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Zahid, Umno’s absurd vote-catcher in Teluk Intan

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
May 26, 2014

Does Umno and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expect the Chinese to vote for Datuk Mah Siew Keong just because the Umno vice-president said they are ungrateful if the Gerakan president does not win this Saturday?

Is this a show of tough love or just the same kind of vile and disgusting mindset of politicians who have been in power too long and now expect people to show their gratitude instead of the other way round?

The absurd thing is this – Zahid made the remarks on the same day he was seen having his arms around Mah – the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate facing DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud.

And yet Mah and Gerakan and the MCA have the cheek to share the same stage with Umno in the Teluk Intan campaign. Continue reading “Zahid, Umno’s absurd vote-catcher in Teluk Intan”

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Why Dyana Sofya is the underdog in Teluk Intan?

by Dr. Ong Kian Ming MP for Serdang
27th of May, 2014

Why would the DAP candidate, Dyana Sofya, be considered the underdog in a seat won by the DAP with more than 7000 votes in the 13th general election? Is it merely a ploy to gain more sympathy votes for DAP on the 31st of May?

There is no doubt in my mind that there is a very real possibility that Dyana and the DAP would lose this by-election. While her candidacy has been a breath of fresh air and has been applauded by various quarters at the national level, there are a few important factors which are at work against Dyana among the people who matter most in this by-election, namely the Teluk Intan voters themselves.

A whispering campaign has already started among certain quarters to appeal for Chinese voters to vote for a Chinese representative in Teluk Intan. This was always a challenge which was recognized by the DAP from day one – that fielding a Malay candidate in a non-Malay majority seat would cost the party some votes, especially among the Chinese voters.

At the same time, the fact that Dyana does not hail Teluk Intan would be used against her especially since the BN candidate, Dato Mah Siew Keong, is a local boy with an influential and well-known family backing him. We fear that the fact that Dyana relocated to Gelang Patah, Johor as part of her responsibility as Lim Kit Siang’s political secretary and that she would do the same if elected as the MP for Teluk Intan would be drowned out by this ‘local’ versus ‘outsider’ campaign message. Of course, lost in this message is the fact that NOT being local did not prevent two Perak born former MCA presidents – Dr. Ling Liong Sik and Ong Ka Ting – from serving as MPs in Johor for most of their political lives. Continue reading “Why Dyana Sofya is the underdog in Teluk Intan?”

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Dyana braver than me for joining DAP, says PAS’s Hadi

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”

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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?

(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?”

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Hina Umno bukan hina Melayu, kata Anwar

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”

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For better or worse, political smear tactics grab attention, say analysts

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”

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Ramkarpal sweeps Bukit Gelugor with roaring 37,600 majority

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”

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Ramkarpal dedicates victory to dad

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”

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Dyana not the only victim of sexism in politics, say women leaders

BY ANISAH SHUKRY
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 25, 2014

The smear campaign against DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud highlights the sexism endemic in Malaysian politics.

In Parliament, men outnumber women by almost 10 to one. A female representative, whether in Parliament or a state assembly, has to fight sexist perceptions of her marital status, looks and dress.

DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok said she once argued in Parliament for the rights of single mothers, only to be interrupted by an MP who reminded the Dewan Rakyat that she was unmarried.

“They said I was single, not qualified to make comments on the issue of single mothers. And being a single woman in the eyes of some Umno MPs is akin to being a second-class citizen. They run me down, treat my status as a joke,” the Seputeh MP told The Malaysian Insider. Continue reading “Dyana not the only victim of sexism in politics, say women leaders”

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Call on Muhyiddin to repudiate, condemn and apologise for the sexist and personal attacks against Dyana Sofya, especially the fake bikini photo and character assassination of her as mindless and even a fraud

(Media Statement in Teluk Intan on Sunday, May 25, 2014)

I call on the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to repudiate, condemn and apologise for the sexist and personal attacks against DAP/Pakatan Rakyat candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud both before and during the by-election campaign.

The first question I want to ask Muhyiddin is whether he would approve or denounce a vicious, devilish and sexist attack on his daughter should she ever become a candidate for parliamentary or state assembly elections, like the sexist attack against Dyana with the circulation of her in fake bikini photograph, when the person in bikini was Filipino actress Pauleen Luna and not Dyana Sofya?

I am sure Muhyiddin would have reacted in anger and outrage against such despicable lies and calumny against his daughter – but why is he so heartless, unprincipled, opportunistic and even cowardly as not to react with anger and outrage against the dastardly sexist attacks on Dyana and put an immediate halt to such despicable tactics during the Teluk Intan by-election campaign, whether in Teluk Intan or on the social media?

The Barisan Nasional leaders, whether in Teluk Intan or outside, could deny until they are blue in the face that they are responsible for the sexist attacks on Dyana but no one whether in Teluk Intan or in the country would believe that Barisan Nasional/UMNO are not responsible for the fake bikini photograph trying to character-assassinate Dyana, particularly when it was the blogs of the UMNO cybertroopers who were the first to carry the fake bikini photo. Continue reading “Call on Muhyiddin to repudiate, condemn and apologise for the sexist and personal attacks against Dyana Sofya, especially the fake bikini photo and character assassination of her as mindless and even a fraud”

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Will Teluk Intan vote for the way forward?

Kee Thuan Chye
news.malaysia.msn.
22nd May 2014

Without considering the ethnicity of the candidate, whom would you rather have represent you in Parliament – an intelligent, energetic, winsome 27-year-old woman with a pristine political record and a dream of bringing about racial unity in Malaysia, or a politically experienced 53-year-old man who has won twice and lost twice over four general elections in the same constituency he is now contesting yet again, been a deputy minister for one term, and is president of Gerakan, a Barisan Nasional (BN) party that has fallen by the wayside?

Next question: Of the two candidates, the victory of which would send out a more positive, significant and healing message to the entire nation? Which would bode better for Malaysia’s future?

Next question: If you were voting in the upcoming Teluk Intan by-election, would you vote for change and the potential for politics that transcends race, or would you vote for the same old brand of politics which somehow ends up being race-based?

Would you vote for the DAP’s Dyana Sofea Mohd Daud or BN’s Mah Siew Keong? Continue reading “Will Teluk Intan vote for the way forward?”

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With DAP’s Dyana, Ambiga says happy to see more women in politics (VIDEO)

BY BOO SU-LYN
The Malay Mail Online
MAY 25, 2014

TELUK INTAN, May 25 — In a country where only one out of 10 MPs is female, activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan lauded Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud’s bold step forward into the murky political world dominated by men.

Ambiga, a former Malaysian Bar president turned activist, also decried the sexist attacks that the 26-year-old DAP aspirant has suffered in the Teluk Intan by-election campaign.

“As a woman, I’m happy to see more and more women coming up to fight the battle in the political arena,” Ambiga said at a DAP fundraising dinner here last night, attended by some 2,000 people.

“We are happy to see more women in Parliament,” added the former chief of election watchdog Bersih 2.0.

The 13th general election last year saw only 23 women being elected into the 222-seat Parliament.

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition has 14 female federal lawmakers, while the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has nine, out of which the DAP has the most at four. Continue reading “With DAP’s Dyana, Ambiga says happy to see more women in politics (VIDEO)”

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Dyana Sofya dan keberanian politik DAP

Amin Iskandar
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 25, 2014

Sejak Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud dinamakan DAP sebagai calon mereka bagi Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Teluk Intan, nama gadis itu terus melonjak naik dan menjadi “darling” kepada media.

Sebagai pengamal media atas talian, saya sendiri dapat menyaksikan apa sahaja berita yang mempunyai nama Dyana Sofya tidak kira yang menyanjung atau menghinanya, pasti akan “laku terjual”.

Di media sosial seperti Facebook, Twitter dan YouTube, Dyana Sofya begitu laku sekali.

Teluk Intan yang bersedih di atas kematian bekas Ahli Parlimen Seah Leong Peng kerana penyakit barah kini mempunyai fenomena baru dengan kehadiran Dyana Sofya. Continue reading “Dyana Sofya dan keberanian politik DAP”

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Berjaya tambat hati Melayu, peluang cerah Dyana menang

– Hamri Ibrahim
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 23, 2014

Keputusan DAP mencalonkan setiausaha politik Lim Kit Siang, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud yang juga merupakan graduan undang-undang Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) pada pilihan raya kecil (PRK) Teluk Intan dilihat sebagai langkah strategik bagi meraih undi orang Melayu di Parlimen berkenaan.

Ia sekali gus diharap dapat mengembalikan kepercayaan orang Melayu dan mengubah persepsi negatif mereka terhadap parti berkenaan.

Persoalannya, mampukah strategi ini berjaya pada PRK Teluk Intan nanti? Continue reading “Berjaya tambat hati Melayu, peluang cerah Dyana menang”

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No let-up but intensification of UMNO/BN campaign to break Dyana’s political will and fighting spirit with lies, falsehoods and calumnies with surfacing of Filipino actress’ bikini photo claiming to be Dyana

(Media Statement in Teluk Intan on Saturday, May 24, 2014)

On the sixth day of the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election since Nomination Day on May 29, there has been no let-up but intensification of the UMNO/BN campaign to break DAP/Pakatan Rakyat candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud’s political will and fighting spirit with lies, falsehoods and calumnies.

BN candidate Datuk Mah Siew Keong talks about wanting to have clean and honest campaign but Dyana is being subject to incessant personal attacks and even character assassination, not only by UMNO Ministers and leaders, but also by Gerakan leaders like Chang Ko Youn and Liang Teck Meng.

These Gerakan leaders want to take the high moral ground of clean elections but they do not hesitate to indulge in gutter politics!

Even before Dyana’s candidature was announced, she was the target of a vicious attack on the social media, with several UMNO cybertroopers posting a photograph allegedly of Dyana in a pink bikini in an attempt to question her character with regard to being a Muslim and wearing such revealing outfits.

In actual fact, it was a photograph of Filipino actress Pauleen Luna. Continue reading “No let-up but intensification of UMNO/BN campaign to break Dyana’s political will and fighting spirit with lies, falsehoods and calumnies with surfacing of Filipino actress’ bikini photo claiming to be Dyana”

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Call on Bukit Gelugor voters tomorrow and Teluk Intan voters next Saturday to punish the political hooligans and cast every available vote to defend democracy and reject mobocracy advocated by political hooligans in UMNO who stormed the Penang State Assembly, the DAP Hqrs in KL and DAP Kuantan branch yesterday

(Media Statement in Penang on Saturday, May 24, 2014)

The voters of Bukit Gelugor tomorrow and the voters of Teluk Intan next Saturday should cast every available vote to defend democracy and reject in unmistakable and unequivocal terms the mobocracy advocated by political hooligans in UMNO who stormed the Penang State Assembly, the DAP Hqrs in Kuala Lumpur and the DAP Kuantan branch yesterday.

The various incidents of political hooliganism in the past few days, on the back of the rise racial and religious extremism in the past year since the 13GE last May, with unchecked increase in the volume and intensity of hate-speech and growing intolerance of a moderate approach and a plural society must be stopped immediately and powerfully before they destroy the very fabric of Malaysia’s multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural nation.

What all right-thinking Malaysians, whether in Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, whether in government, private sector or civil society, must unite and deplore in the strongest terms is the rise of political hooliganism and breakdown of civility in the political arena.

Clearly, Barisan Nasional leaders have lost the art of the founding generation of of Umno, MCA and MIC leaders like Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Tun Tan Siew Sin and Tun V.T. Sambanthan “to agree to disagree agreeably” – practise “gentleman politics” without resort to lies, falsehood and calumny or the most corruptive influence of the politics of money.

What is most deplorable is that there is official encouragement and even patronage of such political hooliganism, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassim has emerged as one of the patrons of political hooliganism when he said that it was “natural reaction” by UMNO Youth members to storm the DAP Hqrs in Kuala Lumpur when their party had been challenged. Continue reading “Call on Bukit Gelugor voters tomorrow and Teluk Intan voters next Saturday to punish the political hooligans and cast every available vote to defend democracy and reject mobocracy advocated by political hooligans in UMNO who stormed the Penang State Assembly, the DAP Hqrs in KL and DAP Kuantan branch yesterday”

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Why I support Dyana Sofya

— Ong Kian Ming
The Malay Mail Online
May 24, 2014

MAY 24 — I have the privilege of knowing Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, DAP’s candidate for the parliamentary seat of Teluk Intan, for more than a year. During this time I have found her to be a resourceful, intelligent, diligent and very capable young lady with a bright future ahead of her. I have been inspired by her youthful idealism and energy. I am confident that if elected, she will make the Teluk Intan voters proud to have her as their Member of Parliament. Here are three reasons why I support her candidacy in Teluk Intan.

Firstly, she has shown her ability to think critically and independently on a number of important national issues. And she has demonstrated her ability to defend these her positions despite facing vicious attacks from her detractors. For example, in September 2013, she suggested that poor non-Malays should be given an opportunity to study in a tertiary institution that is similar to UiTM, which was set up with the specific purpose of helping Bumiputeras from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education opportunities. Even though she did not ask for UiTM to be opened up to non-Malays, she was attacked by many high ranking officials and politicians including an Umno Selangor leader and former Minister, Datuk Noh Omar, and the Vice Chancellor of UiTM, Tan Sri Prof Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar.I doubt that many MPs would have stood their ground the way Dyana did in the face of all these attacks. She remained unfazed and steadfast.

Later on, she was not afraid to point out the ludicrousness of a proposal to make UiTM into a ‘Royal’ university in order to ‘protect’ its Bumiputera status especially since one arm of UiTM – INTEC – is already open to non-Bumiputeras.

She is clearly not afraid of calling out top BN-Umno leaders whether it is asking Home Minister, Zahid Hamidi, not to make Malaysia a laughing stock when accusing Mat Sabu of being involved in the Shia movement with any concrete evidence or reminding the former IGP, Tan Sri Hanif Omar, that Dr Mahathir himself had questioned and criticized the Malays. Continue reading “Why I support Dyana Sofya”

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In Teluk Intan, everyone wants a piece of DAP’s Dyana (VIDEO)

by Boo Su-Lyn
The Malay Mail Online
May 24, 2014

TELUK INTAN, May 24 ― While paparazzi had hounded Princess Diana to death, DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud has been tailed by voters in Teluk Intan clamouring to take photographs with her instead.

At walkabouts in night markets at Taman Manik and Taman Desa Bakti in Changkat Jong yesterday, the 26-year-old candidate for the Teluk Intan by-election was stopped almost every few minutes by people of all ages and races wanting to take pictures and selfies with her.

“She’s awesome! She’s beautiful! She’s good!” Syuhada Wandi, a 24-year-old clerk, gushed to The Malay Mail Online at the Taman Desa Bakti night market after posing with Dyana Sofya for a picture.

Dyana Sofya with her rosy apple cheeks and long black hair, was accompanied by DAP members who handed out posters detailing her past experience as a law graduate from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and political secretary to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, as well as her political philosophy.

DAP campaign workers also gave out round stickers bearing various images of Dyana Sofya, such as one of her in a party uniform, hair uncovered, and another of her donning a purple selendang and baju kurung.

Many people at both night markets, which were patronised mostly by Malays, could be seen wearing the stickers on their shirts.

After taking a photograph with Dyana Sofya, machine operator Gurmit Kaur told The Malay Mail Online that the DAP candidate was a talented young woman.

“We like her,” Gurmit told The Malay Mail Online. Continue reading “In Teluk Intan, everyone wants a piece of DAP’s Dyana (VIDEO)”

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Fearful of losing Teluk Intan Malays, Umno works to counter Dyana’s charm (VIDEO)

by Boo Su-Lyn
The Malay Mail Online
May 24, 2014

TELUK INTAN, May 24 ― Fear of ceding even a little of its Malay support to DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud has pushed Umno to work feverishly on convincing the community ― often deemed a secure Barisan Nasional (BN) vote bank – that the young Malay woman’s physical appeal is not what Teluk Intan needs.

The Chinese-majority federal seat has just under 22,000 Malay voters, or 38 per cent of the electorate, but losing Malay votes to the Chinese-dominated DAP could prove an embarrassing defeat for the ruling party that has now poured much of its resources into the historic Perak township.

Changkat Jong assemblyman Datuk Mohd Azhar Jamaluddin, who also heads the Teluk Intan Umno division, said the party machinery has been working till 3am for the past few days in the Malay-majority Changkat Jong state seat.

“I don’t deny that the youth or the Malays may be influenced by the DAP candidate,” Azhar told The Malay Mail Online in an interview at his service centre here.

“Young people are inconsistent. Sometimes, they’re interested in attractive candidates, at other times, responsible candidates. So we must tell them that if they choose wrongly, they’ll suffer because it’ll be very difficult to get development and job opportunities,” he added.

At 38 per cent, the Malays of Teluk Intan are considered a sizeable vote bank behind the Chinese, who form 42 per cent of the 60,349-strong electorate. The Indians make up 19 per cent. Continue reading “Fearful of losing Teluk Intan Malays, Umno works to counter Dyana’s charm (VIDEO)”

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Dyana Sofya, dimensi politik baharu

– Shamiel Fikri Ishak
The Malaysian Insider
May 23, 2014

Jika cinta digambarkan sebagai buta. Tidak memandang pada nama, warna, dan darjat. Demikian dimensi baru yang digambarkan oleh politik Malaysia.

Sejak nama Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud muncul sebagai salah satu watak dalam parti politik DAP, dan negara Malaysia amnya, politik baru yang tergambar adalah politik yang buta.

Buta pada perbezaan, buta pada darjat, buta pada penilaian bangsa, buta daripada sikap perkauman. Maka buta sebegini lebih mulia daripada celik. Celik yang menilai kemuliaan dengan bangsa, celik menilai parti dengan sikap perkauman, celik yang memandang pada perbezaan dan kelemahan.

Kata seorang penulis dan tokoh pemikir Amerika, Mark Twain:”Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

Ya, kebaikan mampu didengari oleh orang yang pekak, hatta bisa dilihat oleh seorang manusia yang buta.

Watak Dyana Sofya yang muncul dalam parti DAP menggambarkan satu dimensi politik baru. DAP yang terkenal dengan parti rakyat berbangsa Cina rupanya tidak pandang pada bangsa. Manakala calon BN yang bertanding di Teluk Intan bersamanya, Datuk Mah Siew Keong sendiri inginkan politik dan persaingan yang matang. Continue reading “Dyana Sofya, dimensi politik baharu”