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The Star and being Malaysian

― The Malaysian Insider
May 10, 2013

MAY 10 ― Nothing is more nauseating than hypocrisy.

After weeks and months of driving a wedge between races in Malaysia and contributing to the “Chinese tsunami” myth in its coverage, The Star has now decided it is time for reconciliation and unity.

So, today, it has a front page montage of many happy faces of Malaysians, topped off with a headline “We are Malaysia”.

Are we now expected to forget the attempts by The Star and its owner MCA to pit Muslims against non-Muslims through its hudud-bashing articles and advertisements? Didn’t they realise that the hudud bashing was offensive to Muslims and other God-fearing people? Didn’t the editors bother about national unity then?

Are we expected to suffer from amnesia and forget reports by The Star’s editors and columnists aimed at portraying the DAP as a chauvinist party and PAS, extremists?

Now that its slavish adherence to MCA’s strategy has resulted in a near-complete rejection by Malaysians, the party-owned newspaper has decided to play the unity card and talk up reconciliation. Continue reading “The Star and being Malaysian”

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Kit Siang says would weigh coalition rule if BN embraces Pakatan manifesto

By Ida Lim
The Malaysian Insider
May 10, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 ― Pakatan Rakyat (PR) may consider working together with the Barisan Nasional (BN) to form a coalition government if the former’s election manifesto is endorsed by its rival, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang today said.

Stressing that this proposal was merely his personal opinion, Lim said there would only be “basis for discussion” with BN if the ruling coalition “endorses” PR’s common policy framework and manifesto for the 13th general election.

“On that, we made it very clear, it’s my personal view, because this is something which can only be officially responded by the Pakatan Rakyat leadership,” said the veteran leader from DAP, one of three parties in the PR pact.

Think-tank ASLI had on Wednesday proposed a broad-based BN-PR coalition government, a suggestion that comes on the back of BN’s reduced support in the national polls on Sunday. Continue reading “Kit Siang says would weigh coalition rule if BN embraces Pakatan manifesto”

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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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Fear-mongering ads against Pakatan likely to backfire, says industry

BY EMILY DING | APRIL 24, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — Barisan Nasional’s (BN) advertisement campaign in newspapers is peddling racial fear against Pakatan Rakyat (PR) but could backfire in the May 5 general election, say industry insiders and opposition politicians.

A few of the print advertisements play on Chinese fears of PAS’ Islamist influence on the one hand, and Malay fears of DAP influence on the other, with the slogan: “A vote for DAP is a vote for PAS,” and vice versa.

An advertisement in the MCA-owned The Star depicts a rocket shooting into the sky only to reveal the PAS moon logo in its wake, with the message: “The power behind DAP is PAS. First their flag. Tomorrow their fundamentalist principles?”

“The ads look like they are designed to cause anxiety and fear that the Chinese would lose their culture and education if they vote for DAP,” Masjaliza Hamzah, from the Centre of Independent Journalism (CIJ), told The Malaysian Insider.

“There’s zero concept. Just accusations with no tact or respect. The ads are very patronising, an insult to the people’s intelligence,” said 32-year-old copywriter Kevin, who declined to give his last name.
Continue reading “Fear-mongering ads against Pakatan likely to backfire, says industry”

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12-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day: MCA cuba pancing undi dengan menghina Islam – UMNO berdiam diri membiarkan Islam dihina

MCA cuba memancing undi dengan menghina umat Islam di Malaysia dan UMNO pula berdiam diri membiarkan Islam dihina. Inilah kerjasama MCA dan UMNO dalam Barisan Nasional yang telah pun dan akan terus memecahbelahkan perpaduan kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia.

Saya kesal dengan tindakan MCA yang menggunakan akhbar The Star yang dikuasainya untuk menyiarkan iklan-iklan politik yang menghina orang Melayu dan mempermainkan agama Islam.

MCA sengaja berbuat demikian untuk menunjukkan kepada kaum Cina bahawa ia tidak akan tunduk kepada orang Melayu dan Islam.

Manakala UMNO pula berdiam diri dan tidak berani mempertahankan Islam dan Melayu kerana mahu membiarkan MCA memperolehi undi kaum Cina melalui cara yang kotor dan keji ini.

Dalam iklan The Star hari ini di muka surat 25, iklan bertajuk “Why is DAP silent?” (Mengapa DAP berdiam diri?) mengutuk kerajaan negeri PAS-Pakatan Rakyat Kedah yang didakwa merobohkan tempat menyembelih haiwan, mengharamkan panggung wayang, mengharamkan persembahan seni oleh wanita dan mengharamkan sambutan Hari Valentine.
Continue reading “12-Day Countdown to 13GE Polling Day: MCA cuba pancing undi dengan menghina Islam – UMNO berdiam diri membiarkan Islam dihina”

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A question for MCA

by Ravinder Singh
The Malaysian Insider

APRIL 21 — PM Najib has firmly stated that BN members who are contesting as independents will receive their walking certificates on Monday. I suppose any party would do the same for insubordination or betraying the party. Nothing wrong with this line of action for maintaining party discipline.

But why is he mum and dumb as to what action will be taken against a BN candidate approved by him who deliberately did not file his nomination papers although he was at the nomination centre? This candidate stood by and watched Ibrahim Ali file his. Isn’t this another act of insubordination? Or was some drama being acted out? This was a history making incident as never has such a thing happened before — the BN withdrawing so an independent can have a straight fight with an opposition candidate. The independent must be a very powerful person for this to happen, for him to intimidate the ruling party to surrender to him. Continue reading “A question for MCA”

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Is party polls behind MCA’s revamped GE13 slate?

By Jahabar Sadiq
The Malaysian Insider
April 16, 2013

ANALYSIS, April 16 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s move to drop two senior MCA leaders and put his own men is already causing waves in his party, but will it help Barisan Nasional (BN) in Election 2013 or just the party president in internal polls this year?

And are veterans like former party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat not viewed as a “winnable candidate” in his Pandan stronghold which is will be contested by PKR’s “expose man” Rafizi Ramli in the May 5 general election?

Ong’s former cohort, party vice-president Senator Gan Peng Siu, has also been omitted from the list announced by Dr Chua yesterday, leading credence to whispers that only the president’s men are contesting the national polls.

Another vice-president, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, is also not contesting the polls, but the controversial tourism minister said she has asked for the break although there were concerns that her performance has affected BN in the past few years.

“Basically, Chua Soi Lek is preparing for the MCA elections after the GE. Hence, he is dropping all contenders and their supporters,” an MCA source told The Malaysian Insider.

“It is all the president’s men for GE13,” he said, adding the candidates list will strengthen Dr Chua’s hand in the next party polls due this year rather than BN’s defence of Putrajaya. Continue reading “Is party polls behind MCA’s revamped GE13 slate?”

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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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‘Soi Lek a tiger or political eunuch?’

By Ho Kin Chai | 11:50AM Apr 13, 2013
Malaysiakini

COMMENT Following its poor performance in the 2008 general election, MCA is at the crossroad – to take the bull (its rival) by the horns or sink into the road of oblivion.

The current MCA leadership, particularly president Dr Chua Soi Lek, has failed to seize this opportunity to take on Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah.

Lim (left) has taken a bold gamble by thrusting himself into the traditional BN and MCA stronghold.

Johor is the backyard of MCA which won seven out of eight parliamentary seats it contested in 2008.

The DAP wrested Bakri, causing a dent. As the MCA president, Chua should seize this golden opportunity to take up this challenge.

By not taking up the challenge, he was sending a negative signal to its senior partner, Umno, and the MCA candidates and general membership.

Being the MCA supremo, he must rise up to the occasion to give Lim the strongest possible resistance.
Continue reading “‘Soi Lek a tiger or political eunuch?’”

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Presidents of MCA, GERAKAN and SUPP have lost their political and moral legitimacy to lead

For the first time in Malaysian history, at least three incumbent Presidents of BN component parties will not be standing as candidates for their respective parties. They are MCA President Dr Chua Soi Lek, GERAKAN President Dr Koh Tsu Koon and SUPP President Peter Chin. They may be joined by a fourth – PPP President M.Kayveas.

Their non-candidacy is yet another indication of the emasculation of the BN component parties under the ‘rule’ of ‘Big Brother’ UMNO. Not only has UMNO forced other BN component parties to ‘return’ seats such as the Grik parliamentary seat (GERAKAN) and the Kuantan parliamentary seat (MCA) and the Pasir Panjang state seat in Perak (MIC) to ‘Big Brother’, there are strong indications that even more seats would be given to UMNO including Wangsa Maju in the Federal Territories (MCA) and the Gelang Patah seat in Johor (MCA) which I will be contesting in for the upcoming General Election.

If this trend continues, the Barisan Nasional (BN) might as well change its name to UMNO Plus since it will comprise of an over-dominant UMNO plus a number of powerless component parties helmed by Presidents whose candidacies are decided by the UMNO President.

Furthermore, by not contesting, these leaders have lost all legitimacy to lead their respective parties within the BN. They will not represent the BN in parliament or in the cabinet unless they take the ignominious road of being ‘back door’ Ministers via the Senatorship route which some, including Dr. KohTsu Koon, have shamelessly done. They will be sitting at the BN table as non-elected representatives while being surrounded by UMNO leaders who are elected representatives.
Continue reading “Presidents of MCA, GERAKAN and SUPP have lost their political and moral legitimacy to lead”

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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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Najib has done a great injustice in not allowing MCA President Chua Soi Lek to stand as a Barisan Nasional candidate in the 13GE

I have greatest sympathy and even pity for the MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek, who had to declare today that he will not be contesting in the 13th general election, thus becoming the first MCA President not to be fielded.

It is so embarrassing and humiliating an event that Chua had to come out with a statement which will make history as utterly without credibility, claiming that he is opting out of contesting in the 13GE because he is “walking the talk in allowing new and young leaders in the rejuvenation process so that the party will continue to remain relevant”.

In actual fact, having a MCA President who is not allowed to contest in the 13GE by the Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is in fact the latest and most powerful evidence of the utter irrelevance of MCA not only in the new Malaysian political landscape but in post-2008 Barisan Nasional politics.

Chua possesses a special illogic when he claimed that his not contesting in the 13GE is to allow him “to prove a point that I am fighting for a cause, that MCA remains relevant”, when the “point” all Malaysians see from the episode is a MCA President who is so irrelevant , unqualified and unsuitable that the UMNO President does not allow him to stand as a BN candidate in the 13GE, as he will not only become a liability for MCA candidates but also to all UMNO and BN candidates as well! Continue reading “Najib has done a great injustice in not allowing MCA President Chua Soi Lek to stand as a Barisan Nasional candidate in the 13GE”

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Soi Lek: Don’t ask me about MCA seats, all up to PM

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
April 10, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek berated the media today for constantly pushing him to answer questions on his or his MCA’s contest in the polls, pointing out that the final decision lies solely in the hands of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Met on the sidelines of the Barisan Nasional (BN) divisional meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) this afternoon, the MCA president refused to entertain the questions and turned around instead to question the motive behind them.

“PM already told you people that there is no final decision. Why must we keep repeating the same thing again and again?” he said.

“You all must understand. The PM already has the final say. No final decision (has been made). So you don’t need to sibuk-sibuk (be busybodies), hoping that I say something different from the PM.

“And then you can create another crisis – (that MCA has) differing views. What’s the purpose? No purpose,” Dr Chua added.

Dr Chua was asked at first to reveal if he would be entering the coming polls contest and to state his chosen seat, to which he replied, “Don’t talk about myself. Talk about BN first.” Continue reading “Soi Lek: Don’t ask me about MCA seats, all up to PM”

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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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Umno mulls straight fights with DAP, banks on Malay vote

BY JAHABAR SADIQ, EDITOR | APRIL 10, 2013
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 ― Umno plans on fielding their candidates either in all of the DAP seats or most of them as the Malay vote is more dependable than Chinese support, say strategists.

The Malaysian Insider understands the Barisan Nasional (BN) war room believes Umno candidates can beat back the DAP attack in Johor and other Malay-majority states rather than MCA hopefuls.

“Umno candidates have a better chance of keeping BN seats than the MCA, so we’re looking into pushing more Malay candidates,” a ruling coalition source told The Malaysian Insider.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang is spearheading the move into traditional MCA seat Gelang Patah while party strategist Liew Chin Tong is eyeing the Kluang seat. Johor PKR chief Datuk Seri Chua Jui Meng has also been named for the Segamat seat held by MIC.
Continue reading “Umno mulls straight fights with DAP, banks on Malay vote”

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Should we pity MCA?

by Stanley Koh
Free Malaysia Today
April 8, 2013

A party strongman pleads for voters’ mercy, but some people believe that hypocrisy, fraud and tyranny are unpardonable.

COMMENT

Not for the first time in its recent history, MCA is now reduced to begging for votes.

“I hope the people will give us some votes. Don’t make us eat egg,” party vice-president Donald Lim said in a recent interview with Oriental News Daily, a Chinese language online newspaper.

He claimed that MCA, despite its disastrous showing in the 2008 election, had spent the last five years working hard to regain voter support, implying that it deserved pity, if not appreciation. Continue reading “Should we pity MCA?”

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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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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.”