Just heard from a KL journalist:
At a ceremony from 10.30am to noon today, Anwar Ibrahim accepted a stack of PKR membership forms from former MCA senior central committee member Tan Yee Kew and 1,700 others described as former BN supporters.
Some 1,500 people packed a convention hall at the Klang Executive Club to witness the handover.
PKR had received over 2,000 application forms from the constituencies of Kapar, Shah Alam and Klang but was able to process only 1,700.
Tan, who was also International Trade and Industry Ministry parliamentary secretary, quit the MCA on 17 July. She said she shared the people’s disenchantment over the widening gap between the rich and the poor, racial discrimination, rampant corruption and abuse of power.
Anwar would of course be familiar with the old “crossover” tactics that the BN traditionally employs ahead of elections. It’s all part of the psy-war to show rising support for the party that uses this tactic. In the past, I would often take such BN “crossover” figures with a big pinch of salt.
So I am not sure how accurate the PKR figure is. But what I can say is that there has been a certain swing away from the BN in the light of the sodomy allegations (which appear to have backfired – no pun intended!), the Altantuya revelations, the oil price hike, and the fall in PM Abdullah’s approval ratings.
The action now shifts to Permatang Pauh tonight for another big ceramah featuring Anwar.
Blog reader Kenny Gan sends us this report:
I was at the PKR event at Klang Executive Club. The hall was packed and the attendees were majority Chinese, some Indians and a sprinkling of Malays. Their ages span a wide range, but most of them were young Chinese, under 30.
Chinese no longer believe in MCA representing them. MCA is definitely on a decline but they seem to carry on sucking up to Umno as if that is the most natural thing to do.
There were 2079 new members for PKR and 1700 attendees. I looked at the fresh, enthusiastic faces of the young Chinese there and I knew MCA is doomed.
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There is no question of TYK being a political opportunist. She had tried numerous times to be useful to MCA but she was sidelined by the present top leaders of MCA. Can you still blame her ? These leaders tried many ways and using Klang local leaders to remove her just because she was not from the right camp.There is no appreciation for her efforts simply because she did not hold the same thoughts as the President’s man. Anyway, if she felt she can serve her remaining years in politics to be able to serve the public in other capacities… Read more »
Quite likely, the coming over is more for their self interest and preservation than the people’s interest. They had so much time to do and speak up on what was wrong under Mahathir’s despotic rule but failed miserably. What can they offer now? I would worry about the original good people in PKR who supported Anwar and Azizah and the principles PKR stand for, and who are side-lined if not short-changed, because of short-term expediency in reaping the positive publicity of such cross-overs. It appears TYK was quite senior in MCA. And what’s the big deal about her being President… Read more »
Interesting discourse. Though not new, the fact that you have politicians leaving a ship only when it is sinking together with their supporters, while may reap short-term positive publicity, may lead to long-term detriment. PKR may have to deal with fationalism which it di not have before. It could be just as easy to reap negative publicity if these people “hop” back to BN or to another party. The way I look at it, their premium isn’t really that high. By not joining a winning ship, they would have sunk and gone under. Was there any deal made in their… Read more »
About TYK’s cross-over …. why now? Why not when BN still in power? Perhaps on a personal benefit basis, that question would be irrelevant. If they can’t figure out that MCA was a vested interest club, they, if “intellectuals” and “deep thinkers” they are, and people of principles, they would have quit the party and coalition in disgust. While I support PR and PKR to get all the positive publicity they can get presently, I am afraid I can’ buy the argument that “only time will tell whether they are ooportunists.” I am afraid their present act ipso facto of… Read more »
All Chinese should resign from MCA to join DAP or PKR. Similarly Indians in MIC should do the same.
BN has no more future!!!
I refused MCA as Chinese representative, because they do nothing.
nafasbaru and all,
By election of Permatang Pauh has picked up its momentum in Dr. Hsu’s Forum. Give your input there, it is definately worth your two sen.
http://hsudarren.wordpress.com/2008/08/03/the-permatang-pauh-by-election/
Tan Yee Yew was Klang MP for 3 terms consecutively. This track record speaks well for her to be appointed Klang Council President. Klang voters are not ‘blind’ to vote for her thrice. Agree?
Tan Yee Kew, you cannot please everyone. Do what your heart tells you.
Prove your critics wrong by your performances, as a loyal party member and serving the rakyats diligently. With your experiences in administration, you will undoubtedly, an asset to the PKR.
Great progress to Sept 16.
syabas syabas …. we need more smart people that dont sit on their own laurels and being overly engrossed with their self-importance in PKR … let those yesteryears rejects continue to be in the BN … syabas syabas
mca has become irrelevant, they don’t have the b**** to fight corruption at the highest level, and they lack the clout to demand fairness for the rakyat. why should they continue to be supported. they can sink along with their partners in bn.
Those MCA loonies are just that- DOOMed!
throwing doubt on tyk’s crossovers might not be a good idea at this point in time, if we are to encourage more crossovers to pkr. I agree with true malaysian, “time will tell.”
Indeed, let time judge. I heard she is a ‘good cat’. CAT is also what Guan Eng likes to use and used well against the UMNO oppostion leader when he tried to tag GE.
MCA is just legitimizing racist agenda of UMNO.
Those who label Tan Yee Kew as an opportunist should read take note of the reasons why she’s leaving MCA for PKR. She said she has lost faith in the role of MCA under BN and with her limited time left (she’s 55) she wants to do something to advance multi-racial politics in Malaysia. Are some of you saying once you have chosen a certain path, you can never change that path even if you no longer believe in it? I was at the PKR event at Klang Executive Club. The hall was packed and the attendees were majority Chinese,… Read more »
When there’s freedom of choice
Just do what needs to be done
Let no one silence your voice
Even with tasks that weigh a ton
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng – 030808
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Sun. 3rd Aug. 2008.
Anil what i meant was don’t reward crossovers with post as you never know when there be a trojan horse in the mix. I agree with monica that she is a good person but a good person alone cannot solve problems in klang,wasn’t she the former mp.The way i look at it bn will try to exploit this situation to the fullest.
V,
You have a very good insight of MCA. MCA is well known to us as ‘businessmen club’.
As to whether Tan Yee Kew and the rest of MCA members joining PKR are ‘opportunists’ or not is not for us to judge. Over time, we will have the answer.
What is important now is, MCA and Gerakan should pull out BN for good. I believe if they do that, other Malaysians will be grateful to them. Also, it is a matter of survival to them.
If TYK have the capability and she is clean, I don’t see any problem for her to be the next Klang Council President!
The most important thing is all politician must put public interest first before personal interest!
MCA started out as a peer in a number of ways to UMNO even financing them when they were dirt poor. However, with the advent of Mahathir, the gratitude, understanding and goodwill achieved at merdeka was betrayed. Even when good and capable leaders like Tan Koon Swan emerged, M ensured he would not lead. Underlings like Neo Yee Pan … carried out his order to ensure just that. Ling Leong Sik was a second echelon leader not in the mould of Tan Koon Swan. He was no threat to M and UMNO. As expected, he succumbed… A disgrace to the… Read more »
This is the beginning of the crossovers and there’s a bonus of 2000 disciples as well. Wow. It would seem whoever wins the MCA presidential elections will be captain of an empty vessel.
One of the contenders might like to consider furthering a career in his birthday suit on celluloid. I hear they have awards for those genres too and you get an interesting trophy if you win.
There should be more exercise like this re submission of memberships to Pakatan all over the country to show to BN that rakyat are fed up with this corrupted Government!
no deputy ministerpost, boleh jadi klang council president also good lor, although its a demontion…haha
I don’t care if the council is from UMNO, MCA or PKR. Anyone would have heard of the chinese adage uttered by Deng, ‘Black cat, white cat, the one that catches the rat, is a good cat”
the fact remains that if the appointed one is doing his/ her job I am find with you. But seriously take a drive to Klang and you’d know what I mean. It’s chaos with super ugly roundabouts with plastic ornaments.
If TYK is able to transform it, why not?
I dont mind if Tan Yee Kew is the Klang Council President. If you are from Klang, then you would understand how she works. She is a very hard working lady…very humble…compare MCA MPs from Klang area….She gets things done.She knows Klang well. Not because of the A and B Team, I believe she would still be around in MCA….Stupid MCA people. Serve them right, dunno how to keep good people around them. Anyway, I hope both PKR, PAS and DAP would resolve that stupid jam, crime ( to the point one policeman ask us to leave Klang when our… Read more »