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Battle royale brewing in Gelang Patah, Putrajaya hot seats

The Sun Daily
Posted on 17 April 2013

KUALA LUMPUR (April 17, 2013): As political parties tie up the loose ends to their candidate line-ups for the 13th general election on May 5, the political battle taking shape in hot seats — Gelang Patah, Putrajaya and Lembah Pantai — are being keenly watched.

Billed the “battle royale” or “clash of the Titans”, the tussle for Gelang Patah (broken bracelet) parliamentary seat is a battle between political bigwigs — Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang –who is out to create a “political tsunami” in Johor, an Umno bastion.

Kit Siang, a political veteran, was reported to have said in Penang recently that he would not withdraw from contesting in Gelang Patah as he wanted the “political tsunami” created in the 2008 general election to be felt nationwide.

Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, who heads the Political, Security and International Affairs Cluster of the National Council of Professors, says Ghani’s service track record as the menteri besar and the people’s elected representative is a “good benchmark” to gauge the “best choice” for the rapidly-developing suburban seat.

“Ghani is the supremo and the architect of Johor’s impressive progress. He is also very popular among the electorate vis-a-vis Kit Siang, a relatively newcomer to Johor’s political scene.

“By far and large, the voters, including the Chinese community, appreciate what Ghani has done for Johor. Ghani is instrumental in developing Nusajaya and the Iskandar Malaysia economic corridor, besides being the person very familiar with Johor’s “nooks and corners” as opposed to Kit Siang,” he told Bernama.

Nusajaya, the Johor state government’s new administrative centre, encompasses the Southern Industrial and Logistics Clusters, medical hub and EduCity.

The BN’s Tan Ah Heng from MCA won the Gelang Patah seat in the 2008 general election by a comfortable 8,851-vote majority, trouncing Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) aspirant Zaliha Mustafa.

Mohamed Mustafa says Ghani’s prospects of retaining Gelang Patah for BN was bright albeit the keen tussle for the predominantly Chinese-majority seat. Fifty-four per cent of the electorate are Chinese. Continue reading “Battle royale brewing in Gelang Patah, Putrajaya hot seats”

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18-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day: Invitation to Ghani Othman to a series of seven public debates in Gelang Patah on the importance of the 13th GE to Johore and Malaysia – the first one to be held before Nomination Day on April 20

A week ago, I challenged former and longest-serving Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who has become the most powerful person in UMNO/BN and the person whom the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak fears most, to a series of seven public debates on his 22 years as the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

This is because of the very clear and systematic attempt to revive Mahathirism, a campaign led by none other than Mahathir himself.

This series of seven public debates with Mahathir will cover an entire spectrum of achievements and failures, in fact national disasters, of the 22-year Mahathir premiership with its host of human rights violations, mega-financial scandals, rampant corruption, collapse of educational standards and the across-the-board subversion of independent national institutions like the judiciary, the police and the civil service in the country during the long night of the 22-year Mahathir premiership.

But Mahathir has declined the invitation to the series of seven public debates in Gelang Patah to examine his legacy and the baneful effect of Mahathirism on Malaysian nation-building although he has no qualms whatsoever to continue to pump racist poison, lies and falsehoods into the mainstream of Malaysian public discourse, including his seditious, inflammatory and baseless accusation against me for wanting to create a racial confrontation by contesting in Gelang Patah and his open call to the people of Johore to make Gelang Patah my “political graveyard”. Continue reading “18-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day: Invitation to Ghani Othman to a series of seven public debates in Gelang Patah on the importance of the 13th GE to Johore and Malaysia – the first one to be held before Nomination Day on April 20”

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Ghani Othman’s candidature in Gelang Patah – implementation of Mahathir’s first directive in the 13GE: “End Kit Siang’s political career”

The announcement of Datuk Ghani Othman, the Johor Mentri Besar, as the candidate of the Barisan Nasional parliamentary constituency of Gelang Patah in the 13th General Election has not created any surprises as this has been an open secret for the past fortnight.

This was both the request of the MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek who was even prepared to unilaterally surrender the Gelang Patah seat, traditional fortress of MCA, as well as the directive of the former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir who came to Johore on April 1 and called on the people of Johor in the 13GE to end my political career.

Ghani’s candidature is the implementation by the Prime Minister and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak of Mahathir’s first directive in the 13GE, “End Kit Siang’s political career”.

Nobody doubts that the most powerful man in UMNO and Barisan Nasional today is not the Prime Minister and BN Chairman but Mahathir, the de facto power behind the throne in UMNO and BN. Continue reading “Ghani Othman’s candidature in Gelang Patah – implementation of Mahathir’s first directive in the 13GE: “End Kit Siang’s political career””

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Invitation to Ghani Othman to make Gelang Patah the model constituency of clean, free and fair elections in whole country in the 13GE which is expected to be dirtiest in election history in Malaysia

Firstly let me deplore and condemn in the strongest possible terms the uncivilised and inhuman two explosions at the Boston Marathon which have killed three persons and injured some 30 people in one of the world’s best known marathons.

The Boston Marathon was held on Patriot Day, the third Monday of April, since 1897 and attracted an estimated half-million spectators and some 20,000 participants.

Although the criminal incident happened far-way in Boston, the people of Gelang Patah, Johore and Malaysia, like all human beings throughout the world, are shocked and revolted by such inhumanity and utter disregard for human lives.

The world has become a global village and what happens in one part of the world attracts the concern and attention of people in other parts of the world, like the two explosions of the Boston Marathon.

The Boston Marathon explosions is particularly pertinent to Malaysians, facing the 13th General Elections, as Umno/Barisan Nasional leaders have been warning about chaos and bloodshed ala-Arab Spring.

Let all political leaders, whether BN or PR, stand as one to condemn the violence and inhumanity of the Boston Marathon as well as to reaffirm that what we want to witness in the 13GE is not the bloodshed and chaos of Arab Spring but the peaceful and democratic transition of power like the South Korean Spring in 1997 if the verdict of the 13.3 million voters on May 5 is for a change of government in Putrajaya, with Pakatan Rakyat replacing Barisan Nasional as the new Federal Government of Malaysia.

The four-term Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Ghani Othman is as good as the BN candidate for Gelang Patah with the MCA surrendering the MCA/BN fortress to UMNO.

If this is the case, I invite Ghani Othman to join me in making Gelang Patah the model constituency of clean, free and fair elections out of 222 parliamentary and 505 state assembly constituencies in the country in the 13GE as it is expected to be dirtiest in election history in Malaysia.

Already, the most unscrupulous and unprincipled “dirty tricks” have been used coupled with unspeakable lies and falsehoods that is spread anonymously.

I invite Ghani to join me in reaching an accord to make Gelang Patah the most gentlemanly contest where: Continue reading “Invitation to Ghani Othman to make Gelang Patah the model constituency of clean, free and fair elections in whole country in the 13GE which is expected to be dirtiest in election history in Malaysia”

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20-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Gelang Patah will be my “life-and-death” political battle as I will be fighting not just popular four-term Johore Mentri Besar, but the PM, Najib Razak, former longest-serving PM Mahathir and future PM hopeful Muhyiddin Yassin

Finally the die is cast. From all accounts, MCA has surrendered the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat to UMNO and the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate will be the popular four-term Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

When I decided to leave the Ipoh Timor parliamentary seat where I had won with over 21,000-vote majority in the 2008 General Elections to contest in the BN fortress of Gelang Patah (which was won by BN with a 9,000-vote majority in 2008 and 31,666-vote majority in 2004) and which had never been won by the Opposition in the past 12 General Elections in 56 years, it was a high-risk decision.

But I was prepared to take the calculated risks for at least four reasons:

  1. To target the six Parliamentary and 13 State Assembly seats in south Johore to pave the way for Pakatan Rakyat to Putrajaya in the 13GE. The six Parliamentary seats are Johor Bahru, Pasir Gudang, Tebrau, Gelang Patah, Kulai and Pulai. The 13 State Assembly seats are Stulang, Tanjong Puteri, Johore Jaya, Permas, Puteri Wangsa, Tiram, Skudai, Nusajaya, Pengkalan Rinting, Kempas, Senai, Bukit Batu and Bukit Permai.

    Johor Baru is the only State capital which had been able to maintain UMNO/BN political hegemony since Merdeka in 1957, when other State Capitals and urban centres have come under strong Opposition/Pakatan Rakyat influence, namely Kuala Lumpur, Kajang, Ipoh, Klang, Subang Jaya, Kuching, Petaling Jaya, Seremban, George Town, Malacca, Kota Baru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan and Sungai Patani.

  2. To target a total of 19 Parliamentary and 30 State Assembly seats in the State of Johor, including the six Parliamentary and 13 State Assembly seats in South Johore. The additional Parliamentary seats in the rest of Johor are Tanjong Piai, Kluang, Batu Pahat, Bakri, Labis, Segamat, Sekijang, Ledang, Muar, Ayer Hitam, Sri Gading, Simpang Rengam and Sembrong. The additional 17 State Assembly seats are Pekan Nenas, Mengkibol, Penggaram, Layang-Layang, Parit Yaani, Maharani, Gambir, Tenang and Pemanis. Continue reading “20-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Gelang Patah will be my “life-and-death” political battle as I will be fighting not just popular four-term Johore Mentri Besar, but the PM, Najib Razak, former longest-serving PM Mahathir and future PM hopeful Muhyiddin Yassin”
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Silly conjectures

The Malaysian Insider
April 11, 2013

APRIL 11 – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad must not be feeling confident of a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory in Gelang Patah.

The former BN chief wrote today that a Lim Kit Siang win in Gelang Patah will result in racial confrontation, arguing that Chinese-Malay economic partnership will be ruined.

“Kit Siang is going to bring about conflict and antagonism between the races, to wage the Chinese to dislike and hate the Malays,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his chedet.cc blog.

“When Kit Siang decided to contest in Chinese majority Gelang Patah it is because he wanted the Chinese there and in Johor to reject working together and sharing with the Malays.

“An unhealthy racial confrontation would replace Sino-Malay cooperation which has made Malaysia stable and prosperous.”

How ridiculous is this conjecture? That an opposition win will cause racial conflict.

Is this how to scare voters to support the BN? Through fear not respect or popularity.

Is this what Dr Mahathir has to fall back to get BN to win Gelang Patah, no matter whether MCA or Umno gets to stand there? Continue reading “Silly conjectures”

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Dr M: Race confrontation if Kit Siang wins Gelang Patah

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
April 11, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 – A Lim Kit Siang win in Gelang Patah will result in racial confrontation, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today, arguing that Chinese-Malay economic partnership will be ruined.

With weeks left to Election 2013, the former prime minister continued his doomsday prediction by hammering on the opposition leader with his warning that Lim’s victory in the southern state would trigger racial clashes that would replace the existing cooperation between the Malay majority and Chinese community.

“Kit Siang is going to bring about conflict and antagonism between the races, to wage the Chinese to dislike and hate the Malays,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his chedet.cc blog.

The 87-year-old Dr Mahathir has become a de facto campaigner-in-chief for the Barisan Nasional (BN), going on the stump with the vigour of a much younger man as the 13-party coalition faces what is seen as its stiffest challenge ever from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact.

The Johor-born Lim has been bearing the brunt of Dr Mahathir’s attacks ever since announcing his plan to battle BN on its home turf – the birthplace of its anchor party Umno and the last standing home of Chinese partner, MCA.

Dr Mahathir has been relentless in chipping away at the predominantly Chinese DAP’s credentials to share power with its political allies, whether the Islamist PAS or the urban-based PKR led by his former deputy, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Continue reading “Dr M: Race confrontation if Kit Siang wins Gelang Patah”

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Soi Lek: 50-50 chance of MCA ceding Gelang Patah to Umno

by Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
April 11, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 – Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said today it is still a toss-up between MCA and Umno for the Gelang Patah contest, despite strong indicators pointing to Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman as Barisan Nasional’s (BN) likely candidate.

The MCA president told a press conference here that no decision has been made, even reminding pressmen to report him saying that the chances of a seat swap between Umno and MCA in Gelang Patah was still 50-50.

“We are still negotiating,” he said, before a reporter asked if MCA would cede the seat to Umno.

“Maybe yes and maybe no. You must write maybe yes and maybe no to be fair to me… if not, I will call and scold you,” he added.

Ceding the Gelang Patah seat to Umno, however, would mean MCA loses another federal seat in the coming polls contest, narrowing its chances to make a bigger comeback in Election 2013. Continue reading “Soi Lek: 50-50 chance of MCA ceding Gelang Patah to Umno”

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24-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Vision 2050 for Malaysians

Yesterday I completed the series of 100-day countdown of daily statements to the 13GE which I started on 1st January 2013, not expecting to have to complete it as it was then generally expected that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak would have dissolved Parliament after the Chinese New year holidays in February for the long-awaited 13th General Elections to be held.

The 100th-Day Countdown to 13GE statement yesterday, in which I challenged Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to a series of seven public debates on his 22-year premiership as Mahathir has made the 13GE a double referendum on both the Najib and Mahathir premierships, coincided with the announcement by the Election Commission of 20th April as Nomination Day and 5th May as Polling Day for the historic 13GE.

I am therefore beginning today a new series of 24-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day statements.

I have said that the Battle of Gelang Patah is to kick off the Battle of Johore and the larger Battle of Malaysia for two reasons:

Firstly, to launch off a political tsunami from the south in the 13GE to complete the partial 2008 political tsunami, including winning over one-third of the total of 83 parliamentary seats in the three fixed deposit states of Johor, Sabah and Sarawak (ideally, 33 seats from Johor, Sabah and Sarawak) to complete the partial 2008 political tsunami towards the establishment of a Pakatan Rakyat federal government in Putrajaya.
Continue reading “24-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day – Vision 2050 for Malaysians”

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Kit Siang will lose in Gelang Patah unless ….

The Pirates of Putra Jaya
20130407

Gelang Patah is one of the hottest seats right now in the country. UMNO is in full alert after the introduction of Lim Kit Siang into this area. After conducting a situation analysis on the ground, the Pirates is coming to the following conclusion

Situation Analysis

The results in 2008 should give UMNO a cause to worry. In N48 Skudai, DAP led by Dr Boo managed to overturn a 2,193 majority for BN obtained in 2004 into a landslide 12,854 majority. This was a net shift of over 14,000 votes in 4 years that indicates the GE 12 tsunami did reach the shores of Johor. Dr Boo’s giant killing feat in this regard should not be underestimated as well.

Elsewhere, in N49 Nusajaya, BN managed to hold the seat. BN’s candidate YB Aziz Sapian managed to beat out PAS’s Mohd. Shah Lamat with an over 7,000 majority. This however was still a far cry from the 14,000 majority BN obtained in 2004, to which people attribute it as being caused by Pak Lah.

Now here comes the interesting bit. If you add the number of votes obtained by PR component parties, namely DAP and PAS, it should add to 32,383. This would have allowed PR to gain a comfortable 5,000+ majority and take Gelang Patah away from BN.

However, it did not turn out that way. Instead MCA’s Tan Ah Eng beat out Dr Zaleha Mustafa comfortably, obtaining 33,630 votes compared to the 24,779 votes obtained by Dr Zaleha’s. Continue reading “Kit Siang will lose in Gelang Patah unless ….”

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Regardless of whether the BN candidate is Ghani Othman or other UMNO heavyweight, the Battle of Gelang Patah for a Malaysian Dream and to kick off a political tsunami from the south to complete the 2008 political tsunami is definitely on

Deputy Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman and Deputy UMNO President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin predicted that I would be defeated in the BN fortress of Gelang Patah.

Muhyiddin said the BN is looking into the possibility of fielding Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Abdul Ghani Othman in Gelang Patah and that I am “trapped” as I had not anticipated an UMNO big-gun being deployed to contest in the constituency.

I admit that I had not anticipated an UMNO big-gun being deployed to contest in Gelang Patah, as who would have thought that MCA leadership could so openly admit that they don’t have a single MCA “big-gun” left for Gelang Patah or that MCA would have a President for the first time in MCA history who is prepared to give away parliamentary and state assembly seats to be contested by other BN parties, like Gelang Patah, Kuantan, Wangsa Maju and Tronoh as if conducting a “fire sale” of MCA assets. Continue reading “Regardless of whether the BN candidate is Ghani Othman or other UMNO heavyweight, the Battle of Gelang Patah for a Malaysian Dream and to kick off a political tsunami from the south to complete the 2008 political tsunami is definitely on”

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DAP’s agreement to let PKR contest Segamat parliamentary seat contingent on settlement of all DAP-PKR disputes on all seat allocations in Johore – DAP contesting seven parliamentary seats as well as contesting in 15 state assembly seats including Johor Jaya

On the announcement by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last night that PKR Johor Chairman, Datuk Chua Jui Meng is the PKR candidate in the Segamat parliamentry constituency, I wish to clarify the following:

1. The decision for my contesting in Gelang Patah parliamentary seat to kick off a political tsunami from Johore in the south in the 13GE so as to complete the 2008 “political tsunami” all the way to Putrajaya is a stand-alone decision and not made in exchange of any parliamentary seat between the DAP and PKR. Consequently, Segamat is a seat to be contested by DAP at that point in time.

2. DAP’s agreement to let PKR contest in Segamat parliamentary seat is contingent on the settlement of all DAP-PKR disputes on all seat allocations in Johore – DAP contesting seven parliamentary seats out of a total of 26 parliamentary seats as well as contesting in 15 state assembly seats (including Johor Jaya) out of a total of 56 state assembly seats. In both cases, DAP will be contesting in less than one-third of the total parliamentary and state assembly seats in Johor.

3. With Anwar’s announcement, it can be taken that the contingent conditions for the DAP’s agreement to let PKR contest in the Segamat parliamentary seat has been agreed upon by the PKR leadership, i.e. DAP will be contesting in seven parliamentary seats and 15 State Assembly seats (including Johor Jaya).
Continue reading “DAP’s agreement to let PKR contest Segamat parliamentary seat contingent on settlement of all DAP-PKR disputes on all seat allocations in Johore – DAP contesting seven parliamentary seats as well as contesting in 15 state assembly seats including Johor Jaya”

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BN says studying pros and cons of fielding Ghani against Kit Siang

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
The Malaysian Insider
April 09, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Barisan Nasional (BN) is “looking” into the possibility of fielding Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Abdul Ghani Othman in Gelang Patah to face DAP heavyweight Lim Kit Siang, the coalition’s deputy chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, claimed that grassroots support for the idea was positive, saying that Lim did not anticipate this and that the DAP stalwart “is now trapped there”, suggesting that the veteran lawmaker would likely be defeated in the BN fortress.

“We are taking into consideration the views of all quarters because we need to study the details thoroughly as there are pros and cons,” Muhyiddin told reporters after handing out gifts to SPM top scorers here.

“We have received much feedback from the grassroots; this is something Kit Siang did not anticipate. We see that he is now trapped there,” he added.

The caretaker deputy prime minister, however, noted it was ultimately up to BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak to decide if the move would be in the coalition’s best interest. Continue reading “BN says studying pros and cons of fielding Ghani against Kit Siang”

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Battle of Gelang Patah to fulfil the Malaysian Dream of an united multiracial Malaysian people rising above race which was envisioned by the great Johore Malay leader and founding UMNO President Datuk Onn Jaffar six decades ago

The battle of Gelang Patah is not just a battle for Lim Kit Siang, DAP or Pakatan Rakyat.

It is a battle for all Malaysians, the nation as well as future generations, with two portentous, unprecedented and far-reaching meaning and significance.

Firstly, the battle of Gelang Patah is to launch off a political tsunami in the 13th general elections from the south spreading all over the country, crossing the South China Sea to Sabah and Sarawak, to complete the unfinished business of the “political tsunami” of the 2008 general elections which saw the fall of Umno/Barisan Nasional in five states and the deprivation of the UMNO/BN two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time in Malaysian history.

The 2008 “political tsunami” emanated from the north in Penang, Kedah and Kelantan coming down south to Perak (although in less than a year there was an undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional “power grab” orchestrated by Datuk Seri Najib Razak and which await a restoration of Pakatan Rakyat Perak State government in the 13GE) and Selangor, fizzling out in Negri Sembilan and leaving the three fixed deposit states of Johore, Sabah and Sarawak virtually untouched.

However, the 2008 “political tsunami” has brought about a tectonic shift in the political landscape, as only five years ago it was completely unthinkable and impossible for anyone to hope or dream that there could be a change of federal government through the ballot box.
Continue reading “Battle of Gelang Patah to fulfil the Malaysian Dream of an united multiracial Malaysian people rising above race which was envisioned by the great Johore Malay leader and founding UMNO President Datuk Onn Jaffar six decades ago”

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Soi Lek declined facing Kit Siang, Ghani a possibility, say BN sources

BY JAHABAR SADIQ
EDITOR
APRIL 08, 2013
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was asked to face Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah but the MCA president declined the offer, leaving Barisan Nasional (BN) to consider its choices for the hottest battle in Umno’s home state, say ruling coalition sources.

The Malaysian Insider understands the MCA is pushing for caretaker Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman to fight the DAP adviser but an unsettled Malay ground and pro-opposition Chinese voters could scuttle those plans.

“Some in the BN war room thought it would be a titanic fight and that Dr Chua is strong enough to face Kit but the MCA president said no,” a BN source told The Malaysian Insider, referring to the veteran opposition leader by his moniker Kit.

“Now other choices are being considered as the final list must be ready by Tuesday,” the source added.
Continue reading “Soi Lek declined facing Kit Siang, Ghani a possibility, say BN sources”

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A Smiling Bully

By Thomas Fann
www.newmalaysia.org

Walking towards a Pakatan rally at Kampung Melayu Dato Sulaiman Menteri in Johor Bahru, I could hear loud music coming from the open area where the ceramah was suppose to be. Initially I thought it was the pre-rally entertainment to amuse those who came earlier but as I got closer I could see UMNO and BN flags waving from where the mega sound system was, just 40 metres from the Pakatan truck which acted as the mobile stage.

Around 30 of these flag waving UMNO supporters were hurling verbal abuses and taunting the crowd of several thousands that night who came to hear what Anwar, Kit Siang, Guan Eng and other Pakatan leaders have to say.

Scores of police personnel had to act as human barricades to separate this small group of hostile supporters from the larger crowd who to their credit was peaceful and not provoked. Rock music and UMNO songs blasted non-stop for more than 4 hours for the whole duration of the ceramah.
Continue reading “A Smiling Bully”

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GE13: MCA doesn’t rule out possibility that Ghani may contest Gelang Patah

The Star
Published: Friday April 5, 2013 MYT 11:26:00 AM
Updated: Friday April 5, 2013 MYT 12:18:05 PM

JOHOR BARU: The MCA does not eliminate the possibility of Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman (pic) coming down to Gelang Patah to contest in the 13th general election.

However, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said Friday that there has yet to be a decision on the matter.

“There will be a discussion among the Barisan Nasional component leaders soon but what is important is that Barisan wins,” he said in a press conference after meeting with voters at the Taman Ungku Tun Aminah market in Skudai here Friday.

Dr Chua said that they want a candidate with a good track record and “Abdul Ghani has a proven track record as a Mentri Besar who is accepted by all races.”

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9-day Countdown to 13GE – Pakatan Rakyat promises Accountable and Transparent, Sustainable and People-Friendly and Equitable Development for the people of Johor if voted in as the Federal as well as State government

Yesterday, I gave three reasons why Johoreans will vote in record numbers for Pakatan Rakyat in the upcoming 13th general elections. Today, I give three reasons why Johoreans need to vote in a Pakatan government not just at the federal level but also at the state level as well.

Firstly, Johoreans must vote in a Pakatan federal and state government to ensure that Accountable and Transparent Development takes place in the state of Johor.

Southern Johor is the site of three mega projects that are in various stages of development namely, the Khazanah owned Iskandar Development Region (IDR) outside Johor Bahru, the Petronas owned Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project in Pengerang and the Benalec owned Tanjung Piai Maritime Industrial Park project in Tanjung Piai.

Billions of ringgit have already been poured into Iskandar and billions more of are expected to be poured into the other two mega projects.

These projects require the approval of not just the federal government but also the state government especially when it comes to land acquisition, reclamation and development.

Without the presence of a Pakatan government at the State as well as Federal government, the people of Johor will suffer the same fate as the people in Penang and Selangor before the 2008 general election.

In other words, land will be sold at below market prices to politically connected parties without any benefit to the average Johorean. Continue reading “9-day Countdown to 13GE – Pakatan Rakyat promises Accountable and Transparent, Sustainable and People-Friendly and Equitable Development for the people of Johor if voted in as the Federal as well as State government”