Day: May 5, 2013

By Jahabar Sadiq
Editor
The Malaysian Insider
May 05, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) began leaking numbers of possible wins in the tight Election 2013 race just as voters finished casting their ballots today.

The BN is confident of winning 145 federal seats, with at least 118 in the white list, said sources from the coalition’s war room.

But PR is also bullish about capturing Putrajaya, with sources saying that it can win at least 117 federal seats. It is understood that an independent poll showed possibly taking at least 125 seats, with at least 40 per cent of the Malay vote in the bag.

The Umno-controlled Berita Harian has also been publishing an exit poll of various hot seats that indicate BN are in the lead. It is learnt that the numbers are from the BN war room.

PR sources say that their worst-case scenario is taking 100 federal seats and possibly wresting the Perak and Negri Sembilan state assemblies while keeping Kelantan, Kedah, Penang and Selangor.

But BN sources say they are also confident of keeping Perak and taking Kedah and Kelantan as part of their “Blue Wave” campaign. Continue reading “Psy war as both sides leak GE13 ‘win’ numbers”

by Bridget Welsh
Malaysiakini
May 5, 2013

GE13 SPECIAL On this historic day of GE13, Malaysians are bravely stepping into the unknown. Some are already queuing up to vote, and yet others are waiting for the crowd to disperse before heading out to the polling stations. Every Malaysian knows today will not be an ordinary day.

There are four intense but quiet battles taking place that will shape whether May 5 will indeed bring about change.

The first battle is a personal one, national in scope, taking place deep in the hearts of every Malaysian. It is a contest over what sort of country Malaysia should be. Many Malaysians are voting for a different moral foundation for the country’s politics.

The anger and sense of disbelief of BN governance runs deep, from the issues of corruption to its racial polemics. While there are many Malaysians who strongly support the status quo, among this group are many who question whether something is not quite right.

Indeed, today the country will be voting for its soul. Continue reading “Ordinary Malaysians, extraordinary day”

by Stuart Grudgings, Reuters
Malaysiakini
May 5, 2013

Malaysians vote on Sunday in an election that could weaken or even end the rule of one of the world’s longest-lived coalitions, which faces a stiff challenge from an opposition pledging to clean up politics and end race-based policies.

Led by former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition is aiming to build on startling electoral gains in 2008, when the Barisan Nasional (BN) ruling coalition lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.

The historic result signalled a breakdown in traditional politics as minority ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indians, as well as many majority Malays, rejected the National Front’s brand of race-based patronage that has ensured stability in the Southeast Asian nation but led to corruption and widening inequality. Continue reading “BN faces fight of its life in this general election”

P Ramakrishnan
Free Malaysia Today
May 5, 2013

Today is a crucial day for Malaysia. It is crucial that a corrupt government be defeated in this momentous GE13. Malaysians must rise to this challenge and create a golden opportunity for all Malaysians.

Tied up with this effort is the fate of Lim Kit Siang. Kit Siang is a true-blooded Malaysian patriot who has sacrificed his entire life for the good of this nation. He has been incarcerated in Kamunting twice unfairly and unjustly but they could not break his spirit or deter him from his pursuit of a just society.

He has stayed the course in spite of many tremendous obstacles. He has criss-crossed the country bringing hope and opportunity for change. He is the epitome of selfless struggle so that Malaysia will attain its place as a truly democratic and incorruptible country among the nations of the world.

This man’s fate and fortune is in the hands of voters in Gelang Patah. The voters here are poised to create history for all of us. Their overwhelming support for Kit Siang will spur the tsunami to lash across the whole of Johor and bring about a new dawn of hope and opportunity for Malaysia and Malaysians. Continue reading “M’sians can forgo Ghani, but not Kit Siang”

By Joan Lau
Managing Editor
The Malaysian Insider
May 05, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Polling Day. It’s here at last. Today, we — the 13.3 million of us who are eligible to vote anyway — are going to determine what the next five years will be.

The last two weeks of campaigning has brought out the best and worst in not just the candidates but in us. The ones who were being wooed.

Some people say this has been the most contentious election ever because friends and even family members have fought with each other because of opposing views.

This has always been the case but now with Facebook and other social media available, the “fighting” just gets bigger and is spread faster.

But this, this is true democracy in action. Even before a single ballot has been cast, we already bear witness to the messy disagreements and ugly unfriendings on Facebook and elsewhere but it’s perfectly okay.

Finally, we are learning to voice out our opinions. We are learning to speak up. It doesn’t matter if you don’t agree with what your friend is saying. It really is okay that you think he is an idiot for supporting a certain candidate. Continue reading “This is about us!”

One for all and all for one
We care not what colour, creed or religion you belong
For aren’t each of us Malaya’s son
Then why let silly racial quarrels prolong?

(from poem written in 1957 for class magazine – when I was 16 and in Form III in Batu Pahat High School)

Malaysiakini

DAY 15 LAST DAY Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidents as they take place in the run-up to GE13.

12 midnight: The 15-day campaign has come to an end. There is an eight-hour cooling-off period before polling stations open at 8am tomorrow.

Voters are urged to vote early as showers and thunderstorms are expected in many parts of the country in the afternoon. Polling will end at 5pm tomorrow and the counting of votes will begin soon after. Results will start coming in at around 8pm.

Malaysiakini will be reporting LIVE all day tomorrow.

11.50pm – Gelang Patah: In his final speech before polling day, DAP supremo and Gelang Patah candidate Lim Kit Siang praises Malaysians for creating history in the 15-day campaign.

“There were thousands of people who attended our ceramah in Gelang Patah and elsewhere in Johor.

“Thousands of people want change. Ubah! Wu Yue Wu, Huan Zheng Fu! (Change, May 5th, change the government)”

The veteran politician also urges party supporters to stay calm no matter what the election outcome tomorrow. Continue reading “Thousands throng Pakatan’s final rallies in major cities”

by Susan Loone
Malaysiakini
May 4, 2013

Pakatan’s prime minister-designate Anwar Ibrahim has vowed that his political opponents will not face “retributive justice” should he assume power in Putrajaya tomorrow.

His political enemies, among others, is his former boss,ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad.

“I have no intention of taking revenge against him nor will we be conducting any investigation on him,” said Anwar at a press conference in Kubang Semang today.

“However, this does not mean that the wealth of Petronas will continue to remain a monopoly in the hands of his cronies,” he was quick to add.

“Such ill gotten wealth must be returned to the people,” he stressed.

“I can understand his hysterical outburst recently but no one said we will go after him,” he quipped. Continue reading “Anwar vows no retributive justice for political foes”