Day: May 26, 2014

BY ANISAH SHUKRY | TMI
MAY 26, 2014

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang toda‎y praised DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud as “brave” for contesting on behalf of DAP, saying that such bravery was needed in an opposition lawmaker.

“We must vote in someone who is energetic, someone who is courageous. We consider Dyana as brave, as she is willing to become a candidate, a DAP candidate at that.

“I myself will not be willing to become a DAP candidate,” said Hadi in jest, prompting laughter from the crowd of about 100 PAS supporters at a hi-tea in Teluk Intan.

Hadi arrived in Teluk Intan today to join PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang, as campaigning gathers momentum ahead of polling day on May 31.

Addressing a predominantly Malay crowd, Hadi said the candidate’s character and what he or she stood for, and not race, was important in the by-election. Continue reading “Dyana braver than me for joining DAP, says PAS’s Hadi”

(Media Statement in Teluk Intan on Monday, 26th May 2014)

Poor Mah Siew Keong. Even during the Teluk Intan by-election, he cannot get the recognition of Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders as Gerakan President and candidate to respect his authority and the law, then how can he get the respect and recognition from Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders after the by-election even if he wins on May 31st?

This is the only conclusion to be drawn from Mah’s pathetic plea at the launch of his Teluk Intan by-election manifesto this morning that he cannot be held accountable for the promises made by ministers in his absence.

In the past week, UMNO Ministers and Deputy Ministers have made a bee-line to Teluk Intan and never before in the history of Teluk Intan or in any by-election, have so many Umno Ministers and Deputy Ministers “descended” on Teluk Intan or in any by-election as the by-election has been transformed from a contest between the DAP vs Gerakan into DAP vs UMNO.

Even the eminence grise of UMNO, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who seems to be the “de facto” Prime Minister after the mystery of the disappearance of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the same time as international tragedy and disaster of the 79-day disappearance of the MH 370 with 238 passengers and crew on board, was the first to open the savage attacks against the DAP/Pakatan Rakyat candidate for Teluk Intan, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, by launching an offensive against Dyana’s family for failure as a UMNO family to bring up children who love and are loyal to UMNO. Continue reading “Poor Mah Siew Keong – even during Teluk Intan by-election he cannot get the recognition of UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders as Gerakan President and candidate to respect his authority and the law, how can he get the respect and recognition after the by-election?”

OLEH JAMILAH KAMARUDIN
The Malaysian Insider
May 25, 2014

Tindakan menghina Umno tidak bermakna menghina masyarakat Melayu-Islam secara keseluruhannya, kata Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar berkata, ‎walaupun menghargai pejuang Umno terdahulu tetapi beliau tidak mengiktiraf pemimpin Melayu yang merompak tanah rakyat sendiri sebagai pejuang bangsa.

“Apa pula Umno (itu) Melayu. Umno, Umnolah. Melayu, Melayulah.

“Saudara jadi perampas harta Melayu tetapi diangkat jadi pejuang Melayu,” katanya kepada pemberita di majlis persandingan anak perempuannya di Dataran Saujana Prima di Kajang hari ini.

Katanya, tindakan pemimpin Umno menyokong kumpulan Pemuda Umno menyerang Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Pulau Pinang juga dianggap tidak wajar walaupun wakil DAP menghina Umno.

“Kalau itu jadi ukuran, sudah berapa kali kita harus serang Parlimen Malaysia kerana bersikap biadap (terhadap Pakatan Rakyat),” katanya. Continue reading “Hina Umno bukan hina Melayu, kata Anwar”

by Joseph Sipalan and Pathma Subramaniam
The Malay Mail Online
May 26, 2014

Running a smear campaign is arguably the best way to gain traction in a political contest, analysts say amid a storm of negative publicity muddying the Teluk Intan by-election campaigning.

Political analyst Prof James Chin said running down an opponent – typically through hired guns such as bloggers and cyber troopers – is an effective strategy to capture the public’s imagination.

“Whether we like it or not, in reality, negative campaigning works because it means we can’t stop thinking about it. It has a residual effect,” he told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.

“For instance, the bikini photo of Dyana. If someone asks you if you have seen it and if you haven’t, it would immediately trigger your attention to look for it and see it for yourself,” he said, referring to DAP’s Teluk Intan candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud.

“And it will always stick to your mind, it will affect the way they vote, though many may not admit that it affects them.”

Smear tactics have been a regular feature on the Teluk Intan campaign trail heading towards polling day this May 31, with Dyana Sofya bearing the brunt of it. Continue reading “For better or worse, political smear tactics grab attention, say analysts”

by Himanshu Bhatt,Sangeetha Amarthalingam and Tarani Palani
fz.com
May 25, 2014

GEORGE TOWN (May 25): The DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh made his political debut in style by winning the Bukit Gelugor by-election today by a thundering 37,659-vote majority, polling 81.7% more votes than his closest opponent.

Ramkarpal received 37,659 votes, while Parti Cinta Malaysia’s Datuk Huan Cheng Guan obtained 3,583 votes. Independents Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Sathar got 799 while Abu Backer Sidek Mohammd Zan obtained 225 votes. There were 542 spoilt votes.

This means all three of Ramkarpal’s opponents lost their deposits. The results were announced at 9.10pm by Returning Officer Capt (R) Anwar Yahaya at the Dewan Sri Pinang. Continue reading “Ramkarpal sweeps Bukit Gelugor with roaring 37,600 majority”

by Susan Loone
Malaysiakini
May 25, 2014

Newly-minted Bukit Gelugor parliamentarian Ramkarpal Singh has dedicated his victory to his late father Karpal Singh, the much-revered incumbent who died in a road crash last month.

Thanking his mother Gurmit Kaur, who stood by him today, he also paid gratitude to his siblings Jagdeep, Gobind, Mankarpal and Sangeet for supporting him through life.

“This is my maiden election and it was not an easy ride,” he said.

“If we had a higher voter turn out, our majority would be higher. If we look at the majority despite voter turn out, then it is a huge victory.”

Ramkarpal won with a whopping majority of 37,659 votes – or 89 percent of votes cast – about 4000 votes shy of Karpal’s mammoth majority in 2013. Continue reading “Ramkarpal dedicates victory to dad”