Bkt Selambau: Indoor ceramah… or open-air rally?
Anwar addresses a crowd of about 5,000 last night, just before introducing the candidate, a somewhat shy S Manikumar, whose voice was already hoarse from campaigning.
Bkt Gantang: Pakatan worried about over-confidence
A rustic scene from Bukit Gantang – Photo by Jong
Many expect Pakatan to easily win Bukit Gantang. But Pakatan campaigners, it would seem, are worried about over-confidence leading to complacency.
Wong Kah Woh reports from Ipoh in his blog:
I was at Simpang PR-DAP ceramah yesterday with 300 people attending. The atmosphere is worrying in the sense that the public are too confident of Nizar victory while in fact that is not the case. Not to forget, Barisan is also having free dinners here and there to buy votes, more particularly there were two free dinners of 180 tables each just nearby our ceramah yesterday. The crowd attending our ceramahs play a very important role. It is not only that they have to be convinced to vote for Pakatan-Nizar. They must also help to convey the message to the rest, to the fence-sitters, on how to ensure a Pakatan-Nizar’s victory.
Bkt Selambau: Anwar uses creative “indoor ceramah”
Indoor ceramah, outdoor crowd: Anwar speaks from the covered corridor of a shoplot while the crowd listens from the street outside – Photos by Anil Netto
Anwar speaking from inside a private residence to a crowd of 5,000 seated on a field opposite
Pakatan politicians are using creative means to overcome various restrictions.
Take for instance the police restriction on ceramah in “public places” in Kedah, which effectively bans open-air public rallies.
The restrictions confine the ceramah to indoor locations. So the Pakatan politicians are now stretching the definition of “indoors”. While the politicians addressing the crowd are now indoors – in shophouses or inside private premises, the crowds spill out to the streets or fields outside the indoor locations.
Abdullah, Tsu Koon must explain Batu Kawan land deal
It is interesting to hear Abdullah Badawi saying that the second Penang Bridge will proceed as planned even if he is no longer PM.
Abdullah and former Penang chief minister Koh Tsu Koon have not explained how a little known but well-connected company, Abad Naluri, managed to get hold of over 1,000 acres of potential prime land in Batu Kawan on the mainland, just around the site of the proposed second Penang bridge.
On 16 Jan 2004, just one and a half months after Abdullah took over as PM, the Penang Development Corporation entered into a ‘master agreement’ to sell eight plots of land in Batu Kawan to the “fortunate” Abad Naluri. In Nov 2006, Abdullah officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony of the second Penang Bridge, located near these plots.
On what basis was one company granted such a vast area of land and at what price?
Bkt Selambau: MIC and PKR ops centres side-by-side
Rival neighbours: The MIC candidate’s ops centre (left) just two doors away from the PKR ops centre (right) – Photo by Anil Netto
An unusual situation in Bukit Selambau with the ops centre for the two parties in “close proximity” not far from the Sungai Petani town centre. And in front of both ops centres, a police canopy booth at a bus stop on a main road. Yes, the canopies are back with a heavy police presence in Sungai Petani and surrounding areas.
When I was there last night, a mini ceramah was in progress at the PKR ops centre. It was funny to hear a PKR speaker using a sound system to denounce the MIC and saying stuff like “Kita mesti menolak MIC” while a couple of doors away the MIC volunteers were nonchalantly carrying on business as usual, paying no attention. All in a day’s work.
Bukit Gantang: Photo the newspapers didn’t show you
A massive crowd pouring into the streets of Taiping on Nomination Day yesterday – Photo courtesy of Wartawan Rasmi Laman Reformasi (Click to expand)
PM’s handover to Najib “in due course”
The Sunday Star on page 2 quoted Abdullah as saying he would seek an audience with the Agong on Thursday to tell him of his intention to resign as PM.
“I hope that the official handover ceremony can be held on the same day,” he was quoted as saying.
The paper had an interesting correction today – on page 8:
Mat Taib speaks good English after all…
… so how come he didn’t understand airport currency regulations when he was caught bringing in hard cash, lots of it, into Australia?
Adds blog reader Sam who spotted this report:
If you had observed during the weeks and days leading to the Umno General Assembly and elections, Dr M continued to push delegates not to elect leaders who have a very poor command of English. From nowhere, a deputy president aspirant, Mat Taib, comes out defending that he has an immaculate command of the English Language.Mahathir was quoted in Malaysiakini as saying:
“One of the candidates couldn’t write in English, he couldn’t speak English and therefore (that was why) he did something wrong in Australia because he could not understand English. My choice is Muhyiddin (Yassin).”This excerpt from The Star
Published: Saturday March 21, 2009 MYT 7:58:00 PM ‘I can speak in English,’ says Muhammad Taib By ROYCE CHEAH KUALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy-president candidate, Senator Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, is aware that there are people talking about his apparent lack of fluency in English. In answering questions at the Umno overseas club leadership course yesterday, he not only took a swipe at his critics but also proceeded to list his achievements to prove that he had a good grasp of the language.
Banging drums an election offence?
A political scientist friend writes:
In the Bukit Selambau by-election, it was reported that ‘Deputy Election Commission chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar pointed out to police that using musical instruments on nomination day was an election offence and requested that they “advise the supporters to stop” but the supporters kept banging on’. (Malaysian Insider, 29 Mar 09).
Can you believe this Election Commission (EC) Deputy Chairman? Is he for real? Banging drums that make ‘noise’ is an ‘election offence’?!? But political parties giving bribes in the past, government ministers providing instant noodles projects and other development goodies (see preceding post for a sample); using and abusing government machinery; people gambling on election results; a dirty electoral roll; etc. are not ‘electoral offences’?
Batang Ai: Ho! Ho! Ho! The White-Haired One arrives…
Due to climate chaos wreaking havoc to Santa’s North Pole winter detection system, he has mistakenly set out to balmy Asia way ahead of schedule.
Having been tipped off, my contact in Sarawak has been keeping an eye out for his early arrival. Hark, are those sleigh bells ringing? The ring-a-ling draws closer and then… with a mighty flourish, the sleigh draws into view and screeches to a halt. As the jolly White-Haired One, a huge sack of goodies slung over his shoulder, disembarks and bellows, “Ho! Ho! Ho!”, his band of cronies… er, I mean, faithful elves dances a jig.
It’s Santa and his elves bringing the politics of ‘instant noodles’ development to the good folks of Batang Ai.
RM2 million for Longhouses in Batang Ai By Churchill Edward; Borneo Post; Sunday, March 29th, 2009
http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=49427
Land titles
…Sarawak is conducting a census among people in the Batang Ai resettlement area to resolve the long-standing issue of land titles after they were displaced by the construction of the Batang Ai hydro-electric dam in 1982…(NST, 27 March 09)
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/2516060/Article/index_html
Positive signs at the two Bukits for Pakatan
Karma reports on the Pakatan’s prospects at Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang:
The sentiment on the ground at the two Bukits appears positive for the PR. Thrilled to see multi-racial supporters giving massive support to PR. Many from all races were waving Pas flags drowning the BN supporters. A good sign for Malaysian solidarity if this is any indicator of race relations in the country.
In Bukit Gantang, PR waves were too huge to be subdued by BN supporters. If this is any indicator, Nizar will win big.
Bukit Selambau saw a storm in a tea cup among PR supporters. Surprised though to see now a multi-racial crowd swarming around the PR candidate, despite the media comments on the disgruntled supporters.
Of the three showdowns, Batang Ai is the most critical
1229: Sarawak – My other contact in the state reports:
Of the three by-election campaigns now underway, the most critical is that of Batang Ai in Sarawak. Bukits Gantang and Selambau are both PR seats and their retaining those seats – although extremely critical – will reflect the electorate’s referendum on Umno’s recent assembly and how Umno undermined constitutional governance in Perak. PR winning both seats would only restore the status-quo ex-ante between both coalitions in Semenanjong. It goes without saying that losing any one or both of the seats would be a major blow to PR. Batang Ai, however, is a whole different ballgame. Sarawak has long provided a crucial ‘fixed deposit’ of parliamentary seats to the BN thanks to local strongman and CM Abdul Taib Mahmud’s iron grip over patronage in the state! Any PR electoral inroads in Sarawak would pose a serious threat to the BN nation-wide, far bigger than if PR merely retained both Bukits in Semenanjong. Hence, BN’s determination to retain Batang Ai at all costs. Already, everything at the BN’s disposal – including instant noodles and the kitchen sink – has been thrown into the contest. Batang Ai has long been a BN seat. Although the BN candidate is a local unknown, he has the massive BN machinery to help him win. The PR candidate is a popular five-term former BN MP who, after being dropped by the BN in 2008 given local party conflicts, has since moved his politics and his longhouse into PR. Campaigning together with the popular Batang Ai PKR division chief, they collectively pose a clear and present electoral danger to the BN. Currently, throughout Sarawak there is deep anger and widespread antipathy among native Bumiputeras towards Abdul Taib Mahmud’s family’s corporate shenanigans. These Mahmud-linked companies enrich themselves and other BN cronies at the expense of native lands and livelihoods. As well, Batang Ai folk, many of whom were resettled by the Batang Ai dam 23 years ago, have been largely neglected and shortchanged by the BN ever since. In the 2006 state election, the BN candidate only won by a mere 806 votes out of 5,784 total votes cast. Given the rising popularity of PKR in Batang Ai and throughout Sarawak, CM Abdul Taib Mahmud has to win – and win emphatically – to prove to big brother Umno that he still has what it takes for the state to continue grabbing native Bumiputera land and to preserve BN corporate interests. But, only if he wins BIG given the amount of resources and money the BN has already thrown and will continue to pour into the contest. Anything less and Abdul Taib Mahmud’s justifications to continue in office as manager of the BN’s ‘fixed deposit’ of parliamentary seats in Sarawak will be tenuous in the eyes of Umno. An ominous thought certainly for Taib Mahmud and his family! Consequently, Batang Ai is a by-election in which the BN has everything to lose while PKR has everything to play for given their long-term game plan.1222: Bukit Selembau – A record 13 independent candidates have been accepted along with the BN and PKR candidates. It is difficult to gauge the crowd size from the centre as vegetation blocks the view. But loud roars can be heard indicating large crowds. Three or four of the independent candidates appear to have sizeable entourages, but not as many as the two main candidates, with the crowd estimated at 10,000. 1216: Bukit Gantang – It’s a three-way fight here, with an independent joining the fray. There’s a huge crowd of 30,000-50,000, including some 2,000 ethnic Indian Pas supporters. Pakatan supporters easily outnumber the 6,000-odd BN supporters. The Pakatan supporters at a field nearby performed a ‘Mexican wave”. There was some tension and yelling when the Bagan Dato Adun from the BN mistakenly walked into the Pakatan area, but thankfully nothing happened. Overall, it’s been a festive atmosphere. 1146: Batang Ai – It’s all over. It’s a straight fight between BN and PKR. Supporters are slowly leaving.
Batang Ai: Taib “the Glue” to lead 5,000 BN supporters
Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Taib Mahmud is expected to lead some 5,000 BN supporters to the nomination centre at the Lubok Antu Mini Stadium this morning, reports the Borneo Post.
Among the BN big guns expected to join him in the show of support for their candidate, Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, are Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal, Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Parti Rakyat Sarawak president James Masing.
On the opposing side, Khalid Ibrahim and other PKR leaders will accompany their candidate, Jawah Gerang.
Batang Ai: Jawah addresses 800-crowd in longhouse
My contact in Sarawak reports:
2137: At a ceramah in a long-house, Jawah Gerang, the PKR candidate, is speaking using a mixture of Iban and Malay. Among those present are Ngemah state assembly member Gabriel Adit (an independent who joined PKR in November) and Padungan state assembly member Dominique Ng.
Gabriel is speaking in Iban now. Khalid Ibrahim and others are waiting in the wingsfor their turn. The crowd is estimated at more than 800, their mood upbeat.
1819: At the PKR operations centre in Lubuk Antu, Khalid is addressing a crowd of 80 in a crammed room. He speaks about the ‘welfare government’ of Selangor and stresses that all Aduns must work hard and cannot afford to take it easy.
A by-election win here would be a victory not just for Batang Ai but for all Malaysians who cherish justice, he adds.
Bkt Gantang: Nizar gets a rousing reception in Taiping
Nizar receives a standing ovation in one of the largest Chinese restaurants in Taiping last night – Photo courtesy of Kinta Kid
Ban on ceramah in “public places” in Kedah
Another day, another restriction ahead of the by-elections. This time no outdoor rallies will be allowed in Kedah in a move likely to hurt the Pakatan the most in its attempts to reach out to voters.
On 23 March, police fired tear gas and chemically laced water to disperse a crowd of several thousand attending an Anwar ceramah on an open field in Sungai Petani. On 7 March, a large crowd of 15,000-20,000 attended another Anwar rally in Bukit Selambau.
Police will now only allow indoor ceramah in Kedah. This excerpt from a Bernama report carried in NST:
All political parties are prohibited from holding ceramah or gatherings at public places in Kedah to maintain public order.
No rest for Najib and his men
With Najib and his men basking in the glow of victory, the real test for them begins now as they confront the challenges that lie ahead.
When you think of it, he has been getting plenty of free advice from a host of personalities associated or previously associated with Umno: Abdullah, Mahathir, Razaleigh, Zaid…
He has the power, but there is one thing even Power will find hard to manage and that is public perception.
Here’s something I wrote for Asia Times after the Umno elections:
Challenges mount for Malaysia’s Najib By Anil Netto PENANG – Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak took a big step towards taking over the premiership when he was returned unopposed this week as president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the dominant party in Malaysia’s ruling coalition. His men also bagged most of the leadership posts in the recently concluded party elections. As head of the UMNO, Najib automatically becomes premier, although a formal handover date has yet to be announced. Najib has been hammering home a message of change and reform, but many Malaysians wonder what his vision might entail.
When politicians and the press chase the homeless…
It is totally weird, bewildering and disturbing that certain politicians and members of the press see it as their patriotic duty to chase homeless people on the streets of George Town…
Is it any wonder why these street people fear these rough “rescue operations” so much? Do those who are “rounding up” these people know where these street people are being sent to and what conditions are like there? The Social Welfare Department should ask itself why these people are so afraid of being “rescued”. Has anyone stopped and thought about the root causes of such homelessness and what kind of social safety nets we have?
The press were there to cover the operations but that did not stop one press member from going on his motorbike in hot pursuit of a homeless person, already being pursued by the political secretary to the CM no less. Reminds me of journalists “embedded” with US troops in Iraq and how they like to don army flak jackets and pretend they are part of the war too, while reporting from the US military’s perspective.
It’s official: Muhyiddin it is…
2240: It’s official Muhyiddin has just been elected to the No. 2 post in Umno.
Muhyiddin now being mobbed by supporters. Zahid Hamidi (1,592), Hishammuddin Hussein (1,515) and Shafie Apdal (1,445) are the VPs.