The motorcyclists celebrated late into the night on the streets of KT
And so it came to pass (Pas!). The ‘East Coast Monsoon’ swamped this coastal town and swept the BN aside. It was a victory not just for Pas but also the Pakatan, whose politicians helped in the campaign, and activists, many of them non-Muslims, who campaigned vigorously during the campaign. They worked together to dislodge the BN candidate despite the heavy machinery of the state being deployed.
Most of all, it was a victory for the people of Kuala Terengganu, who cast away their fears, doubts and the attempts to buy their votes through promises of allocations and projects.
Immediately after the results, an analyst told me the swing towards Pas came largely from younger voters. How they celebrated on the streets: hundreds of bikers and others in cars, waving flags and shouting in jubilation. They pulled down flags from the streets, draped themselves with them or just simply waved them, circling the streets of town on their bikes and waving at passers by as they vroomed by. By midnight, the the main road in town had been almost stripped of Pas flags and the only flags left fluttering were the BN and Umno flags.
Traffic police later stepped in to put a stop to the motorcyclists’ merry-making. One eye-witness said he saw the cops taking the motorcyclists’ keys and asking them to push their bikes to the police station under police escort.
One analyst told me the Chinese turnout was a bit lower at 64 per cent. Another said young Chinese living in other cities apparently did not return to vote as they would have to come back again for Chinese New Year next weekend. Still, the Chinese support for the opposition held firm at around 40 per cent – which was not too bad under the circumstances.
20 Responses to “Jubilation as ‘East Coast Monsoon’ swamps KT”
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The tears flow
In the quiet room
As the result keeps coming in
The UMNO leaders can’t believe it
Millions spent to win
Enticements ran plenty
Promises of goods
For all people
Even to create fear
Intimidation doesn’t work
The voters tell them
Enough of your deception
Police unnecessary stationed
Allowing no free way to imagine
Yet the people queue up properly
Nothing to incite violence
In the ballot boxes
The message is clear
Get out of your palatial homes
It is time people run the show
For the country and her destiny
p/s Anil thanks for the write ups. I enjoy reading it
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If PAS only took 40% of the Chinese votes, then the implications for Umno are even more ominous.
They have been rejected by the people they proported to represent – the Malays.
It is now clear to all and sundry – BN 50 year reign of blatant corruption will come to an end at the next GE.
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i would say it’s a people’s victory…..
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This win means extra burden to DSAI.
Anwar , Wan Azizah, Tian Chua and all PR will have to work extra overtime in addition to their regular overtime works.
Borneo is waiting for this as well.
We want the SABAHANs and the SARAWAKIANs to voice out as well as good chance for them to change their minds.
( anyone notices that the dark faces of najib,saad and farid failed to congratulates Wahid and PAS last night?
Now more people understand why we should rejects umno)
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Jump baby jump!
On Jan 17, we observed another failure hitting right on the face of Najib, our DPM. This was the third political tsunami in a year. What can I say, the unwelcome Barisan National is sinking like Titanic into South China Sea.
Last night, we heard the voices and saw the power of the Rakyat. We saw how majority of Kuala Terengganu voters joined the call for change from the rest of Malaysians. And yes, it is a change that happens from the bottom up, not from the top down.
Last night, we saw again, how Najib refused to acknowledge the fact of his poor leadership and his poor popularity among the citizens. We saw how his monetary actions had again failed to fool the voters in the second by-election.
Last night’s result showed that KT citizens do not want to inherent the old dirty politics of Barisan National. What the people want is a real party that not only can bring hope to the nation, but to carry out the changes for a better nation. And we know to make the change happen, BN has to be out of the system!
We want a nation for all Malaysians. We want equal treatment like every body else. We want to live a “Malaysian dream” just like how people in another corner of the world enjoy the “American dream”.
As for the other BN leaders, shame on you if you continue to ignore the wish of the citizens. You know nothing can stop the momentum now, people will continue to fight till the day comes.
My last words for everyone who wants to survive from the coming disaster, “jump baby jump” before it’s too late. You do not know how skillful your pilot is, you might not be as lucky as the survivors of the plane crash into Hudson River. You know what I mean.
And thank you, especially to everyone who voted for PAS!
http://www.merdekablog.com
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The more the ruling BN federal government holds back financial allocations for the Pakatan-ruled states, the more by-elections they will lose. People are looking at BN government as big bullies and unfair and they don’t like it.
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Hi Anil
Guess everyone (except ..) had a good sleep last nite. The victory makes it worth the trip for all the non-KT folks. Applause for a well-done job! I was quite nervous waiting for the official results yesterday evening (dreading the last-minute hat-tricks) whilst refreshing mkini, yours, zorro’s and haris’s. Guess PAS network had known the results much earlier.
Well, wish you and gang a safe and pleasant trip home (which route now? The coastal/Kuantan way?). Guess you had enough of roti paun and mata2 gelap work. Not forgetting the mysterious vehicle and lori balak… Hehe.
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Bravo KT you are the 2nd after PP to lead Malaysia into a Harapan Era Baru ! Now guess those Bee Ann better stay fit and not kick the bucket! Even Kepala Batas pun boleh jatuh !
Still feeling good today!
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Interesting article questioning whether Chinese indeed swung to BN/MCA in KT:
https://airkosong.com/_/2009/01/18/misinformation-by-ong-tee-kiat-on-kts-chinese-support-for-mca/
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Congratulations people of Kuala Trengganu! You made it, kept the momentum going and sent the message to the corrupt UMNO-led government – Enough is Enough!
Dr Mahathir said UMNO fielded the wrong candidate, so what would he think if Najib Tun Abdul Razak had been the BN’s choice, eh?
Nasib baik bukan dia otherwise Najib would be buried at sea, the South China Sea!
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Many predictions are wrong. Malay voters are not split 50:50 and the majority of Chinese voters are not supporting PAS.
My own forecast in Anil’s blog was BN wins the KT by-election with the assumption that Malay voters are split to 50:50 and Chinese voters swing to BN. Many local political analysts believed that Malay voters split out to 50:50 and Chinese swing to PAS were proven all wrong althought the end result is still correct.
Chinese high turnout in the ceramahs had giving false signal to DAP that Chinese are solidly behind the Pakatan Rakyat. For many Chinese like me, PAS and UMNO is like a crocodile and a tiger with PAS is inclined to religious fantasy while UMNO is addicted to racial fantasy in other hand. PAS objection to appointment of a Chinese acting GM in PKNS has tarnished their religious image in the eyes of Chinese community.
PAS is wearing double faces on top of their own religious fanstacy compared to UMNO ’s singular racial image. Logically and rationally Chinese will shun religious and racial political party like PAS.
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A big THANK YOU to the bloggers team whose unwavering effort to bring us latest news and happenings right from nomination day, to campaigning period until the polling day (when the final results poured in). You guys deserve a medal for reporting the truth, unlike the lies told by Main Stream Media.
Next battle ground: Pensiangan, Sabah
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correction, ….Malay voters split UP to 50:50…
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Well done, Netto.
You proved once and for always that volunteer journalism produces better results than professional journalism.
The final results came on your website earlier than Malaysiakini by at least five minutes – assuming that that website got its time right.
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“Too many troops spoil the soap”. Indeed tonight’s Vigil pot luck style cause so much confusion amongst many rakyat which came prepared with home cooked foods to shared with everyone.
Instead, right at about 8.20pm, Operation ‘Lock down’ at PJ Civil Centre once again became ‘Centre of Shame’. “I had some foods specially prepared for this occasion and to see how this entire operation has taken place is simply outrages” commented one of the rakyat.
First they are jittery about candles, now foods? What’s next? More than ‘hundreds’ of police force plus the must have FRU were employed against normal unarmed citizens with plastic folk and spoons? Roads were blocked, diverted, and I stood amazed by the shere extend of whole operation was carried out. Massive indeed.
Some commotion can be heard amongst some police and the City hall staff plus confused people walking out, some just walk in, and yet others just stood at the entrance with tray of foods in their hand. “What’s going on here? Pot luck or pol-pot?” someone asked.
This time round, the Police in charge gave a very stern instruction. Not sure how many mins were given but No questions asked, no clarification needed,simply not interested to hear anything from anyone! Just disperse!
So, as always- the rakyat obeys the law as being demanded on them.
While people were walking away, police were recording names and
ICs from any unsuspected individuals. Cam-corders and police photographers were clicking away pictures of individuals again.
No untoward incident were reported tonight, thank God. One question still remain, Is PJ City Hall under the Police?. If PJ Citiy Halls gave the rakyat the blessing to used its permises, why is permit needed? I suppose we need Enstein or Newton to figure this out for the rakyat. Its a shame why the rakyat and the police have to go through all this nonsense and its simply a sheer waste of time, resources, and trust between the police and the rakyat who pays their salary, no?
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Ditto Tan Ban Cheng. Well done Anil and welcome home.
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Kah Seng on January 18th, 2009 at 7.11pm
Interesting article questioning whether Chinese indeed swung to BN/MCA in KT:
https://airkosong.com/_/2009/01/18/misinformation-by-ong-tee-kiat-on-kts-chinese-support-for-mca/
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That statistical analysis does not make sense without segregating the Malay and Chinese voters into two groups.
Slight percentage change for BN and PAS respectively could be due to Malay votes decreasing and Chinese votes increasing in disproportian ratio. Besides, your assumption to say all Chinese areas are following same trend could be wrong.
In absolute term, more KT Chinese voters supported BN. Lim Guan Eng said in this KT by-election, a slightly over 40% Chinese voted PAS compared to 28% in last GE.
In statistical term, the shift in Chinese voting pattern is still significant.
By number count, BN won, but in percentage shift PAS won the game.
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To link this result as a win for Pakatan and to claim that it reflects the people of KT’s on national issues is highly misleading and incorrect.
Polls and surveys done by MRC and others have clearly indicated that the people’s concerns were local issues.
PAS failure to gain non Muslim votes despite the overbearing presence of all DAP and PKR big guns says that the people do not yet buy the idea that PAS can be persuaded to drop their fundamentalist agenda.
The Malay vote probably 40% each for PAS and BN. With the crucial fence sitters deciding the outcome. That the voters’ turnout of less than the GE meant BN lost out on the fence sitters and that decided the margin of the win.
This win for PAS is a major boost for the party in pushing for their Islamist and Hudud agenda, despite what they say publically.
The biggest winner is obviously the conservative faction in PAS while the biggest loser is not UMNO but DAP. Anwar’s strategy is all along to stick with the stronger faction and he will lean more to PAS if they have the stronger leverage.
UMNO lost one seat and while this is a blow, it will only strengthen
Najib’s hand as the candidate for KT was Pak Lah’s man. As such, Najib will be spared of the blame.
In the overall scheme of things, the biggest loser will be DAP, who will be under more and more pressure in the coming months with a more vocal PAS.
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Hello Anil
Again, there is the mentioned of bee “colony collapse disorder” among many things that are going “extinct”. For your info/reference.
http://scoutmagazine.ca/2009/01/03/24-things-about-to-go-extinct/
Regards
p/s hope you have a good trip to KT
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Look at RPKs writting and you will get a sense of why the chinese swong back to BN. not because of MCA, like what they claim to achieve.
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