Miracle if opposition forms simple govt

Joe Fernandez

Free Malaysia Today

April 16, 2011

The bottomline is that it must be about change and reform in the politics of the state.

Unless a miracle happens today at the polling booths, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) has virtually sown up this state election with at least 30 seats “in the bag” even before polling begins. This figure, less than the magical but easily obtainable majority of 36 seats for BN in the State Legislaive Assembly, is based on reading the harsh realities on the ground and comparisons with the line-up of candidates in the 71 seats at stake.

The opposition is “assured” so far of 16 seats, that is, 14 to DAP – Bukit Kota against Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) being its “sole” remaining battle – and two PKR seats, namely Batu Lintang wrested from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Kerian from the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

The Chinese and urban community in Sarawak continues to form a solid vote bank against the alleged abuses and excesses of the Taib regime. Much of these votes are unlikely to budge despite a mixture of a few carrots and mostly sticks from SUPP, Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

The looming lack of representation in the state government is the least of the concerns of the Chinese community which is no longer willing to put up with the gross distortions introduced in the economy by the Taib regime.

The Chinese in Sarawak, in unison with those in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, are firmly in the DAP camp and spouting defiance against Umno’s ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) and PBB subscribing to the proxy politics put in place in Sarawak and Sabah by Putrajaya.

The BN’s 30 seats, identified as “safe” in preliminary assumptions, are likely to come from the following component parties: PBB (17); Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) six; SPDP (four); and Opar, Bengoh and Engkilili, three Dayak seats, from SUPP.

Besides the 14 seats which are likely to fall to DAP, SUPP has apparently written off Batu Lintang to PKR and is locked with the same party in Senadin.

The SPDP is assured, so far, of only Tanjung Batu, Meluan, Marudi and Bekenu.

Tough fight

The party is battling it out with SNAP in Pakan where its president William Mawan has offered himself for an unprecedented seventh time and in Batu Danau against the same party. SPDP is also pitted against Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian in Ba’Kelalan. PKR is expected to take Kerian from SPDP given the split in Dayak votes among the four candidates.

The PRS can rest easy in Balai Ringin, Bukit Begunan, and Ngemah where Parti Cinta Malaysia’s (PCM) Gabriel Adit is the incumbent, Pelagus where incumbent Larry Sng was expelled for claiming presidency of the Dayak-based party, Kakus and Belaga.

Batang Ai, where the BN is yet to fulfil the by-election promises of last year, will be a tough fight for PRS with five-time loser Nicholas Bawin who is standing on a PKR ticket. He may yet get lucky this time after being passed over for the by-election by Anwar at the last minute in favour of former five-term Lubuk Antu MP Jawah Gerang.

It’s also touch and go for PRS against PKR in Tamin and Baleh, the latter seat where party president James Masing is standing for the seventh time. Masing is seen by his many critics as being too much of an apologist for Taib who is accused of amassing a stupendous personal fortune during his three decades in office.

PBB, which has 35 candidates in this election, faces stiff “one-to-one” fights in 17 other seats besides Bukit Kota, that is, against SNAP in Kedup, Machan and Machan; in Muara Tuang and Beting Maro against PAS; and independents in Semop and Dalat, among others. Its biggest fight will be in the remaining 10 seats against PKR, namely Demak Laut, Tupong, Samariang, Satok, Asajaya, Simunjan, Saribas, Nangka, Katibas, and Bukit Sari.

To recap, PKR is also taking on PRS, SPDP and SUPP “one-to-one” in three seats and one seat each respectively.

The 30 seats so far for the BN does not mean that the opposition is poised to deny BN the state government or even the two-thirds majority.

The opposition must pick up at least nine of the “remaining” 25 seats at stake if it is to claim a moral victory of sorts over the state BN. The opposition forming the next state government with a simple majority would mean pulling off a miracle, that is, another 20 seats while conceding a humiliating five seats to the BN. That would take a miracle to generate the mother of all tsunamis.

Realpolitik

The ethnic make-up in the “remaining” 25 seats at stake, polling history and the vote-splitting nature of the contests have all combined and are working against the opposition parties.

The jury is still out on why de facto PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim, who is wrestling with a lingering public image of being sexually deviant at politically inconvenient times, was willing to compromise with DAP and PAS but not the home-grown SNAP.

It’s not only the maths that is against the motley gathering of opposition parties besides the one bright spot provided by the DAP.

The suspicion among the opposition alliance, Pakatan Rakyat in particular, is that PBB’s and Umno’s Department of Dirty Tricks (DDT) have virtually overshadowed the BN’s campaign with the heavy arsenal at their disposal.

For one, all buses, taxis, ferries and boats and helicopters and hotel rooms in Sarawak have been contracted wholesale by the BN, leaving few options for the opposition. It would be a sheer wonder if the opposition can manage the huge logistical problems of ferrying its supporters in time to the polling booths. They would have to rely on an army of party supporters using their own vehicles. One hazard would be roadblocks mounted by the police, Rela and army.

The entire machinery of the state and federal government, the civil service, police, teachers, Rela and government media have been brought to bear on the side of the caretaker government and against the opposition. One story has even hoodlums, hooligans, gangsters, samsengs and loan sharks being roped in to chip in and ensure that the state BN, come what may, prevails today.

Another story sweeping the state is that strangers in the night, with moneybags linked to PBB and Taib, have been moving about in critical areas to dole out the hard cash to opposition supporters in return for their MyKads. These identity cards will hopefully be returned to their owners after the polls or they would have to report them as stolen or lost to the National Registration Department (NRD).

If past elections in Sabah and recent by-elections in Peninsular Malaysia are any guide, there’s no guarantee that these MyKads would not be used by specially bused- in phantom voters to turn the tide in favour of the state BN.

The bottomline is that as far as realpolitik goes, this state election must be less about whether the BN will be denied its coveted two-thirds majority, whether the opposition can form a state government with a simple majority, whether SNAP would re-join BN as it is being whispered by PKR in the longhouses throughout the state or even whether Taib is staying or going.

It must be about change and reform in the politics of the state. That can only happen if there are clear indications from the polls results that the proxy politics of PBB no longer works, that Umno’s ketuanan Melayu is unacceptable in Sarawak and, above all, that the ruling party in Putrajaya should stay away from the Borneo states.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 16 April 2011, 10:04 am and is filed under
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On the Ubah campaign trail (8)

Bersih 2.0 queries Sarawak for barring Ambiga’s visit (TMI) http://bit.ly/fG7j48

Friday, April 15, 2011 5:14 PM

Deny BN 2/3 majority in Sarawak polls 2send powerful message 2all Sarawakians n Malaysians – “Tomorrow can be better!” http://bit.ly/hE02j9

Friday, April 15, 2011 6:12 PM

On the Ubah campaign trail (7) http://bit.ly/evu3oH

Friday, April 15, 2011 6:14 PM

1k ppl Meradong ceramah Bintangor – all expressed support 4re-election of Ting Tze Fui as Assembly rep 2continue 2represent Swkians 4change

Friday, April 15, 2011 9:20 PM

Record ceramah crowd in Sarikei >3k ppl.  Called for 416 Swak Revolution 2manifest political awakening n democratic uprising 4change in Msia

Friday, April 15, 2011 10:39 PM

A message to all Sarawakians: from DAP Sarawak Chief Wong Ho Leng (video) http://ow.ly/4B6kX

Friday, April 15, 2011 11:23 PM

416 Sarawak Revolution In-the-make – 20k ppl Miri; 20k in Sibu; 30k in Kuching. Another record – RM36,736 donation in Miri

Friday, April 15, 2011 11:41 PM

Sibu crowd growing

Friday, April 15, 2011 11:46 PM

Sibu DAP ceramh sets new collection record – RM37,031.40 w 25k ppl, beating Miri DAP ceramah also created history w collection of RM36,736

Saturday, April 16, 2011 1:16 AM

Polling eve night of history 4Swak Revolution 416 whether in crowd numbers (Miri 20k Sibu 25k Kchng 30k). Also 4Bintulu 3k RM12k Srkei Btgor

Saturday, April 16, 2011 2:26 AM

Also nite history Miri RM36.7k Sibu >RM37k Kuching all setting new records. Kuching collections still being counted but will outpace both

Saturday, April 16, 2011 2:32 AM

Die is cast. Vote 4change. Create  Sarawak Revolution. Kuching made  history @30k-ppl DAP ceramah last nite. Total donations –  RM51,400!

Saturday, April 16, 2011 6:40 AM

RM137,167.40 raised by Swkians 4cause of change @Ceramah Finale last nite – Kuching RM51.4k Sibu RM37,031.40 Miri RM36,736 Bintulu RM12k

Saturday, April 16, 2011 6:51 AM

UBAH SARAWAK – Good Luck! (by Aaron Oo) http://bit.ly/fcSZvK

Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:05 AM

Just a matter of Taib for Sarawak polls by Shannon Teoh (TMI) http://bit.ly/dSx2ba

Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:07 AM

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 16 April 2011, 9:38 am and is filed under
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Sarawakians! Give yourselves a chance. Free yourselves from 30 years of misery!

by
Sakmongkol AK47

The Malaysian Insider

Apr 15, 2011

APRIL 15 — For once, the people of Sarawak must do themselves a favour. Give yourselves a chance. Not give others a chance. They have had 30 years. You only need this one chance. This is your hour. Let your progeny say in future, this was your finest hour.

This is your chance to regain your dignity and pride as a decent human being. Give yourselves the chance to determine your own destiny. Or, at the very least, show to those in power that you matter. There is nothing to fear except fear itself.

Show those in power they can’t scare you with the presence of coercive instruments of power. The police and the army guarding your longhouses are there protecting you. Those Rela people out there are only there for a brief time. What’s left is how you determined your life.

Throw out corruption. Throw out incompetence. Throw out a lifetime of neglect. Reject the bullies.

Give your children and grandchildren the chance. Say it’s enough. You gave Taib Mahmud 30 years of chance. He has taken everything. He has taken the most precious thing from you — your sense of self-worth. Will the Dayaks continue to be complicit in the charade of showing they are only good at performing the ngajat dance and, in that process, be regarded as nothing more than objects of cultural curiosity?

Will that treatment give you decent housing, clean water, electricity? Has it given you that? Remember the misery of walking miles down the road to get a can of kerosene. Don’t forget the humiliation of being given portable computers where electricity is non-existent. Remember forests and the trees that are gone forever.

Can the heads with the same set thinking usher in a better future? The answer must be an emphatic NO. How can the SAME thinking coming out from the SAME heads, accustomed to keeping entire peoples in callous disregard, unchallenged incompetence and open arrogance, be capable of turning over a new leaf? Agreeing to this proposition is self-deceit of the highest order. It’s a crime against humanity itself.

In a previous lifetime of glory and pride, the only solution that Sarawakians are renowned for is to cut off their enemy’s head. Those in power are no longer your benefactors. They stand on the side of the enemy of the people.

If you give Taib and his government another chance, it means you are willing to allow him to perpetuate years of neglect, corruption incompetence and arrogance. It’s not going to be enough. It will be 30 years of the SAME neglect, incompetence and arrogance and corruption.

For 30 years, the chance to give yourself a decent living and the chance to give yourself dignity has been forcibly taken away. It has been taken away by 30 years of neglect, negligence and arrogance. The neglect exemplified most horribly by the waste laid bare on your land which forms the very spring and essence of your life.

What has the majority of the Sarawak people achieved? The fruits of development enjoyed by the elite while the majority languished in a world that time seem to forget? After 30 years, 6,000 longhouses are still without electricity and water in a state which boasts the biggest hydro dam?

This Sunday, dubbed Super Sunday will be judgment day for Taib Mahmud and his ruling PBB and his partner parties. These past weeks are the trial that leads to that judgment day. What is the purpose of the judgment day?

The purpose of that judgment day is for the court of the people to call up those who manage the state to account for what they have done.

That in essence is what accountability means. You are called up to account for the things you have done.

What has Taib and his party done to Sarawak for the last 30 years? Taib and his cabal of leaders have brought much development to Sarawak. To free Sarawakians from a primitive state of affairs — underdevelopment, stunted growth, primitive lifestyles, civilising the natives, bringing them into the 20th century and beyond.

All that, said the wise people, is spectacular development. Sterling! Screamed some people with lard-laden brains.

The people of Sarawak have only one response to give to Taib and his cabal of leaders — continue giving us the lies, we shall not stop uncovering the truths.

Right now, you have only one historic mission. Get Taib to step down as chief minister. Showing him the exit is the single most potent weapon and burning issue against the Barisan Nasional in the state election. Whoever sides with Taib stands for corruption and against the people.

Getting him out has united Sarawakians . This shared thinking is possible because 30 years of his kleptocratic rule as chief minister has bred and entrenched the habits of non-accountability, lack of transparency and absence decency of good governance. Remember kleptocracy is associated with the meaning of thief and theft.

That is none better illustrated by the mountain of allegations on abuses of power and rampant corruption under his rule which he has not been able to rebut. Datuk Seri Najib Razak is not unaware of what is happening to Sarawak with Taib at the helm, but Najib appears to have been immobilised by the phalanx of bomohs and witches surrounding Taib.

It is obvious Najib is even powerless to have Taib committed to an early date to step down . The PM has repeatedly been rebuffed by the chief minister and there is nothing the prime minister can do about it.

Taib is not an Umno member and his reaction to the PM’s announcement that Taib will leave office is like telling the PM to “**** off” from his turf. Taib is saying: who are you to tell me what to do with my office, in my state? Sarawak is Taib’s country. The PM can’t do anything, but the people of Sarawak can.

Give yourselves that chance. Don’t turn to others for succour.

 —
sakmongkol.blogspot.com

* Sakmongkol AK47 is the nom de plume of Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz. He was Pulau Manis assemblyman (2004-2008).

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 16 April 2011, 11:16 am and is filed under
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The last 10 days

By
Zairil Khir Johari

April 16, 2011

APRIL 16 — It is now late at night on the final day of the Sarawak campaign. I am exhausted, as is everyone else on both sides of the divide.

It has been a gruelling campaign, especially for those of us who have had to criss-cross the vast state. Nevertheless, the tour is now over and in the evening of the morrow we will be met with either victory or defeat.

I will not attempt to predict the result as I will leave that to those more informed and capable. I would, however, be pleased to share my own personal observations of the mood, characters and happenings of the last 10 days.

The campaign, at least on our part, rocketed off (pardon the pun) to a flying start. Buoyed by a great sense of collective excitement, we went in with all guns blazing.

In Kuching, we chose to pit a young female newcomer against an incumbent assistant minister, thereby bringing the battle to the BN’s doorstep in a bid to wipe them clean in the south bank of the state capital.

To boost her campaign, her nomination was accompanied by none other than Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, with political secretary in tow.

Our posture was an offensive one as the constituency in question, Batu Kawah, has traditionally been a BN stronghold. We lined up our heavy artillery and proceeded to fire, night after night, entertaining Kuching with our well-choreographed ceramahs and our yellow-billed mascot that quickly became an overnight hit of mammoth proportions, far exceeding our expectations.

Meanwhile, challenges surfaced in the adjoining areas of Pending, Padungan and Kota Sentosa. Multi-cornered fights in the latter two and a strong BN candidate in the former. It was veritable warfare as the BN began to hit back, throwing the prime minister himself into the fray.

By the great Rajang River, a hundred miles away, we seek to capitalise on our breakthrough last year. With our hero from Sibu, Wong Ho Leng, leading the charge, we are making a bid for four seats.

Here, attention is focused on another young female candidate who is up against the Minister Wong Soon Koh. Sibu, like Kuching, is very much our frontline.

After an explosive start, fatigue began to set in. Night after night of feverish campaigning left us drained. We needed a boost, and the weekend’s activities would provide it.

Throughout Sarawak, our campaign teams began to prepare for “super ceramahs.” The response was overwhelming as tens upon tens of thousands gathered at all our ceramahs statewide.

We were elated and our vigour renewed. Crowds were not only turning up, they seemed genuinely supportive. Donations were breaking records.

And then we began to fret over the possibility of having peaked too soon. Questions arose, snapping at our psyche. Were the crowds merely curious, or did they really believe in our message of change?

As a party, we are usually wont to be optimistic in action and pessimistic in expectation. With that in mind, we decided that there was nothing else to do but to up the tempo. The game would now be raised to another level.

Elsewhere, in Sarikei, Bintulu, Bintangor and Limbang, we launched into a series of brisk assaults. Response was encouraging.

Every morning we tell ourselves that it would be impossible to repeat the success of the night before. Yet evening comes and we are surprised again. These places were supposed to be sleepy hollows. We began to feel cautiously positive.

However, in the placid town of Sri Aman, our Iban candidate is faced with great odds. Applications for ceramah permits were repeatedly rejected.

A guerilla campaign had to be carried out, and in a constituency where 10 per cent of the votes are postal, hope was but a faint light at the end of a long tunnel. But persistence paid off and a permit was finally granted.

Treading on new ground, we were apprehensive about the turnout. Hoping for about a thousand, more than double the number showed up. The flicker had now turned into a torch.

Yet while we were bombarding the frontlines and conducting flash attacks on the flanks, there was something stirring in the rear.

Up in the north, in the coastal city of Miri, birthplace of Malaysia’s petroleum industry, a simmering heat began to permeate. Events developing in the conservative city were unprecedented.

There, in the grand bastion of the SUPP and stronghold of George Chan, brother-in-law and lieutenant to Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, something strange was happening. People were flocking to our ceramahs by the thousands.

As the days went by, the numbers only increased. Collections in this city were soon dwarfing the others. Suddenly, and against all expectations, Miri had become our main theatre of war.

There, carrying the weight of his people, we had our proverbial David, in the form of young lawyer Alan Ling, up against the might of George the Goliath.

And Miri is now where it all matters. Ultimate success lies in the quiet seat of Piasau, where victory for us will potentially send not one, but three heads rolling. Defeat for George Chan will signal the end of Taib, and the sinking of the BN in Sarawak will leave the prime minister clinging to a dinghy.

But for all our efforts in the last 10 days, it is the events of tomorrow that really matter. We have fought a good fight, and now leave it in the hands of the people.

As for tonight, I will sleep to the sound of the great Rajang River outside my window. The breeze accompanying it is whistling, as if telling a story. Perhaps it knows what the future has in store.

For the rest of us, we wait.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 16 April 2011, 11:14 am and is filed under
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UBAH SARAWAK – Good Luck!

Good evening Uncle Lim,

As a dawn of a new century will begin for Sarawak tomorrow and hopefully on Sunday, I would like to wish you Pakatan Rakyat members – DAP, PKR and PAS all the best and good luck to achieve another politcal tsunami. Although I’m in Australia studying, I’m still keeping track of news back home.

It’s good that all of you are being optimistic of the situation; again a word of caution – beware of the dirty tricks which are about to be played or are already in play. But by the end of the day, the kuasa rakyat or tsunami Part 2 will help to carry you to victory. I can see either the two happening; denying BN 2/3 majority in the assembly or taking over the Sarawak administration. Deep inside, I hope that PR will take both.

416 will indeed be a good day and I pray that whatever it maybe all of you are true champions of the rakyat. I know you have put in your effort to campaign and so do the rest. Don’t worry Uncle Lim, all of us Malaysians have got your backs. So don’t ever give up hope and continue to dream the impossible which will be made possible. I have used this phrase for my students, “Wherever you go there will always be mountains to climb and rivers to cross. But if you can use the disadvantages of the mountains and rivers to your gain; then all is well for you.”

I’m sending Pakatan Rakyat positive waves so that the positive waves will be transformed into a huge tsunami! Wishing you all the best and hope that you’ll be able to get Sarawak!

Regards,

Aaron Oo

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 16 April 2011, 7:46 am and is filed under
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BN retains two-thirds majority but Sarawak’s fixed deposit shattered

By
Jahabar Sadiq

Editor

The Malaysian Insider

Apr 16, 2011

KUCHING, April 16 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) has managed to keep its two-thirds legislative majority in Sarawak but today’s results have shattered the coalition’s invincibility and the notion of a fixed deposit in future elections.

The DAP doubled its presence to 12 and PKR tripled its representation although the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lynchpin had contested in 49 seats. PAS lost in all five seats it contested while Independent George Lagong took one seat.

The number of state seats to the Opposition pact will spell danger for BN as it could help them win more parliamentary seats when the general election is called by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. PR now has 75 MPs but the Sarawak win could translate into more in the future.

At 10.55pm, BN was declared the winner for 55, or 75 per cent, of the 71 seats in the Sarawak legislature. In the 2006 elections, it won 62 out of the 71 seats. Initial estimates showed that BN’s popular vote went down from 62.93 per cent in 2006 to 55.24 per cent in today’s polling.

The biggest upset was SUPP president and Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri George Chan Hong Nam losing the Piasau state seat to DAP’s Ling Sie Kiong.

The six-term incumbent’s defeat could spell the end of the SUPP, which won only six of the 19 seats it contested.

BN had expected to lose up to 20 seats in this state election as the Opposition had centred its campaign on long-serving Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, whose reluctance to step down has even apparently infuriated national BN leaders.

Najib had pledged that this would be Taib’s last election and he would leave soon after but the veteran leader has said openly in front of the BN chairman that he will stick around for a few more years.

He made good that promise by quickly taking his oath of office as chief minister for the seventh time at 10.30pm which was broadcast live through national and satellite television.

Critics believe Taib’s continued presence could help move more support to PR, which won its seats despite limited money, logistics and media presence.

Najib himself had to spend six days canvassing for votes across Malaysia’s largest state and state BN officials estimate that the coalition has spent nearly RM500 million to secure today’s victory.

Opposition leaders had concurred before today’s polling, saying BN officials had openly offered cash for support.

Sources within the Election Commission (EC) said BN won most of the seats as more from the older generation turned up to cast their ballots early compared to the younger generation who are known to support the Opposition.

“The trend was always for BN from early on in the day,” a source told The Malaysian Insider.

He pointed out that Taib’s PBB won all 35 seats that were contested reflecting the leader’s popularity among the Melanau community.

Today’s results will come as a relief to the ruling coalition which scrambled at the tail-end of the campaign to counter the massive crowds that thronged Opposition rallies in major towns.

But PR leaders were upbeat that they scored well in the state election.

“The future is bright for Pakatan in Sarawak. I don’t think BN leadership will dare to call for GE in next few months,” DAP national chairman Karpal Singh told reporters here.

However, PKR leaders were not around or too despondent to comment on the results.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 17 April 2011, 3:10 am and is filed under
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Clean sweep for PBB, but Taib still on rocky ground

By
Shannon Teoh

April 16, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) won all 35 seats it contested in today’s polls but its president Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will still take the fall for Sarawak Barisan Nasional’s (BN) loss of 16 seats.

Coalition chief Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in a press conference tonight that BN will stick to the pledge that the Sarawak chief minister would step down after the state election.

“When the time is right, we will fulfil the promise,” the prime minister said when asked about whether Abdul Taib would be ending his 30-year term. He did not specify the timing for Taib’s resignation.

Opposition parties improved on their 2006 tally of eight by winning 15 seats this time around.

It was also reported that BN saw its comfortable popular majority of 62.93 per cent slashed to just 55.24 per cent, a clear warning that the state could no longer be considered a fixed deposit in future elections.

Najib also said that he would use the results of the Sarawak election as a guide for when to call federal polls which are expected to be held within a year.

Analysts have said that the results would translate into further losses for BN in Parliament if Abdul Taib is not forced to quit before a general election.

During the 10-day campaign, the Umno president had pledged that Abdul Taib would step down after the polls.

However, the 74-year-old Abdul Taib immediately responded by insisting that he would only resign “after a few years.”

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 17 April 2011, 2:25 pm and is filed under
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Comment on the 2011 Sarawak election: We need fair election rules

By
Lim Yin Kuin

Sir,

I am a Malaysian student in a U.S. university and would like to comment on something I found outrageous about the Sarawak state election.

How is it that Chinese people make up the majority in Sarawak (something the mainstream media is not keen on mentioning often), yet Chinese candidates were left to fight for around 20 or so seats out of 71 in the state assembly? While I’m not a fan of political parties chasing votes from specific communities (PBB vs. PKR for Malays/Melanaus, SUPP vs. DAP for Chinese), how is it that the battle between DAP and SUPP to win the Chinese vote became a sideshow while PBB and Taib retained their political dominance while representing a minority of Sarawak’s population?

Of course, those questions are rhetorical. We all know the reasons behind them and no one dares ask why. For a Chinese person to question his or her lack of political representation is the worst form of political incorrectness in Malaysia.

Yet, this isn’t an issue about one race versus another (like a zero sum game). It’s a question of fairness, and whether or not to allow those in power (with questionable legitimacy) to do whatever they wish, to subordinate whomever they want in their quest for more power and wealth at the expense of those who are subordinated.

This issue paints a relevant picture of the unfair rules that opposition parties have to play by during elections. Again, I would like to emphasize how it sickens me that racial politics dominate our elections, but it does and here’s my take on it: Chinese people are the majority of Sarawak’s population. They are more likely to not vote in favor of Barisan Nasional, hence the electoral boundaries are gerrymandered in a way that:

(1) in most of the constituencies, their power as a voting bloc becomes irrelevant (especially in rural seats, where the racial breakdowns are a far cry from mirroring the state’s demographics as a whole) – the DAP did not even bother contesting these seats; and

(2) even in urban seats where they are undeniably the majority, the constituency boundaries keep their proportion as low as possible, forcing opposition Chinese politicians to appeal more to other races (which is a great thing, except that BN creates double standards by exempting themselves from this requirement).

For rural seats with non-Chinese majorities, BN knows that they can bribe constituents who have had their livelihoods squeezed so badly by the state government’s policies that they would do anything (like vote BN) just to receive a one-off cash payment to make ends meet.

With these rules in place, even if the DAP won every Chinese vote, other opposition parties will gain nothing and Sarawak would still be in the hands of Taib and PBB. This begs the question for the opposition parties: How can you win if even the rules you agree to abide by to are designed to keep you from winning?

Forget about ballot stuffing, ballot dumping, phantom voters, postal votes and other documented dirty tricks in the bag. The opposition parties are screwed by the system long before the game has even began. And there’s nothing they can do about it unless ordinary voters become cognizant of this fact. They can’t push for an independent Election Commission (to ask for independent institutions in Malaysia is like wishing to see donkeys fly), but greater awareness among ordinary folk can lead to solid action, such as popular support for election monitoring by respected international observers.

While there are lots of undesirable aspects of Malaysian politics – personality attacks, race, pandering to religious ignorance, sex – let’s at least establish some fair ground rules when it comes to elections. And while personality attacks, race, pandering to religious ignorance and sex in public debate are the darker sides of democracy that we have to accept, unfree and unfair elections are not.

If elections are set up in a way that the outcome that matters most – the ruling party retaining power – will occur however the electorate votes, then why even bother voting anyway. If Malaysians think that BN’s majority in parliament will be chipped away election by election, and that somewhere down the line, the opposition will actually stand a chance of winning power, they are gravely mistaken. But they are not powerless to prevent it.

If people in the Middle East can bring down oppressive dictators through intelligent use of social media in a globally connected world, surely Malaysians can demand free and fair elections. (This is NOT a revolutionary message. It simply seeks fair rules under the system, not to overthrow the system.)

In the Ivory Coast, election monitors certified Alassane Ouattara as the winner of the 2010 presidential election, and the international community backed him persistently even as the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo rigged the official results and refused to leave office. Their patience paid off as Gbagbo was finally deposed in 2011. This demonstrates how if you put yourself in the court of the respected international election observers, you will never be able to run from the truth. This is why I believe free and fair elections should be a cause that every Malaysian citizen should take up and every opposition party should champion.

Thank you for your time.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 17 April 2011, 3:41 pm and is filed under
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DAP tells BN Sarawak no longer fixed deposit

by
Debra Chong

The Malaysian Insider

Apr 16, 2011

KUCHING, April 16 — Flushed with its historic 12-seat victory in Malaysia’s biggest state tonight, the DAP has declared boldly that Sarawak is no longer the ruling Barisan Nasional’s (BN) fixed deposit as the prime minister mulls nationwide polls ahead of its 2013 expiry.

Despite failing to block the BN from winning back its traditional two-thirds control in the oil-rich state, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) 16-seat haul in the 71-seat state legislative assembly has effectively denied Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak a much needed referendum to confidently call for the 13th general elections this year.

The party adviser and parliamentary chief, Lim Kit Siang, remarked that PR’s win marks the biggest defeat faced by the BN’s Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud in his 30-year career as Sarawak chief minister, cementing the widely-held view that he is a liability to the ruling coalition at the federal level.

“This is the biggest setback for the Barisan Nasional. Sarawak is no longer the fixed deposit for the Barisan Nasional,” Lim senior told a news conference here tonight.

The two East Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah account for 56 out of 222 seats in parliament, with the former taking the lion’s share at 31.

“This big strike forward for DAP and for Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak is a very important and revolutionary step for the [coming] general elections,” he added.

Kit Siang’s son, Guan Eng, said Sarawak had delivered a very strong message to the federal government through the ballot box.

“The message is clear. Sarawak wants an end to a one-party rule and a one-man rule. They want a two-party rule,” the DAP secretary-general told reporters.

“I hope the prime minister will heed this message by asking Taib Mahmud to step down now,” Guan Eng said, even as he noted the 74-year-old’s promise to step down within the next two to three years was “too long”.

DAP national chairman, Karpal Singh, who was also at the same news conference observed that resource-rich Sarawak had the potential to top Penang’s record 26 per cent economic growth.

“I think Sarawak can do more than Penang with its resources,” the veteran lawyer said, echoing his colleagues in saying that the change can only come if the Sarawak chief minister, sworn in for the seventh consecutive term following his win as Balingan representative, steps down.

Sarawak DAP’s Chong Chien Jen in turn drove home the point that the newly-concluded state election was “all about Sarawak choosing whether it wanted to continue with a corrupt government or change to a better, cleaner, more accountable government”.

“Not only to Taib, but to Najib …  Sarawak wants change. They have had enough of the BN government and want to change to a cleaner government,” the Padungan winner said.

The DAP won 12 out of its 15 seats contested, while PKR took three. Their Islamist party, PAS, was wiped out in the race.

The BN swept 55 seats.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 17 April 2011, 2:33 am and is filed under
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Five things we learned in Sarawak

The Malaysia Insider

Apr 16, 2011

APRIL 16 — There are five things to be learned from today’s Sarawak election.

* The Najib factor

Even Pakatan Rakyat (PR) campaigners concede this fact grudgingly: till Datuk Seri Najib Razak camped in Sarawak, the Barisan Nasional (BN) machinery was rudderless and dispirited.

He cajoled, persuaded, pressed flesh and turned on the pipe of incentives and gifts when it appeared that the BN team was going to collapse under the incessant attacks on Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

PR basically got a taste of what it means to come up against a prime minister who will do pretty much anything to win an election. It is going to be pretty much the same at the next general election. Umno and BN will ride on the Najib brand.

There is no one else in Umno or BN with the pull of the prime minister. Definitely not Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Or Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. Or Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. Or Datuk G. Palanivel. Even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad can’t work the ground effectively.

The main question in Kuala Lumpur at the onset of campaign was this: why is Najib spending so much time in Sarawak? The answer: without him, BN is just like a piece of driftwood.

* It only takes a spark

Remember the Opposition. Yes, the motley group of individuals who sometimes remember that they are PR. The same people who were imploding over the lottery issue, distracted by the video scandal and constantly painted as failures by the mainstream media.

They are alive and kicking. The lesson here is that given the fluid state of politics in Malaysia post-2008, it only takes one issue to get the Opposition going. In this case, PR had a bogeyman in Taib Mahmud and the Alkitab issue.

PAS, PKR and DAP also came together in the wake of the sordid videotape, widely perceived by the public to have been engineered by Umno or its supporters.

So despite having a leader facing all sorts of problems, PR did well. BN and its agents would do well to understand that many Malaysians are not as skittish about voting Opposition.

* Taib Mahmud

At one point in the campaign, it appeared that Najib and gang were more upset with Taib Mahmud than with the Opposition. He seemed more interested in his young wife and refused to accept an early exit from politics.

BN leaders wanted him to go six months after polls but he placed himself on a three-year term. To be sure, the man is damaged goods. But with a two-thirds majority in the bag and Sarawak still under his control, he is likely to resist any move towards an early retirement.

And his resistance is going to complicate Najib’s desire to have polls this year. Some Umno/BN leaders believe that Najib should use the heavy stick approach to force Taib out of office. This includes looking into allegations of excessive wealth. The problem with that approach is that Taib has been around for 30 years and has enough leverage on most people, including Federal leaders.

* Chinese still with Opposition

Malaysia is a land divided, these days. BN have got the Malay vote and the Indian vote but the Chinese in East and West Malaysia are firmly with the Opposition.

Is this because they want checks and balances against the arrogance of Umno? Is this because they are tired of Chinese-based BN parties being second-class citizens? Is it because the community is weary of playing second fiddle?

* The power of incumbency

Conservative estimates suggest that the BN spent more than RM500 million on these hotly contested elections. Last night, the going rate in Miri was RM1,000 per identity card and apparently RM7,000 in Ba’Kelalan.

In addition to cold cash, the BN election machinery was supported by the impressive government machinery, from Kemas officials watching over longhouses to education officials working the ground.

Even the government-linked companies were out in full force in Sarawak, doling out gifts and opening bank branches, etc.

The point is that when PR go to battle, they are up against Umno, MCA, SUPP, PBB, Maybank, Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times, PDRM, EC, Pos Malaysia, AirAsia, etc.

This is the power of incumbency which Anwar and others are up against.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 17 April 2011, 2:51 am and is filed under
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After Sarawak setback, what next for BN?

The Malaysian Insider

April 18, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — Barisan Nasional (BN) lost significant ground in its stronghold of Sarawak during Saturday’s state assembly election, setting the stage for a shift in government and economic policy as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak works to regain support.

The government recorded its worst performance in 24 years in the poll in a result analysts say reflects the mood across the country, which could prompt Najib to switch tack in his plan to recapture the ethnic minority vote and restructure the economy to catch up with Asian neighbours.

In Saturday’s poll, the opposition won 15 seats in Sarawak’s 71-seat state legislature, giving the ruling BN coalition a two-thirds majority. But it was the coalition’s worst performance in Sarawak since 1987 when it won only 25 of 45 seats.

Following are questions and answers on how the poll outcome could reshape Malaysian political and financial policy.

Was it a big win for Najib?

Not really. BN won 77 per cent of seats in the 71-member state legislative but the opposition increased its seats to 15 from the 7 it won in the last polls in 2006, a major feat in a state where the ruling coalition has always held near total political dominance.

Mainstream domestic media mostly hailed the BN’s performance as a major win, although most newspapers also warned of a further erosion of support.

“With the opposition emerging as an even stronger player in (Sarawak) and willing no doubt to use its greater share of state seats to build support for the next general elections, there is a great need to take stock,” the pro-government New Straits Times said in an editorial.

How will Sarawak affect Najib’s general election timetable?

A general election is not due until 2013. Some analysts had said a strong showing in Sarawak might have tempted Najib to call an early poll this year. That now looks unlikely.

“We maintain our view that the general elections will be held in 2012 rather than 2011,” Credit Suisse Research said in a strategy report today.

What is at stake?

Complaints about ethnic and religious discrimination were a major source of voter discontent in Sarawak which helped the opposition to gain ground.

Ethnic Chinese and Indians, who make up about a third of Malaysia’s population, complain that their rights have been increasingly eroded as the government panders to the wishes of majority ethnic Malays.

A squabble over the government’s seizure of Bibles, allegations of racist slurs by government officials and a dispute over the right of Christians to use the word “Allah” have all fanned ethnic minority anger.

Najib needs to regain the trust of ethnic minorities as Sarawak and neighbouring Sabah, which both have a sizeable non-Malay population, hold the key to national power. The two states account for 56 seats in Malaysia’s 222-seat parliament.

What does Najib need to do, and can he pull it off?

Holding a general election later rather than sooner would buy Najib time to regain support but he would need to rethink his approach to economic reform. Instead of proceeding with fuel subsidy cuts and rolling out a goods and services tax, the government could seek other avenues to widen its revenue base without further denting popularity.

But a delay in cutting subsidies and boosting revenues could derail the government’s goal of further reducing its budget deficit. The deficit hit a 20-year high of 7 per cent of gross domestic product in 2009 before falling to 5.6 per cent in 2010 and is projected to be 5.4 per cent this year.

The Economist Intelligence Unit said Malaysia’s budget deficit would be 3.9 per cent in 2015, “somewhat above the level considered prudent”.

On the political front, any move by Najib to placate Chinese and Indians could anger conservative Malay Muslim groups which form a core support base for the ruling coalition.

A coalition of Muslim groups known as Pembela (Defenders) protested last Friday against what they said were excessive government concessions in talks with church leaders to resolve the Bible seizure row.

What are the implications for the opposition?

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to try to capitalise on ethnic minority discontent with the government to build on the support the opposition drew in the Sarawak poll.

Analysts say that with the Sarawak outcome, the three-party opposition alliance appears to have stemmed a recent slide in its popularity triggered by a spate of election losses and Anwar’s ongoing sodomy court case and his alleged involvement in a sex tape scandal, which he denies. — Reuters

                This entry was posted on Monday, 18 April 2011, 7:35 pm and is filed under
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Chua Soi Lek : “SUPP should stay out”

Tweets
@limkitsiang

MCA ChuaSoiLek urges SUPP boycott Swak state cabinet bcos Swak 416 g/e results. Will CSL direct MCA 2quit Najib’s Cabinet 4similar reason?

April 17, 2011 9:21 PM

CSL wants 1hijack SUPP 2serve MCA interests! http://bit.ly/ftu9m1 Chua: It shouldn’t accept Cabinet posts without public support (Star)

April 18, 2011 9:08 AM

Problem when SUPP leadrs vainly looked 2CSL KSK 2save them in Swk g/e when both cannot save MCA Gkan. Will CSL now act on his advice 2SUPP?

April 18, 2011 9:17 AM

Will 4MCA Ministers 7DepMinistrs act on CSL’s advice 2SUPP n annce their posts r suspended pending MCA Central Cttee decision whthr 2resign?

April 18, 2011 9:51 AM

Does CSL want all MCA Ministers/Dy Mins 2resign collectively 2show protest 2Najib –  going by logic of his advice 2SUPP? Stop equivocating!

April 18, 2011 10:09 AM

RT @babayeo: @giamsk I dun think that is what I read. Its just tt your boss is rubbing salt into a deep wound @limkitsiang

April 18, 2011 10:10 AM

Trouble when English of top MCA strategists so low.They shld all go 4basic English course @babayeo @giamsk I dun think that is what I read.

April 18, 2011 10:15 AM

CSL talk as if he is BN Paramount Chinese leader n KTK his Deputy -but both flunked in Swak g/e.Now want SUPP 2pay price of their failure

April 18, 2011 10:22 AM

When did CSL become BN Paramount Chinese leader? Endorsed by SUPP? If not, Y sought help of CSL in Sarawak g/e as if he is SUPP “saviour”?

April 18, 2011 10:24 AM

Let all MCA Ministers/DyMin declare whthr they support CSL’s call 2SUPP 2boycott SwakBN govt. If dare not, dare they speak up 2Umno or Taib?

April 18, 2011 11:26 AM

Let’s hear from TanSri Senator Dr. KohTsuKoon! Does he agree w CSL? Or dare not say at all?  http://bit.ly/ftu9m1 Chua: “SUPP shld stay out”

April 18, 2011 11:38 AM

Will MCA Presidential Councl tmr endorse or censure CSL call 2SUPP 2boycott Swak BN govt? Or behave like 3 monkeys- no see no hear no talk?

April 18, 2011 11:55 AM

Even highly-paid MCA cybertroopers steer clear subject – dare not echo CSL’s call 2SUPP boycott BN govt. Y? 1principle 4SUPP but anthr 4MCA?

April 18, 2011 11:59 AM

MahHangSoon – Y r u still an Exco in Perak BN state govt? Unless CSL changes his position on SUPP boycott, MHS cannot continue as Perak Exco

April 18, 2011 12:08 PM

If SUPP obeys CSL n boycotts Swak BN govt even if only by SUPP Chinese leaders, CSL MCA Ministers Dy Ministers State Excos all in the dock!

April 18, 2011 1:19 PM

                This entry was posted on Monday, 18 April 2011, 3:01 pm and is filed under
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PM seen stalling on reform after disappointing vote

Razak Ahmad

Malaysiakini

Apr 17, 11

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will likely put key economic reforms on ice as he tries to rebuild voter support after his ruling coalition recorded its worst performance in 24 years in a local election in a key stronghold.

Bets are largely off for a snap general election to take place this year, with Najib expected to rethink his strategy of promoting inclusive growth in the Muslim-majority multi-cultural nation to win back the minority vote, analysts said.

In Saturday’s state poll, Najib’s ruling National Front (BN) retained control of its stronghold Sarawak, which accounts for a fifth of its parliamentary seats, but the opposition more than doubled its seat tally as ethnic Chinese mostly voted against the government.

Structural economic changes such as further scaling back fuel subsidies, introducing a goods and services tax and reforming a decades-old race-based policy would be relegated in Najib’s list of priorities for now, analysts said.

“After the outcome in Sarawak, Najib will need a general election mandate before making any big moves,” said Ibrahim Suffian (right), director at the independent opinion polling firm Merdeka Center.

“Enacting fuel subsidy cuts and a goods and services tax will just add to the political issues that he will have to deal with ahead of the general election.”

The opposition won 15 seats in the 71-seat state legislature, giving the ruling coalition a two-thirds majority.

But it was its worst performance in Sarawak since 1987 when the coalition won only 25 out of 45 seats.

In the last state election in 2006, the opposition won only seven seats. On Saturday, the ruling National Front’s losses came mainly from areas dominated by ethnic Chinese, with its main Chinese party in the state losing 13 of the 19 seats it contested.

Little changed

Financial markets are expected to be little changed on Monday as past state elections have had minimal bearing on trade, although the expected delay in introducing reform could reinforce the stock market’s laggard position versus its neighbours.

Najib took office in 2009 pledging to woo investment, widen the country’s tax base with a goods and services tax and cut the country’s subsidy bill and budget deficit which hit a 20-year high of 7 percent of gross domestic product in 2009.

Once a magnet for foreign investment, Malaysia has lost much of its shine as its neighbours move faster in implementing reforms amid strong economic growth.

In a March report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Malaysia ranked as the second least popular market after Colombia among global emerging market fund managers and tied with India for least favourite among Asia-Pacific asset managers.

Analysts are uncertain about the timing for the next general election after the Sarawak poll although most agree that Najib was unlikely to call one this year, as he might have if he had won more decisively in Sarawak.

The Taib Question

The next general election is not due until 2013.

Asked whether the state poll would be a barometer for calling a general election, Najib was quoted by local media as saying: “No, this is only at state level. There are other things to consider at Sabah and the peninsula as well.”

Apart from highlighting ethnic minority unhappiness towards the government, the Sarawak poll has thrown up other political headaches for Najib including the retirement of the state’s long-serving chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The ruling coalition campaigned on a promise of Taib’s impending retirement to placate voters disenchanted with the state leader’s alleged corruption and nepotism. But analysts say Taib’s departure could create a leadership vacuum and increase political tensions ahead of national polls.

The poll result is also expected to help revive the People’s Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) opposition headed by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

The Alliance has lost some traction of late as Anwar battles a lengthy court case involving charges that he sodomised a former male aide and more recently, that he was caught on tape having sex with an unidentified woman. Anwar has denied both allegations.

“With the opposition’s gains, a new political configuration of politics has emerged, an important factor for Najib to consider before calling for the next general elections,” said Johan Saravanamuttu, visiting senior research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

– Reuters

                This entry was posted on Monday, 18 April 2011, 11:17 am and is filed under
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Poll results blow for PM, say analysts

M Jegathesan

Apr 18, 11

Malaysiakini

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is unlikely to call snap elections after a bruising state poll in which his ruling coalition lost ground to the opposition in a traditional stronghold, analysts said.

The BN coalition held onto its crucial two-thirds majority after Saturday’s vote in Sarawak but the opposition had its best result for nearly a quarter century in the resource-rich state on Borneo island.

The vote was seen as an important gauge of popularity for Najib, who has dished out money for rural development.

Some observers said it was the most crucial test for the BN since the 2008 general elections when the opposition seized a third of parliamentary seats and threatened the BN’s half-century grip on power.

In Saturday’s Sarawak election the BN clinched 55 seats while Anwar Ibrahim’s opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance won 15.

An independent candidate took one seat. Previously the BN had held 63 seats and the opposition eight.

The two-thirds majority effectively allows the BN coalition to pass legislation without any obstruction.

But political analyst Khoo Kai Peng said Najib had suffered a “massive” dip in the popular vote compared with BN’s performance at 2006 state polls in Sarawak.

“The popular vote for BN dipped by eight percentage points to 55 percent. This is a massive number for a state which has been a traditional BN fortress,” he told AFP.

Khoo said the results showed that the crucial parliamentary seats in Sarawak and neighbouring Sabah that the BN needs to stay in power could be at risk.

There are 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak and BN holds 29. In Sabah BN has 24 out of 25 seats. The opposition only has three in both the states.

Both sides found positives in the result.

Najib described the victory as a “strong mandate” to rule Sarawak, although he was cagey on whether he would call snap polls.

Anwar told AFP his opposition alliance had performed “extremely well,” as ethnic Chinese, Malays and other indigenous people voted for the grouping across the huge rugged state.

“The result has energised the opposition ahead of national polls which may be called in mid-2012,” he said.

It was the opposition’s best performance in 24 years in Sarawak as it rode a rode a wave of discontent against the long reign of 74-year-old chief minister Taib Mahmud (below) and Christian anger over the government’s attempt to restrict Bibles printed in Malay.

Khoo said Najib had emerged bruised from the poll, which is regarded as a key barometer on how voters in peninsular Malaysia and Sabah state, which neighbours Sarawak, may vote in the national election.

The BN’s losses in some rural constituencies was due to displeasure over the state government’s action to seize ancestral land, he said.

“There was a big swing of votes in the urban and rural areas to the opposition,” he added.

“Najib will not call national elections this year. I think he will be pushed out by his ruling United Malays National Organisation if he fails to secure a two-thirds majority (in the national election),” Khoo said.

Monash University Malaysia political scientist James Chin said Anwar galvanised the opposition by focusing on poverty and the alleged corrupt rule of chief minister Taib.

Taib has denied allegations of large-scale corruption involving his family and political allies.

Chin (left) said opposition success in urban seats could indicate that more parliamentary seats will fall into their hands, a key factor in their bid to topple the ruling coalition.

“Najib will probably not call for elections this year as he has to sort out his economic transformation plans to bolster the economy,” he said.

Jeniri Amir, a political analyst at University Malaysia Sarawak, said Najib was in a quandary.

“Najib is in a dilemma. He wants an early mandate but the outcome of this poll shows that BN is in a disadvantageous position,” he said. “I think Najib will delay the polls until mid-2012.”

National elections do not need to be held until mid-2013.

Jeniri said voters’ anger against Taib, who has refused to step aside despite Najib’s cajoling, could mean the BN will lose parliamentary seats in Sarawak.

While the BN must tackle corruption and abuse of power in the state to claw back votes, support for the opposition is strong and Anwar remains a “threat to BN’s half-century grip on power,” he said.

– AFP

                This entry was posted on Monday, 18 April 2011, 1:50 pm and is filed under
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10th Sarawak State Election 2011 Results – A Reflection For GE 13

By
Richard Loh

My delayed comment on the Sarawak State Election results was because I was on the road the past few days. By now most of you must have read statements from party leaders from both sides, the winners and losers, the experts from the new media and of course the umno/bn controlled media as well.

Was there really a tsunami in this State Election? There was none and let me explain why.

A tsunami cannot happened by itself, it needs an action to trigger it. The recent tsunami in Japan was triggered by a 8.9 Richter Scale earthquake. A tsunami usually will not happened for earthquake less than 5 Richter Scale, it will just create ripples.

In my earlier posting I clearly mentioned that the wind of change in Sarawak was only ripples being formed and there can be no tsunami as yet.

Sarawak and to an extend Sabah are totally different ‘monsters’ to tackle. They will only listen to their masters who have controlled them for over 40 years and will growl and bite anyone else that come near them. Even if they are being tortured, denied their food, basic amenities and land, they will still go back to their masters after been given small pep talks (with some threats) and a little incentives better than the usual, thrown in.

By just blowing air from your mouth is not going to create any tsunami. Some concrete actions need to be done that will have the effect of a 7 Richter Scale earthquake which can shake the people, only then a tsunami can be seen and felt.

For Pakatan Rakyat to make inroads into Sarawak and Sabah or rather to gain state power there are many challenges and obstacles that PR has to face and fend off and by just shouting and claiming that the tsunami has arrived is simply not good enough. The best bet is to work with the local leaders, members and political parties that are serious in wanting change as they are the ones who know better the in-things of their states. TALK less and WORK more. By talking too much you allow the media especially umno’s to spin more.

It is hope that Pakatan Rakyat will not stay jubilant over the small gain for too long but start looking into what went wrong for their failure to deny Umno/BN/Taib the two third majority, if I am not wrong, this is their main objective.

GE 13 is just round the corner and if PR is still on cloud nine with the little improvement of the Sarawak Election and the 308 results, they are in big trouble.

From afar and on the sideline, many are seeing a very shaky Pakatan Rakyat and with the help of the umno/bn controlled media spinning out of control every little thing that they can find on PR, irrespective of its truth, PR can be disintegrated even before the 13th GE arrives.

PR must not only be seen to be a strong coalition but all its physical actions must be accepted by the rakyat. But sadly no one wants to admit the fault line within the coalition. Looks like it is easier to pretend then admitting it.

PR must face reality and start to clean up the internal mess of one of the party. There is no point in pretending that all is fine when everyone on the outside can see clearly that it is not so.

My question to PR is, are you sincere in wanting to capture Putra Jaya? If you are, then prove to us that all the three parties can agree to stand as one and withstand the onslaught of your opponent. The rakyat are very worried and frustrated when the three parties are quarrelling over seats allocation and party members fighting for candidacy.

My postings may offend and make some PR leaders and supporters angry but my intention is very clear. I want PR to capture Putra Jaya and I need to speak my mind when I see anything wrong that may cost the chances of capturing Putra Jaya. For example, my tweet on the latest TV3 interview may have offended Raja Petra Kamarudin thus he removed and blocked me from following him. RPK is not a politician, he can do what he likes to anybody but PR leaders should not show their anger directly and upfront when confronted by members and supporters who are more vocal.

I may be wrong most of the time in hammering PR but I cannot be wrong all the time.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 11:02 am and is filed under
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DAP’s giant killer groomed by MCA

By
Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
 | Malaysiakini

When assigned by then MCA president Ong Ka Ting to revive the party’s UK Club in 2005, Ling Sie Kiong never thought that he would one day become a candidate for the opposition.

More than that, he has turned ‘giant killer’ at the age of 28, unseating SUPP president and deputy chief minister Dr George Chan in the Sarawak election concluded on Saturday.

“I met Ong at Sheffield University when I was looking for sponsorship as president of the UK Malaysian Law Students Union,” said Ling in a phone interview, fresh from his electoral success.

“He suggested I revive the dormant MCA UK Club. My friends and I accepted the challenge. We then set up branches in different universities and also created a website for the club.”

The club also liaised with its counterparts in Umno and MIC to organise activities for Malaysian students in the UK.

Whenever MCA ministers or leaders visited the UK, the club would hold dialogues with them to exchange views on the party and Malaysian politics.

However, Ling did not join the party despite overtures by leaders such as Chor Chee Heung, who was in charge of the overseas club, and one-time deputy education minister Hon Choon Kim.

Ling was also familiar with the DAP’s struggles and leaders. From the age of 14, he had been taken to the party’s ceramah and dinners by his father, a staunch supporter.

“I’m lucky because I had the chance to assess and get to know both sides. From interacting with MCA leaders, I realised the constraints faced by MCA in BN.”

After graduating with law degree in 2006, he returned to Malaysia and did his chambering in DAP chairperson Karpal Singh’s legal film before returning to Miri in 2009.

“Initially I wanted to contribute to my hometown through community service. But on assessing the political landscape after 2008 general election, I found that BN component parties still had no say in the government. So I decided that I needed to come forward,” he said.

On Valentine’s Day this year, apart from celebrating the occasion with his fiancee, Ling declared his dedication to another love – DAP – and joined the party.

“SUPP has no real power in the ruling coalition. What could I do if I join them?” he replied when asked why he chose DAP.

“DAP’s ideology and platform suits me better. I admire the spirit of DAP leaders and their perseverance despite repeated defeats in Miri.”

Priorities in politics

Joining Miri DAP was a tough choice because the ‘oil city’ has been a SUPP stronghold. Anyone active in the opposition would face all kinds of pressure.

“It was a tough struggle. I even shed tears. I had just started my career and got engaged at the end of last year. I had to convince my fiancee, her parents and my parents to support my decision. I appreciate their support very much,” he said of his first two months in politics.

On April 2, a day before the party announced its candidates for the Sarawak election, Ling was told that he had been picked to challenge Chan (right in photo), the six-term Piasau assemblyperson.

“It was very hard for Miri DAP to attract professionals because SUPP was so strong there,” said Ling, explaining his quick elevation in the party’s hierarchy.

What has prompted Ling to dedicate his time and efforts to public affairs and social justice was an event that affected a family member while he was doing his pre-university studies in Miri.

“My uncle was extorted by the police, who abused their power. In that incident, I saw the dark side of society and the importance of legal knowledge. Therefore I decided to study law to protect the rights of my family,” he said.

Growing up, he had also witnessed first-hand the hardship and sorrows of those in dire need.

Born to a poor family in Sibu, Ling and his illiterate parents had migrated to Limbang when he was three.

For seven years, he lived in a double-storey wooden shoplot along the river-front from which his father ran a grocery store downstairs. The family moved to Miri when he was 10.

Looking forward to the first state assembly sitting, Ling pledged to voice the woes of middle- and low-income Mirians, including squatters.

He claimed that Chan, a tycoon, had failed to bring up issues affecting them over the last 30 years, including the lack of electricity and water supply.

But all that is set to ubah (change).

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 2:15 pm and is filed under
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Kudos to Prof Bong and Prof Hanafiah of HUKM

Tweets
@limkitsiang
 :

@UKM Specialist Centre where SohAhKee(Mrs PangHokLiong) underwent miraculous +12hr rare pancreatic cancer operation othr specialists decline

04/19/2011 11:20 AM

Ops on 8/4 830am to 845pm carried out by young HepatobiliaryPancreatic Specialist Prof BongJanJien n team – believed 1st such ops in region

04/19/2011 11:29 AM

Prof Bong n specialists in HUKM show our talents compare w best in world Msia must retain/inspire them 2stay instead of joining braindrain

04/19/2011 11:35 AM

Specialists in Spore Malaysia declined Whipple ops on SohAhKee cos she has tumour virtually encasing her arteries n too dangerous 2operate.

04/19/2011 12:15 PM

PangHokLiong, exJohore DAP StateAssemblyman great praises 4ProfBong ProfHanafiah (vascular surgeon) n UKM team as he/wife prepared 4worst

04/19/2011 12:19 PM

Believd only 1 such case each(arteries encased by pancreatic tumour)in Japan/HK. Wish speedy recovery 2AhKee who began 2suffer pain last Dec

04/19/2011 12:27 PM

Whipple ops -involve removal pancreas portion bile duct gallbladder duodenum portion of stomach. Hanafiah standby 4 5hr ops if arteries cut

04/19/2011 12:30 PM

Kudos 2ProfBong ProfHanafiah n HUKM team. They have done Msia proud.  Pang ready 2tell world abt their achievements. Lets have best in world

04/19/2011 12:37 PM

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 1:07 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #61

By
M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 7:  Enhancing Human Capital

Sharpening Malaysian Competitiveness

Trajectory of Progress

Advancement or improvements in a society, like elsewhere, occurs along two patterns.  One is the rare person or event that comes once in a while that will radically alter the way we look at things and solve problems.  There is no way to predict or encourage this.  Discoveries of the steam engines, and later the internal combustion engine, heralded the Industrial Revolution; the integrated circuit (IC) sparked the IT revolution.  Similarly with rare individuals like Bill Gates or Ted Turner (the man who started the all-news network, CNN); you cannot train or nurture them.  These are random and unpredictable occurrences.

            The second equally important, though they may appear initially less spectacular, are the slow incremental improvements that others made on those seminal inventions or discoveries.  Take the example of the IC.  First somebody used it to come up with mainframe computers and later, personal computers.  Then somebody thought of linking the computers together as the Intranet.  Yet later still someone came up with the search engine software to sift these interconnected databases and lo and behold, the Internet was born.  And suddenly the IT revolution is upon us.  It took all these incremental improvements and enhancements to extend and fully utilize the benefits of the original invention of the IC.

            This is also the way a society progresses.  Occasionally there would be a seminal event or person that would determine the fate of that society.  Typically the nation could be conquered, liberated, or there could be an internal revolution.  With Malaysia, the most recent seminal event was its independence from Britain.  That put the nation on a different trajectory of development.  Before, London determined Malaysia’s fate; today it charts its own course.  Since that pivotal event, Malaysia has made many incremental improvements that in total made a much greater impact on the nation than the original declaration of independence.

            Many countries failed to capitalize on their independence and squandered the opportunities afforded by it; they easily reverted to their backward status.  Indeed many are worse off today than when they were colonized.  Many citizens of Congo and Zimbabwe today feel they were definitely better off under colonial rule.  Iranians today too look longingly to the “good old days” under the tyrannical Shah.

            All too often in the search for the spectacular, we fail to appreciate the importance of these incremental improvements.  In their totality, these little improvements and enhancements produce more impact than the original seminal event or discovery.  Thus we must not belittle or ignore these tiny improvements.  More importantly we must continue making them, and nurture these continuous changes.  Unlike the random spectacular events, these incremental changes can be encouraged and developed.

            If I were to gather ten senior Malaysian civil servants and ask them what they are doing differently today in their present job that they were not doing five years ago, they probably could not answer me.  They have been doing their job in the same manner as their predecessors, with no innovation or improvement.  They are merely behaving as an autopilot, coasting as it were.  Similarly if they were asked what they would expect to be doing differently five years hence if they were to keep the same job, they would again be nonplussed.

            In my current surgical practice, nearly three quarters of the operations that I do now were not yet discovered or done when I was in training.  Similarly, the surgical procedures that were common during my training days are now rarely performed.  The diseases and the patients have not changed, but the way we managed them have, and for the better.  Today surgeons rarely perform mutilating surgeries for breast cancer; surgeries now are less traumatic and disfiguring, yet give the same if not better results.

            When I was in training, the average length of stay following gallbladder surgery was a week; today it is done as an outpatient, and using a totally different technique (laparoscopically).  Similarly, the contents of my wife’s college lecture today bear little resemblance to what they were a mere five years ago.  Today her students do most of their assignments on computers.

            Yet in Malaysia they keep doing things the same way.  The massive social engineering program, the New Vision Policy, is essentially a carryover of the original New Economic Policy promulgated by Tun Razak way back over 30 years ago.  The assumptions and strategies have not changed.

            Citizens must be encouraged to be innovative and not be afraid of change so as to enable them to become competitive.  There are two ways to achieve this.  One is to encourage and expose them to competition at the earliest stages, and two, to reward those who are competitive.

            With the premise that we cannot predict who will be the winners, we must ensure that everyone be given the chance and opportunity to participate.  Thus the young in rural and poor neighborhoods must be given equal if not better opportunities for education to compensate for their less-than-favorable circumstances.  Their schools and teachers must be as good as those in urban areas.  One of the cherished memories of my school days in rural Kuala Pilah in the 1950’s was when I was transferred to Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK), a supposedly elite boarding school, I found that the laboratories and libraries at my old school were on par with MCKK.  In fact the science facilities were better at my old school; it had started a pure science stream years ahead of MCKK.  To top it, I count among my headmasters at Kuala Pilah, a London University PhD, an Oxford graduate, and one from Cambridge.  With such leadership it was no surprise that my old school produced more than its share of the nation’s luminaries.  Today it would be difficult to find any rural school in Malaysia with such a sterling staff and facility.

            Entry into elite residential schools today is based on competition.  That is commendable, but not enough.  First, the definition of merit must be broadened and more inclusive, beyond examination results.  I would in addition consider the students’ circumstances.  Thus I would pick the son of a farmer over that of a doctor even if the former has a slightly lower score.  My argument is this:  given the superior surroundings of a boarding school, the farmer’s son should do better.  The doctor’s son would do well regardless which school he would be attending; his well-educated parents would ensure that.  Thus instead of depending only on the test scores, I would assess the whole child.  Perhaps a student who has not done as well in the test but whose teachers’ recommendations are outstanding should also be considered.  This of course makes the selection process much more complex than simply and mechanically looking at test scores.  American universities base their admissions on the total evaluation of the candidate.  As the brochure from Harvard indicates, a high score would not guarantee admission and neither would a low score an automatic disqualifier.

            Second, the competition is presently restricted only to Bumiputras.  I would broaden that to include all Malaysians.  To cater to the political sensitivities, I would limit the number of non-Bumiputras.

            Last, I would continue the competition even after the students are admitted.  Thus students who do not measure up would be transferred back to the regular school.  The expensive resources of the boarding schools should not be wasted on slackers.  Doing this would serve as a sober reminder to those remaining to buckle up.

            I would make these rules and criteria explicit and applicable to all.  This is the only way to cut out influence peddling in the admission process.

            Beyond the schools, I would also introduce similar rigorous competition for entry into universities and in the awarding of scholarships.  The present policy of continuing the scholarships of students who fail to maintain satisfactory academic standing must be stopped.  Those who do not make it must have their funding cut off.

            Again with university admissions, I would broaden the definition of merit.  Today public universities interpret merit narrowly; they do not factor in participation in extracurricular and other activities.  This is misplaced.  A generation hence we will have graduates who will be nothing but one-dimensional bookworms.  There must be slots in the universities for those who have excelled in other spheres.  Thus someone who has a less than sparkling academic record but who has successfully led his rugby team to the state championship surely has leadership qualities and deserving of a spot on campus.  Similarly those who have extraordinary talent in the performing arts should also be given an opportunity.

Next: Competition in the Public service

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 10:52 am and is filed under
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Najib’s 1 Malaysia circus — 1 email for every Malaysians

Tweets
@limkitsiang
:

Are Malaysians so IT-backward?  http://bit.ly/ggwc0K All Malaysians to get official 1 Malaysia email a/c (TMI)

04/19/2011 02:26 PM

Will 1 use of 1M a/c get a 1M burger, 2nd use IM-Tshirt, 3rd use 1M-Tupperware?  http://bit.ly/ggwc0K All Msians to get 1M email a/c (TMI)

04/19/2011 02:29 PM

Najib’s 1Malaysia circus plumbs new depth – Big Brother-ism gone mad! http://bit.ly/ggwc0K All Msians to get 1M email a/c (TMI)

04/19/2011 02:30 PM

Results Najib’s 1M circus (1)Msians more divided bcos of rhetoric race/religion under UMNO patronage (2)birth new army of 1M fortune hunters

04/19/2011 02:33 PM

Wow! Ripoff of the century! RM50 million 4newfangled 1M email a/c 4Msians that nobody wants. Couldn’t Najib put RM50 million 2better use?

04/19/2011 03:09 PM

All Malaysians to get official 1 Malaysia email a/c

By
Lee Wei Lian
 | The Malaysian INsider

April 19, 2011

PUTRAJAYA, April 19 — Malaysians aged 18 and above will be given a secure 1 Malaysia email account for official purposes said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.

The email account will allow direct and secure communication between citizens and the government, and is part of a new one-stop web portal for government services.

The web portal will be developed by Tricubes Berhad and will provide services such as social networking, online bill payment and citizen application development.

“The communications content and infrastructure NKEA is also kick-starting a government initiative to provide a unique and official email account and identification for citizens of Malaysia,” said Najib.

He said that the RM50 million investment would have a GNI impact of RM39 million up to 2015. Further, the 1 Malaysia email initiative will allow direct and secure communications between Malaysian citizens and government as well as enhance delivery of public services.

MORE TO COME

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 2:42 pm and is filed under
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Sarawak election aftermath: Investigating Taib’s billions

by
Koon Yew Yin
 | CPI Asia

The Sarawak election results have come and gone. It has not been able to change the power equation in the state which has for so long been under the control of Taib Mahmud. A combination of dirty tricks and the well-honed BN election firepower of goodies, spin and support from public and private sector bodies, including those that are supposed to be neutral stake players, helped ensure the victory. What lies ahead for the Chief Minister and his state?

During his three decades of rule, Taib – together with members of his extended family – amassed an enormous fortune whilst the great majority of the population sank further into poverty. Several years ago, Transparency International in its Global Corruption Report named 10 of the world’s most corrupt leaders, “whose corruption has contributed to their countries’ low economic status, placing them among the poorest on the planet” (Forbes magazine).  At that time, Taib Mahmud’s name did not appear on the list.

If that roll of dishonour were to be updated today, could Taib’s name appear on the list as predicted by some observers? Some of his defenders – and there are very few even amongst hardcore BN supporters – may argue that the allegations of the size of his fortune have been overestimated.  The onus, if Taib is to silence his detractors, is on him and his family to open the books on the family fortune and to account for the alleged torrent of millions that has flowed into the bank accounts and other assets under the Taib family name and proxies since he assumed the position of chief minister.

Recently, clues to the enormous size of the Taib family wealth emerged when Taib’s daughter-in-law (left) filed a RM400 million (US$132 million) claim on her estranged husband in court, including what she claims is her share of property worth RM300 million. That case is unlikely to see any further development since Taib’s son, Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, apparently is looking for an out-of-court settlement to avoid public scrutiny into how the family gained such wealth.

Even if the extent of the Taib, et al, fortune has been over-estimated, what is perhaps most striking is that the fortune has been amassed from Taib’s political position as chief minister of one of the states of the country. Compare this with the other names that appear on the Forbes list I cited above. Suharto, Marcos, Mobutu, Abacha, Milosevic, Duvalier and others – these are leaders of entire countries, not of just one state within a country.

There are several concerns that arise from the unusual appearance of a state (not national) political leader in the list of fabulously rich political leaders. One is that if the reports of the wealth of just one chief minister were true, what does it say about the total amount of wealth accumulated by the other state leaders in Malaysia?

The second is that it shows that Taib’s financial vacuum machine must have been extremely extensive and efficient. A recent article in the blogsite Sarawak Headhunter provides in-depth details into what is alleged to be the 10 incomes stream of the Chief Minister.  These include:

Income from timber licences

Surcharge on timber exports

Kickbacks from timber shipping companies

Agency and other fees levied on shipping companies

Privatization of government companies

Illegal logging receipts

Federal government contracts

Alienation of state land to plantations

State contracts

Source: Sarawak Headhunter

The Chief Minister has refuted these claims and in defence has argued that that his daughter’s property empire in Canada and the UK was amassed through the daughter and son-in-law’s business acumen in investing wisely the gratuity which Taib earned from his earlier service in the federal government. This story of parental love and prudent and profitable financial investment is very touching.  It may very well be true but it needs to be substantiated by an opening of the financial records and bank accounts of the family and the companies the family owns or controls in Malaysia and abroad so that Malaysians can determine the truth of the charges and allegations of financial and political impropriety and abuses hurled against the Chief Minister.

Today, in Egypt, as part of the measures to wipe out corruption and to transform the country, the provisional government has begun an investigation into how Mubarak amassed his wealth. A judicial commission has been appointed to investigate not only Mubarak but also his wife Suzanne and his two sons and their wives. In the meantime, the Mubarak family has been banned from travelling abroad and their assets have been frozen. Several Ministers, officials and former members of the National Democratic Party (the overthrown ruling party) have also been banned from leaving the country pending further investigations.

No Malaysian will begrudge the Chief Minister and his family members if their personal fortune is due to honest savings and far-sighted investments and not due to illicitly accumulated wealth. However, to stop the tongues wagging and to silence the critics once and for all, the federal government needs to undertake a similar investigation into the Taib family wealth along the lines of what is taking place in Egypt with the investigation of the Mubarak family wealth.

This election outcome – the public investigation of the Taib family wealth – would be the more significant one for the nation to celebrate.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 10:59 am and is filed under
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Suggest DAP and SNAP should seriously consider a merger to accelerate Iban/Dayak political awakening following the 416 Sarawak general elections

Political scientist Dr. Bridget Welsh in her article “The myths of Sarawak polls results” in Malaysiakini today has debunked two myths about the 416 Sarawak general elections:

That the Chinese voters supported the Opposition while the non-Chinese voters endorsed the Barisan Nasional; and

That the Opposition received support only in the urban areas while the rural areas are the haven of Barisan Nasional.

Nothing can be further from the truth in both cases.

The 416 Sarawak general elections saw not just a Chinese swing against the Barisan Nasional but also by other communities as well.

Bridget said preliminary findings of the 416 Sarawak general elections highlight that “the movement is greatest in mixed constituencies”, stressing:

“No question about it, a growing number of Chinese supported the opposition in Sarawak. The interesting finding from the results, however, is that they are not alone, and in fact the Chinese swing toward the opposition is comparatively less (yes, less) than the changes within other communities.”

This is borne out by BN losing three Dayak-majority seats and the slashing of Barisan victory margins in other Iban seats to an all-time low.

The Bidayuh seats were most impressive  – for although Pakatan Rakyat failed to win a single one of the Bidayuh seats, there was a 17.9% swing in the Bidayuh votes in favoour of the Opposition!

The second myth that the Opposition received support only in urban areas was smashed by two results:

Pakatan Rakyat victory in two very rural seats – Ba’kelalan and Krian; and

Pakatan Rakyat victory in Batu Kawah, Dudong and Piasau which have large semi-rural areas.

According to Bridget’s preliminary analysis at the seat level, the gains in semi-rural seats were more than in the other areas: 19.7% compared to 14.8% in the rural areas and 13.4% in the urban communities.

These are all very encouraging and even inspiring pointers for the Pakatan Rakyat in the next great electoral contest in Sarawak – the 13th national general elections which would be held within months.

In the past few days, I have been receiving emails from supporters expressing their hope for the future and expectations of DAP and Pakatan Rakyat in Sarawak.

A.Jong wrote from Perth urging the DAP to uphold the rights of Malaysians and not just the urban Chinese.

I want to assure Jong that right from the very first day of our formation 45 years ago DAP had been fighting for the rights and interests of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, geography or socio-economic status.

Admittedly, thanks to enemy propaganda in the controlled mass media in the past decades, DAP is projected and perceived by some as a Chinese party.

This is a perception that the DAP must eliminate so that all Malaysians can accept and support us as a political movement committed to the betterment of the welfare of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region.

Sarawak DAP cannot rest on its laurels having won 12 seats in the 416 Sarawak state general elections but must prepare immediately for the 13th national general elections which is not far off.

From now till the 13th national general elections, DAP leaders, members and supporters must work with Pakatan Rakyat partners to reach out to all Sarawakians including Ibans/Dayaks and Malay/Melanaus.

In the 13th national general elections, we should avoid any multi-cornered contests which can only benefit the Barisan Nasional and for this reason, I would even suggest that DAP and SNAP should seriously consider a merger  of the two political parties to accelerate Iban/Dayak political awakening following the 416 Sarawak general elections.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 5:38 pm and is filed under
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