BN supporters feeling the heat (Photo credit: Abang Benet)
I was on the mainland yesterday and ran into a few people. From my conversations with them, it sounded like quite a few people were determined to teach the BN a lesson in the by-election.
The Christians are utterly disgusted with the “show cause” letter to The Herald. They are definitely not impressed. Many of them are urging their friends and family members to vote for the opposition.
Najib and Khairy’s presence – and Saiful’s via video – in Permatang Pauh could prove to be counterproductive, to put it politely.
I ran into a DAP grassroots worker and he said that they are going all out to ensure the BN candidate loses his deposit – and he seemed confident it was within reach! (That remains to be seen.) Rural Penanti and Permatang Pasir are in the Pakatan bag, he claimed. The only concern he had was with the low-rise low- and medium-cost flats in the ethnically mixed urban area of Seberang Jaya, which he said the BN could easily pinpoint for targeted campaigning.
A Malay petrol pump attendant in neighbouring Butterworth told me that there was a great need for check and balance at the national level. Among the local issues he cited were:
- the imposition of tolls on the Butterworth-Seberang Jaya stretch of the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE). Until recently, this stretch had been toll-free for years. “50 sen toll put dia orang mau,” he grumbled.
- the proposed Second Penang Bridge, which the attendant said was a waste of funds. (He doesn’t have a car.) He said it would only be used by those heading to the island from the south. He has a point, especially when you consider that the cross-channel ferry service has been allowed to deteriorate to a pathetic level. Long waits are the order of the day, and if you try to take a ferry after 9.00pm, good luck to you. Why they don’t increase the number of ferries when the Penang Bridge is so congested continues to baffle me. Actually, no, it doesn’t puzzle me; they just want to prove to Penangites that we desperately need another bridge – and a RM5 billion bridge at that. Big money-la.
- the higher cost of living.
One veteran KL-based journalist warned about the digital divide among rural voters who rely heavily on the mainstream media for their news. These older voters especially, he said, could be influenced by Saiful’s oath-taking and challenge to Anwar to swear by the Qur’an.
But Anwar has been campaigning at a blistering pace: three ceramah a night at different locations, walkabouts, and his presence at prayers in local mosques.
Meanwhile, the MCA, Gerakan and MIC are in disarray and probably demoralised. Will Samy dare to show his face in town, for instance? Where is Koh Tsu Koon?
But the most telling problem for the BN is its utter inability to reinvent itself and introduce meaningful reforms after its major setback in the March general election. They are still out of touch with reality or rather the people’s reality on the ground. And they find it so difficult to get off their high horse and get in touch with the people’s changed mood and desire for justice and people-centred development. That inability could cost them dearly when the result is announced on Tuesday night.
Blog visitor Karma left this comment:
Yes, i agree with you. i was there yesterday. BN is completely gone. The component parties are completely disheartened to campaign. They are not welcomed by the people. Najib and Khairy are not wanted either. Many UMNO members are fed up with Ariff, the candidate who claims to be pursuing his PhD, which he finally retracted yesterday. Umno and BN members are openly supporting Anwar. This surprised me. Personal attacks on Anwar have backfired terribly. The media onslaughts on Anwar have equally backfired. The people are fed up with all this. Umno has not learned much from the 8 March election. It’s the economic problems that they want to be resolved, not personal issues. They are not interested in personal issues. The people seems to be united to give anwar a big win. Ariff is utterly a wrong choice for Umno, poor guy. Khairy and Ezam are totally rejected by the people here. They just hate to see and hear them talking. Najib could not run away from all those shouts and boos against him. Umno has nothing left now in Permatang Pauh. Everything they do seems to go wrong….. IT IS GOING TO BE A LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR ANWAR.
Great anil, I wonder last time when the oppositions told the penangites that they will abolish the tolls in penag. But what happen now?
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I hope you are right. DSAI in Parliament with a thumping majority may be the final slap in the head that the BeeEnd needs to wake up and put their house in order.
If not, we just wait then for Sep 16 and if not Sep 16, then PRU 13.
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Mugam,
To abloish tolls, you need to be in the Federal Govt, pls differentiate bewteen Federal tolled roads and state tolled roads.
If Pakatan comes to power in Federal Govt, we can then hold them to their promises, and yes, inclusive of the petrol and diesel price drop!
Until then, pls blame the correctly, the current tolls is caused by the … BeeEnd govt, primarily Semi Value!!!!
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a new malaysia! how refreshing and vitalising!
penangites, you are our hope. do us proud!!!
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yes i agree with you. i was there yesterday. BN is completely gone. the component parties are completely disheartened to campaign. they are not welcomed by the people. Najib and Khairy are not wanted either. many UMNO members are fed up with ariff, the candidate who claims to be pursuing his PhD, which he finally retracted yesterday. umno and BN members are openly supporting anwar. this surprised me. personal attacks on anwar have backfired terribly. the media onslaughts on anwar have equally backfired. the people are fed up with all this. umno has not learned much from the 8th march election. it’s the economic problems that they want to be resolved, not personal issues. they are not interested in personal issues. the people seems to be united to give anwar a big win. ariff is utterly a wrong choice for umno, poor guy. khairy and ezam are totally rejected by the people here. they just hate to see and hear them talking. najib could not run away from all those shouts and boos against him. umno has nothing left now in permatang pauh. everything they do seems to go wrong….. IT IS GOING TO BE A LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR ANWAR.
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I think AAB is secretly for us people.
It just boggles my mind why UMNO keep doing the things that only turn any decent human being away. Why does UMNO keep “shooting itself in the foot”?
Either the Campaign Manager (if there is one) is very incompetent or secretly, if you can’t save a malignantly criminal UMNO and turn it into an honourable one, even from the inside, then perhaps it’s better to do that which will hasten its demise!
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Astonishing that a tiny place like Permatang Pauh has become the battlefield that will decide the destiny of the entire nation. One is reminded of the Battle of Kurukshetra that constitutes a large part of the Mahabharata narrative – when generations of accumulated karma are resolved over the span of 18 days. In the Bhagavad Gita, Pandava Arjuna is troubled on the eve of the Battle of Kurukshetra by the moral dilemma of having to slaughter his own relatives. Lord Krishna, disguised as Arjuna’s charioteer, explains the karmic and cosmic ramifications of physical warfare, and reveals to Arjuna his divine form, thereby reassuring the warrior king that his actions were just and integral to clearing the way for the ongoing evolution of human consciousness. These are some of the mythic resonances surrounding this pivotal by-election, and I just wanted to provide a larger metaphorical context for the battle royale that began on August 16th, culminating on August 26th, 2008. I feel a profound gladness that so many good, decent human beings are out there right now – honest Malaysians like yourself, Anil – camped out in Permatan Pauh to offer support and report on this watershed political event.
Thank you and bless you, Anil, for contributing so much to a glorious outcome for the forces of necessary change!
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Most balanced report on the bye-election thus far. Keep it up Anil. I have stopped reading the MSM especially the Star for the biased reporting. (e.g. Yesterday’s front page)and false information.
I hope and pray that all the predictions will come true because the BN is not going to give up easily. They are springing surprises left and right daily – the arrest of the Perak PKR exco for alleged corruption, the arrest of the PKR guy whoclaims he went to assist the reporters, etc. They ca resort to all knids of dirty tricks and I think they may still do their worst before election day and also during the elections. I hope the PR people will maintain their vigilence ab=nd keep cool. May Allah grand Anwar his blessings.
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Looks like BN has given up to Chinese and Indian votes, they are chasing the Malay votes and using racial politics to do it. Ezam is undoubtedly the most disgusting in championing Malay rights. No wonder Gerakan, MCA and MIC leaders dare not show their faces.
But will it work? If DSAI wins practically all the non-Malay votes, Anwar will only need 30% of Malay votes to win. BN can never win with this strategy.
It’s a sad reflection of how ugly politics has become in Malaysia. BN’s component partners will have to re-appraise their roles in BN if they have any dignity left.
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Thanks for keeping us updated from the ground!
As for those BN supporters perhaps they should join the Read While Waiting Project on August 23, Saturday 3pm!
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Some comments overheard in PP:
SILKJ – nice dress, nice legs. shame about the face!
Rosemajib – let’s go c4 ourselves if they dare talk about Port Dickson!
Sighfool – it’s not true I was the first to drop the bar of soap!
Shah Jahat – (after breakfast) now, what’s for brunch? And has lunch, high-tea and buka puasa been arranged oreddy?
Lol
http://donplaypuks.blog.com
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To All Pakatan Rakyat Supporters,
The issue of Swear on Quran have affect some of the support on DSAI.
The BN UMNO ministers keeps on emphasize DSAI not dare to swear on Quran to prove his innocent.
And many Malay voters had been influence by this.
So, pls try to explain based on below argument to those voters in Permatang Pauh.
1.Whoever commit the crime and then swear on Quran or bible to prove innocent, this meant this person is innocent?
In this case then just ask Badawi to (close) the Palace of Justice la!
2.If DSAI swear on Quran to prove innocent, then who the nations should believe?
Tell them the case is now in Court and a person is innocent until the guilty is being proven!
Don’t be fool by these UMNO ministers!
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bn to be the end,look’s like it.
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Brother, no swearing using bible ok.
AAB can swear that he never touches Michele Yeoh’s shoulder using this method.
Anil, thanks for the ground work. Indeed, it is reassuring after all the MSMed information and charades with ACA, assault of media and Uitm. We count on Permatang Pauh!
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Asalamualaikum
the chinese are 100% solidly supporting DSAI to be the next PM of Malaysia.
to my malay and indian friends
come let us together show and prove our solidarity and rally
behind DSAI.
forget about saiful sinful or whatever fool .
Alhamdulilah everything went smoothly during nomination day.
just go all out and vote DSAI for he will not only be our MP but also our next PM for all Malaysian.
long live DSAI and may ALLAH
bless you and your family.
Ameen
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Looks like now they are playing their last kopek by announcing 15cts drop on petrol .
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I follow Permatang Pauh with great interest. Although I disagree with what Anwar did while in Government for example his Islamisation of education in the country, public service as DPM and Education Minister. But that nothing compare to my disgust towards current leadership.
Abdullah wake up for a while from his slumber after the March 8 tsunami – but now back to sleeping mode again. His flip flop decision and poor economic management causing us great pains.
As people who still travel to longhouses on a longboat – the impact of recent price hikes is very much felt. Imagine having to buy a liter of petrol at RM4.50 almost double the price that car owners have to bear.
It used to be only $50 from Tatau to my longhouse – but now I need fork out at least RM120! per trip. Unlike the people in Peninsular longhouse folks didn’t have regular income. RM120 is like a month income to them. They definitely couldn’t afford to spend that amount on petrol alone!
Let’s pray it will be a landslide victory for Pakatan – better still let that ‘Peh Moh’ lose his deposit.
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Decent UMNO politicians like Sharir and Tengku Razaleigh are ashame to campaign for UMNO in Permatang Pauh.The campaign policy just to malign Anwar with personal attacks dont think goes well with decent politicians like them.How i wish these gentlemen politicians also rise to the occasion and dump UMNO for good!
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Friends
I am pessimistic about Anwar’s chances in PP. I mean, I am all for AI to win the by-election, but the reality is, he is against BN’s powerful machinery and I sense that after GE 12, many penang people especially Chinese feel they have taught BN a lesson, so it is enough already. Whereas majority of the penang Malays have never left UMNO, in fact UMNO has retained most of its seats contested and many Malays are also doubtful of the DAP sincerity to help them. And what happen to the PKR exco in Perak and the MP from Kulim have also frustrated PKR supporter. They might just vote for BN to teach Pakatan a lesson this time round. So even if AI wins, the majority would be less than 1,000. Just prepare for the worst. I think the tsunami has receded.
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Not only will the tide turn, a new Tsunami will come soon and drown the whole damn UMNO/BN for good. Remember Noah’s Ark?
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The very arrogant, badly damaged ship named’Barisan bukan Nasional’ is about to capsize,overturn,sink and diminish away from public sight for good. Hip hip hurray!!!Deliverance at last for Malaysia!!
Tell the Malays to follow TG Nik Aziz’s advice,”kalau di beri wang oleh BN ambil sahaje tapi undi tetap beri kepada DS Anwar Ibrahim.”
“Itu wang ,wang rakyat ,halal”
We don’t want to see you drowning in that ship,save yourselves.
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Yeap, I disagree that Penang Chinese will go back to BN. They have never regretted kicking out Gerakan for DAP. And neither will the Indians go back to the BN fold. BN has given the non-Malays no reason to change their voting pattern. In fact, since the 12th G.E., BN has become more racist to try to win back the Malays.
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The AKIM guy Hanafi says he can win in PP. LOL.
It’s like saying Malaysia can win the football World Cup. LOL.
He will lose his deposit for sure.
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if you want to earn my vote and i am saying this to both bn
and pkr candidates
1. do not make personal attack on your opposing candidates.
i think that is childish and meaningless to me as citizen.
2. do not try to give me or my community short term goodies as it is
the long term policies for the i would like to see.
3. do not play the racial card, any form of racial champion is
highly abhore by voters. in this regard, sadly i think there
are leaders in both bn and pkr who has not learn its lessons
from the previous ge. here i have to say that for as long as
khairy do not retract his statement in saying that chinese will
take advantage of the malay if umno is weak he will not get my
vote and i will convince as many people as possible not to vote
for that pass such statement. telling me that you are being
quoted out of context is not acceptable.
4. please pay attention to nation building, and racial integration
instead.
5. eliminate corruption, this is the theme that has given pak lah
the land slide victory during the earlier ge, no racial politics
required you see. malay, chinese and indian voters all had casted
their votes for bn then. all political parties should figure out
what happen after that, it is vital for your survival.
6. do not think that voters are dumb. most could see through you
what you when you lie. lying to voters would cost you dearly.
7 but lying to God would cost you even more. i think swearing on
Quaran is playing with god, please leave god the almighty out of
your pathetic equation, he will judge you nonetheless. i think
if your intention of swearing is bad, even if your sworn
statement is true i believe god will not be please with you. god
is merciful to those who did wrong and repent, god will not be
please with those who did right onlt for more a malicious
intention. it is like trying to use god for an insiduous
intention.
8. pay attention to the economy, help those who are weak regardless
of race. continue with the nep by all means but not to enrich
the rich but rather to help the needy, if more malay needed the
help then help more malay, just do not forget that some chinese
need help too. right now, i think a lot of indian needed help.
9. pkr if your members are corrupted, then you must investigate and
displinary action must be taken internally, you will lose your
credibility like pak lah if you don’t.
10 leadership ship quality is important, charting direction for the entire nation during this turbulant time of globalization is most important. speculators are creating price havoc in almost of all the important commodities causing hyper inflationary riple effect throughout the world never seen before. what are we can we do to rise above all this require sharp and capable leaders.
for now my vote will go to dsai, until bn learns its lesson. if pkr does not perform then my vote will go back to bn.
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to all muslim listen to this to clear the issues regarding sipol swear
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