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Malaysia GE13 an urban, not Chinese swing, say analysts

By Boo Su-LynThe Malaysian Insider
May 07, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — The outcome of Election 2013 was not simply the result of a “Chinese tsunami” as Datuk Seri Najib Razak has claimed but a major swing in the urban and middle-class electorate that saw Malaysia’s urban-rural rift widen, analysts have said.

In their preliminary reading of the vote trend, analysts noted that despite the increase in Chinese support for Pakatan Rakyat (PR), the political tsunami had also swept with it “large numbers of the Malays”, many among them forming part of the country’s middle- to upper-class voters.

“They received Malay middle-class support, especially in urban areas,” political analyst Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin told The Malaysian Insider, referring to PR.

“So the DAP majority increased because of disgruntled Malay young voters’ support… in conclusion, to label racial polarisation is too easy. Two other factors operate simultaneously with race: class (rich-poor, middle class) and spatial (urban and rural),” said the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) founding director of Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA). Continue reading “Malaysia GE13 an urban, not Chinese swing, say analysts”

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Far from a black day

— Alexandra Wong
The Malaysian Insider
May 06, 2013

MAY 6 — The day after GE13 I woke up to see all-black Facebook profile pictures.

I see something wrong with the picture here. I cast my vote based on the belief that a better Malaysia meant a more effective system of check and balance.

Post-election, I feel we’re still missing the point: we’re not focusing on the real stumbling blocks, the game-changers so to speak.

1) A disconnect with the rural voters, who either don’t care or don’t know about a better Malaysia. As far as they’re concerned, it’s more important to feed their families. If the urban supporters don’t acknowledge and address that, the opposition will always remain opposition. How many urban voters understand that a big part of the real Malaysia lies in the rural areas? How many have even been to a rural village? I have. And it smote me that they were so poor. I visited a Sarawak longhouse once and when I gave a grandma RM100 as a thank-you token, the look of shock and gratitude in her eyes haunted me for a long time afterwards. I found out later that’s how much they earn in one month — to feed one whole family.

2) Our real bogeyman was gerrymandering. As a friend put it, one vote in a Sarawak urban constituency equals six rural votes. Why was it not addressed before the election? That was the deal-breaker. Why were so much resources dedicated to the urban constituencies which were foregone conclusions? At this point, there is no conclusive evidence voting was rigged in some constituencies though I am sceptical of the manner in which some were won but “magic” alone couldn’t have orchestrated so many wins. While all eyes were on the cities with 100k voters, the sub-10k constituencies were quietly narrowing the gap.

The kampung folk were the real king makers. Continue reading “Far from a black day”

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It was a M’sian tsunami, Kit Siang tells Najib

by Koh Jun Lin
Malaysiakini
May 6, 2013

DAP’s newly-crowned Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang has condemned BN head Najib Abdul Razak for attributing the coalition’s worst showing in a general election to a “Chinese tsunami”.

He said it was in fact a “Malaysian tsunami”, and that Pakatan Rakyat could not have achieved its results without the backing of Malaysians of other races.

“In many parts of the country, Pakatan won seats in areas that were previously considered as BN strongholds and took down many big BN guns in Malay-majority areas,” he told a press conference today.

To back his claims, Lim listed several Malay or bumiputera-majority seats that Pakatan had won, or retained with an increased majority. Continue reading “It was a M’sian tsunami, Kit Siang tells Najib”

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Malaysia BN’s polls slump a ‘Malaysian tsunami’, ex-NSTP boss says

The Malaysian Insider
May 06, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 ― Barisan Nasional’s (BN) weaker showing in Election 2013 points to a strong wave of rejection from all Malaysians and not just from the minority Chinese, a former editor of the Umno-owned New Straits Times said today.

Datuk A. Kadir Jasin observed that the 13-party coalition not only drew fewer seats in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat and 12 state assemblies in yesterday’s general election compared to 2008, but also lost the popular vote for the first time since polls in 1969.

“Is it not possible that this is not a Chinese tsunami or racial chauvinism but a Malaysian tsunami that is centred on the aspiration and new reality, especially among young voters?” the man who had been group editor-in-chief of the public-listed News Strait Times Press during the Mahathir administration wrote in his blog.

BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak had alluded to a “Chinese tsunami” in an immediate speech just after midnight when the Election Commission announced the BN as winners by a simple majority, but the veteran journalist today brushed aside the perception as unlikely. Continue reading “Malaysia BN’s polls slump a ‘Malaysian tsunami’, ex-NSTP boss says”

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Strongly condemn Chua Soi Lek’s ‘Two Race System’ and Najib’s ‘Chinese Tsunami’ statements as factually inaccurate, politically irresponsible and represents a great disservice to the almost 11 million voters who came out to participate in the 13th general election in record numbers

While Pakatan may not have achieved its goal of winning a majority of parliament seats to form the next government in Putrajaya, it cannot be denied that we have made significant strides as a coalition in this 13th General Election. It was a “Malaysian tsunami” and not a “Chinese tsunami” which increased Pakatan’s parliament seats from 82 in 2008 to 89 in 2013 and which increased Pakatan’s state seats from 197 in 2008 to 230 in 2013. The fact that Pakatan managed to increase its share of parliament and state seats is commendable given the hundreds of millions of Ringgit that were spent by the Barisan Nasional (BN) on free dinners and goodies and to print lies and falsehoods in the mainstream press in order to propagate a disgusting and morally reprehensible politics based on fear.

In many parts of the country, Pakatan won seats in areas that were previously considered as BN strongholds and took down many big BN guns in Malay majority areas.

In P36 Kuala Terengganu (89% Malay), PAS won this seat with an increased majority of 10785 votes compared to a majority of 2631 for the 2009 by-elections.

In P9 Alor Setar (61% Malay), PKR won this seat with a majority of 1873 and defeated former Minister of Housing and Local Government, Chor Chee Heung.

In P74 Lumut (51% Malay) which includes over 10,000 navy voters, PKR won this seat with a thumping majority of 8168 after narrowly losing this seat by 298 votes in 2008 and defeated former Minister of Transport, Kong Cho Ha.
Continue reading “Strongly condemn Chua Soi Lek’s ‘Two Race System’ and Najib’s ‘Chinese Tsunami’ statements as factually inaccurate, politically irresponsible and represents a great disservice to the almost 11 million voters who came out to participate in the 13th general election in record numbers”

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Lim Kit Siang wins Gelang Patah seat

By Tracy Quek In Gelang Patah (johor)
The Straits Times

DAP veteran beats Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani by 14,000 votes
Published on May 06, 2013

VETERAN opposition leader Lim Kit Siang beat outgoing Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman by a huge margin of more than 14,000 votes in the hotly contested Gelang Patah parliamentary seat.

It was as much a symbolic victory for the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in the Umno-led Barisan Nasional’s stronghold as it was a personal one for 72-year- old Mr Lim. He announced he would quit his nearly five-decade political career if he lost here.

“Now that I have been given a new lease of life, it is a heavy responsibility,” he said last night, adding that he was awed by the winning margin.
Continue reading “Lim Kit Siang wins Gelang Patah seat”

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Triumphant BN seen losing popular vote

BY CLARA CHOOI
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
May 06, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Barisan Nasional may have lost the popular vote in Election 2013, despite being returned to power with 133 seats from the 222-seat Parliament.

With all results in, BN polled 5.220 million votes to Pakatan Rakyat’s 5.489 million, for a deficit of 269,130 votes based on calculations by The Malaysian Insider. The Election Commission has yet to release the official results.

This was proportionally down from the 4.082 million votes the coalition polled in Election 2008, against the 3.796 million that the parties of PKR, DAP, and PAS collected then.

The last time an Umno-led coalition lost the popular vote was in 1969, then contested by BN’s predecessor, the Alliance Party.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s BN survived a hard-fought polls battle in face of “Chinese tsunami” yesterday, but rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to fight the result following allegations of widespread fraud. Continue reading “Triumphant BN seen losing popular vote”

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GE13: Big BN names defeated

Anisah Shukry| May 6, 2013
Free Malaysia Today
Anisah Shukry| May
Many prominent BN leaders were positively decimated in the 2013 general election, paving the way for a fresh lineup in the cabinet.

PETALING JAYA: Despite retaining Putrajaya, Barisan Nasional yesterday suffered heavy blows when it saw several prominent leaders fall at the hands of Pakatan Rakyat.

Most notable are Federal Territories and Urban Well-being minister Raja Nong Chik Zainal, Transport minister Kong Cho Ha, and Plantation Industries and Commodities minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.

Despite his vast financial resources and position in the cabinet, Raja Nong Chik lost Lembah Pantai by 1,847 votes to incumbent MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.

Kong lost by an overwhelming 8,168 votes in Lumut to PKR’s Mohamad Imran Abd Hamid, while PKR’ newcomer Ignatius Dorell Leiking slaughtered Bernard in Penampang by a majority of 10,216 votes. Continue reading “GE13: Big BN names defeated”

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Pakatan makes ‘big’ inroads in Borneo

FMT Staff| May 6, 2013 FMT
Free Malaysia Today

Pakatan Rakyat candidates slayed four federal ministers – three in Sabah and one in Sarawak.

KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Rakyat made impressive inroads in Sabah and Sarawak in the 13th general election which ended yesterday.

In 2008, Pakatan was hardly visible in these states.

As at 2am this morning, Pakatan candidates had slayed four federal ministers – three in Sabah and one in Sarawak.

They were VK Liew, Bernard Dompok and Joseph Kurup from Sabah and Yong Koon Seng from Sarawak. Continue reading “Pakatan makes ‘big’ inroads in Borneo”

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Final tally: BN 134, Pakatan 88

FMT Staff| May 5,2013 FMT
Free Malaysia Today

Pakatan Rakyat says that it would not accept the results, blaming the EC for manipulating the polls to ensure a BN victory.

FULL REPORT

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional has formed the federal government by winning 134 out of 222 seats. In 2008, it won 140 seats.

Pakatan Rakyat meanwhile won 88 seats – six more than their total in 2008.

DAP emerged as the biggest winner among Pakatan parties, romping home to win 38 seats. PKR won 29 seats while PAS brought home 21 seats.

In 2008, PKR was the biggest winner with its 31 seats, followed by DAP (28) and PAS (23). Continue reading “Final tally: BN 134, Pakatan 88”

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Kit Siang: don’t racialise electoral results

Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Malaysiakini
May 6, 2013

Refuting MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s remark that the electoral result has formed a two-race system, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang urged him not to racialise the choice of the people.

He said the labelling of the result as a “victory of the Chinese against the Malays” by Chua is a betrayal to the vision of Malaysians as well as the 1Malaysia spirit touted by BN.

NONE”It is a great disservice to the country,” he said, while asking Chua to stop his race-baiting.

Lim, who defeated former Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman in Gelang Patah by a whopping majority of 14,762, called a press conference after being officially announced as the winner at the tally centre in Skudai.

To back his argument, Lim said he could not obtain such a high majority without the substantial support of the Malay voters, who form 34 percent of the total voters. Continue reading “Kit Siang: don’t racialise electoral results”

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Psy war as both sides leak GE13 ‘win’ numbers

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”

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Ordinary Malaysians, extraordinary day

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”

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BN faces fight of its life in this general election

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”

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M’sians can forgo Ghani, but not Kit Siang

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”

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This is about us!

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!”

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My Malaysian Dream – all the way back to 1957

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)

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Thousands throng Pakatan’s final rallies in major cities

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”

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Anwar vows no retributive justice for political foes

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”

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1-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Coming-of-Age of Malaysian Dream, with PR campaigning on “hope” while BN campaigning on “fear”

Let the 13th General Elections tomorrow mark the coming-of-age of the Malaysian Dream, uniting Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region, in a common national vision and destiny to build a more united, democratic, free, just, competitive and prosperous nation for all Malaysian citizens.

In my 47 years in politics, I have always regarded myself as a Malaysian first and last. I have never regarded myself purely as a Chinese, but as a Malaysian of Chinese ethnic descent whose loyalty is unswervingly to the Malaysian nation, having common cause with all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region to build a better Malaysia for all Malaysians.

Loyalty to the Malaysian nation is however not the same as loyalty to the government of the day.

It is a complete misunderstanding and misperception of the meaning of “loyalty” for the caretaker Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional leaders to equate support of the government-coalition of the day with loyalty to the nation. Continue reading “1-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Coming-of-Age of Malaysian Dream, with PR campaigning on “hope” while BN campaigning on “fear””