A crowd of 8000 people attended the largest Pakatan dinner in Johor on Friday, 14 September, sending shivers down the ranks of the BN.
The 800-table dinner was held at Sutera Mall near the upmarket Taman Sutera Utama residential area in Skudai, though many of those who turned up seemed to be from outside the neighbourhood.
A thunderous roar from the multi-ethnic crowd greeted Anwar when he arrived with his entourage.
Two observers, a veteran journalist and a former journalist, were struck by the range of people attending the dinner-forum, with all ethnic groups significantly represented. “They were completely unfazed by the heavy presence of police. And they hung on to Anwar’s every word until midnight,” said the veteran journalist.
Entire families were there from grandmothers to children. When Anwar spoke, some of those at the back surged forward giving the impression that some of the tables at the back were half empty.
One of the main organisers was Chua Jui Ming, and the observers were impressed with his ability to draw the people to the event.
Mat Sabu was a big hit as was Sallahudin. Anwar himself spoke about high-level corruption and the privatisation that has benefited cronies.
How does this large turnout translate to seats?
Of the 222 seats in the federal parliament, 26 are from Johor. At present, the BN holds 25 seats and Pakatan (DAP) has one. The BN’s seats are held by Umno (16), MCA (7), MIC (1) and Gerakan (1).
The two observers I spoke to felt that this time around, Pakatan could bag nine seats at least – something the BN is worried about.
If you are from Johor, share with us your own impressions of the mood on the ground.
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Ceramah Rakyat – Masai, Johor
Date: 27 October 2012 (saturday)
Time: 9pm
Venue: 29, Jalan Suria 55, Bandar Seri Alam, Masai, Johor
all are welcome! masuk percuma!
I feel so sorry for the good people living in rural areas like kampungs and orang asli reservations where they do not have access to the internet and so may swallow the fibs being sold to them wholesale. If … civil servants are spinning such untruths on behalf of their unprincipled political masters, then I suppose they must fear their BN political masters more than they must fear the Almighty God …
Program Merdeka Rakyat akan meneruskan destinasinya ke Johor Bahru pada sabtu, 20 Oktober ini, jam 8 malam.
Ceramah Perdana Merdeka Rakyat dengan tema ‘Kali Ini Pasti Tukar’ bertempat di Tapak Letak Kereta Terbuka Sutera Mall, Johor Bahru ini dikendalikan oleh KEADILAN Johor dibawah pimpinan Naib Presiden KEADILAN merangkap Pengerusi KEADILAN Johor, Dato’ Chua Jui Meng.
Barisan penceramah akan dibarisi oleh Ketua Umum KEADILAN, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai penceramah utama, Naib Presiden KEADILAN, Nurul Izzah Anwar dan Tian Chua, Exco Negeri Selangor, Dr Xavier Jayakumar, pimpinan KEADILAN dan beberapa pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat yang lain.
let’s hope Anil can provide update and video of this event.
Ceramah Perdana Merdeka Rakyat
Topik: Kali Ini Pasti Tukar
Penceramah: Anwar Ibrahim & Pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat
Tarikh: 20 October 2012, 8pm
Tempat: Tapal Letak kereta Sutera Mall, Johor Bahru
Percuma & semua dijemput hadir!
Ceramah Rakyat di Johor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L4ghplh0Qc
I hope anil can continue to provide coverage on the Johor political situation. It is a key battle in the coming GE.
Thanks, will try and provide updates from time to time.
Anil thanks for your wonderful job.
Johor is the hotbed in the coming GE, so more coverage and response from your Johor readers will be good for all to understand the situation better.
Thanks Alvin for the kind words. Will do what I can.
Mari kita semarakkan reformasi di Johor!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXHCcE6SZhg&w=400
great video and meaningful words.
Better than those propaganda 1malaysia songs on TV.
According to this WSJ report, as Singapore runs out of land to expand, it is joining forces with Malaysia to develop the Johor area into Singapore’s new hinterland, with space for multinational companies, industry, tourist attractions and plenty of housing.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443507204578020912848106062.html
Wonder what Utusan has to say since it is always anti-PAP and anti-LKY, now that Singapore is set to exploit the cheap land of Iskandar?
Big turnout cannot beat the Rustam’s son wedding that made to the Bolehland book of records (Buku Jaguh Kampung).
We need you Johoreans to help in ushering the much needed winds of change. As some of you have pointed out Penang under LGE has seen improvements. I am a Penangite and I am proud and respectful of LGE for his non-discriminatory and visionary leadership. Our brothers in other states, we need your help badly too. Collectively and with an unwavering spirit we can and will bring about a big change with our votes in the next GE.
Leading to GE, BN is recycling its dated scare tactics, resurrecting the following bogeymen to scare rakyat to ‘pilih status quo’:
1) Communist
2) May 13 incident
and now
3) Jews and George Soros!
Ha ha ha.
BN is like RTM is recycling repeatedly old P Ramli movies on TV when the malay audience are ow watching Astro Mustika for the modern day comedy like Karoot Komedia & Raja Lawak.
Najib said in Johor:
“We cannot pawn off our futures, our futures are too precious. This (Johor) is where Umno was born, and it has served our nation.
“It would be ‘pantang’ (taboo) if we were to surrender this country to them (the opposition).
It is more appropriate to say that BN has pawned away itself. The rakyat has trusted BN long enough, and all apparent goodness could not obscure the discontent deep down. The rakyat wants a change for a better future.
The chinese community has heard success stories of LGE administration in Penang. They are hoping for wind of change to take place in Johor, where water and electricity cost more than in Penang! The cheapest small plate of wan ton mee in JB costs RM4!
Also you see chinese language in Penang but not in JB!
It is no surprise that MCA is targeting LGE with (alleged) lies to deceive the rakyat. The only safe seat for MCA in Johor is Ayer Itam, but many other MCA candidates are challenging Wee Ka Siong for that seat.
Pengerang issue will affect BN in the coming election.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQU6jf0LG_k&w=400
Pengerang is a district in southern Johor that has been earmarked to be an oil and gas hub for the region by the government and Petronas.The plan was initiated in 2006.
About 25,000 people are likely to be relocated to another part of the state. They are mainly farmers and fishermen. Primarily Malays and Chinese. The relocation will cause them to lose their homes and source of income. The new location does not have infrastructure or homes or farm land or fishing, and the compensation is low.
I support BN’s Rapid project.
Pengerang Dugong Dead !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqARgMKE2tM
“Villagers discover dead dugong beached in Pengerang”
I am very sure the local MP, Azalina Othman, will be serving her last term as MP for this area. The way she went against the local people instead of supporting them shows the comtempt she has for them!!! All Johoreans should show UMNO/BN how they feel about this betrayal by not voting them in the GE13.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pengerang-rally-a-sign-of-trouble-for-umno-in-johor/
Voter registration counter was set up at JB’s KSL City shopping mall in the last one year. 90% of the people registered there were Chinese, many of whom are working in Singapore. However, if the election is held on a working day of Singapore, many may not be able to come back to vote.
I have relatives and friends in Johor. What was once a Barisan Nasional bastion is on the verge of being pulled down by Pakatan Rakyat. Most Johoreans who are in the know reveal that PPP, MIC and MCA are going to be decimated at the 13th GE. They are fed up with the endemic corruption, plundering the national kitty under varied subterfuges and the arrogance of Ah C.. Gor, Mooheedeen and the worst HM who utters nonsense whenever he opens his mouth thinking all Malaysians are fools. UMNO/BN are … scared of Pakatan Rakyat and of a possible tsunami …… Read more »
Johor was somehow insulated from the wave of change happening and emanating from Kuala Lumpur during GE2008. They had a rude awakening when the opposition takes control of 5 states and now they want to be part of change.
More and more youngster that I spoke to are in fighting spirit to effect change in Malaysia and GE13 is going to see the end of BN as we know it.
Saya hadir pada seminar tu !
Orang Johor dah tahu apa yang berlaku di negara kita ini. Sudah pasti BN akan kalah pada GE 13 nanti. Kalaulah BN dan SPR tidak main tipu, ada kemungkinan BN boleh kalah di negeri Johor !!!
Majlis Makan Malam DAP cawangan Saleng, Johor.
20 October 2012, 7.30pm
Tropical Garden Restaurant, Kulai, Johor.
Theme: Ubah Sekarang, Selamatkan Malaysia.
Price: RM500/table；RM 1000/table
Inilah akibat terlampau banyak baca Utusan dan toton TV3!
safian should ask why no PR1MA low cost housing by BN for poor Johor folks in Danga Bay. Why residents of Kampung Majidee in Johor have to make way for commercial development?
The Pakatan ceramah DVDs (not Chua CD’s) finally have reached out to the urban and rural areas of Johor – the so-called fortress of BN. My neighbour told me when he was at JB, the locals there wish for positive changes as they believe with the Johor resources the Johorians should benefit more all these years (no RM100 handouts to the seniors like what being practised in penang despite Johor being a rich state).
Something is brewing down south and thanks to Anil and readers to keep us posted.
this is the beginning of the end of a tyrannical regime whose tenure was premised on fear, lies and bigotry; and predicated on the end justifying its means.
Does it mean Chua Soy Lick is (finished)? Hurray!!
I am living in JB, where housing is as expensive as in Penang but with higher crime rate. the people here are grateful to the Signaproe government for their livelihood, not BN. My neighbors shuttle daily to Singapore to make a living. My relatives are hawkers earning from Singapore day-trippers. We have witnessed the transformation of Penang under Pakatan. I can say many Chinese are more aware of the ‘limitation’ of MCA in protecting the chinese interest as evident in MCA’s poor handling of chinese independent school matters to the extent of making enemy with Dong Zong to protect its… Read more »
TIME FOR CHANGE…SLOWLY BUT SURELY…PICKING UP THE SEATS HELD BY BN IS NOT EASY..BUT ALL RIGHT THINKING RAKYAT…TIME TO SWEEP CLEAN WHAT ‘SAMPAH’ THATS LEFT AND CREATED BY BN FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY…TERLAMPAU BETUL!!!
A dinner ceramah by PR… means a lot! If you had attended it, you could feel the ‘wind of change”. It a hat was passed around, believe me, the people are willing to dig into their pockets. I have attended several of their ceramahs, and we chipped in, knowing very well that, Pakatan is not like BN, simply spending our money. Only at ceramahs that the public who does not read blogs hear the real news. All who wants to spread the TRUTH, should be encourage to buy the VCDs of ceramahs and distribute them friends and relatives. The big… Read more »
Strong support for DAP in Johor is beginning to show…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2n-uAjNVjI