the party a 1000+ majority.

  29. Actually why has Najib not showed up in Manek Urai? While the deputy is usually the election leader, its also tradition for the PM to show up in ALL election big or small.

    AND its not like BN did not have a chance at all! What is happening that Muhiyiddin is holding the bag on his own with this one? There is a definite lack of big guns on part of BN in this one.

  31. I would definitely support a move by BN if they dare to declare that constituencies belonging to the opposition NEED not pay taxes to the central government but pay taxes to the state government instead if they insist on NO DEVELOPMENT for opposition constituencies. It looks like the BN government is using this crazy tactic to gain votes by bribing or blackmailing voters in these constituencies to cast their votes in favour of BN!

  33. “I just returned from Manek Urai in Kelantan where I attended the last Pakatan Rakyat ceramah at Kampong Perial last night, which saw a record ceramah crowd for the by-election campaign.

    The prognosis is most favourable …”

    I call the above famous last words. Only a mere 65 votes. Mr LKS … what happened to that resounding victory that was expected?

    I think its time to do some soul searching for PR. The tide is changing. It is with all the bickering and nonsense that PR is faced with that has allowed BN to gain ground against you all.

    Wake up! Smell the kopi-O. Time for you to change your ways. Talk talk talk … all talk big only. The result is a slap in the face. When will you all stop the arrogance and learn not to underestimate BN? If you want to take over then maybe its time you all learn to be humble and work with the people.

    It is the people who are the ones casting the vote. And stop saying the loss was due to a bribe of a bridge.

    Hannah Yeoh’s article is a clear signal that the people are lising faith in PR. What are you going to do? Write more articles about OTK and challenge PM more?

  34. Pingback: Global Voices Online » Malaysia: Prime Minister marks 100 days in office

  35. with a ‘good win’ in own’s stronghold, i think no-one will dare to object hadi to become PM if pk takes over bn government. what a shame and shocker the results are.

    luckily, tok aziz has a strong heart. mine was pumping like hell when i viewed it live on internet…nearly pengsan for no good reason.

    bn’s the winner here bcs there’s always the blame-game that bn used dirty tactics together with ec this time!!! all these are un-proven of course.

    however, its strange because based on the turn-out, bn should have lost heavily. maybe its because of muhyiddin’s famous ‘ugut’ that awake the kelantanese. from this, we know that power and money can really turn things around and not religion or race.

    hopefully bn will now spend like hell to the +5000 voters who ‘begged’ for changes!!!

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