Pilihanraya Malaysia 2008

BN Worst Performance in Malaysia Election History

2008-03-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

BN Loses 2/3 Majority in Federal and 5 States -it's like a giant tsunami hitting the shores of Malaysia!

How The Tsunami Hits The Shore of Malaysia

Instant Election News Update ( by Malaysiakini)

Opposition takes lead in key hot seats - 6.47pm
Based on ground reports, DAP candidates are leading in the early stage of the count. Tony Pua is leading by 1,800 votes in Petaling Jaya Utara. Fong Kui Lun is similarly leading by 3,000 votes in Bukit Bintang. Hannah Yeoh is leading the Subang Jaya state seat. In Klang, DAP's Charles Santiago is also leading at this very early stage. PKR's S Manikavasagam is also in the lead in neighbouring Kapar.

Poor turnout in opposition’s favour? - 6.55pm
A very poor turnout in Taiping, especially among the Malay voters, is expected to cause some problems for incumbent M Kayveas. Similarly poor voter turnout in Selangor's Kapar and Klang, again among Malay voters, could benefit PKR and DAP in both seats.

PKR in unassailable lead in Bukit Tambun - 7.05pm
PKR's Law Choo Kiang has taken an unassailable lead of 1,500 votes for the state seat of Bukit Tambun. This may be the first Penang seat to fall to opposition hands.Early reports indicate DAP candidates are leading in many Penang state seats.

Latest updates - 7.10pm
- Opposition parties are leading in all key seats in Penang
- Teresa Kok leading by 10,000 votes in Seputeh
- DAP leading both Petaling Jaya Utara state seats
- Edward Lee from DAP leading in Bukit Gasing
- In Sarawak, PKR leading in Limbong and DAP in Bandar Kuching.
- PKR’s Dr Xavier Jayakumar leading in all streams in Kota Raya state seat
- PKR’s Tian Chua leading in Batu by 3,743 votes.

DAP retains Kuching - 7.15pm
DAP’s Chong Chieng Jen has retained Kuching with an increased majority of 10,000 votes according to unofficial results. Chong won the seat in 2004 with a 2,000 majority.

ISA candidate Manoharan wins seat? - 7.20pm
Hindraf leader M Manoharan, who is being held under the Internal Security Act, is reported to have taken the Selangor state seat of Kota Alam Shah.

Nurul Izzah ahead in 3 out of 14 polling stations - 7.27pm
Nurul Izzah Anwar is leading at three out of 14 polling stations at the Lembah Pantai parliament seat. Meanwhile, PKR’s Azmin Ali is leading in both the Gombak parliamentary seat and the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat.

Victory parades banned, says police chief - 7.36pm
Police chief Musa Hassan has announced that all political parties are not allowed to hold victory parades after the results are announced. He said this is to prevent ‘untoward incidents’.

Tony Pua increases lead - 7.40pm
In Petaling Jaya Utara, Tony Pua is now leading by 4,000 votes. DAP also retained its Tanjung parliamentary seat in Penang as well as taking a large lead in all three state seats under that parliamentary seat. Wee Choo Keong, standing under a PKR ticket, is leading in Wangsa Maju.

Unofficial - Tony Pua wins PJ Utara - 7.45pm
Tony Pua has helped DAP has reclaimed Petaling Jaya Utara. Meanwhile, Janice Lee has won the state seat of Teratai, which is under the Pandan parliament seat.

Tian Chua leading in Batu - 7.47pm
PKR’s information chief Tian Chua in on the way to cause an upset in Batu by leading Gerakan’s Lim Si Pin by 7,089 votes.

PAS retains Kelantan: PAS president press sec - 7.50pm
According to Roslan Shahir Mohd Shahir, who is the press secretary of PAS president Hadi Awang, PAS has unofficially won 31 of the 45 state seats. He said that PAS' Nasharuddin Mat Isa has beaten Umno's Awang Adek Husin in Bachok. Awang Adek, who is deputy finance minister, also lost in the state seat of Perupok, which is under Bachok.

Kit Siang on the way to win Ipoh Timur - 7.51pm
DAP leader Lim Kit Siang has retained his Ipoh Timur parliamentary seat and his party is also leading in all three state seats - Canning, Tebing Tinggi and Pasir Pinji Pasir Puteh Utara .

Unofficial: DAP’s Tan Seng Giaw retains Kepong- 7.54pm
The incumbent is leading in all 13 polling stations.

Voter turnout tops 70 percent - 7.58pm
At 7.30pm, voter turnout nationwide was reported at 70 percent, but the figure is expected to go up as more information comes in. Election Commission head Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.told a press conference in Putrajaya that turnout was highest in Kelantan and Putrajaya (81% each), followed by Terengganu and Perlis (79 percent), Selangor (74 percent) and Pahang (73 percent). The lowest turnout was for the Federal Territory of Labuan at 59 percent. Generally, about 70-75 percent of voters come out to vote for each general election.

Unofficial: Opposition on the way to take over Penang - 8.01pm
The combined DAP-PKR_PAS opposition is running hot in the state by winning 17 state seats and needing only another four to form the state government.

Teresa Kok retains Seputeh, wins Kinrara - 8.03pm
Incumbent MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok has retained her seat with a huge majority of 20,000 votes. She has also won Kinrara, a state seat under Puchong in Selangor.

Blogger Jeff Ooi has big lead in Jelutong - 8.15pm
DAP’s Jeff Ooi is leading in the Jelutong parliamentary seat and the party is also leading in all three state seats in Jelutong - Datuk Keramat, Sungai Pinang and Batu Lanchang.

Opposition closer to taking Penang - 8.20pm
Having unofficially won 17 of the 40 state seats in Penang, the opposition is currently leading in six other seats with a wide margin. They need to pick up just another four seats to take over government in the island state.

DAP reclaims Kota Melaka - 8.25pm
DAP has won Kota Melaka, a seat which the party lost in 2004.

Sothinathan looks shaky in Teluk Kemang - 8.27pm
As it stands, reports from the ground indicates incumbent K Sothinathan is facing a tough fight against PKR’s Kamarul Baharin Abbas. Meanwhile Port Dickson’s MIC candidate T Rajagopalu is also facing a tough fight against PKR’s M Ravi and independent Jeeva Kumar Marimuthu.

Ramasamy knocks out Koh in Batu Kawan - 8.29pm
Unofficial - Prof P Ramasamy has defeated outgoing Penang chief minister Koh Tsu Koon by a majority of 3,000 votes. Koh is the most senior BN leader to have lost so far.

MIC Youth chief behind PAS in Kota Raja - 8.35pm
MIC Youth chief SA Vigneswaran is trailing behind PAS candidate Dr Siti Maria Mahmud in the state seat of Kota Raja, which is under the Klang parliamentary seat. Vigneswaran is parliamentary secretary to the Youth and Sports Ministry.

Samy trails by 1,300 votes - 8.32pm
PKR’s Dr D Jeyakumar is presently leading by 1,300 votes in Sungai Siput. However there are sill more than 20,000 votes to be counted. Samy Vellu has been the Sungai Siput MP since 1974. Samy Vellu claims today is his 72nd birthday.

Kit Siang: Political tsunami - 8.39pm
This is from Lim Kit Siang’s blog: here is a political tsunami in the 12th general election, with the Barisan Nasional suffering probably its biggest setback in history.

Tengku Adnan wins Putrajaya - 8.45pm
Controversial minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor retained his Putrajaya parliamentary seat, where most of the voters are civil servants. He bagged 4,038 votes against PAS Mohd Noor Mohamad's 1,304.

Unofficial: DAP retains Ipoh Barat and three state seats - 8.46pm
Incumbent M Kulasegaran obtained a majority of 1,056 while the three state seats in the parliamentary constituency - Buntong (majority 4,437), Bercham (3,395) and Kepayan (1,382) were also won by DAP.

Confirmed: Opposition takes Penang - 8.52pm
Unofficial result: The opposition will form the next state government in Penang for second time in history. Gerakan, then an opposition party, won Penang almost 40 years ago. The DAP-PKR-PAS combination has collectively won at least 24 seats out of the 40 seats.

Teresa Kok wins with whopping 36,600 majority - 9.02pm
Teresa Kok has won her Seputeh parliamentary seat with an unprecedented 36,564 majority. She also won the Kinrara state seat with a massive 4,901 majority.

Close fight in Terengganu - 9.10pm
Latest report from Terengganu is that Umno and PAS are neck in neck as counting continues in many of the state seats. PAS is said to be leading with eight state seats against Umno's five. At least 17 seats are needed to win the government as there are a total of 32 seats.

Opposition supporters told to stay calm - 9.20pm
DAP MP for Bukit Mertajam Chong Eng has advised all opposition supporters to remain calm and not provoke others. She also said they should refrain from having victory parades. “The Barisan Rakyat must learn how to handle victory or loss with maturity,” said her statement which comes as early polls result indicate a major swing towards the opposition.

Unofficial: PAS concedes defeat in Terengganu - 9.23pm
According to the state’s director of election Mustafa Ali, the party has conceded defeat in Terengganu, paving the way for BN to retain the state.

PKR candidates leading in KL - 9.25pm
Unofficial result: PKR’s Zuraida Kamaruddin defeated BN’s Azman Wahid in the Ampang parliamentary constituency. Meanwhile, Khalid Ibrahim has taken both the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat where he contested against MCA’s Tan Chai Ho and the Ijok state seat against Umno’s Mohd Sayuti Said. PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is leading Umno’s Said Anuar Syed Ahmad in the Gombak parliamentary seat, while Nurul Izzah Anwar is leading in Lembah Pantai against Umno's Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Unofficial: Nurul creates upset in Lembah Pantai - 9.29pm
According to polling agents, Nurul Izzah looks sets to unseat Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in the Lembah Pantai seat.

PAS bags 15 seats in Kedah - 9.34pm
According to PAS organ Harakah, the opposition party has won 15 of the 36 state seats in Kedah, including seats that were considered Umno strongholds. It needs four more seats to win government.

Kayveas loses at Taiping - 9.40pm
Another BN big gun, PPP's M Kayveas, who is a deputy minister, has lost his Taiping parliament seat. Winner DAP's Nga Hon Ming has told his supporters to have 'zero celebration'.

Recount in Rembau - 9.41pm
A recount is underway in the Rembau parliamentary seat which saw Khairy Jamaluddin taking on PKR’s Badrul Hisham Shaharin.

Unconfirmed: Samy is out - 9.43pm
Unofficial: MIC president S Samy Vellu has suffered a shock defeat at the hands of PSM’s Dr D Jeyakumar for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat which he has held for nine terms. Jeyakumar polled 16,874 votes to Samy's 14,408. Today is Samy Vellu's 72nd birthday.

IGP: Don’t spread rumours of riots - 9.53pm
Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan tonight warned that ISA will be invoked against those found spreading rumours of riots and urged those receiving such SMSes to report them to the police. Meanwhile, the opposition has urged its supporters to remain calm.

Unofficial: Nurul Izzah beats Shahrizat - 9.55pm
According to ground reports, PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar, Anwar Ibrahim's daughter, has knocked out Umno minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil at Kuala Lumpur's Lembah Pantai. Today is also International Women's Day.

DAP takes Klang - 10.01pm
Unofficial: DAP candidate Charles Santiago has won the Klang parliament seat with 16,975 votes against MCA's Ch'ng Toh Eng.

KL's Titiwangsa falls to PAS - 10.05pm
Unofficial: PAS' Dr Lo' Lo' Ghazali has won the Titiwangsa parliament seat with a majority of 1,972.

Unofficial: Wan Azizah retains Permatang Pauh - 10.07pm
The PKR president and incumbent has won the seat by a 4,000-vote majority.

Confirmed: Tan Seng Giaw retains Kepong with higher majority - 10.10pm
The six-term DAP incumbent obtained 35, 552 votes to win with a 23,848-vote.

Confirmed: ISA detainee wins with big majority - 10.15pm
Hindraf leader and ISA-detainee M Manoharan, on a DAP ticket, obtained 12,699 votes to win with a 7,184-vote majority the Kota Alam Shah state seat (Selangor).

Human rights lawyer Sivarasa wins Subang - 10.16pm
PKR's R Sivarasa wins the Subang parliamentary seat by a majority of 8,000 votes. The opposition has also picked up the three state seats under Subang - Elizabeth Wong (PKR) in Bukit Lancang, Dr Nasir Mohd Hashim (PKR) in Kota Damansara and Khairudin Othman (PAS) in Paya Jaras.

Unofficial: Zam loses in Sungai Petani - 10.22pm
The information minister has apparently lost Kedah’s Sungai Petani parliamentary seat to PKR’s Johari Abdul by 10,000 votes.

Tsu Koon promises smooth transition - 10.25pm
Former Penang chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon has promised a smooth transition of power to the combined opposition of DAP-PKR-PAS, which has taken over the state. State DAP chief Chow Kom Yeow said this was relayed to him by Koh who is also Gerakan acting president. Speaking at a press conference at Hotel Macalister in Georgetown, Chow said Koh told him that the wishes of the people must be respected. DAP has again appealed to its supporters to remain calm.

Unofficial: Najib wins in Pekan - 10.26pm
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak retained Pekan with a majority of about 26,000. He defeated PKR rookie Khairul Anwar Ahmad Zainuddin.

BN wins big in Sarawak, only Kuching falls - 10.40pm
BN in Sarawak, with only parliamentary seats being contested, is winning big. Results over RTM as at 10.29pm confirmed that DAP only managed to defend its sole Bandar Kuching seat. BN won Serian, Selangau, Julau, Petra Jaya, Betong, Bandar Sibu, Stampin, Miri and Kota Samarahan comfortably. However, BN only managed to scrap through Sarikei by a 51-vote majority.

Wee Choo Keong takes Wangsa Maju - 10.42pm
Unofficial: Former DAP leader Wee Choo Keong, has won the Wangsa Maju parliament seat in Kuala Lumpur for PKR. He is reported to have won by 500 votes. This will mark the return of the fiery lawyer to Parliament.

Unofficial: MIC’s Wanita chief Komala loses in Kapar - 10.45pm
The incumbent parliamentarian is defeated by PKR’s S Manikavasagam by a 3,000-vote majority

Unofficial: T Mohan defeated in Batu Caves - 10.47pm
MIC’s new face T Mohan has been defeated by Amirudin Shari from the PKR.

Unofficial: Pak Lah wins with reduced majority - 10.48pm
The Barisan Nasional chairperson retains his Kepala Batas by a reduced majority of about 11,000. His majority in 2004 was 18,000.

Confirmed: Opposition takes Kedah - 10.50pm
Both the PAS and PKR have won 22 out of 36 state seats in Kedah. This means that the combined opposition will form the next state government there. Apart from Kedah, the opposition has won two other states - Kelantan and Penang.

Anwar: BN to lose two-thirds majority - 11.02pm
PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim said tonight that early results from the general election indicated the BN would lose its critical two-thirds majority in parliament. "We have crossed the one-third majority. This is based on information from the candidates from the initial counting," he told AFP. "This is a major victory... and we are moving up very fast towards (winning) 40 percent (of parliament seats)," he said.

Joseph Pairin trailing brother, DAP may take KK - 11.08pm
BN’s Parti Rakyat Sabah (PBS) president and Sabah caretaker deputy chief minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan is trailing behind his brother, state deputy PKR chief Dr Jeffrey Kitingan at the Keningau parliamentary seat. Unconfirmed reports also say DAP has won the the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat through its Kota Kinabalu chief Dr Hiew King Chiew.

Latest official tally - 11.33pm
As at 11.20pm, BN has won 52 parliamentary seats, followed by DAP with six, PAS (2) and PKR (2)

Opposition wins 27 state seats in Penang - 11.40pm
The opposition has won 27 out of 40 state seats in Penang - DAP (19 seats), PKR (6) and PAS (2). Of the parliament seats, DAP has seven seats while PKR has three so far.

Abdullah says defeat part of democracy - 11.50pm
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that he accepted defeat in three states - Penang, Kedah and Kelantan - a sizable number of parliament seats. He said that was how democracy works and urged everyone to remain calm and not to celebrate in the streets.

Confirmed: Both MCA chief and brother win - 11.58pm
MCA president Ong Ka Ting wins the Kulai parliamentary seat while his brother Ka Chuan also wins at Tanjung Malim.

Official: PKR’s Khalid Ibrahim takes Bandar Tun Razak - 12.04pmPKR’s Abdul Khalid Ibrahim wins the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat beating BN’s Tan Chai Ho by a majority of 2,515 votes. He has also won the state seat of Ijok, which he had lost in a bitterly fought by-election last year.

Guan Eng to be Penang CM - 12.11pm
It is believed that DAP has named party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as the next chief minister of Penang. DAP won all 19 state seats it contested in Penang with PKR winning six and Pas two. There are 40 state seats in Penang.

Uncounted ballot boxes in Lembah Pantai - 12.12am
There are another 14 ballot boxes that have not been counted in this parliamentary seat, throwing a spanner in the victory achieved by PKR’s Nurul Izzah against incumbent Shahrizat Abdul Jalil

Unofficial: Opposition wins Selangor - 12.25am
Selangor has fallen into the hands of the opposition. PKR has earlier announced that its secretary-general Khalid Ibrahim will be named mentri besar. In Selangor, DAP has taken 35 seats (DAP - 15, PKR - 11 and PAS - 9) out of the 56 seats in the state. It is expected that DAP leader Teng Chang Khim could be picked as deputy mentri besar. Meanwhile, the opposition is also doing very well in Perak but it is still not clear how many of the 59 state seats it has won. The opposition has so far won Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan.

Official: BN retains Perlis, Johor, Terengganu, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan - 12.28am
The respective state menteris besar officially announced that the BN had retained the state governments in these states.

Official: Wan Azizah retains Permatang Pauh - 12.31am
The incumbent wins the seat with a larger majority of 13,388 votes. She polled in 30,338 as opposed to BN’s Firdaus Ismail’s 16,950. In the three state seats under this constituency, BN took Seberang Jaya while Pas won Permatang Pasir and PKR won Penanti.

Polling agent: Only technical issue to be solved in Lembah Pantai - 12.43am
A technical issue has been blamed for the delay in the delivery of official results from 14 ballot boxes. However, the result will remain the same - a win for Nurul Izzah - with no question of a further count.

Official: Opposition wins big in Kelantan - 12.47am
PAS and PKR won 40 of the 45 state seats in Kelantan, with BN taking the rest. In 2004, the margin was much closer with the opposition having just a one-seat margin against the BN.

Tiger of Jelutong roars in Bukit Gelugor - 12.50am
DAP’s Karpal Singh eats up Koay Kar Huah (BN) with a whopping 21,015 majority

MCA president shocked by BN losses - 12.58am
MCA president Ong Ka Ting today expressed shock over the election results which saw the ruling Barisan Nasional losing scores of seats to the opposition. “The results are shocking because there are several states which BN has lost. However, MCA accepts the decision of the voters because it is their right,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Confirmed: Guan Eng is the new Penang CM - 1.01am
DAP confirmed today that its secretary general Lim Guan Eng will be the next Penang Chief Minister. He said that DAP would form the state government with PKR. “It will be a government for all Malaysians. We stress that we will not rule alone but together with PKR. We also hope that the PAS can help this new government”.

Opposition may take Perak as well - 1.20am
Unofficial: The opposition is reported to be on the way of winning close to half of the 59 seats in the state. It has so far won 22 seats and it could pick up a few more. However, it is still too close to call.

Khairy: We suffered a lot tonight - 1.25am
Khairy Jamaluddin, who won the Rembau parliamentary with 5,740-vote majority, admitted that the BN suffered a lot in this general election. “This is not the end of this world. We will fight back,” he said.

Mahathir’s son wins in Jerlun - 1.26am
Mukhriz Mahathir obtained a 2,205-vote majority to win the Jerlun parliamentary seat. He obtained 19,424 votes.

MIC Youth leader Vigneswaran suffers heavy defeat - 1.30am
The Kota Raja incumbent Vigneswaran polled in 17,879 votes to PAS’ Siti Mariah’s 38,630, losing by a whopping 20,751-vote majority.

Perak - Tajol Rosli survives - 1.35am
The caretaker Perak menteri besar defeats PKR’s Lee Sing Long by a majority 4,645 to take the Pengkalan Hulu seat. Meanwhile, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang retains his parliamentary seat of Ipoh Timur by a massive 21,942 majority. In Kuala Kangsar, Wanita Umno chief Rafidah Aziz polls 10,735, defeating PAS’ Dr Khairuddin Abdul Malik who got 9,277 in Kuala Kangsar.

Opposition claims victory in Perak - 1.50am
The state is still too close to call. However, the opposition claimed that it has won a simple majority in the state. According to PKR state chief Dr Lee Boon Chye, the opposition was victorious 30 out of 59 seats (DAP - 18, PKR - 6, PAS - 6). But the state Election Commission appears to have suffered a computer glitch, which has delayed the announcement of the results.

Sothinathan loses Teluk Kemang - 2.15am
MIC deputy president S Sothinathan was defeated in the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat by PKR’s Kamarul Baharain Abbas in a three-cornered fight which also involved an independent candidate. MIC appears to be the biggest loser with almost all its top leaders axed, including president S Samy Vellu and deputy president G Palanivel. Also shown the exit was its MIC Youth chief SA Vigneswaran and Women’s wing chief P Komala Devi.

EC declares simple majority win for BN - 2.20am
Election Commission chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman says BN has won a simple majority to win the 12th general elections and will form the next federal government.“BN wins the Parliament,” he said in a brief statement at 1:30 am this morning. When asked of the number of seats won by opposition parties at the point of tally, Abdul Rashid said, “Don’t know lah. It is not written here.”

MIC deputy president loses too - 2.22am
G Palanivel loses to PKR’s Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad by a slim margin of 198 votes at the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat.

Umno leaders in emergency meeting - 2.25am
The mood is grim at the Umno headquarters as the shock results of the today’s polls become apparent. The Putra World Trade Centre which houses the Umno headquarters is unusually quiet with party leaders trickling in slowly. No statements have been made to reporters gathered at the venue as they remain locked in deep discussions upstairs.

Pak Lah to meet King on Monday to form gov’t - 2.25am
In a live TV broadcast caretaker Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he will seek an audience with the Yang di Pertuan Agong on Monday to form the next federal government following BN’s simple majority win in the 12th general elections.

To a reporter’s question on whether the BN coalition would be denied its two-thirds majority in Parliament, Abdullah said: “This is what the people want if they do not want us to have a two-thirds majority.”

When asked whether the massive lost by BN was a vote of no confidence on the government, he said, "I don't see it that way."

He also denied speculations that he would step down as PM in the wake of BN's disastrous performance.

"I don't know who is being pressured (to step down). I'm not resigning," he told reporters at a press conference at the BN operations centre at the Putra World Trade Centre.

PKR victorious in Kuantan - 2.32am
Former PKR Wanita chief Fuziah Salleh has won in Kuantan beating MCA incumbent Fu Ah Kiow.

Unofficial: BN denied two-thirds majority - 2.42am
According to unofficial tally, the opposition has apparently denied the ruling Barisan Nasional its crucial two-thirds majority by winning up to 82 parliament seats so far (PKR - 29, DAP - 28, PAS - 25). To deny the government two-thirds majority, the opposition must win 75 seats. On the other hand, BN has won about 130 seats. There are still a few more seats to be decided.

Samy says ‘goodbye’ - 3.37am
After defending the seat for nine terms since 1974, MIC’s 71-year-old president S Samy Vellu made a quick exit upon learning his defeat. According to nstonline, on his way out, Samy Vellu could only muster a "goodbye" to reporters and supporters present at the convention hall. The MIC stalwart lost to Dr D Jeyakumar who has been contesting against him since 1999. In the previous polls four years ago, Samy Vellu defeated the latter with a majority of 10,349 votes. This time around, Jeyakumar, who stood on PKR ticket, garnered 16,874 votes to Samy Vellu's 14,408. Many of his supporters were seen crying when he left the hall.

DAP-PKR-PAS to form gov’t in Perak - 4.01am
The combined opposition of DAP, PKR and PAS said that they will form the new government in Perak. Collectively the three parties have won 30 seats (DAP - 18, PKR - 6, PAS - 6) out of 59 seats. One seat (Teja) is yet to be decided. However, the opposition still will have a narrow one-seat majority even if Teja goes to BN. About 50 opposition supporters are attempting to seal off the state government building in Ipoh to stop documents from being removed.

Khalid to meet Selangor sultan soon - 4.05am
PKR secretary-general Khalid Ibrahim said they will meet with the Selangor sultan "soon" regarding the formation of the new state government. However, he did not wish to jump the gun when asked whether he would be the new mentri besar. The deputy mentri besar is likely to be DAP’s Teng Chang Khim, who is former state opposition leader.

Anwar ushers in ‘a new dawn for Malaysia’ - 4.08am
A triumphant PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim described the victory of the opposition parties in five states and its breach of Barisan Nasional’s two-third majority in Parliament as “a defining moment” in the history of the nation and the opening of “a new chapter.”

“The people have voted decisively for a new era where the government must be truly inclusive and recognises that all Malaysians, regardless of race, culture or race are a nation of one,” he told a packed press conference at his residence in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur.

“The people have expressed in no uncertain terms that they want accountability, transparency, and the rule of law.”

Barisan To Lose 2/3 Majority due to "Anwar" Factor.

2008-03-08T22:28:00.000-08:00

The Day Before (analyst comments)

Basically, what we are seeing right now is that there is a massive swing against the Barisan Nasional among the ethnic Indian and Chinese electorates," said Merdeka Center research firm pollster Ibrahim Suffian.

"And also a significant swing of about 15 percent, I estimate, from among the Malay electorate as compared to the 2004 elections," he said, referring to the Muslim Malays, who dominate the nation's population.

Judging by the extent to which the unofficial reports are coming through there is a slim chance that the BN's two-thirds majority [in parliament] might be breached," he said.

The opposition, rallied by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, has formed a loose alliance aimed at depriving the coalition of its two-thirds majority that allows it to change the Constitution at will.

WARKAH ANWAR IBRAHIM BUAT PENGUNDI MALAYSIA
(sehari sebelum hari pilihanraya)

Buat sekalian rakyat Malaysia,Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera.
Penentuan sudah semakin hampir. 8 Mac 2008 bakal menyaksikan apakah rakyat bersedia untuk berubah ke arah Malaysia yang lebih mapan dan baik, ataupun mahu terus kekal dan terperosok dalam lipatan sejarah 50 tahun kemerdekaan negara yang penuh rencam.

Sebermula saat hari penamaan calon lagi,pelbagai penipuan telah disajikan oleh Umno-BN melalui SPR sebagai boneka mereka. Pengenalan duti setem, pemansuhan duti setem secara tiba-tiba, kempen yang tidak seimbang, ugutan dan ancaman berbaur samseng ke arah calon pembangkang, pengesahan SPR mengenai wujudnya 8,666 pengundi berusia 100 tahun ke atas, pengundian pos yang tidak rahsia, sehinggalah pemansuhan penggunaan dakwat kekal kepada pengundi atas alasan ‘keselamatan awam.’

Penipuan-penipuan ini pastinya bertujuan untuk mengekalkan pemerintahan Umno-BN, di saat mereka gelabah melihat rakyat sudah berani menyatakan rasa tidak puas hati mereka di semua pelusuk Malaysia. Tetapi sayang, penipuan ini memberi gambaran bahawa rakyat di mata Umno-BN adalah rakyat yang mudah diperkotak-katik dan diperbodohkan sewenangnya.

Inilah yang dikehendaki Umno-BN, agar rakyat mengalihkan pandangan, seterusnya menjadi leka dalam amarah. Lantas mereka menyusup menggunakan strategi kotor, termasuklah mengimport pengundi hantu di beberapa kawasan khususnya Kelantan, Terengganu dan tidak ketinggalan di Pekan, Pahang. Pembangkang dicemuh melalui media tanpa ada ruang untuk kita memberi respon balas. Saya, yang sebelum ini dikatakan ‘tidak relevan lagi’ dalam politik Malaysia, saban hari diasak dengan pelbagai jenis fitnah dan tuduhan-tuduhan dangkal. Ironinya sambutan dalam program ceramah dan rapat umum mencecah ribuan pengunjung tanpa perlu sogokan wang ringgit mahupun elemen hiburan.

Dari Utara membawa ke Selatan, kesempatan berkempen selamat 13 hari diisi dengan baik. Alhamdulillah saya telah menyaksikan kebangkitan rakyat hampir di seluruh negara, dan perjuangan ini bukan perjuangan picisan, ini perjuangan rakyat yang ingin bangkit daripada penindasan zalim Umno-BN! Sambutan ke atas calon-calon KeADILan termasuklah PAS dan DAP sangat memberangsangkan, dan kelihatan Umno-BN terus terdesak dan kalut. Meskipun mereka menguasai media arus perdana, mereka terus berada dalam keadaan bertahan. Manifesto KeADILan, PAS dan DAP langsung tidak mereka kupas, sebaliknya hanya menyerang, menyerang dan menyerang membabi buta.
Saudara-saudari sekalian,

Setiap rakyat berhak memperoleh peluang untuk melangkah dengan lebih baik. Malaysia punyai potensi yang sangat hebat, tetapi sayang potensi ini pudar dek rakusnya permainan politik Umno-BN yang terus memasung minda rakyat dengan sentimen perkauman sempit yang sarat dengan unsur-unsur rasuah. Sistem kehakiman mudah dijual beli tauke judi, jenayah kian berleluasa dengan kes-kes rogol, ragut dan bunuh semakin meningkat. Polis tidak lagi bertugas mengawal ketenteraman awam, sebaliknya dikerah memantau pergerakan pembangkang. Inflasi semakin menggila, gaji kian menyusut, akhirnya rakyat terus hidup melarat. Yang diseru BN, agar rakyat terus bersyukur dengan apa yang ada.

Apa yang perlu anda lakukan pada 8 Mac 2008 adalah keberanian untuk berubah. Komitmen KeADILan jelas, kemenangan yang saudara/saudari berikan kepada KeADILan dan pakatan pembangkang lainnya akan diterjemahkan dengan penurunan harga petrol, kawalan inflasi dan kenaikan harga barang,usaha membanteras jenayah yang lebih padu, pendidikan percuma yang fleksibel untuk semua, dan kerajaan yang lebih adil dan saksama kepada semua rakyat tanpa mengira agama dan bangsa.

KeADILan telah mengemukakan Manifesto berjudul Harapan Baru untuk Malaysia yang begitu peka kepada menyediakan penyelesaian masalah-masalah asas rakyat Malaysia. Dan harapan yang dijanjikan KeADILan ini akan direalisasikan melalui calon-calon KeADILan yang datang daripada pelbagai latar belakang serta mempunyai kaliber dan kredibiliti yang sangat baik.

KeADILan, PAS dan DAP telah pun memainkan peranan untuk menyelamatkan Malaysia daripada lemas dalam arus kemusnahan dek nafsu serakah pimpinan Umno-BN dan tauke-tauke judi. Tinggal anda untuk membuat keputusan. Segalanya boleh direalisasikan, melalui anda, rakyat Malaysia yang bermaruah.

Saya yakin dan percaya bahawa rakyat Malaysia kini telah matang dan bijak, dan kebijaksanaan itu akan diterjemahkan dengan mengundi KeADILan, PAS dan DAP pada 8 Mac 2008 ini sebagai satu usaha untuk menyelamatkan Malaysia.

Kini tiba masanya Malaysia menjajat masa depan dengan Harapan Baru yang lebih cerah dan perkasa. Penentuan di tangan anda. Kepada Tuhan kita berserah.

Selamat menunaikan tanggungjawab anda sebagai rakyat Malaysia yang bermaruah!

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Fellow Malaysians,Assalamualaikum and warmest greetings,

The moment of truth is upon us. The 8th of March 2008 is the pivotal moment of our time - when the people of Malaysia have a choice between changing to a better, more wholesome Malaysia; or continuing to be trapped and shackled by 50 years of a chequered independence.

From day one on nomination day itself, fraud upon fraud has been the hallmark of Umno-BN, through their ever-willing puppet, the EC. The introduction of stamp duties, followed by its abrupt abolition; uneven campaigns and gangster-like threats towards opposition candidates; the EC’s admission that there are apparent 8, 666 votes above 100 years of age; un-secret postal votes; and most shockingly - the abolition of the use of indelible ink on the grounds of ‘public safety’.

These absurd frauds are clearly desperate attempts to maintain the rule of Umno-BN, even as they shiver in fear, seeing the readiness of the people to voice out their dissatisfaction across the length and breadth of the country. But what is truly sad is that it seems, from this endless series of trickery, that in the eyes of Umno-BN, the people of Malaysia are so easily manipulated and fooled with impunity.

That is what Umno-BN wants - for the people to shift their attention away from them, into a morass of deception and misplaced distrust. Dirty tactics are the order of the day, including the ‘import’ of phantom voters in certain areas, including Kelantan, Terengganu and not forgetting Pekan, Pahang. The opposition is blasted daily in the mainstream media, with barely an opportunity to respond to the allegations. I myself, supposedly ‘irrelevant’ in the arena of Malaysian politics, have been attacked mercilessly day in and day out with an array of libellous accusations. Ironically though, thousands seem to attend Opposition talks without ever needing the incentives of money or ‘entertainment’.

From North to South, I am glad to say that we have made the best out of our 13 days of opportunity. Alhamdulillah, I have been privileged enough to witness the people of Malaysia rise up across the country. Far from being a marginal struggle, this is a struggle for all our people, who have long wished to free themselves from the tyranny of UMNO-BN! The response given to our KeADILan candidates, as well as our comrades from PAS and DAP, has been nothing short of phenomenal, while Umno-BN looks increasingly desperate by the day. Even with their complete control of the mainstream media, they continue to be on the defensive - rather than engage with our manifestos, they have only managed to attack us blindly, stabbing in the dark with no real rhyme or reason.

My dear brothers and sisters,

Each and every Malaysian has the right to an opportunity for a better life. Malaysia has tremendous potential, but it has been worn down and suppressed by the vile political games of Umno-BN, who continue to poison our minds and bind our potential with narrow racial sentiments and the all-destroying ooze of corruption. The judiciary has become the marketplace of gambling kings; crime is endemic, with rape, snatch theft and murder all on the rise. The police have been taken away from their positions as guardians of public safety, and shunted instead to the useless surveillance of opposition figures. Inflation is spiralling out of control, even as wages shrink; and the people just keep on suffering. And what does BN tell us? That we should be thankful for what we have.

What you need to do on the 8th of March 2008 is to have the courage to change. KeADILan’s commitment is clear. The victory that you grant to us will translate into reduced petrol prices, a lid on inflation, a more sustained and credible effort at tackling crime, free education for all; and a government that is fair and just to all its people, regardles of race and religion.

KeADILan has given you a Manifesto titled A New Hope for Malaysia, which strikes at the heart of the basic problems that the average Malaysian faces today, and offers you solutions for tomorrow. The hope that KeADILan promises shall be realised by each and every one of our candidates, coming as they do to you from all sorts of different backgrounds, united by their shared credibility and calibre of the very highest degree.

KeADILan, PAS and DAP have played their roles in saving Malaysia from its current course of self-destruction, fanned by the greed and lust of the Umno-BN leadership and the gamblers of the nation’s future. Now, it is your time to make a choice. All our hopes and dreams for the nation are now but a step away from being realised - it is in your hands, as a citizen of Malaysia, endowed with dignity and the freedom of choice.

I firmly believe that the people of Malaysia are a mature and wise people, and I am confident that that wisdom will be translated into votes for KeADILan, PAS and DAP come this 8th of March 2008, in the name of saving our beloved Malaysia.

It is now time for Malaysia to tread the path towards a new future, armed with a New Hope, great and bright in its promise of glory. The choice is in your hands. And in God we trust.

I wish you all the very best, as you fulfil your civic duty tomorrow in bringing about a better Malaysia for all.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Penang May Get A New Government

2008-03-07T21:50:00.000-08:00

At a rally on Thursday night in Chinese-dominated Penang, the opposition Democratic Action Party drew some 30,000 people (some reports said 60,000), compared to a few thousand at a speech by Prime Minister Abdullah earlier.

"I think we have broken some new ground," said Jeff Ooi, a DAP candidate. "We are still hoping that the massive crowds will translate into votes. People are disappointed with how the government has been run in the past few years. People are dissatisfied with the inequitable distribution of wealth and opportunities."

Update

BN@Putrajaya 4th-Storey Boys rushed to Penang with final bag of tricks to stop the wind of change blowing ever stronger with 60,000 ceramah crowd last night which collected over RM130,000 in public donations

Marking growing panic in the Barisan Nasional at the strong winds of change rising up in the land, highlighted by last night’s 60,000-strong DAP ceramah crowd at Han Chiang Chinese School grounds in Penang which collected over RM130, 000 in public donations, the Putrajaya Fourth-Storey Boys have rushed up to Penang with their final bag of dirty tricks to check, counter and reverse the tide of change embracing Penang and the whole nation in the 12th general election.

The twin DAP objectives in the March 8, 2008 general election – to deny Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority in Parliament and the Penang State Assembly – seem to be increasingly feasible and within reach, and this is causing panic in Barisan Nasional circles.

Can the Putrajaya 4th-Storey Boys block and reverse the rising wind of change in Penang and Malaysia?

One brain-child of the Putrajaya 4th-storey Boys is the unprecedented live telecast of the Prime Minister to the nation as the final election campaign message of the Barisan chairman, which will be telecast live to the nation over the television channels.

This will be in the form of an interview with the Prime Minister by The Star Group Editor Datuk Wong Chun Wai and TV3’s Fuad Abdul Rahman in the Bual Pilihanraya programme at 9 pm.

"The problem is not with the Malays. The problem is with the corrupt leadership of this country," said Anwar Ibrahim

If last night’s huge turnout at Lembah Pantai is any indication, undecided Malay voters may yet be prepared to throw their support behind the opposition.

"The problem is not with the Malays. The problem is with the corrupt leadership of this country," said Anwar.

Despite a heavy downpour, over 10,000 people of mainly Malay working class gathered at a field behind the Angkasapuri complex to hear de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim’s rallying call for change.

Despite the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition consistently repeating that Anwar is not longer 'relevant', the government-controlled mainstream media appears to have detected the changing mood on the ground and have all guns trained on him.

In recent days, there have been numerous reports quoting Anwar's former friends plus retired politicians all freely condemning the opposition leader's actions when he was an Umno minister in the 80s and 90s.

"My own self, supposedly 'irrelevant' in the arena of Malaysian politics, has been attacked mercilessly day in and day out with an array of libelous accusations. Ironically though, thousands seem to flock to my rallies without ever needing the sops of money or 'entertainment'," said Anwar in a last-minute appeal to the voters.

"From north to south, I am glad to say that we have made the best out of our 13 days of opportunity," he said of the two-week long election campaign.

The PKR leader has crisscrossed the country in a punishing 12-hour daily schedule which takes him to about a dozen non-stop ceramah a night.

The National Front has won every election since independence in 1957, and is expected to win again even though it is unlikely to repeat its 2004 performance when it captured 91 percent of Parliamentary seats.

Tricia Yeoh, director of the Center for Public Policy Studies think tank, predicted the opposition would win between 35 and 38 seats in Parliament, nearly doubling the 19 seats it held before Parliament was dissolved.

"There should be a swing in these seats" due to Chinese and Indians voting for the opposition, Yeoh said. "That's the fear of the BN ... The Chinese and Indian votes will be the important swing votes," she told The Associated Press.

A reduced majority for the National Front in Parliament would be seen as a personal rebuke for Abdullah, who has lost much of the goodwill he received when he took office in 2003, replacing longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad.

Abdullah has been blamed for failing to properly manage inflation, crime, corruption and most importantly ethnic tensions between the minorities and the majority Malays.

Muslim Malays make up 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people, and form the bulk of voters for Abdullah's United Malays National Organization. The party dominates the National Front coalition, which includes Chinese- and Indian-based parties in a power-sharing arrangement that has ensured racial peace in this multiethnic country.

But the minorities have complained of increasing discrimination, citing a 37-year-old affirmative action program for Malays that shows no sign of being diluted despite their rising standards of living. The program gives Malays preference in government jobs, business, education and religion.

The Chinese and Indians are also angry at a string of court decisions in religious disputes that have gone in favor of Malays. Indians were incensed by the demolition of Hindu temples by authorities last year.

Still, large crowds at opposition rallies do not always translate into votes.

"It's your choice but I hope the people think carefully," Abdullah told his rally, warning that the minorities will have no voice in the coalition if they do not vote for the Front.

Mengapa Ramai Orang Melayu Tidak Menyokong Janji BN

2008-03-05T06:14:00.000-08:00

ENSURED NO ONE LEFT BEHIND - "Tiada siapa yang akan ketinggalan "Janji BN"

Ramai kaum bumiputera yang sangat-sangat mengharapkan bantuan daripada kerajaan menuntut hak mereka kembali dan tidak mahu janji sahaja…pertanyaan mereka..

Mengapa mereka tidak mendapat faedah dari dasar DEB mahupun DPN. KEMBALIKAN HAK KAMI! Mereka masih menuntut hak mereka sehingga sekarang!

SPR: MENGAPA RAMAI ORANG MELAYU TIDAK BERDAFTAR

PROGRAM Gerakan Perdana Pendaftaran Pemilih yang berakhir Ogos 2007 yang lalu mendapati orang Melayu adalah yang tertinggi tidak mendaftar sebagai pemilih walaupun pelbagai kemudahan disediakan oleh kerajaan. Program tersebut menyasarkan 2.5 juta pemilih baru mendaftar bagaimanapun daripada 1.5 juta yang mendaftar sebahagian besarnya adalah bukan Melayu. Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) Tan Sri Ab. Rashid Ab. Rahman berkata, secara keseluruhannya usaha itu gagal menarik kaum bumiputera dan orang Melayu untuk mendaftar sebagai pemilih.

Umno telah mengkhianati hak orang Melayu (bumiputera)

DASAR Ekonomi Baru (DEB) adalah untuk orang Melayu. Tetapi orang Melayu sendiri yang mengkhianati DEB sehingga ia dianggap gagal. Itulah kesimpulan mudah yang boleh diambil daripada ucapan dasar Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi di Perhimpunan Agung UMNO ke56 (Tahun 2005)

Pemilikan ekuiti bumiputera kini ialah kira-kira 18 peratus dan bukan bumiputra 82 peratus. Rakyat menyokong DEB kerana percaya ia memberi pengagihan ekonomi yang seimbang dan menstabilkan negara.

Dasar Ekonomi Baru tak dilanjutkan (2006) digantikan dengan DPN (hak bersama).

Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) tidak dilanjutkan, sebaliknya strategi dasar itu yang dipersetujui pemimpin semua kaum, diteruskan sebagai dasar ekonomi sekarang, kata Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Kerajaan akan memberi fokus kepada usaha mengurangkan jurang pendapatan antara kaum. Keseimbangan yang benar-benar terjalin adalah prasyarat kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi yang mampan.

Bagaimana dengan kekurangan 17% dari target 30% pada penghujuhng DEB? Inilah tntutan orang melayu sehingga sekarang!

Perdana Menteri menegaskan syarikat milik kerajaan (GLC) bukan syarikat bumiputera, sebaliknya ia adalah syarikat kerajaan dengan semua keuntungan diserahkan kepada kerajaan dan perbendaharaan

Umno telah gagal menjaga kepentingan orang Melayu/Bumiputera

Dukacita dimaklumkan bahawa Umnolah yang musnahkan bangsa Melayu. Umno harus salahkan diri sendiri.

Perlaksanaan DEB, DPN dan hak-hak istimewa diberikan kepada kaum Bumiputera adalah satu langkah yang baik untuk memajukan kaum Bumiputera dalam pelbagai aspek tetapi apa yang menyedihkan buat kaum Bumiputera ialah dasar ini telah disalahgunakan oleh Umno untuk memperkayakan diri sendiri, keluarga dan kroni-kroni kenalan rapat Umno. Akhirnya ramai kaum bumiputera yang sangat-sangat mengharapkan bantuan daripada kerajaan meneropong kerana mereka tidak mendapat faedah dari dasar DEB mahupun DPN.

Amat memalukan Umno tanpa segan silu menyalahkan kaum lain yang didakwa ingin mencabar, menguasai dan membolot kekayaan tetapi pada hakikatnya Umno lebih hina lebih teruk kerana secara terang-terangan memunggah kekayaan untuk kepentingan diri sendiri.

Siang-siang lagi orang Melayu sudah menolak Umno dan Umno bermimpi siang agaknya mahu eratkan perpaduan Melayu dan kaum-kaum yang lain.

Perjuangan Umno yang kononnya membela bangsa Melayu hari ini tidak boleh diharapkan lagi, segala keistimewaan Melayu yang kononnya diperjuang pertubuhan politik ini hanya 'indah khabar dari rupa'.

Banyak isu membabitkan kepentingan rakyat yang perlu diperjuangkan tidak terlaksana kerana bertindan dengan kepentingan peribadi melalui projek tertentu atas nama kemajuan dan pembangunan.

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menggambarkan BN dipenuhi pemimpin "korup dan tunggul mati" dipilihan raya umum.

Sambil menyatakan BN tidak mungkin dapat membersihkan dirinya sendiri, Dr Mahathir menyeru para penyokong BN supaya jangan undi calon-calon yang korup dan tidak cekap kerana "inilah cara kita dapat bersihkan... BN dan Umno".

Beliau juga berkata, tiada harapan untuk Umno membersihkan parti itu dari dalam kerana sebarang pandangan yang bertentangan dari ahli parti akan dikekang.

Dr Mahathir pernah menyifatkan Perdana Menteri menggadaikan maruah negara dan, seperti yang dilaporkan NST 2 Mei 2006, negara dijadikannya lembik dan bacul (half-past-six country which has no guts).

WPI untuk Singapura, gugat Islam

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata: "Kenapa kita harus bergantung sangat dengan penyertaan Singapura untuk membangun WPI?

KaIau pun mereka bersetuju untuk terlibat dalam WPI mereka nanti akan membeli rumah atau kilang dan menginap di situ. "Singapura dikatakan ada rancangan untuk menambah jumlah penduduknya sehingga 8 hingga 10 juta orang. Dan sebahagian besar orang-orang itu akan diimport dari tanah besar Cina. Oleh kerana di negaranya sendiri hanya boleh memuatkan setakat lima hingga enam juta maka baki penduduk itu mungkin akan ditempatkan di WPI.

Jadi kalau kita kita tidak berwaspada, WPI akan akhirhya dipenuhi oleh penduduk warga Singapura.

"Pengalaman silam telah mengajar kita bahawa kita kehilangan Singapura dulu, kerana penduduk Cina lebih ramai dari orang Melayu. Dan esok jika kerajaan membiarkan warga Cina Singapura ramai menduduki WPI (dengan berniaga, bekerja dan membeli banyak hartanah di situ) lebih dari penduduk Melayu, maka WPI akan dikuasai oleh orang Cina Singapura kerana orang Melayu tidak mampu membeli rumah di wilayah itu".

ECER akan sapu tanah rezab Melayu.

Wilayah Ekonomi Pantai Timur (ECER) ditubuhkan untuk mengambilalih 66,736 km persegi tanah rezab Melayu atau 40 peratus kawasan ECER. Pemilik-pemilik tanah rezab Melayu di dalam ECER hanya mempunyai dua pilihan. Pertama, pemilik menukarkan tanah mereka dengan unit-unit saham dalam sebuah badan yang didakwa "badan amanah". Kedua, menjualkan terus kepada badan yang didakwa "badan amanah itu".(The Edge Daily 24 September 2007)

Umno sudah tidak layak lagi mewakili kaum Melayu.

Siapa yang menjual tanah rezab milik orang Melayu kepada kroni-kroni? Tanah rezab kaum Melayu dijual atas alasan pembangunan. Apakah faedah yang diperolehi oleh pemilik tanah?

Yang mendapat keuntungan ialah penjual dan pembeli sahaja. Tanah dijual dengan harga yang murah dan kemungkinan besar akan dijual dengan harga yang lebih tinggi.

Akhirnya banyak tanah rezab kaum Melayu tergadai atas kerakusan golongan tertentu mencari kekayaan. Apa yang sebenarnya berlaku, Umnolah yang bolot semua kekayaan untuk kepentingan golongan tertentu sahaja. Mengata orang diri sendiri yang lebih.

Umno sudah tidak layak lagi mewakili kaum Melayu.

Pampasan yang dijadualkan akan diberi berikutan pengambilan tanah tidak setimpal sedangkan jika mengikut penilaian, jumlah tersebut tidak memadai.

Pemilik-milik tanah melahirkan rasa kesal kepada sikap wakil rakyat yang lansung tidak memperdulikan masalah itu beliau menyelar sikap pemimpin Umno lansung tidak dapat mempertahankan hak bangsa Melayu, katanya.

"Inilah sikap wakil rakyat kami di sini.Masa mengundi bukan main lembut lagi, turun padang jumpa kami. Pelbagai janji ditabur, tetapi selepas pilihan raya semuanya hilang, malah hak kami turut tergadai kerana kepentingan peribadi,".

Dr M seru rakyat Kelantan jangan percaya janji BN

Bekas Pengerusi BN itu juga dilaporkan berkata, sekiranya ketewasan Umno adalah satu-satunya cara bagi menyedarkan kepimpinan Umno sekarang tentang kelemahan pucuk pimpinan parti, maka, rakyat Kelantan seharusnya memberi undi mereka kepada PAS demi kebaikan negara Malaysia tercinta.

Ketika bekas Presiden Umno itu membuat kenyataan tersebut, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah berkongsi pentas dengan Dr Mahathir dan duduk sebelah menyebelah.

Bukan itu sahaja, Dr. Mahathir memberi ucapan supaya rakyat menolak kepimpinan Perdana Menteri di atas platform yang dinaungi oleh Tengku Razaleigh sendiri!

Sebab itulah, Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat mengalukan Dr Mahathir yang memberi mesej secara yang menggambarkan rakyat wajar terus memberi sokongan kepada PAS di Kelantan.

Dr M minta siasat PM kerana skandal minyak

Skandal Oil for Food yang menzalimi rakyat Iraq yang dihimpit kemiskinan dan kelaparan disifatkan oleh wartawan Fox News, Fred Barnes sebagai "skandal terbesar dalam sejarah manusia". Dr Mahathir berkata: "Semasa saya menjadi Perdana Menteri, saya tidak tahu perkara tersebut ... hanya selepas saya melepaskan jawatan, laporan tersebut dibuat. "Apa yang penting bukan sama ada beliau merupakan penerima atau tidak, tetapi sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri - atau sesiapa yang memegang jawatan dalam kerajaan - tidak wajar terlibat dalam mana-mana transaksi komersil.

Nampaknya, dia turut terlibat. "Sejauh mana dia turut terlibat saya tidak tahu...tetapi saya fikir, sepatutnya suatu siasatan perlu dilakukan oleh badan bebas, bukan oleh mereka yang di bawah Perdana Menteri". Abdullah menulis surat yang menyokong perniagaan kedua-duanya di daalm skandal Oil for Food itu.

Inilah yang sebenarnya menjadi masalah kepada kita. Perpecahan yang mengakibatkan hak orang - orang Melayu terhakis.

Bukankah ini suatu realiti, kenapa harus kita sembunyikan? Sejarah membuktikan perpecahan ini merugikan orang - orang Melayu kerana kita gagal membezakan antara perbezaan idealogi politik dengan keutamaan bangsa. Lebih dahsyat lagi ialah apabila ianya hanya melibatkan kepentingan dan cita-cita beberapa orang tertentu.

Maka perpecahan itu terus merugikan bangsa bilamana kita merujuk kepada bangsa lain untuk tujuan sokongan. Hakikat kegagalan DEB bukan berpaksikan agenda tetapi perlaksanaannya. Namun kegagalan ini kononnya kesalahan polisi dan polisi ini harus diubah.

Pengubahan polisi yang dicanangkan oleh kepimpinan Melayu pembangkang menyerapkan unsur - unsur yang mampu mengikis hak Melayu demi meraih sokongan bangsa lain.

Kesilapan dan pengkhianatan kepimpinan Melayu dalam melaksanakan DEB harus dipandang serius. Kesalahan dan kesilapan ini sengaja atau tidak merugikan Melayu. Kepimpinan yang terlibat dalam membolot keuntungan dari polisi DEB dengan mekamisma rasuah harus ditentang dan dipenjarakan.

Tetapi apa bezanya mereka - mereka ini dengan mereka yang mahukan kuasa politik lantas menjual hak yang ada. Apa beza mereka ini dengan mereka yang memperjuangkan penambahan hak bukan Melayu hanya kerana politik diri?

Akhirnya Melayu terbabit dalam delima baru dan bayangkan setelah mereka - mereka ini berjaya memperjuangkan agenda politik mereka dengan meraih sokongan segelintir Melayu dengan sentimen agama dan raihan simpati khususnya era refomasi kemudian memperoleh sokongan kaum lain dengan penjualan dan menghakis hak, apa akan jadi pada bangsa kita.

Terlampau banyak insiden elitis Melayu membelakangkan Melayu kerana agenda politik dan inilah punca akhirnya Melayu menghadapi delima baru, alaf baru.

Perlu direnung kembali....

BEGINIKAH CARA BN MEMERINTAH? Sekiranya kalah di Kelantan!

Apakah yang terjadi kepada rakyat negeri Terengganu di bawah bekas pemerintahan Barisan Nasional sebelum diambil alih oleh Pas? Kenapa Terengganu boleh jadi negeri yang kedua termiskin sedangkan berbillion-billion wang royalti telah diterima daripada Petronas?

Bukan sahaja ramai rakyat negeri Terengganu yang masih miskin tetapi yang sangat mengecewakan ialah kerajaan BN berhutang RM 700 juta. Kemana wang royalti telah dibelanjakan dan kenapa kerajaan BN boleh berhutang sedangkan duit royalti yang diterima memang sudah cukup untuk menampung segala perbelanjaan yang diperlukan?

Bukan sahaja cukup tetapi lebih daripada mencukupi. Sehingga kini diktator tua tidak berani mengulas hal yang memalukan ini. Inilah gara-gara Umno yang kononnya membela bangsa Melayu tetapi hakikatnya bangsa Melayu yang mengalami berbagai kesusahan akibat kerakusan dan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno yang hanya tahu jaga sendiri.

Bagaimana janji Barisan Nasional kepada rakyat FELDA
Janji tinggal janji!

Kita rujuk kembali ditahun 2004...

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his 2004 Budget presentation announced plans to list Felda on the KLSE.

Felda Holdings Sdn Bhd, Malaysia’s largest plantation operator, will be listed on the Main Board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) by end of this year to attract large institutional investors to Malaysia -settlers of the massive land scheme and employees of Felda would hold 75 per cent of the equity in entity to be listed while 25 per cent would be allocated to the investing public.

By Jan 1, 2004 it will be a new Felda that would take us to the world stage. Once listed, it will also be the biggest oil palm estate to be listed in any stock exchange,” he told reporters at a briefing here Saturday on the proposed listing.

Dr Mahathir, who is also Finance Minister, said the listing would enable the tapping of funds from the capital market and Felda would no longer have to depend on the government for its financial requirements. Proceeds from the initial public offering (IPO) would be utilised by the government, the largest beneficiary of the listing, for development purposes.

Felda’s plantation activities currently are carried out through Felda Holdings. The group owns 354,554 hectares of plantation land, and through Felda Holdings, it also mills and refines oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) produced by the estate. Felda also buys FFB produced by the settlers whom in total own 447,246 hectares of plantation land.

Settlers and employees of Felda currently own a 51-percent stake in Felda Holdings through Koperasi Permodalan Felda. Under the listing proposal, settlers of Felda will be specially allocated shares worth an average of RM6,000 each based on the RM1 billion of total allocation of shares. Felda employees will be offered shares under an employee scheme.

Under the proposed IPO exercise, Felda Holdings will acquire all the plantation estates currently owned by the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) for new shares in Felda Holdings. Felda Holdings will acquire the equity interests in its subsidiary and associated companies directly held by Felda and Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF) for new shares in Felda Holdings. The equity interest in Felda Holdings will be transferred to Ministry of Finance Inc.

Following this, the substantial shareholders in Felda Holdings comprising the Ministry of Finance Inc and KPF will then offer Felda Holdings’ shares to both retail and institutional investors.

The Ministry of Finance Inc will also offer some Felda shares to state governments under a programme to be announced later. “We believe that the IPO will give settlers, employees and state governments who had worked very hard to bring Felda to what it is today an opportunity to become shareholders of the newly listed company,”.- Bernama 2004

Kita rujuk kembali ditahun 2006....

However, the IPO plans now appear uncertain, amid growing concerns about the fate of the farmer-settlers and their land after Felda lists, because the government helps settlers to manage their farms through Felda....Paklah

15/11/2006 - UCAPAN PERASMIAN PERHIMPUNAN AGUNG UMNO YANG KE-57

Jika kita mahu segera merangsang pasaran saham, saya boleh dapatkan persetujuan Jemaah Menteri untuk melakukan penyenaraian PETRONAS dan FELDA.

PETRONAS secara bersendirian, dapat menambah 400 bilion ringgit (Tahun 2006) kepada modal pasaran saham Malaysia dan secara segera (instant), meletakkan kita terus menjadi antara pasaran saham terbesar di Asia; tetapi kita sama sekali tidak harus menggadaikan kepentingan strategik negara dan bangsa semata-mata untuk melihat kejayaan segera. Usaha menarik pelaburan dan usaha merancakkan pasaran saham secara mapan, segera..

Sebaliknya kita akan memberi tumpuan kepada transformasi ekonomi secara lebih bermakna lagi berkekalan berbanding dengan pendirian setengah pihak yang mahu dilakukan pencapaian segera.

Kerajaan masih memberikan subsidi tetapi apabila sampai ke tahap kritikal, kerajaan terpaksa mengambil keputusan mengurangkannya. Keputusan sukar ini dilakukan untuk memastikan bajet pembangunan, iaitu, wang untuk membina sekolah, hospital, jalan raya, bekalan elektrik dan air untuk rakyat jelata, tidak habis digunakan untuk subsidi. Kerajaan perlu memandang ke hadapan, menangani masalah harga minyak dan gas yang sering tidak menentu.

Janji Barisan Nasional Yang Past DiLaksanakan

"After the elections, some of the subsidies may have to go” stresses Dr. Awang (future Kelantan MB if Barisan wins)

Vote for 'good candidates', not parties - Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad

2008-03-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad said he would remain a thorn in the side of his successor in the run-up to elections, and would continue to speak his mind.

Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says voters should vote for "good candidates" instead of parties in the next general election to ensure the Barisan Nasional (BN), especially its main component Umno, is "cleansed". "(This is) because there is no hope that Umno can be cleansed from within. Everything is controlled now. Nobody can have an opinion and contrary views ... they will make sure they are unheard," he told a press conference after launching a book titled 'Mahathir’s Selected Letters to World Leaders'. He said voters should not support corrupt leaders, even if the candidates are from BN. "That way, we can clean up BN and Umno," said Mahathir, who was in his usual combative mood.

Mahathir said he would only campaign for candidates who can bring good to the country but will not campaign for opposition candidates. "Last time, I said I would help in the (election) campaign. But in 2004, the BN was so popular, so I did not campaign. (Now) I will campaign if I believe that that candidate can bring benefit to the people," he said. "I hope that we will love the country enough to vote for the best candidate. But I think people who support BN should be a little bit more selective. (They) should think and have wisdom to choose people they support."

On whether he could accept the fact that the opposition would win more seats in the next general election, he said the Opposition would not win more seats than BN and that even if they have more seats, they would not be able to form a government.

Advise

It is up to the people to assess who should continue and who should go ... candidates who have not delivered must not be retained, only that way can we clean up BN and Umno," he said adding that he would never lend his support to the Opposition. Dr Mahathir said there was no reason for voters to feel that they should accept a candidate just because he is from BN to ensure the party's win. This, he said was because it is impossible for the Opposition to win more seats than BN, to form a government. He said Malay voters especially, must change their mindset and not keep voting merely for a party but should rather consider the candidates fielded.

Cautioning voters of an irreparable move if they did not vote wisely, he said unless Malaysians wished to have a party that is centred on nepotism and corruption, they must reconsider voting for the same people who have not performed. "The mindset of the Malays is such that even if you put a piece of log (to represent the party) they will vote for it... as they cannot allow the party to lose. "If you cause a candidate to lose, it does not mean that the party will lose, it will still win," he said.

2008 Government To Spend RM 81 Billion- BN Using Subsidies To Buy Votes?

2008-03-01T23:06:00.000-08:00

The issue of subsidies has been raised before and the government has agreed to reduce it, but it looks clearly now, it's use to buy votes!

TO GIVE OR NOT TO GIVE

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- "To give or not to give". That is the pertinent poser on whether the government should continue subsidizing the cost of consumer goods and services in the country.

Second Finance Minister, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop was recently reported by the media as saying that the government is expected to spend RM81 billion on all forms of subsidies this year "to help Malaysians cope with the rising prices."

The sum includes subsidies on petrol, diesel, education, healthcare and textbooks. The yearly subsidies on education and healthcare totalled RM29 billion and RM9 billion, respectively.

For economist, Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Mohamed Ariff, the subsidy policy practised by the government for over 50 years cannot be a permanent feature.

"The rakyat needs to be educated on this issue. I am not anti-subsidy, as I believe there is a valid case for subsidies under certain circumstances and this is particularly true for health care and education.

"While subsidy generally makes good politics, it connotes bad economics not only because it has adverse budgetary implications but also because it causes market distortions and misallocation of resources" he told Bernama in an interview recently.

Massive Subsidy For Fuel Because Government Cares For The People - PM

PENANG, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today the government allocated massive subsidies to offset the price of petrol in the market as it cares for and is concerned about the people.

The Prime Minister said the government did not want the people to be too heavily burdened by the rise in petrol price.

The government was spending RM43.4 billion currently to provide various subsidies to offset the petrol price increase and the allocation was actually much bigger than that for national development, he said.

"Despite having to bear the high cost, we do it because the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is public-spirited and is concerned about the welfare of the people," he said when launching a campaign organised by the Association of Malaysian Taxi/Limousine and Hire Car Drivers (Pertekma) at the grounds of Hotel Sunway, Seberang Jaya, here.

"If the price of petrol can be brought down, I'll be much happier but when we do this, it may affect other necessities," he said.

Abdullah said the government always looked for various ways to ensure that the people were not burdened by the rising cost of petrol and other goods, including providing free text books to school children, abolishing school and examination fees and reducing charges for treatment and healthcare at government hospitals.

In addition to reducing the burden borne by the people on expenses, the government also endeavoured to provide more job opportunities for them and to increase their income, he said.

Compared to the other countries, he said the prices of petrol, food items and health care in this country were much lower because of the subsidy element from the government.

"We ensure that these prices are under control, including adequate supply of food items and the burden is borne by the government. If the petrol price can be reduced, then all countries would want to do it.

"Of course we have Petronas, but it too has to spend hundreds of billion for overseas operations and if all the Petronas funds are to be spent, then it will be gone," he said.

At the function, Abdullah took the opportunity to clarify to the approximately 300 taxi drivers present the impact on the people if transportation cost were to increase.

"If transportation cost rises, the price of goods transported will go up, vehicle rental also rises and if the rental increases, the fare will also go up.

So, we have to control all these so that the people are not affected," he said.

The Prime Minister hoped taxi drivers would help the government in explaining to the passengers on the issue of higher petrol prices and the efforts taken by the government to protect the people from the adverse effects.

COMMENTS

Fuel subsidies removed to enhance economic growth rate. And cows can fly too

Referring to what our second Finance minister, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said about reviewing prices of fuel and making more productive use of the subsidy to improve growth rate --- this is where the proposal falls apart :

One, I dont want to see my fuel subsidy going towards yet another longest bridge, helicopters for airlifting cars from emergency lanes from that longest bridge, tallest buildings and repair costs associated with cracks and leaks from misappropriated engineering funds on those tall buildings.

Two, for the sake of argument, lets say the money is funneled into projects which really do fuel economic growth, which sector of the population does it benefit? Yes, it does bring benefit across the board but mainly to large corporations and individuals directly or indirectly associated with them. Weve had phenomenal growth rate in the past 8 years and our stock markets have regained and surpassed its position prior to the economic downturn. So, why are salaries and benefits severely lagging behind that growth rate and in some instances remain unchanged?

Three, I cant think of a better way to benefit the general public than to continue to fuel subsidies. It ensures that benefit is enjoyed across the entire rakyat regardless of geographic location or social standing.

Since fuel, like all raw materials belong to the country, and the country to the people, lets take a public poll to see who supports removing the fuel subsidy for dubious growth projects? To serve this study better, the government should probably put a proposal on how the additional 40B is going to be used, jobs it will create, greater educational and healthcare facilities etc.

I think the majority of the "thinking" public does not mind the removal of the fuel subsidy PROVIDING that the Government utilises the savings earned from fuel subsidy removal for projects that actually eases some burden on the Rakyat. But it is as what you said, if that actually happens, cows would fly.

Time and time again, we have witnessed how the Government waste the tax payers money on unimportant projects or ambitious projects that are out of our reach for at least another 3 decades. Of course, there are many supposedly people's projects that are meant to benefit the Rakyat, but as what you said, the bulk of the money channelled into these projects goes to "individuals" sitting in the board of directorship of companies being awarded these projects and not to the Rakyat. We already have Petronas "robbing" the people blind but perhaps the people themselves brought it upon themselves when they decide to vote blindly. Here's to the future of our country, if we have any at all!

I am in favour of gradual reduction of fuel subsidy. There is currently an imbalance between oil consumption and its production ( discovery ). Even though the tool of market pricing may be a blunt instrument, it remains however at this current world situation, the only effective restraint on wanton wastage. Withdrawing welfare is always going to be politically sensitive and electorally unpopular. Deferring measures of painful restraint will eventually make the adjustment in the future that much more hurtful and any move in that diection may tentamount to committing political suicide. Such political reality may cause government of the day to simply give up trying.

A good example is Venezuela where petrol costs barely 2 US cents per litre. Filling up a full tank of a huge 4WD there costs the equivalent of a cup of Starbuck coffee. The heavy subsidy was in place when oil was cheap. Even though this is no longer the case, no politician there dares to table any private member bill to effect changes. On the other hand, it is valid amd justisfiable to query as to how and where the savings are to be spent. It makes no sense to save wastage in one sector and have it (the saving) squandered in projects that benefits but a very handful of people. It is a question of transparency, and MPs are well within their jurisdiction to monitor the constituentinal parametres.

Pengundi hantu masih menghantui

2008-03-01T00:21:00.000-08:00

Kuala Lumpur, 1 Mac - Semalam Setiausaha Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR) akhirnya mengakui terdapat 8,666 orang yang berumur lebih dari 100 tahun dalam daftar pengundi. Kebanyakan mereka dipercayai sudah meninggal dunia.

“Adalah tanggungjawab SPR untuk menyemak dengan Jabatan Pendaftaran dan memastikan nama mereka yang sudah mati dikeluarkan” kata Timbalan Presiden KeADILan Dr. Syed Husin Ali.

“SPR tidak ada alasan samasekali untuk menyatakan tidak sempat mengeluarkan nama mereka ini dari daftar pengundi. Perkara pengundi 100 tahun ke atas ini, yang sebenarnya sudah meninggal, telah ditimbulkan oleh keADILan berkali-kali sebelum dan semasa pilihanraya kecil Ijok lagi. Sekiranya SPR telus serta bertanggungjawab , mereka sepatutnya sudah lama membetulkan segala yang salah” tambah beliau.

KeADILan mendapat laporan daripada ramai sekali pengundi bahawa nama mereka telah dipindahkan ke tempat lain di merata Semenanjung, termasuk Sabah dan Sarawak, walaupun mereka masih tinggal dalam kawaan Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor dan mengundi dekat dengan rumah kediaman mereka dalam pilihanraya lalu.

“Pengundi lebih 100 tahun dan mereka yang dipindah ke tempat lain dan tidak boleh atau tidak mampu ke sana untuk mengundi, dengan mudah saja boleh diambil tempat mereka oleh pengundi hantu.

“SPR mengetahui tentang hal ini sebab berkali-kali telah dibangkitkan sebelum, semasa dan selepas Ijok oleh keADILan serta parti-parti lain dan juga oleh Bersih. Akan tetapi SPR membiarkannya saja, mungkin kerana hendak memberi peluang kepada Umno-Bn mengambil kesempatan.” kata Dr. Syed.

Mengikut beliau, KeADILan mendapat khabar tidak kurang dari 40,000 orang pengundi hantu akan ke Kelantan dari merata tempat di Semenanjung dan juga Selatan Thai.

“Adakah SPR sudah bersedia untuk membuka ruang, dalam daftar undi yang digunakannya sendiri, untuk memberi peluang kepada mereka ini mengundi sebagai pengundi hantu? Kami mendesak supaya SPR memastikan undi-undi hantu ini tidak akan dibenarkan menjalankan kerja haram mereka.”

Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar Naik Tetapi Taraf Hidup Turun

Kuala Lumpur, 28 Feb - Pengumuman Bank Negara bahawa Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) melonjak ke 7.3 peratus dalam suku keempat 2007 adalah di luar dugaan kata Timbalan Presiden KeADILan, Dr Syed Husin Ali dalam kenyataan media yang dibuat hari ini. Jangkaan kenaikan untuk 2007 oleh Kerajaan sendiri ialah 6.3 peratus, berbanding dengan 5.0 peratus bagi tahun 2006. Malaysian Institute for Economic Research (MIER) pula telah menganggarkan kenaikan hanya sebanyak 5.4 peratus saja bagi tahun 2007.

Dr. Syed bertanya “Adakah ia dikeluarkan semata-mata untuk membantu Umno-Bn dalam kempen pilihanraya ke-12 ini?”

Bank Negara menyatakan lonjakan tersebut hasil dari perbelanjaan pengguna yang bertambah disokong oleh aktiviti swasta yang kukuh dan perbelanjaan sektor awam yang meningkat.

“Tidak ada bukti perbelanjaan pengguna bertambah, bahkan ini tidak mungkin sebab kuasa beli rakyat terutama sekali berkurangan akibat tiadanya peningkatan pendapatan sebenar kerana pendapatan tidak bertambah dan harga barang keperluan meningkat.

“Aktiviti swasta pun tidak begitu kukuh sebab keadaan ekonomi baru pulih lebih separuh saja selepas krisis kewangan yang bermula pada tahun 1997. Juga, jumlah dan kadar pelaburan langsung (FDI) rendah dan tidak menunjukkan tanda bertambah” kata Dr. Syed.

Banyak perjanjian Kerajaan BN untuk perbelanjaan lebih besar untuk beberapa projek gergasi yang masih belum dilaksanakan.

“Memang ada penambahan perbelanjaan awam yang lebih kecil, tetapi adakah mereka mempengaruhi secara signifikan lonjakan KDNK itu?” tambah beliau.

KDNK dikatakan bertambah tetapi ia tidak tercermin pada kenaikan taraf hidup rakyat ramai. Mengikut Manifesto BN, pendapatan sebenar isi rumah di Malaysia pada tahun 2007 ialah RM3,617 berbanding dengan RM3,249 pada tahun 2004, tanpa mengambil kira inflasi.

Pertumbuhan bagi setiap tahun hanya sebanyak 3.6 peratus. Kadar inflasi pula perlu diambil kira pada tempoh yang sama mengikut indeks harga - PI – yang diumum kerajaan). Ini bermakna pertumbuhan pendapatan seisi keluarga ialah hanya sebanyak 1.0 peratus saja bagi tiap-tiap tahun.

“Apakah yang Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi dan Umno-BN hendak banggakan tentang kemajuan yang dicapai di bawah Umno-BN? Pendapatan tidak naik. Harga barang melambung. Rakyat ramai tidak mendapat faedah dari lonjakan KDNK. Tetapi hanya segelintir kecil dari golongan elit yang mengaut bahkan merompak kekayaan negara” tegas Dr. Syed

Election 2008: Nomination Day News

2008-02-24T00:26:00.000-08:00

Latest News - February 25, 2008

Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim di Pinang - 23/2/2008

More videos .....

Latest News - Nomination Day February 24, 2008

Pas grabbed the Kijang state seat in Kelantan, through its woman candidate Wan Ubaidah Omar.

PAS memenangi kerusi Dun pertamanya di Parlimen Pengkalan Chepa tanpa bertanding melalui calonnya di Dun Kijang oleh Bekas Senator Wan Ubaidah Wan Omar setelah calon Barisan Nasional Mustopha Ahmed disahkan bankrup -pasonline.

Seven up for BN, Pas grabs one state seat in Kelantan

Pas unexpectedly grabbed the Kijang state seat in Kelantan, through its woman candidate Wan Ubaidah Omar.

Prior to dissolution of the state assembly, Pas controlled 23 seats to BN's 22.

Bearing in mind that delicate balance and with this shocked loss, BN's hopes of recapturing the Kelantan Government is now at risk while Pas' position is solidified.

BN candidates who parliamentary seat uncontested

1. Datuk Azalina Othman Said - P157 Pengerang, Johor (Umno)

2. Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh - P191 Kalabakan, Sabah (Umno)

3. Norah Abdul Rahman - P206 Tanjung Manis, Sarawak (PBB)

4. Aaron Ago Dagang - P210 Kanowit, Sarawak (PRS)

5. Joseph Entulu Belaun - P214 Selangau, Sarawak (PRS)

6. Alexander Nanta Linggi - P215 Kapit, Sarawak (PBB)

7. Tan Sri Joseph Kurup - P182 Pensiangan (PBRS)

In the 2004 polls, BN won 14 parliamentary and seven state seats uncontested on Nomination Day.

Latest News - February 23, 2008

The gloves come off today - and the scramble for the 10.9 million Malaysian votes begins in earnest. A total of 222 nomination centres will be opened this morning for candidates, who have been posturing for weeks, to file their papers for 222 parliamentary and 505 state seats.

Although candidates can only officially start their campaigning after 1pm today, the political bombs and accusations have been hurled since Parliament and 12 state assemblies were dissolved on Feb 13.

However, till late last evening, some aspirants were still lobbying to get into the list of candidates on both sides of the political divide. And the acrimony that comes with being dropped seems more intense than ever before.

Latest News - February 23, 2008

Disappointed supporters of dropped candidates throng PM's residence

Disappointed supporters of dropped candidates have started converging at the Prime Minister's Department. Even the prime minister's official residence, Komplek Sri Perdana, was not spared.

On Thursday, four buses, carrying 240 supporters of an MP whose name was not in the list, arrived at Sri Perdana at 10.30pm last night. One of the buses headed towards the PM's Department but was told to leave by security and police officers.

The bus later joined the others at Sri Perdana and the group, including some children, only left after a representative handed over a memorandum to an officer in the PM's Department, 10 minutes before midnight.

Over at the Prime Minister's Department, about 40 supporters of a Menteri Besar started "camping" outside the guardhouse. When the Menteri Besar left the building at 11pm, the vehicles, mostly luxury cars, also left.

This "unsightly" sight is expected to prevail until tomorrow, which is the nomination day

Latest News -

Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's opposition party will contest about half of the 222 parliamentary seats in Malaysia's general elections in a bid to make a strong comeback after its stinging defeat in the last polls when it won only one seat.

The People's Justice Party is looking to challenge the ruling coalition in about 100 parliamentary seats in the March 8 elections, though no final numbers have been announced yet, party general secretary Khalid Ibrahim said Thursday.

He said the party expects to win at least 30 seats with the help of campaigning by Anwar, who was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 after a political fallout with then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Anwar also was expelled from the United Malays National Organization, the main party in the ruling National Front coalition, and set up the People's Justice Party.

"Anwar attracts a lot of supporters and sympathizers," Khalid told The Associated Press. "Anwar will be bringing a new hope into the politics of Malaysia."

Once considered a future prime minister, Anwar's fortunes plunged when Mahathir accused him of corruption and sodomy. He was convicted of the charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but was released in 2004 after the sodomy charges were overturned by a higher court.

Anwar maintains he was a victim of a political conspiracy because he challenged Mahathir.

Although he was cleared of the sodomy charge, the corruption conviction barred him from contesting in elections until April this year. Anwar says Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who succeeded Mahathir in 2003, called elections in March to prevent him from contesting.

The National Front coalition, which won 199 parliamentary seats in a landslide victory in 2004, is expected to easily return to power but with a reduced majority given frustrations over inflation, rising crime and ethnic tensions.

Some observers say Anwar also no longer holds sway over the masses as he used to when tens of thousands took to the streets after his arrest and trial.

Malaysia's main opposition Democratic Action Front, or DAP, is expected to put up candidates for about 50 other seats, which will not overlap with Anwar's party, general-secretary Lim Guan Eng said. DAP now has 12 seats in Parliament.

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, is eyeing about 65 seats, but opposition parties are still holding last-minute negotiations ahead of Sunday's nominations on collaborating to avoid multi-cornered fights, according to its general secretary, Kamarudin Jaffar.

Latest News -

Cili Padi Fong Po Kuan has returned to the frontline of the 2008 “Electoral Battle of the Century” – to end the overpowering UMNO political hegemony by denying the Barisan Nasional its unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority in the March 8 general election.

The past six days since Po Kuan’s announcement that she would not recontest in Batu Gajah parliamentary seat had been an agonizing ordeal for Po Kuan, party leaders, members, supporters and the Malaysian public who see the general election as the last opportunity for change and the nation’s tryst with greatness.

Whether at the national or state party leadership, there had never been a second name for the DAP candidature for Batu Gajah in the 12th general election apart from Po Kuan. All party and state leaders, together with the concerned Batu Gajah voters and the larger national constituency, had urged Po Kuan to reconsider and return to the frontline in the critical battle shaping up in the 12th general election.

One cannot run away from the reality that Po Kuan’s action had caused harm and damage to herself, the party and the cause for justice, freedom and democracy – although she never intended so.

I have had discussions with Po Kuan in the past two days and she had admitted to the great harm her action had unintentionally and unwittingly caused to the party, party leaders and the political momentum for change in the 12th general election, and she asks for the party and people’s forgiveness for her mistake.

She has now bounced back to the frontline of the Electoral Battle of the Century and will reconstest and defends the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat.

In our discussions, we agreed that to should look forward and not back, that everyone should single-mindedly focus on one and only objective – to give a great blow to the increasing and overpowering UMNO political hegemony marginalizing not only the other Barisan Nasional component parties, but also the ordinary Malaysian masses, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan-Dusun-Murut, Ibans and Sarawak indigenous people as well as orang asli in Peninsular Malaysia.

With Po Kua’s return to the frontline of the battle, let us make up precious lost ground and enter into the 12th election campaign with gusto and confidence, vigour and vitality.

Cili Padi FPK is back!

Malaysia Election Hot News

2008-02-23T22:00:00.000-08:00

HOT NEWS No.1

Dr M: There should be no political dynasties

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menyindir Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mengenai pencalonan menantunya, Khairy Jamaluddin dalam satu majlis di Kuala Lumpur semalam.

Walaupun tidak memperkatakannya secara terus tetapi ramai mempercayainya ia ditujukan kepada Abdullah.

Tun Mahathir memberitahu kepada media semalam bahawa tidak wajar wujud dinasti politik di negara ini.

Menurut Mahathir itulah sebabnya mengapa beliau tidak mengenengahkan anaknya, Mukhriz dalam politik semasa beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri dahulu.

Walaupun Tun Mahathir tidak memberikan penjelasan lanjut mengenai jawapannya itu, tetapi ramai yang mempercayai bahawa kenyataannya itu merujuk kepada menantu Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi iaitu Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy yang merupakan Naib Ketua Pemuda Umno, akan bertanding di kerusi Parlimen Rembau Negeri Sembilan dalam pilihan raya umum kali ini.

Bercakap kepada media dalam satu majlis di Kuala Lumpur semalam, Mahathir merestui anaknya untuk bertanding atas tiket Barisan Nasional (BN), namun beliau tidak akan berkempen untuk anaknya.

Pencalonan Mukhriz ditentukan oleh pimpinan tertinggi parti (Umno). Saya tidak akan melobi, saya tidak akan berkata apa pun," tambah Mahathir yang pernah menerajui BN dan Umno lebih dua dekad sebelum berundur pada tahun 2003.

Dalam pada itu, beliau teringat kembali bagaimana empat tahun lalu apabila Setiausaha Agung Umno, Dato' Radzi Syeikh Ahmad yang mahukan anaknya, Mukhriz menggantikannya sebagai Ketua Bahagian Umno Kubang Pasu, tetapi telah ditolak olehnya kerana tidak mahu dituduh sebagai cubaan untuk merancang agar anaknya mewarisi politik keturunan.

"Saya tidak mahu orang berkata bahawa saya merancang sebuah dinasti. Kita tidak patut ada dinasti dalam politik di negara ini,"tegas Mahathir.

Menurutnya, beliau tidak ingin mengulas apa-apa mengenai pencalonan anaknya itu. "Ia terpulang kepada pimpinan Umno. Kalau mereka memilih dia, mereka pilihlah. Jika tidak pilih, saya kena terima. Tidak, saya tidak akan kempen (untuk Mukhriz),"tambah Tun Mahathir.

HOT NEWS No.2

Samy Vellu's days are numbered - Subra as next MIC leader

Moves afoot for S. Subra to become the next MIC leader as Samy Vellu’s days are numbered – with some UMNO “movers-and-shakers” forcing Samy’s political retirement and withdrawal as candidate in the next general election

Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has become the most unpopular politician in the country and probably in Malaysian history, being booed, jeered, car blocked, thrown stones, rotten eggs and even slippers almost every day in public places.

This public rejection of Samy Vellu has spread to MIC and Barisan Nasional (BN) functions, with other MIC and BN leaders becoming also the target of public resentment and fury, as illustrated by the meet-the-people session led by Perak Mentri Besar and Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali in Buntong, Ipoh yesterday.

The political days of Samy Vellu, MIC President and sole Indian Cabinet Minister for over 28 years, are numbered. Moves in fact are afoot for the former deputy president, Datuk S. Subramaniam, to become the next MIC leader as Samy Vellu is slowly phased out of the political scene.

I expect Subra to make a political comeback on Sunday on his nomination as a Barisan Nasional candidate for the 12th general election and preparatory to his joining the Cabinet – something Subra had been denied and been waiting for nearly three decades.

I understand that there are some UMNO “movers-and-shakers” who want a faster pace of ending the political days of Samy Vellu – wanting to force Samy’s political retirement and withdrawal as candidate in the next general election.

I am not interested in the internal politicking of UMNO, MIC, MCA, Gerakan or Barisan Nasional component parties but what must be a matter of grave national concern is the consolidation of UMNO political hegemony and relentless marginalization of the other BN component parties like MCA, Gerakan and MIC.

Apart from this example of some UMNO “movers-and-shakers” wanting to pressurize Samy Vellu to step down as MIC President, showing the utterly marginalized role of MIC in BN, there is a host of examples of greater UMNO political hegemony at the price of relentless marginalization of MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other BN component parties.

Another recent example is the farce of the Acting Gerakan President, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, submitting three names to the Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to pick on who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister – a most unprecedented surrendering of the Gerakan prerogative to decide who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister.

When Tsu Koon became Penang Chief Minister in 1990, it was the decision of the Gerakan Central Working Committee (although more correctly the then Gerakan President Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik) in its choice between two candidates – Tsu Koon or Dr. Goh Cheng Teik.

The Gerakan CWC took the final decision on Tsu Koon as the Penang Gerakan Chief Minister to replace Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu in 1990 and the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was not given two names by the Gerakan President to decide on who should be the Gerakan Penang Chief Minister.

If Mahathir could respect Gerakan’s right, power and prerogative to decide on who should be the next Gerakan Penang Chief Minister, why is this political situation not respected by Abdullah 18 years later?

Why should Tsu Koon and Gerakan surrender its power to pick the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister – if the Gerakan had not been terribly marginalized in the past 18 years since 1990 that it dare not even stand on its unchallenged prerogative less than two decades ago?

Is Abdullah prepared to return the list of three names back to Tsu Koon, stating that he would respect the Gerakan’s prerogative to decide who should be the next Penang Gerakan Chief Minister?

The instances of MCA being relentlessly marginalized in the Barisan Nasional in the past few decades will fill volumes.- Lim Kit Siang