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68-Day Countdown to 13GE – Chua Soi Lek’s increasing irrelevance and hysteria with the approach of 13GE is really pathetic

It is really pathetic to witness the increasing irrelevance and hysteria of the MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek, to the extent that he has to publicly plead for MCA members to give “claps and applauses” to his speeches and those of other MCA leaders at MCA public functions like the recent MCA “mega dinners” held all over the country.

Chua made this plea at the Federal Territory 64th MCA anniversary celebrations luncheon in Kepong yesterday but to little effect, as all he got from MCA members attending the luncheon was a very tepid and half-hearted response despite his repeated pleas for applauses to his speech.

Chua even tried to mislead MCA members to fortify his plea –asking MCA members to emulate DAP by claiming that when DAP leaders speak on stage, DAP members on the floor would respond with ceaseless applauses to give the impression that what the speakers said were right. Similarly, he asked MCA members to do the same by giving warm applauses to MCA leaders when speaking on stage so as to create confidence in MCA.

Firstly, let me state that in my 47 years of political work, I had never pleaded for claps and applauses for my speeches – and that goes for all other DAP leaders as well.

Secondly, the simple answer to Chua is that it is not only the ordinary public, but also MCA members who are antagonized and alienated by the present role played by the MCA leadership as purveyors of falsehood and prophets of doom to help UMNO to frighten and stampede the Chinese voters to support the Barisan Nasional in the 13th general elections. Continue reading “68-Day Countdown to 13GE – Chua Soi Lek’s increasing irrelevance and hysteria with the approach of 13GE is really pathetic”

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The dominoes in Johor

– Liew Chin Tong
The Malaysian Insider/Rocket
Jan 31, 2013

JAN 31 – Johor is the last bastion of Barisan Nasional but the coming general election may prove that the fortress may turn out to be merely a sand castle. If Pakatan Rakyat gets the support of 35 per cent Malay, 80 per cent Chinese and 50 per cent Indian voters in Johor, 20 parliamentary seats will fall like dominoes. Hence, Pakatan may gain the much-needed 112-seat threshold to form the next federal government with just seats from Peninsula Malaysia.

In the two rounds of seat re-delineation exercises in 1994 and 2003, many multi-ethnic mixed seats were created for Barisan Nasional to maximise its multi-ethnic appeal and to make the most out of the opposition’s inability to win across ethnic boundaries.

PAS was made to be seen by the Barisan-controlled media to non-Malays as an anathema to their interests while DAP as a threat to the Malays. Before 2008, PAS supporters rarely vote for DAP and vice versa.

The 2008 general election saw PAS benefiting from outpouring Chinese and Indian support for the “anything but UMNO” call while some urban Malays voted for DAP for the first time in their lives. Many multi-ethnic seats in the states north of Negeri Sembilan on the west coast of the Peninsula fell to the opposition. Continue reading “The dominoes in Johor”

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Once a pushover, Pakatan sniffs power

By Dan Martin
AFP/FMT
January 30, 2013

Speculation is rife that Pakatan could win enough in the polls to lure ruling coalition defectors and form a government.

KUALA LUMPUR: After bloodying the government’s nose in 2008 elections, a more experienced and organised Malaysian opposition is eyeing the once-unthinkable: toppling one of the world’s longest-serving governments.

Malaysians vote soon with the formerly hapless opposition buoyed by a new track record of state-level government, signs of growing voter support, and what its leader Anwar Ibrahim calls a sense of history in the making.

“I am convinced, Inshallah (God willing), that we will win government,” Anwar told AFP, evoking the winds of change that powered the “Arab Spring” elsewhere in the Muslim world.

“Of course we call it a ‘Malaysian Spring’, but our method is elections (not uprisings).”

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to call a fresh vote in weeks, pitting his Malay-dominated Barisan Nasional coalition against Anwar’s multi-ethnic opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat.

The 57-year-old ruling bloc enjoys deep pockets, mainstream media control, an electoral system the opposition says is rigged, and a record of decades of economic growth under its authoritarian template.

Few expect the opposition to win the 112 parliamentary seats needed to take power. The three-party alliance won 82 seats in the 2008 polls, up from 21, stunning the BN with its biggest-ever setback.

But speculation is rife that Pakatan could win enough in the polls — which must be held by late June — to lure ruling coalition defectors and form a government.

“Before this year, many were in denial about Pakatan’s potential. Today, we see society beginning to accept that the possibility (of a BN defeat) is real,” said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who runs the independent Malaysian think tank IDEAS.

The country’s stock market has trembled recently over the uncertainty as opinion polls suggest the vote will be tight. One recent survey put Najib and Anwar neck-and-neck as prime ministerial candidates.

In a Jan 12 show of force, the opposition held a rally that drew clsoe to 100,000 people.

“I think it’s very close, and the party that makes the least mistakes will be the party that wins,” said S Ambiga, , head of Bersih, an NGO coalition that has organised large public rallies for electoral reform. Continue reading “Once a pushover, Pakatan sniffs power”

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Pengiraan Detik 77 Hari ke PRU13 – Senjata terakhir untuk menyelamatkan perikatan UMNO/BN daripada dihantar ke bangku Pembangkang ialah dengan mewujudkan perpecahan di dalam Pakatan Rakyat dengan memisahkan PAS dan DAP

Senjata terakhir untuk menyelamatkan perikatan UMNO/BN daripada dihantar ke bangku Pembangkang ialah dengan mewujudkan perpecahan di dalam Pakatan Rakyat dengan memisahkan PAS dan DAP

Tindakan itu mencerminkan tahap terdesaknya pemimpin, propagandis dan tukang putar UMNO/BN mengenangkan peluang mereka untuk mempertahankan Putrajaya dalam PRU13 yang semakin hampir sehingga keterdesakkan itu terpapar di dalam harapan dan strategi mereka.

Salah seorang tukang putar media UMNO/BN semalam menganjurkan bahawa “Pakatan parties may go own way”, berdasarkan andaian “Dengan peluang menawan Putrajaya semakin tipis, PAS dan DAP mungkin mahu merampas negeri yang mereka suka”.

Beliau menyatakan:

“IS there a case to be made that DAP and Pas may be privately ditching the idea of taking over Putrajaya and are preparing themselves to keep the spoils of March 2008 instead?
Continue reading “Pengiraan Detik 77 Hari ke PRU13 – Senjata terakhir untuk menyelamatkan perikatan UMNO/BN daripada dihantar ke bangku Pembangkang ialah dengan mewujudkan perpecahan di dalam Pakatan Rakyat dengan memisahkan PAS dan DAP”

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Pengiraan Detik 78 Hari ke PRU13 – UMNO/BN akan menghidangkan “Penipuan, penipuan dan banyak lagi penipuan” menjelang PRU13 tetapi rakyat Malaysia janganlah dialihkan perhatian daripada Isu Penting Reformasi dan Pembaharuan Nasional dalam PRU13

Tiada tanda penyesalan atau keinsafan pada pemimpin, propagandis dan media perdana UMNO/BN dalam menghujani parti-parti dan pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat dengan penipuan dan pembohongan, tanpa sedikit pun rasa hormat kepada kesengsaraan dan kesedihan keluarga yang berpunca daripada kesakitan dan kesukaran seperti yang terjadi pada Pengerusi DAP Sarawak dan Ahli Parlimen Sibu Wong Ho Leng, isterinya Irene Change dan lima anak mereka.

Benar-benar keji dan hina apabila walaupun Irene tidak pernah diwawancara atau merungut tentang parti dan pemimpin parti, namun sebuah kenyataan palsu telah diterbitkan kononnya mengatakan beliau bertindak menyelar parti dan pemimpin parti sebagai tidak berhati perut berkenaan rawatan “tumor otak” Ho Leng, malah mendakwa Ho Leng mengumpul RM10 juta belanja pilihan raya tetapi Cuma RM4 juta yang dibelanjakan sementara RM6 juta dirampas oleh DAP Sarawak dan ibupejabat DAP.

Seperti yang telah Ho Leng katakan berkenaan kenyataan yang palsu dan rekaan berkenaan Irene, “tiada satu ayat pun yang benar”, dakwaan RM10 juta itu pula sama seperti dakwaan tidak munasabah bahawa DAP membelanjakan RM1.3 juta untuk menghasilkan video klip Gangnam baru-baru ini, semuanya rekaan semata-mata.

UMNO/BN akan menghidangkan “Penipuan, penipuan dan banyak lagi penipuan” dengan menjelangnya PRU13 tetapi rakyat Malaysia, termasuklah pemimpin, ahli dan penyokong DAP dan Pakatan Rakyat, jangan dialih perhatian daripada Isu Penting Reformasi dan Pembaharuan Nasional dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13, memandangkan kini Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak sukar untuk menangguh lagi pilihan raya ke suatu waktu yang tidak pasti. Continue reading “Pengiraan Detik 78 Hari ke PRU13 – UMNO/BN akan menghidangkan “Penipuan, penipuan dan banyak lagi penipuan” menjelang PRU13 tetapi rakyat Malaysia janganlah dialihkan perhatian daripada Isu Penting Reformasi dan Pembaharuan Nasional dalam PRU13”

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78-Day Countdown to 13GE – UMNO/BN will dish out “Lies, lies and more lies” with approach of 13GE but Malaysians must not be distracted from the Big Issues of National Reform and Renewal in 13GE

There is no sense of remorse or contrition by UMNO/BN leaders, propagandists and their mainstream mass media (MSM) at the deluge of lies, falsehoods and invectives directed at Pakatan Rakyat parties and leaders, without regard for the most basic human decencies to respect family sufferings and sorrows because of private pain and hardships as in the case of Sarawak DAP Chairman and MP for Sibu Wong Ho Leng, his wife Irene Chang and their five children.

It is really despicable and contemptible that although Irene never gave any interview or complained against the party or party leader, a totally false and fictitious account had been published quoting her as castigating the party and party leaders as “heartless” over Ho Leng’s “brain tumour” treatment, even claiming that Ho Leng collected RM10 million for election expenses but only RM4 million were spent while RM6 million were hijacked by DAP Sarawak and DAP Hq.

As Ho Leng has said about the totally false and fictitious account about Irene complaint, “there is not even one sentence in there which is true”, the RM10 million allegation like the equally preposterous claim that the DAP spent RM1.3 million to produce the recent Gangnam video, are complete fabrications.

UMNO/BN will dish out “Lies, lies and more lies” with approach of 13GE but Malaysians, including DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders, members and supporters, must not be distracted from the Big Issues of National Reform and Renewal in the 13th general elections, now that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has come up against the wall against any indefinite postponement of the polls. Continue reading “78-Day Countdown to 13GE – UMNO/BN will dish out “Lies, lies and more lies” with approach of 13GE but Malaysians must not be distracted from the Big Issues of National Reform and Renewal in 13GE”

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Nation’s destiny in our hands

KJ John
Malaysiakini
Jan 22, 2013

In an earlier column I had postulated that the nation may be moving in the right direction after the last general election, but I had questioned whether we were moving at the right speed.

I still believe that Najib Abdul Razak has tried his absolute best to move our ‘Titanic’ in the right direction, but unfortunately his own team has been his worst enemy to date.

Even Dr Mahathir Mohamad plays wayang kulit with Najib, although in less public ways than he did with Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Actually, the opposition and NGOs have been better friends to him. At least they do not seem to shoot him below the belt, other than to highlight the unfortunate legacies that already surround and continue to haunt him.

Therefore I do think it is time to give the other side a chance regardless of how many uncertainties there in our minds and hearts. Yes, maybe we have to even let things slide a bit more before they can really improve. What other choice do we have as a people who have been told to “listen, listen, listen” for almost 54 years. Continue reading “Nation’s destiny in our hands”

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KL112 and a new Malaysian identity?

— Greg Lopez
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 21, 2013

JAN 21 — The symbolism of the Malaysian people’s uprising on January 12 or KL112 cannot be underestimated for its importance in myth-making. In facilitating this “people’s uprising”, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has not only created new myths that would solidify its presence in the memories or “imagery” of Malaysians in a positive manner, but more importantly, PR has also moved decisively in dismissing myths created by Umno and its subordinates in the Barisan Nasional (BN) that have been the grand narrative/s in Malaysia for the past 55 years.

Myths — stories, memories and symbols — provide the basis for the narratives that create, forge or reaffirm identities. These are especially crucial in periods of critical transformation and/or when societies are undergoing a crisis of identity. Jose Luis Borges noted that the past and the future inhibit the present. In the context of the KL112, PR is representing the present by connecting to a more glorious Malaysian past and the promise of a more glorious future.

But why is PR now the purveyor of hope, a realm that was firmly in the hands of Umno with visions of grandeur and Malaysians, Malays and Muslims being world beaters. The reasons are multifaceted and many are known with incompetence, mismanagement and corruption by the ruling regime being often touted as the main reasons. It could also be that Malaysia and Malaysians are undergoing an identity crisis. Continue reading “KL112 and a new Malaysian identity?”

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Why I will vote Pakatan

by KJ John
Malaysiakini
Jan 15, 2013

In 2007, I wrote a column entitled, ‘Why I will not vote for BN’. No one then really took me seriously, although I was told that MCA circulated that column during the MCA central committee meeting. Even later, a representative of the then chief secretary told me, but after the fact, that the man was not too happy with my column either.

My retort: Well, he could have easily called me to understand my reasons and explanations, if he was interested to listen. If they could listen, then the government maybe could have addressed those reasons well before the general election. Finally, PM Najib Abdul Razak is trying, but is it too late?

This time around, allow me to state positively why I have no choice but to still vote for Pakatan Rakyat again. I will record three reasons in this column. Neither is this because I love BN any less, it is just that given our real choices and options, the unknown angel is better than that of the known devil.

My first reason is the ‘Allah’ issue and how it has been so badly handled by the BN government, and why they need to better understand the real issues about the true and real etymology of the ‘Allah’ word. My good friend and fellow writer to Malaysiakini, Bob Teoh, has documented the core issues quite well for all those interested to know the truths about this word. His book is entitled, Allah: More than just a Word.

I will not explain all the reasons involved here, which the High Court judgment by Lau Bee Lan has argued rather well. Citizens should read this judgment before talking about this issue. Continue reading “Why I will vote Pakatan”

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Pengiraan Detik 85 Hari ke PRU13: Najib – Listen, Listen, Listen!

Fenomena terbaru di internet apabila klip video teguran “Listen, listen, listen!” seorang aktivis 1Malaysia, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen kepada pelajar tahun dua undang-undang Bawani KS tersebar luas mencerminkan dua kegagalan dasar paling penting Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak sepanjang empat tahun menjadi perdana menteri:

  • Pertama, program “transformasinya”, sama ada kerajaan, ekonomi, politik, pendidikan atau sosial yang semuanya bersandarkan prinsip ”Era kerajaan tahu semua telah berlalu”.
  • Kedua, dasar 1Malaysia beliau untuk mewujudkan Malaysia yang mana rakyatnya melihat diri mereka rakyat Malaysia dahulu kemudian barulah kaum, agama, tempat atau latar belakang ekonomi.

Sekiranya pelbagai program transformasi Najib berharap untuk berjaya, ia haruslah bersandarkan komunikasi dan dialog dua hala antara pemerintah dengan yang diperintah dan bukannya “Listen, listen, listen!” secara satu hala dipaksakan ke atas yang diperintah oleh pemerintah.

Najib dan kerajaan UMNO/BN bersedia untuk “Listen, listen, listen”?

Jelas sekali tidak. Jika benar bersedia untuk mendengar pastinya Ketua Ekonomi Bank Islam, Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin pasti tidak akan digantung berikutan laporan media berkenaan pembentangannya di Regional Outlook Forum Singapura Khamis lepas yang meramalkan kemenangan tipis Pakatan Rakyat dalam pilihan raya ke-13. Continue reading “Pengiraan Detik 85 Hari ke PRU13: Najib – Listen, Listen, Listen!”

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Pengiraan Detik 86 Hari ke PRU13: PR tidak perlu bermain permainan menaikkan nama sendiri dengan menjatuhkan orang lain bersama BN kerana KL112 tanpa ragu lagi adalah peransang semangat untuk UBAH dalam PRU13 yang semakin hampir dan PR cuma perlu bergerak terus

Selepas tergamam dan membisu pada hari Sabtu sesudah berlangsungnya perhimpunan KL112 yang bersejarah melihatkan ratusan ribu rakyat Malaysia daripada berbilang kaum, agama dan tempat berada di Stadium Merdeka, dan juga membisu sepanjang hari Ahad, pemimpin UMNO/Barisan Nasional telah memapu bersuara kembali dan kelam-kabut mahu meminimakan gelombang politik yang terhasil daripada KL112.

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak jelas kelihatan tertekan dengan kejayaan dan kemananan KL112 sehingga menumpang nama terhadap kejayaan perhimpunan mega Pakatan Rakyat sewaktu menjadi tuan rumah Malam Penghargaan Media perhimpunan agung UMNO 2012.

Selepas berbincang dengan strategis beliau sepanjang hari Ahad untuk mengira kos politik kepada UMNO/BN terutamanya bagi PRU13, Najib kembali dan mengisytiharkan secara terbuka semalam bahawa KL112 menunjukkan kejayaan reformasi politik dan kerajaan yang beliau telah lakukan sejak menjadi Perdana Menteri selama empat tahun.

Najib dilihat mengelak untuk menerangkan mengapa perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 dan Bersih 3.0 yang diadakan juga semasa beliau menyandang jawatan perdana menteri menjadi tragedi polis dan kerajaan BN, memandangkan KL112 telah membuktikan tanpa ragu bahawa rakyat Malaysia adalah manusia yang cintakan keamanan yang hanya mahu melaksanakan hak mereka untuk berhimpun dan meluahkan secara bebas serta kedua-dua perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 dan Bersih 3.0 boleh menjadi model antarabangsa perhimpunan aman jika tidak kerana kesombongan dan tekanan daripada polis serta kerajaan. Continue reading “Pengiraan Detik 86 Hari ke PRU13: PR tidak perlu bermain permainan menaikkan nama sendiri dengan menjatuhkan orang lain bersama BN kerana KL112 tanpa ragu lagi adalah peransang semangat untuk UBAH dalam PRU13 yang semakin hampir dan PR cuma perlu bergerak terus”

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85-Day Countdown to 13GE: Najib – Listen, Listen, Listen!

The latest Malaysian Internet phenomenon when the video clips of “Listen, listen, listen!” diatribe of a 1Malaysia activist, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen rebuking second-year law student Bawani KS went viral is in fact a reflection of the double failure of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s two most important policies in his four-year premiership:

• Firstly, his “transformation” programmes, whether government, economic, political, educational or social which are all predicated on the principle that “The era where the government knows best is over”.

• Secondly, his signature 1Malaysia policy to create a Malaysia where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second.

If Najib’s various transformation programmes are to have any hope of success, they must be based on a two-way communication and dialogue between the government and the governed and not on a “Listen, listen, listen!” one-way traffic imposed by the government on the governed.

Is Najib and the UMNO/BN government prepared to “Listen, listen, listen”?

Clearly not so. Or the chief economist of Bank Islam, Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin would not have been suspended following media reports on a presentation he made at the Regional Outlook Forum in Singapore last Thursday predicting a narrow victory for Pakatan Rakyat in the 13th general elections. Continue reading “85-Day Countdown to 13GE: Najib – Listen, Listen, Listen!”

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86-Day Countdown to 13GE: PR does not have to play the game of one-up-manship with BN as KL112 is undeniably a major morale booster for UBAH in 13GE which is around the corner and PR should just move on

After being dumbstruck and eerily silent on Saturday after the historic KL112 rally of over a hundred thousand Malaysians of all races, religions and regions at Merdeka Stadium and the whole of Sunday, UMNO/Barisan Nasional leaders have suddenly found their voices and are stumbling over themselves to minimise and play down the political tidal waves released by KL112.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was clearly too distraught by the success of the peaceful holding of KL112 to claim credit for the Pakatan Rakyat mega-rally when hosting the UMNO general assembly 2012 Media Appreciation Night on Saturday night itself.

After closeting with his strategists the whole of Sunday to calculate the political costs to UMNO/BN particularly in the forthcoming 13GE, Najib has sufficiently recovered from the political setbacks to publicly declare yesterday that the KL112 exemplifies the success of the political and government reforms he had initiated since becoming Prime Minister some four years ago.

Najib conspicuously omitted to explain why the Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0 rallies held also during his premiership were such police and BN government disasters, as KL112 has proved beyond a shadow of doubt that Malaysians are peace-loving people who only want to peacefully exercise their right to free assembly and expression and both Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0 rallies would have been international models of peaceful assemblies if not because of high-handed and repressive police and government actions. Continue reading “86-Day Countdown to 13GE: PR does not have to play the game of one-up-manship with BN as KL112 is undeniably a major morale booster for UBAH in 13GE which is around the corner and PR should just move on”

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KL112 rally: We gave each other courage

By Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | January 15, 2013
FMT

Last Friday night as I came back from a ceramah in Sabak Bernam, I stopped over at the Sungai Buluh Restoren Jejantas. There was an unusually large number of vehicles in the parking bays.

In the surau, there were many people sleeping and resting. How come there were so many people, I asked at this late hour (it was 2am).

When a friend asked a passerby where are these people from, he said they were from Perak and some from Penang. They have come to participate in the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (KL112) rally at Stadium Merdeka on Saturday (Jan 12).

The whole country, it seemed, was galvanised and geared to participate in the KL112 assembly.

Now, that’s all that matters as we inch closer to the 13th general election.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s time is running out.

The tens of thousands who rallied at KL112 on Saturday was proof of Umno’s end. What we achieved and celebrated at KL112 was the coming together of the various races in Malaysia, something which Umno and Barisan Nasional did not want us to achieve.
Continue reading “KL112 rally: We gave each other courage”

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Tips on winning the coming election

By Koon Yew Yin

The recently concluded mammoth Stadium Merdeka rally – Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat – has provided a much needed infusion of new life into the opposition campaign. Although they have invigorated their challenge to Barisan Nasional (BN) rule, opposition leaders must realize that they have an uphill battle to dislodge BN from power.

Instead of boasting or congratulating themselves on what they have achieved at the rally, it is essential that the opposition parties work harder in taking the fight especially to the Barisan strongholds.

The next few months will be crucial. The opposition must only show that it is alive and kicking. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) needs to prove that it is the superior coalition to run the country. The campaign to convince Malaysians to vote for change can work if PR keeps in mind the following key strategies.

Strategies to ensure electoral victory for PR

  1. Run a principled and ethical campaign. Malaysian voters know that the BN is a party that thrives on spinning and dirty tricks. From race baiting to inciting religious sentiments to demonization of the opposition, BN are masters of the sleazy campaign. The PR should not emulate the BN. Fight a clean campaign. This will resonate with the basic positive values and good sense of Malaysians.

    2. Continue reading “Tips on winning the coming election”

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Why do we participate in rallies?

— Alfian Zohri
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 14, 2013

JAN 14 — I was too young to remember the 1998 reformasi demonstration in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. There was no Facebook or Twitter or any social media tools for live updates and the only mobile phones available were those huge solid ones, resembling a piece of brick! However, I do remember reading about the event on Utusan Malaysia. Yes, I used to read Utusan Malaysia. Anyhow, I was too callow to understand the politics and reasons behind those events.

As time has progressed, everything has changed. From September 11, 2001 to the recent Arab Spring (Arab Awakening as put by Robert Fisk) a new chapter of human struggle has been created. If in the 60s, Americans were protesting against the Vietnam War, today not just the Americans but the whole world is protesting against war, any war. We have anti ‘gitmo’ demonstration in New York or London; and we also have anti Internal Security Act (ISA) demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur. Anti nuclear power in Japan for instance, also happened in Australia, France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Public rallies or street protests, civil disobedience or whatever you want to call it, are a manifestation of the rejection of an unpopular regime in a particular country. It can be a single-man protest, a hundred, one thousand or a million it doesn’t matter. When you are oppressed, you stand up and fight for your rights. As simple as that.

Not too long ago, we witnessed a classic of domino effect in the Arab world. From one country to another, each one of those ruthless regimes responsible for numerous atrocities and human rights abuses collapsed due to the people’s uprising. But does it solve the problem? No! Does it create more problems? Yes! The problem is yet to be solved and as a matter of fact the problems only get worsen. Arbitrary killings, executions, violence against women, minorities and children and in fact a humanitarian crisis ensued at a rather alarming rate. Civil conflicts become our daily feed. Still the question remains: why is discontent met with further violence? Continue reading “Why do we participate in rallies?”

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Pengiraan Detik 87 Hari ke PRU13 – Media perdana BN berterusan tidak jujur, tidak profesional dan berbohong terbukti merupakan kemusnahan terakhir Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri dan penyingkiran UMNO/BN dari Putrajaya dalam PRU13

Bukan sahaja ironi malah sukar dipercayai bahawa pada malam KL112, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak menjadi tuan rumah Malam Penghargaan Media Perhimpunan Agung Umno 2012 dan bercakap tentang kepentingan media kepada UMNO.

Rakyat Malaysia yang berfikiran rasional dan bebas, termasuklah empat juta pengundi pertengahan yang akan menentukan sama ada Barisan Nasional atau Pakatan Rakyat akan membentuk kerajaan persekutuan di Putrajaya dalam pilihan raya umum 13, tentu akan tertanya adakah Najib betul-betul berpijak di bumi nyata atau sedang hidup dalam dunianya sendiri.

Apa yang Najib katakan tentang media beberapajam selepas KL112, yang menjadi titik penting demokrasi yang sedang matang, di luar alam nyata.

Bagaimana Najib dengan selamba meminta media memainkan peranan orang tengah yang menyampaikan kehendak dan perasaan orang ramai kepada kerajaan dan melaporkan rungutan dan kritikan terhadap kerajaan untuk membolehkan penambahbaikan dijalankan sedangkan media perdana Barisan Nasional, sama ada media cetak, radio, televisyen atau atas talian, bersalah melakukan sesuatu yang sebaliknya, benar-benar tanpa sesal mereka-reka pembohongan tentang Pakatan Rakyat?

Selama berminggu-minggu, media perdana Barisan Nasional telah melakukan “Pembohongan Besar” berkenaan KL112 dan mereka masih lagi menyempurnakan “Pembohongan Besar” selepas KL112, walaupun “Pembohongan Besar” itu telah dihancurkan dengan lumat sebagai tiada asas dan tidak benar!

Tidak diragukan lagi bahawa salah satu pihak yang kalah teruk kerana KL112 dijalankan dengan berjaya dan aman adalah media perdana Barisan Nasional (MSM), sebab itulah Malaysiakini di dalam “KL112: Winners and losers” menyenaraikan media perdana sebagai salah satu daripada tiga yang “tewas” selepas Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan UMNO/Barisan Nasional manakala The Malaysian Insider menerbitkan rencana editorial yang bertajuk: “Mainstream media’s epic fail”. Continue reading “Pengiraan Detik 87 Hari ke PRU13 – Media perdana BN berterusan tidak jujur, tidak profesional dan berbohong terbukti merupakan kemusnahan terakhir Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri dan penyingkiran UMNO/BN dari Putrajaya dalam PRU13”

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Pengiraan Detik 89 Hari ke PRU13 – Apakah MB Johor Ghani Othmas akan disuruh menarik balik ramalannya bahawa PR boleh menang PRU13 dengan majoriti 5% atau 10% ataupun majoriti 12-22 kerusi?

Petang semalam, Bank Islam Malaysia menjarakkan diri daripada ramalan ketua penganalisis ekonominya di dalam sebuah forum di Singapura bahawa Pakatan Rakyat (PR) boleh menang dengan majoriti kecil pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13.

Pengarah urusan Bank Islam Datuk Seri Zukri Samat berkata di dalam kenyataannya bahawa Bank Islam bukanlah pihak di dalam Regional Outlook Forum pada hari Khamis, dan “tidak terlibat dan tidak berkaitan dalam forum tersebut,” dan pandangan yang diberikan penganalisis ekonominya Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin adalah “pandangan peribadi beliau dan tidak patut dikaitkan dengan Bank Islam,”

Di dalam Singapore Regional Outlook Forum, Azrul telah meramalkan bahawa Barisan Nasional berkemungkinan untuk menang cuma di antara 97 dan 107 kerusi parlimen – membentuk kerajaan persekutuan Pakatan Rakyat dengan majoriti parlimen antara lapan hingga 28 kerusi.

Tidak mengapa sama ada unjuran Azrul adalah anggaran rasmi atau tidak rasmi Bank Islam, hakikatnya pemimpin UMNO/Barisan Nasional juga telah turut sampai kepada keputusan yang sama berdasarkan maklumbalas dan pengiraan – menunjukkan bahawa PRU13 akan menjadi perkara penentu sama ada Pakatan Rakyat atau Barisan Nasioal yang akan memenangi perlumbaan ke Putrajaya.

Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Abdul Ghani Osman memberikan senario hampir sama dengan Azrul ketika bercakap kepada pertubuhan Cina Kulai pada hari Selasa, menyatakan Pakatan Rakyat boleh menawan Putrajaya di dalam PRU13, walaupun beliau memberi amaran bahawa paling banyak Pakatan Rakyat cuma boleh menang dengan majoriti tipis 5% kepada 10% kerusi parlimen. Continue reading “Pengiraan Detik 89 Hari ke PRU13 – Apakah MB Johor Ghani Othmas akan disuruh menarik balik ramalannya bahawa PR boleh menang PRU13 dengan majoriti 5% atau 10% ataupun majoriti 12-22 kerusi?”

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Pengiraan Detik 91 Hari ke PRU13 – Pemimpin BN tiba-tiba menggambarkan Malaysia sebagai “syurga dunia” kerana pemimpin UMNO/BN sedar mereka boleh kehilangan Putrahaya dalam PRU13, yang kemungkinan diadakan pada penghujung Mac

    Tiba-tiba, pemimpin UMNO/Barisan Nasional menggambarkan Malaysia sebagai “syurga dunia” meskipun kegagalan terang-terang Dasar 1Malaysia dan pelbagai Program Transformasi, kerana pemimpin UMNO/BN sedar bahawa mereka boleh kehilangan Putrajaya dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 yang berkemungkinan diadakah penghujung Mac.

    Dengan sengaja perkara yang diabaikan adalah:

  • Polarisasi kaum dan agama paling teruk di dalam sejarah negara;
  • Politik kebencian, konflik, penipuan dan pembohongan paling tidak bertanggungjawab dilakukan oleh perikatan pemerintah dan media perdana (MSM) mereka sejak Merdeka pada 1957;
  • Indeks-Indeks Persepsi Rasuah Transparency International yang menunjukkan rasuah di bawah empat tahun pemerintahan Najib lebih teruk berbanding semua mantan-mantan Perdana Menteri;
  • Laporan Global Finance Integrity terkini yang menunjukkan Malaysia berasaskan per kapita adalah No.1 di dunia dalam pengaliran keluar wang haram dan rasuah (sama ada duit gelap yang dibawa keluar dari negara untuk 2010 sebanyak RM196.8 bilion atau RM871 bilion untuk 2000-2010); atau
  • TIMSS (Kajian Aliran Dalam Sains dan Matematik Antarabangsa) 2011 terhadap dua subjek kritikal matematik dan sains yang menunjukkan bahawa Malaysia memberikan sistem pendidikan yang lemah sama ada dibandingkan dengan negara lain atau hasil kajian masa lalu negara ini.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, yang menjauhi dasar 1Malaysia Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dengan mengisytiharkan dirinya “Melayu dahulu, Malaysia kemudian”, berada di barisan hadapan memuji-muji Malaysia – mendakwa Malaysia kini menjadi negara “kegemaran pelabur” kerana pelbagai Program Transformasi. Continue reading “Pengiraan Detik 91 Hari ke PRU13 – Pemimpin BN tiba-tiba menggambarkan Malaysia sebagai “syurga dunia” kerana pemimpin UMNO/BN sedar mereka boleh kehilangan Putrahaya dalam PRU13, yang kemungkinan diadakan pada penghujung Mac”