Posted on

Has Najib’s confidence of a sure win in 13GE been shattered by Mahathir’s repeated gloomy warnings?

For the past three weeks in his intensive electioneering campaign in Selangor and Perak in the build-up to an expected 13th General Election date in June, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been exuding increasing confidence of a sure win in the next general election, including taking back Selangor state government from Pakatan Rakyat.

Najib’s popularity has been on the rise, surging 10 points to 69 per cent following his role as Santa Claus with RM500 cash handouts to low-income earners and a slew of multi-million ringgit approvals and allocations in line with his “I help you, you help me” philosophy – but the Prime Minister’s high personal approval rating is not matched by the ruling coalition component parties.

Only last week, Najib said “strong winds are blowing towards Barisan Nasional”, public feedback “very encouraging” and people have been telling him that BN has regained public support since the 2008 polls.

The stage seems all set for 13GE in June.

But something very strange has happened in the past few days as if all the momentum for a June elections have suddenly faltered. Continue reading “Has Najib’s confidence of a sure win in 13GE been shattered by Mahathir’s repeated gloomy warnings?”

Posted on

Ahli bawahan ibarat garam bagi pemimpin Umno

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 29, 2012

29 MAC — Akhir-akhir ini saya telah dihubungi oleh ramai di antara rakan-rakan saya untuk berjumpa minum petang dan makan malam. Mereka ini adalah di antara ahli-ahli Umno yang memberikan saya semangat dan sokongan moral untuk saya kembali bergiat, kali ini dalam DAP.

Sesungguhnya saya mempunyai ramai rakan-rakan di dalam Umno yang akhir-akhir ini selalu berhubung dan berbincang tentang politik setakat “level” kita yang rendah-rendah ini.

Kesemua diantara mereka terus menerus meluahkan perasaan tidak puas hati terhadap Umno yang kian merosot imejnya dikalangan rakyat. Kata mereka kali ini Umno akan berhadapan tentangan hebat dari pembangkang dan juga sibuk menyelesaikan masalah dalaman yang mereka sedang hadapi terutamanya semasa PRU nanti. Semuanya hendak menjadi calon dan semuanya merasakan mereka adalah calon “winnable” untuk Umno dan Barisan Nasional.

“Bro, kami ni gunanya hanya semasa pilihanraya sahaja. Lepas tu kita tidak ada guna dah. Mereka akan sapu semua yang ada dan peranan kita hanyalah untuk melihat dan memberikan sokongan bila mereka menghadapi masalah sahaja,” kata salah seorang yang bercakap dengan saya itu.

“Lepas ini kita tidak ada lagi peranan” katanya lagi. Continue reading “Ahli bawahan ibarat garam bagi pemimpin Umno”

Posted on

My wish list for electoral reforms

— Tota
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 30, 2012

MARCH 30 — If anyone thinks that general elections in Malaysia are free and fair, he or she must either be blind or totally daft.

We only go through the motions of participating in general elections without satisfying the prerequisites, which are the hallmarks of a truly democratic and progressive country. The shortcomings in the Malaysian electoral system are indeed shameful.

Below is my wish list for electoral reforms:

1. Amend the Constitution to make the Election Commission a totally independent body with powers to act against all forms of corruption and malpractice.

2. Implement the 2:1 rural/urban weightage in the delineation of constituencies as was provided for in the Reid Commission’s recommendations.

3. Stop all gerrymandering which has allowed the Barisan Nasional so often to get about 50 per cent of the popular vote but take 80 per cent of the seats in the state assemblies and Parliament. Continue reading “My wish list for electoral reforms”