The Pakatan needs to carry out a serious postmortem to find out why and how it was thrashed in Bagan Pinang.
Posters of the Kg Buah Pala demolition were found around Ladang Siliau in Bagan Pinang on nomination day – Photo by Tiger
In some ways, the BN victory was not unexpected. Perhaps the scale of the defeat surprised many. But a few keen political analysts noticed something amiss ahead of polling day and predicted that Isa would win comfortably as noted in my post here.
So far, many have pointed to some obvious reasons for the BN’s landslide win:
Pull factors:
After attending a conference on climate change and the food crisis in Penang, I was supposed to write an article and that left me wondering how I should write the introduction.
And then it struck me that even as the conference was taking place, the climate was wreaking havoc in the region. Among those worst affected are the farmers, who rely on disctinctive seasons for an optimal harvest. How are they coping?
PENANG, Malaysia, Oct 9 (IPS/IFEJ) – When organisers of an international conference on climate change and the food crisis first scheduled the event here for late September, little did they realise the event would be sandwiched by two typhoons buffeting the region. Ironically, the first typhoon, ‘Ketsana’, delayed the arrival of conference delegates from the Philippines.
This is for those of us who couldn’t make it for the Pulau Tikus town hall meeting organised by the Penang Municipal Council as part of the Penang Transport Council’s pilot project to de-congest Pulau Tikus.
Dr Lim Mah Hui of the Penang Transport Council addressing the town hall meeting – Photos courtesy of Dr S P Choong
The participants, journalists and police at the town hall meeting
Maybe the following exchange will encourage public discussion and participation in the initiative towards more sustainable transport.
First the write-up by soohuey, who attended the town hall meeting:
Congrats to the BN! It finally broke the Pakatan’s winning streak on the peninsula. There will be much rejoicing in the mainstream media about how the tide has turned.
But at what cost?
In its desperation to win in its own stronghold, Umno put up a popular local candidate whom its own party disciplinary board had found guilty of “money politics” (let’s call a spade a spade and refer to it as corruption). A candidate who perhaps best reflects the ethos of the party – at a time when the MCA itself is in utter disarray following the PKFZ debacle.
What message does this send out about “1Malaysia” and “1World”? We might as well disband the MACC…
Live coverage of developments from the Bagan Pinang by-election.
If you are free tomorrow (Sunday), why not hop over for the final day of the Freedom Film Fest in Penang organised by Komas. This time the fest is being hosted in Han Chiang School/College, near the Penang State Mosque.
You can find the programme schedule here. You are spoilt for choice, but if you are not sure which film to go for, I have been reliably told these shouldn’t be missed:
11.00am – Flow
Irena Salina’s award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century – The World Water Crisis.
The BN was dealt a demoralising blow on the eve of the Bagan Pinang by-election after contradictory motions passed during the MCA’s extraordinary general meeting today threw the party into disarray and left it bereft of top leadership.
Photos by Jong
Before today’s EGM, a couple of political scientists/analysts I know who visited Bagan Pinang last night got the impression that the BN had the edge. They observed that the Pakatan’s campaign was missing some of the earlier by-election “spirit” and felt that Isa would win comfortably.
Just to give you a flavour of what it’s like in Bagan Pinang a couple of days ahead of the by-election.
Photos by Jong
Here’s something interesting from the Penang Municipal Council, which hopefully will be the first step towards more sustainable transport and pedestrian-friendly streets in Penang. Pulau Tikus is supposed to the focus of a pilot project that could be extended throughout Penang. If you are in the area, why not check it out or better still, participate.
Decongest traffic in Pulau Tikus
You are all invited to a stakeholders’ meeting
Time: 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Date: 10 October 2009
Place: Balai Rakyat Pulau Tikus, Jalan Cantonment
Organised by MPPPDaily traffic jams!! For so many years!!
HOW can this problem be solved??
CAN holistic win-win solutions be found??
YES!!