by Dr Lim Teck Ghee
Far from being a resounding victory for the BN and a devastating loss for Pakatan Rakyat, the Hulu Selangor election result is another clear indicator that Malaysians do not see a secure future for themselves in a continuation of the BN government.
The BN leadership may be happy about the outcome and the official media may spin about the vote of confidence for Najib’s leadership but the extremely large opposition vote – against all odds – shows that many in Hulu Selangor and throughout the country (as the string of recent by-elections demonstrates) continue to embrace the “reformasi” programme of change for the country.
From the moment, Zaid was nominated to stand in Hulu Selangor, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Paktan. This was no ordinary opponent that the PR was bringing into the fray. Thus, Zaid was a candidate that the BN had to kill off – whether by hook or by crook.
Zaid had been a Minster brought into the last Badawi cabinet to give the electorate some hope that Umno was capable of implementing a programme of change for the good of the country. He was not the usual leader who had risen to power through the opportunistic use of race and religion, and whose main agenda was aggrandizement of self and family under the guise of “untuk agama dan bangsa”.
Zaid encompasses the best qualities of a long gone era of Umno leaders – honest, principled, smart and committed. Zaid could have stayed on in the cabinet and gone on to a higher position if he was willing to compromise his ideals and integrity on law reform.
He could have engaged in the hypocritical strategy of playing with Ketuanan Melayu and Malay chauvinism. He could have spouted the Hindu or Chinese card as Umno leaders are so adapt at when they see it necessary just to stay in power. He could have played safe by pandering to the Umnoputras and other cronies that have gorged themselves (and in doing so, also padded his own egg nest). He could have so easily turned a blind eye to the abuse of power, corruption and excesses around him.
Zaid chose not to do so. He challenged the system, and in choosing the path of integrity, honour and reform, he became a marked man. The extreme fear and insecurity that his ideas and character – fused into the Pakatan’s reformasi agenda – aroused in Umno and the BN is evident in the vicious election campaign that the BN has waged in the last two weeks.
Consider the following:
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the unprecedented money splashed by Barisan Nasional to kill off PKR and Zaid. Barisan Nasional ‘hadiah’,’ angpow’ and other goodies drawn from the taxpayer-ATM machines worked overtime.
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the unprecedented low in character assassination and electioneering on the alcohol and gambling charges
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the array of dirty tricks of BN in unleashing prominent frogs, “mass defections” and exposes to discredit the PKR, Anwar Ibrahim and Zaid
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the Election Commission’s apparent de facto disenfranchisement of potential opposition voters
In the next few weeks, more details will emerge of the full scale of how desperate the BN leadership was to win Hulu Selangor and kill off Zaid and PKR.
BN supporters may be prematurely rejoicing. They may have won this round of the battle. The blatant attempts to buy off and corrupt the voting electorate – abetted by an uncritical mass media enthusiastically and uncritically reporting on the BN’s daily bag of electoral goodies and dirty tricks – has succeeded to some extent, especially amongst the older and more conservative voters.
But it will come back to bite the BN. There is no way the BN can replicate this campaign of mass saturation of money and handouts – possible in one by-election; impossible nationwide – throughout the country in the coming general election (GE).
More important, the Hulu Selangor election result has shown that there is a majority of Malaysians whose vote cannot be bought and whose ideals are not in line with the BN’s. In particular, the younger voters yearn for justice, fair play and good governance – attributes which the BN seems to be incapable of embracing.
This is the continuing nightmare that Najib, Muyhiddin and the other BN leaders will have in the nights ahead before the next GE.
Spending approximately 100 million ringgit on a by election saying that it is not buying of votes but to address the problems facing the residents of the constituents. If this is true and not a lie, Najib, let me tell you that there are hundreds other constituencies that also face the same problems by the residents that needed hundreds of million to address. Will you do that now and not only when an MP or Adun has to die before you can carried out your so call programs for the people?
Najib, Does A Liar Tells Everyone That He Is A Liar?
GE 13 – Change The Federal Government No matter what, we must ensure that racist umno bn do not regain the power like they had for over the past fifty two years.
Its a pyrrhic but before UMNO/BN pay for their deeds, the people, already unjustly treated, still will have to pay more heavily first.
rakyat irrespective of skin color embraces Najib 1Malaysia ..
Where is Anwar , visiting volcanic ash at oslo?
How can you beat such a generous PM who offered more than a 100 million to poor Malaysians……bring them sudden unexpected joy.
How can those who received the money dare to vote for the oppositions.
Those simple minded and mostly uneducated …Muslims.
But was the good fortune are bribes to get their votes?
Any level headed right thinking Malaysians know they are out right bribes given without fear.
Why wait till election time to offer money..if it is not a bribe?
Why do so many things…all good news during the campaign period…..not before…not after.
And Najib said…more money available..if UMNO win. No more money..if UMNO looses.
Is that not holding voters at ransom with such a condition?
The Election Commissioner dd not think so.
MACC did not act. So what was done….very legal….with their usual double headed snakes explanations.
Zaid Ibrahim and PR leaders can hold their heads high…that inspite of such huge bribery and corruptions done….they won by 1725 votes.
And the amount of votes obtained by Zaid was greater than the previous count…when PR won.
Like Dr. Lim Teck Ghee said….it will be impossible for Najib to bribe like this in a general election…and I agree.
Meanwhile…let all those crooks and hypocrites enjoy their victory. You can be sure Mahathir is very proud of Najib….but if that’s done by Pak Lah…just watch his reactions. This sums up..how great Mahathir is to Malaysians at large.
Chin up…it is only a by-election…not the 13th GE.
I can feel the sadness of so many Malaysians at coffee shops taking their breakfast quietly.
I also saw no jokes being made at lunch time.
The atmosphere is a feeling of sadness…..not joy.
Sadness from me is that …so many rural areas Muslims are still very racists and narrow minded.
Actually all right thinking Malaysians have already embraced the true idea of a one united Malaysia, which is not necessarily Najib’s.
That volcano is in Iceland. Oslo is in Norway.
U think an idiotic UMNOputra knows the difference between Iceland and Norway ? They fail their geography, but still got their scholarship….
Perkasa says that those who voted for Pakatan should not be given the “goodies” promised by BN. I hope that Najib is listening to Ibrahim Katak and will do as Perkasa wants.
PR have got to stop deluding themselves, the money spent by Najib in Hulu Selangor against PR, a big part of it was because it was Zaid. PKR have to be reminded that it has very few Zaid.
The victory may still be pyrrhic but in no way is BN in any danger anytime soon. It will be eventually but not anytime soon, chances are not GE 13..
Najib is a big loser in the just concluded Hulu Selangor by-election. He had, through the corrupt practice of spending 100 million ringgit on the election, publicly revealed to voters that he is NOT a reformer.
Najib’s unbridled spending spree during the by-election invariably leads people to question whether he has the political will to bring to pass the reforms promised in the New Economic Model – at least the foreign investors do not believe he is capable of doing it.
You have got to respect the Ulu Selangor Chinese and Malays who voted for PR. The biggest looser is Hindraf. Samy will do a Pandithan on them now. Great nesw. It’s better these guys are put back in Kamunting.
uncle monsterball,
when malays do not vote zaid that not racist? zaid is not chinese..
when u do not vote p kamalanathan that is racist uncle..
let s see at Sibu , PR dare to put non chinese candidate , try zaid again?
DSNR dismissed claims that BN was involved in buying votes to win Sunday’s Hulu Selangor by-election. “We didn’t buy votes but we solve people’s problems. Those are genuine problems which have not been addressed for some time,” he said of the RM167mil spent on projects……
PR state gov of selangor not capable to manage the state….
HS was a “must win” buy election for the BN so the MSM can now spin that the people are returning to the BN. I think we should let them delude themselves so perhaps in the next GE, the book of dirty tricks will not be used so blatantly.
PR should work harder to forge a stronger coalition and also strengthen the individual parties; especially the PKR.
Rethink aid to Chinese areas, says Perkasa
KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — “Malay rights group Perkasa wants the Barisan Nasional (BN)
government to review election pledges made in Chinese areas in Hulu Selangor because of the
community’s poor support for the coalition.
Its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said despite BN’s success in winning the semi-rural seat from PKR, the chinese had largely chosen the back the federal opposition.”
Malaysian chinese definately vote PKR,PAS and DAP rather than vote for money.
remember chengho was an eunuch in ancient china where corruption was ramphant.
Nazib denied he used money. No thief admits he steals when caught ! Perhpas only eunuchs
Hapuskan UmnoUtusans in the next GE.
Zaid Akan Bantah Keputusan Pilihanraya Hulu Selangor Di Mahkamah?
You see….this is the right way of doing things. Why all umno-malay do not have this inheritance like PKR and PAS-malay?
Let’s be honest. Are people that easily swayed by money.
I think only partly. HS reinforces a few facts:
– Malay felda settlers continue to remain a strong vote bank for BN. (other strong vote banks for BN are civil servants, police and army)
– Rural estate Indians still ‘prefer’ to stick with BN over something new even inspite the appalling state of MIC. This shows that Najib’s strategy of bypassing MIC may be correct. Indians don’t really care about MIC. Najib merely now need to seek a suitable ‘replacement’ for MIC as the ‘face’ of BN’s Indian representation (or somehow revamp it). Without something dramatic like Hindraf to rile up the Indians, estate Indians will probably continue to support BN.
HS is a good indicator that unless something dramatic happens, there will be no so-called tides of change in the next GE.
thought bn govt should appreciate non bumi paid most of the taxes (beside petronas), how can the perkasa or ‘perkosa’ talk rubbish!
Cheng On…Najib and Mahathir have painted Zaid Ibrahim not a Muslim anymore..just as they said about Anwar too.
I think it is bad advise to advise PR to let Zaid stand in Sibu. HE SHOULD NOT!!
He should wait for the 13th GE…and PR pick a sure win seat for him.
If LKS stand for Sibu…sure to win in 13th GE.
Leave it to PR…they are an highly intelligent team……but it will be another uphill battle….if Najib repeats his bribery and corruption act in Sibu….although I think..no matter how much he gives out there….it will not work.
tanjong8 is right.
No thieves will admit anything nor dare to prove they are innocent.
Najib is a thief…a liar and a great tongue twister…with a double headed snake personality.
Fortunately he is not smart…for he is far more worst that his father and Mahathir.
chengho, at least you explained what is 1 Malaysia. Why is Malay 1st, M’sian 2nd. Look at the HS buy erection voting pattern and you call that 1 Malaysia. Look at the ppl in Bn’s ceramah and you call it 1 Malaysia. That way forward, I think BN is a component of Umno.
Look at the composition of ppls during KKB PR grand finale ceramah, that is PR’s Malaysia. No wonder the non-malay and some malays, choose PR’s M’sia rather than 1 M’sia.
chengho, of course BN did not buy votes! just someone from HS has to drive to putrajaya and get his letter for the cheque today, and NR is waiting and nobody turn-up.
Just like BN did not corrupt, it just that they have problem, we try to settle their problem, genuine problem off course genuine money.
Just like BN did not buy katak, it just that they have problem, we try to help and settle their problem, genuine problem. One woman need camry so badly we gave her BMW, datukship is extra present to make her happier.
No, you can’t buy all votes! of course some sells, some even trade their mother for sweets, trade their body for pleasure. These are poor souls, not poor of money but poor of will and poor of wisdom. congratulate BN! getting support from these groups. You just can’t buy real voters that have wisdom, have hope and dream. BN is losing these groups of people.
Otherwise why votes, just go and buy.
Aiyah cseng,chengho n gangs are without dignity n can’t be changed.Just leave them alone lah.They’re so hopeless to be told off.Already in their breeds lah.
hahahahahaha….When Chengho talk cock and bull…so many faark him …. right and proper.
This Melayu keep thinking he can irritate and fool commentators here.
In the history of blogging…I think Chengho is most faarked up by all.
His backside is so itchy.
Let’s see if Umno-BN dares to put the likes of Ahmad Ismail or Nasir Safar as a candidate…
Najib had said the truth that the problems of the Hulu Selangor folks have not been addressed for some time even when that constituency was under Umno-BN and when the state of Selangor was controlled by Umno-BN.
And when Pakatan Rakyat took over the Selangor state government, it was unfortunate that the resources needed to solve these problems were taken away and held on to by the Umno-BN federal government.