Bukit Gantang : Saya dah malas nak salahkan pemimpin PAS

Berikut ialah tulisan asal yang kemudian diedit dan disiarkan dalam versi cetak akhbar Siasah terbaru (banyak artikel bagus-bagus dalam Siasah terbaru dan yang saya suka ialah artikel tulisan Ustaz Mujahid Yusof Rawa):

Dalam pilihan raya kecil Bukit Gantang 7 April lalu, PAS hanya mampu memperolehi 43 peratus sahaja undi Melayu. Itu yang dinyatakan oleh Pengarah Operasi (PAS) Pilihan Raya Kecil Bukit Gantang, Asmuni Awi Rabu lalu. Dalam pilihan raya 8 Mac tahun lalu, calon PAS Allahyarham Roslan Shaharom mendapat 47 peratus undi Melayu dan kira-kira 65 peratus undi bukan Melayu.

Kira-kira pukul 11.59 pagi pada hari pengundian, apabila berkesempatan masuk sekejap ke kafe siber di Simpang setelah melarikan diri sekejap dari kampung saya di Matang (kedua-duanya dalam kawasan Bukit Gantang), saya menulis seperti berikut: "Kita tumpu undi Melayu, kalau hilang 10 peratus pun dari 47 peratus pengundi Melayu yang dulunya undi PAS itu (bukan dari semua jumlah pengundi), saya rasa PAS masih dapat kira-kira 42 peratus undi Melayu".

Nampaknya jangkaan saya pagi itu tidaklah jauh berbeza dengan apa yang dilaporkan oleh Asmuni. Saya menjangkakan undi Melayu kepada PAS akan merosot berdasarkan keberkesanan Umno memainkan isu "boneka derhaka". Tidak mustahak untuk dibincangkan sama ada tuduhan itu betul atau tidak. Tetapi, Umno berjaya mengapi-apikan sentimen perkauman sempit apabila ia tak henti-henti menyalak dengan tuduhan kononnya Haji Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin adalah boneka DAP yang derhaka kepada Sultan Perak.

Sebelum pilihan raya kecil itu, saya bersembang merata kedai dengan orang ramai di dalam kawasan Bukit Gantang dan juga di Taiping. Saja-saja saya tanya peluang PAS dalam pilihan raya kecil itu. Lagi tiga hari sebelum pilihan raya, dari enam orang pengundi Melayu yang saya temui, lima orang mengungkit-ungkit isu boneka derhaka.

Seorang pengundi yang saya temui ketika melepaskan gian dan nostalgia saya di gerai cendol Bismillah di Taiping terus terang menyifatkan Mohammad Nizar sebagai "barua Cina". Saya sampaikan dapatan "kajian" saya itu (konon-konon kajianlah tu!) kepada beberapa pemimpin PAS. Hanya dua orang yang jawab iaitu Haji Mohamad Sabu dan Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli. Saya tak ingat apa jawapan mereka. Yang lain mungkin termenung tak tau nak kata apa. Mungkin.

Sebab itulah dengan hati yang berdebuk-debak saya jangkakan hanya kira-kira 42.3 peratus sahaja pengundi Melayu di Bukit Gantang akan mengundi PAS. Yang lain akan tolak PAS kerana dirasuk emosi akibat petaka "boneka derhaka" itu.

Kira-kira lapan hari sebelum mengundi, ada kawan yang membisikkan bahawa PAS akan menang dengan majoriti kira-kira 3,000 undi. Saya beritahu beberapa kawan, kalau satu hari 300 pengundi dari jangkaan 3,000 undi majoriti itu berpaling tadah dari PAS, kita akan menang dengan majoriti 600 undi sahaja.

"Tapi kalau setiap hari dalam masa lapan hari itu kita susut 400 undi, bungkus kita!" saya memberitahu kawan-kawan. Majoriti 600 undi pun saya yakin PAS tetap menang. Tidaklah seperti orang tertentu yang memberi taklimat PAS mungkin kalah. Saya teringat kata-kata yang selalu digunakan Hishamuddin Rais, "apa punya turr!" Nasib baik PAS menang dengan majoriti 2,789 undi. Kira-kira tak lari jauhlah dari jangkaan 3,000 majoriti itu.

Kebimbangan terhadap merosotnya undi Melayu kepada PAS memang menjadi hantu yang menakutkan saya ketika itu. Saya pernah sebut dalam satu majlis di Kota Bharu bahawa isu perkauman bagaikan roti Mongolia yang sangat laris dalam pasaran politik Melayu. Kita pula jual roti apa yang mampu laris di pasaran?!

Lebih menakutkan lagi ialah keberkesanan Umno mengapi-apikan sentimen perkauman itu. Orang-orang Umno bijak memilih istilah yang laris dalam pasaran sentimen Melayu. Saya selalu sebut kepada beberapa pemimpin PAS bahawa parti itu amat lemah dalam bab political lingustic. Saya beri contoh bagaimana berkesannya Sukarno bermain-main dengan emosi rakyat Indonesia dan menyatukan mereka dengan kata-kata "Ganyang Malaysia" sehingga mereka terlupa tekanan ekonomi yang menghimpit mereka waktu itu.

"PAS lemah tahap Seri Perdana bab tu," kata saya kepada beberapa pemimpin PAS. Ada yang bersetuju, ada yang debik saya balik. Biasalah tu.

Hari ini, pilihan raya kecil Bukit Gantang memperlihatkan keberkesanan kata-kata "boneka derhaka" yang seolah-olah menjadi wirid harian Umno itu. Ia seolah-olah sama hebat dengan kata-kata "Ganyang Malaysia" yang pernah digunakan Sukarno di zaman konfrontasi dahulu.

Memang, ketika keputusan pilihan raya kecil tersebut diumumkan, saya bangga sangat menjadi anak Kampung Matang dalam kawasan Parlimen Bukit Gantang. Tetapi, apabila sudah sahih PAS kehilangan begitu banyak undi Melayu, saya kecewa sangat terhadap kegagalan para pemimpin PAS menangani "political onslaught" Umno itu.

Meskipun begitu, saya dah malas dah nak menyalahkan para pemimpin PAS. Saya tak kisah langsung bakaq ini dipandang sebagai musuh. Yang saya tak tahan ialah soalan "siapa bocorkan maklumat kepada bakaq?"

Mesej jelas, tegas dari Bukit Gantang

Ahmad Lutfi Othman Thu Apr 09, 09 12:15:00 pm MYT

Sesungguhnya ia bukan sekadar kemenangan berganda (sebenarnya di Semenanjung sudah 4-0, bermula Permatang Pauh, Kuala Terengganu, seterusnya Bukit Gantang dan Bukit Selambau), tetapi kejayaan Dato' Seri Ir Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin dalam pilihan raya kecil semalam, 7 April, lebih terasa manis dan lazatnya.

Memang cukup mendebarkan. Ya, persaingan yang sengit dan sukar diramal. Malah lebih ramai menjangkakan Nizar bakal kecundang ekoran tidak mendapat sokongan majoriti pengundi Melayu. Isu-isu seperti tohmahan menjadi "boneka DAP" dan "sembah derhaka" dibimbangi berjaya mempengaruhi pengundi untuk kembali menyokong BN. Tidak sedikit teman-teman yang turun berkempen di Bukit Gantang meluahkan rasa curiga terhadap kemampuan Nizar untuk memenangi hati pengundi Melayu.

"Ada kawasan Melayu yang kita langsung tak dapat masuk untuk berkempen. Malah, banyak rumah yang menaikkan bendera Umno dan BN. Jentera BN juga agak agresif berkempen," lapor wartawan Harakah Perak. "Tak ramai orang yang hadir dalam program ceramah kita, kadang-kadang hanya sekitar 50 orangdalam program melibatkan pimpinan tertinggi," tambahnya lagi.

Di samping itu, kehadiran Dr Mahathir Mohamad di hari akhir kempen pula dikatakan boleh menyebabkan pengundi bukan Melayu memikirkan semula sokongan terhadap calon Pakatan Rakyat. Tidak kurang juga yang membayangkan "situasi terburuk" jika ada pengundi yang terpengaruh dengan beberapa langkah awal Dato' Seri Najib Razak, yang baru empat hari mengangkat sumpah sebagai Perdana Menteri. Saya pula memang tidak suka meletakkan harapan tinggi kepada sesuatu impian bimbang kecewa akhirnya.

Dibandingkan dengan debar pilihan raya kecil Kuala Terengganu, saya kira Bukit Gantang lebih mencemaskan lagi. Pertama, ia kerusi yang PAS pertahankan, di kawasan yang selama ini kubu tradisi Umno. Kedua, sejak awal kita sudah isytiharkan keputusannya nanti melambangkan referendum seluruh rakyat Perak terhadap krisis politik dan perlembagaan yang tercetus awal Februari lalu. Tidak dapat saya bayangkan apa akan terjadi sekiranya Nizar dikalahkan, seolah-olah ini pertandingan hidup atau mati.

Pendek kata, jika berjumpa sepuluh orang yang balik berkempen dari Bukit Gantang, atau sekadar membuat tinjauan rambang di sana, lebih separuh daripadanya tidak meletakkan harapan tinggi PAS dapat mengekalkan kerusi berkenaan. "Saya hanya menyandarkan impian kepada ketokohan Nizar semata-mata, dari sudut lain, terutama kepada pengundi Melayu, saya benar-benar bimbang," kata seorang kawan.

"Bukankah semasa penamaan calon baru-baru ini, jumlah penyokong Pakatan jauh lebih ramai," saya cuba menduganya. "Itulah masalahnya, kita sudah melepasi kemuncak. Selepas hari penamaan calon, 29 Mac, kita terus merosot," reaksi pantas kawan saya itu menambahkan lagi kerisauan.

"Saya pula tak pasti apakah Nizar kini menjadi asset atau liabiliti kepada kita di Bukit Gantang. Tuduhan dia boneka DAP atau jual tanah kepada orang Cina menyebabkan pengundi Melayu meraguinya," kata seorang lagi kawan yang agak mengejutkan kami.

"Kalau setakat dua isu itu, tak payah susah hatilah, kita ada fakta konkrit yang cukup untuk menyanggahnya," saya pula cuba mententeramkan hati mereka dan sekali gus menenangkan gelodak rasa saya sendiri. "Ini bukan soal fakta, ini soal sentimen dan persepsi," balas seorang daripada mereka.

Rupanya kadang-kadang kita sendiri terkeliru untuk membaca realiti sebenar di lapangan. Pengamat politik juga boleh tersilau sehingga membuat rumusan yang agak terpesong, sedangkan para pengundi, khususnya generasi di bawah 50 tahun, sudah melangkah ke dunia politik baru. Emosi mereka tidak mudah lagi dipancing dengan sentimen perkauman atau dakyah politik lama yang dangkal dan hodoh itu.

Apatah lagi sosok tubuh Nizar yang karismatik dan kini menjadi ikon baru itu sudah cukup untuk mematikan segala tohmahan tidak berasas, sebaliknya menyuntik keyakinan baru yang luar biasa kesannya kepada rakyat Perak. Ketokohan Nizar sudah melangkah melampaui sempadan negeri dan bersedia untuk menawan hati audien yang lebih luas di seluruh pelosok negara.

Kemenangan calon PAS dan KeADILan, masing-masing di Bukit Gantang dan Bukit Selambau, dengan majoriti lebih besar, pastinya membuatkan tidur Najib pada malam Selasa lalu terganggu. Ia satu mesej jelas penolakan akar umbi terhadap kepimpinan beliau yang cuba untuk melakukan kejutan dengan beberapa pembaharuan kosmetik pada hari pertama dinobatkan sebagai Perdana Menteri keenam.

Membebaskan 13 tahanan ISA (dan terus mengurung tahanan yang lebih lama tersiksa di Kamunting) serta menarik balik penggantungan penerbitan Harakah dan Suara Keadilan (serta mengekalkan Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan, juga peraturan karut-marut yang dikenakan ke atas semua lidah rasmi parti) jelas tidak berupaya untuk mengelirukan rakyat yang semakin benci dan muak dengan pendekatan politik lama.

Bukankah orang masih ingat, itulah juga yang dilakukan Dr Mahathir ketika mula-mula dilantik menjadi perdana menteri; membebaskan tahanan ISA dan melakonkan beberapa adegan yang menunjukkan sikap terbukanya? Tindakan Najib hanya memperkukuhkan tanggapan umum bahawa era Mahathirisme seolah-olah sekali lagi bakal mencengkam tanahair tercinta.

Apa pun telahan yang dibuat, senario politik Malaysia selepas tsunami pertama pada Mac 2008 menjadi semakin menarik, walapun kadang-kadang sukar dijangka. Ia tidak mungkin berpatah balik ke era lama, seperti yang cuba diusahakan Dr Mahathir. Pilihan Najib semakin terbatas. Peluangnya untuk mewariskan takhta di Seri Perdana kepada pemimpin Umno-BN nampak tipis jika Najib dan Umno sukar untuk berubah. Ya, berubah secara menyeluruh dengan menanggalkan terus budaya politik lama. Dan terpulang kepada pemimpin utama Pakatan Rakyat untuk mengisi kekosongan ini ..._

Bukit Gantang : So much effort by BN for so little gain

Thursday, 09 April 2009 13:02

Ooi Kee Beng, The Malaysian Insider

The results of the triple by-elections that the Election Commission took so much trouble to put on the same day, and a weekday at that, and suitably after the dominant Umno had held what was expected to be a disruptive party election, failed to convince Malaysians that the winds of change were now blowing against the opposition.

The Batang Ai state seat in Sarawak was closely watched for signs of whether Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his allies had made any headway in persuading Malaysians in Sarawak to consider an alternative to the Barisan Nasional government. The increased margin that the BN attained seems to suggest that he has as yet not made any impression, at least among the hill Ibans.

To what extent he has gotten through to those living in the sprawling state’s urban and coastal areas has yet to be measured. The battle for votes in Sarawak is a protracted one, and the Batang Ai by-election has to be seen as a mere skirmish won by the defending forces.

The by-elections in Kedah and Perak, on the other hand, carry significantly more immediate import, mainly because these states constitute the frontline for the proverbial shooting war between the BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

Where Bukit Selambau is concerned, there was fear among PR supporters that the Indian vote might be badly split to the opposition’s disadvantage, and that the record number of contestants — 15 of them! — might tip the balance in favour of the BN, as had traditionally been the case.

Had this proven to be true, then some bad infighting within the PR was to be expected. If Hindraf, the Hindu rights organisation that played such a decisive role in the successes enjoyed by the opposition last year, had been hesitant in its support for Anwar, then one more weak point would have revealed in the PR’s position.

As things turned out, the Bukit Selambau loss suffered by the BN component party, the MIC, is most likely to be the final nail in its coffin.

Nowhere was the running battle between BN and PR more intense than in Perak. Not only was the Bukit Gantang seat a parliamentary one, unlike the other two, the opposition candidate was Datuk Seri Mohammad Nazir Jamaluddin, the mentri besar who is being sidelined through BN-orchestrated defections.

The key role played by the Perak sovereign, Sultan Azlan Shah, in naming a new government to replaced the PR, had placed the PR in the difficult position of disobeying him without being disloyal to the monarch. The opposition feared that some rural Malay votes would be lost because of that.

The result of the Bukit Gantang polls shows that the campaign the BN carried out before the by-election to discredit Nazir and brand him a traitor has indeed failed. This puts further pressure on the Sultan to defuse the crisis in his state by calling for new elections soon.

Had either Bukit Selambau or Bukit Gantang been lost to the BN, there would have been some grounds for the Najib administration to contend that voters were growing disillusioned with the PR.

That would also have given the new premier reason to believe that his series of tactical moves was working, and that would have encouraged him and his advisors to stroll that path and lighten the reforming of Umno, the BN and Malaysian governance in general.

The bigger picture that emerges after April 7, 2009, is that the voter revolt that started in March the year before has not lessened in strength despite the concerted offensive by the BN.

Alongside aggressive actions such as the takeover of power in Perak through defections and the criminal charges levelled against Anwar and others in the opposition camp, the government’s offensive also involved softer tactical moves such as the release of 13 detainees held without trial under the Internal Security Act, including two Hindraf leaders; the lifting of a short-term ban put suspiciously recently on two opposition party newspapers; a comforting calling for “One Malaysia, People First, Performance Now”; and promises of institutional reforms.

The charm offensive included the return of former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed into Umno just in time for him to campaign in Bukit Gantang. The poll result suggests that that this tactic actually backfired, and the usefulness of Dr Mahathir may be limited, at least during elections.

What the BN can comfort itself with at this time is that Batang Ai was the first by-election it has won since the general election. Small comfort perhaps, especially when one compares with the increased margins with which the PR has won the other four by-elections carried out since that fateful day; but it is comfort that is rare at the moment.

An edited version of this article was published in TODAY Singapore.

The writer is Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. His latest book is "Arrested Reform: The Undoing of Abdullah Badawi" (Refsa 2009).

Bukit Gantang : Getting over fear of PAS

(The Straits Times) TAIPING, April 9 — When campaigning for the Bukit Gantang by-election was in full swing in a rural Chinese fishing village, one enthusiastic PAS supporter was a Chinese man wearing a kopiah, a white skullcap worn by Malays. He was urging passers-by to vote for PAS. That scene perhaps says it all. The Chinese may not adore PAS, which wants Islamic laws to be implemented, but they like Umno even less.

When the Chinese vote for PAS surged at Tuesday's by-election, it signalled an increasing acceptance among the community for the party they once feared because of its religious rhetoric.

“They used to be afraid of PAS, they thought we would maim their limbs, cut their organs, but now they know... PAS is more open than Umno,” said Perak PAS deputy chief Asmuni Awi.

About 75 per cent of Chinese voters in the Malay-majority seat of Bukit Gantang voted for PAS, rejecting Premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak's Umno party. It was a significant increase from the 65 per cent who did the same at the general election last year.

Over at the fishing village of Kuala Sepetang, the only district within Bukit Gantang that is 97 per cent Chinese, some 80 per cent of voters backed PAS's Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin, up from 64 per cent last year. For a long time, Chinese residents in Perak have been wary of PAS's dream of an Islamic state. Fears of the implementation of strict syariah laws were enough to keep them voting for the Umno-led Barisan Nasional. But now, the Chinese view of PAS is clearly changing. “They can identify with the more moderate personalities like Nizar,” said PAS strategist Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Apart from peppering his speeches with Chinese phrases, Nizar — the former mentri besar who was ousted by BN — has also been credited with resolving problems faced by the Chinese, such as those involving land titles. PAS has also appeared to have changed its image of one comprising only clerics and non-professionals.

“PAS used to be seen as purely theological, as a 'parti kampung' or village party. But now, they see it is full of professionals, lawyers, engineers. We have become a threat to BN,” said Asmuni.

Chinese voters, however, still appear to be wary of PAS leaders whom they see as more hardline, such as party president Datuk Hadi Awang and cleric Datuk Harun Taib, who belong to the party's more conservative faction. In an earlier by-election in Kuala Terengganu in January, PAS clinched only 68.4 per cent of the Chinese vote.

What it all means is that non-Malays have become the kingmakers. Strong backing from Chinese and Indian voters helped Nizar trounce his Umno rival Ismail Saffian in Tuesday's by-election.

“The perception is that the non-Malays are not being treated as equals under BN. That's how the opposition benefited,” said Universiti Sains Malaysia's school of social sciences' deputy dean, Dr P. Sivamurugan.

Bukit Gantang : 'Terpedaya' lakonan pengundi

Oleh NIZAM HAMID

pengarang@utusan.com.my

TSUNAMI politik yang berlaku tahun lalu dilihat masih berlaku sehingga kini apabila keputusan pilihan raya kecil semalam menyaksikan pakatan pembangkang terus diterima oleh pengundi. Pilihan raya kecil Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Bukit Selambau kelmarin merupakan bukti bahawa Barisan Nasional (BN) belum mampu keluar daripada tsunami itu walaupun beberapa langkah perubahan telah diambil. Malah BN juga belum dapat membaca hati pengundi terutama di kalangan bukan Melayu khususnya kaum Cina dan India.

Komposisi pengundi di DUN Bukit Selambau adalah Melayu mewakili 51 peratus, Cina 19 peratus dan India 29 peratus manakala kaum-kaum lain satu peratus. Walaupun riak dan maklum balas daripada pengundi terlibat menampakkan angin perubahan yang semakin positif, keputusannya tetap tidak berpihak kepada BN.

Berilah mereka projek dan janjilah pelbagai program pembangunan, undi mereka tetap sukar diperolehi malah pengundi bukan Melayu juga sudah terikut rentak "beri kita ambil, undi tidak bagi" dan berpegang pada kata-kata "pengundi bijak hanya makan umpan. Ini terbukti menerusi beberapa projek yang diberikan Kerajaan Pusat kepada masyarakat India di DUN Bukit Selambau.

Dua buah sekolah Tamil di Sungai Petani menerima pakej rangsangan awal yang diberikan Kerajaan Pusat bernilai kira-kira RM400,000 bagi tujuan naik taraf selain kemelut tanah di Kampung Sungai Tukang yang diselesaikan dengan pembelian tanah RM2 juta oleh Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Kedah (Keda) daripada sebuah koperasi bagi membolehkan masyarakat India di situ terus tinggal di penempatan berkenaan.

Namun ketika tumpuan diberikan kepada pengundi kaum India di kawasan berkenaan yang dikatakan lari daripada BN pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 tahun lalu, masyarakat Cina pula menimbulkan rasa tidak puas hati kerana mereka tidak menerima pakej rangsangan yang sama.

Pengerusi Kajian Ketahanan Negara, Institut Pemikiran Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Dr. Mohd. Azizzuddin Mohd. Sani bersetuju bahawa antara faktor kekalahan BN adalah kerana tidak mendapat sokongan daripada kaum Cina dan India selain sebahagian pengundi Melayu yang terus kekal dengan pakatan pembangkang.

"Pengundi Cina sejak awal lagi sudah menunjukkan kecenderungan kepada pakatan pembangkang dan ini boleh dilihat apabila mereka memakai baju dan logo Pas, DAP serta PKR.

"Malah jentera BN terutamanya MCA dan Gerakan tidak begitu agresif dalam kempen di kawasan pengundi Cina. Kita dapat lihat bilik gerakan MCA ditutup pada pukul 11 malam tetapi bilik gerakan pembangkang dibuka hingga ke awal pagi," katanya.

Beliau yang mengikuti perjalanan kempen tersebut sejak seminggu lalu juga memberitahu, pemerintahan pakatan pembangkang di Perak dan Pulau Pinang juga banyak mempengaruhi masyarakat Cina di Kedah terutama dalam soal pemberian tanah dan pelbagai peluang ekonomi lain kepada mereka.

Malah katanya, 'rampasan kuasa' di Perak menjadi satu isu besar di kalangan pengundi Cina terutama selepas melihat banyak manfaat kepada kaum itu jika kerajaan negeri dikuasai pakatan pembangkang.

Sentimen Hindraf dan Makhal Sakti katanya, masih kuat di kalangan pengundi India yang terus bersimpati dengan pertubuhan tersebut. "Mereka juga mempertikaikan kenapa kerajaan hanya membebaskan dua dan tidak semua pemimpin Hindraf yang ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA)," ujarnya.

Kebanyakan pengundi juga katanya, melihat prestasi wakil rakyat BN selama ini yang tidak begitu cemerlang sehinggakan masih ada kawasan yang belum mendapat bekalan air bersih. Namun sehingga pengundian berakhir petang kelmarin, BN masih yakin dengan sokongan masyarakat India terhadap parti itu dan peningkatan sokongan pengundi Cina dengan kemasukan semula bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad ke dalam BN. Mereka percaya dengan maklum balas positif dan janji sokongan daripada pengundi terlibat. Tetapi lakonan dan janji manis mereka akhirnya terserlah apabila keputusan di peti-peti undi menunjukkan perkara sebaliknya berlaku.

Satu yang pasti di Bukit Selambau, pengundian tidak dibuat kerana kaum. Jika kaum menjadi asas utama, mungkin calon Bebas daripada kaum Cina, Tan Hock Huat akan memperoleh undi Cina tetapi beliau memperolehi 78 undi sahaja. Malah calon Bebas Melayu yang paling popular, Mejar (B) Anuar Abdul Hamid, bekas pemimpin UMNO Bahagian Merbok mendapat 528 undi manakala Husaini Yaacob pula mendapat 257 undi. Undi rosak pula 415 undi sekali gus menunjukkan protes terhadap calon MIC, Datuk S. Ganesan bagi mewakili BN bukanlah begitu besar. Sebanyak 24,611 atau 70.28 peratus daripada 35,140 pengundi berdaftar yang keluar mengundi.

Sementara itu Naib Ketua Puteri UMNO, Shahanim Mohd. Yusof berpendapat, ada masalah sokongan di kalangan pengundi muda dan juga yang bukan Melayu apabila parti itu tewas di saluran pengundi muda dan kawasan bukan Melayu. Katanya, ketiadaan platform dalam partiparti komponen seperti MCA untuk generasi muda menyebabkan sokongan kepada BN semakin terhakis di kalangan pengundi muda bukan Melayu.

"Kita sedar tentang masalah sokongan di kalangan pengundi muda tetapi apa yang kita lakukan. Kebanyakan pengundi BN adalah mereka yang sudah berusia dan akan meninggalkan kita. "Sedangkan pengundi muda sepanjang masa bertambah dan jika BN gagal menarik sokongan mereka, BN akan kehilangan kuasa satu hari nanti," katanya. Sebab itulah katanya, pergerakan tersebut melihat tentang perlunya penubuhan Puteri BN gabungan daripada suara orang muda di dalam parti-parti komponen bagi membolehkan gerak kerja dilakukan bagi menarik sokongan generasi muda termasuk di kalangan bukan Melayu.

Timbalan Ketua UMNO Bahagian Padang Besar, Mohd. Noor Abd. Aziz pula mempunyai pandangan berbeza dalam kempen pilihan raya kecil di Bukit Selambau khususnya berkaitan dengan jentera yang terlibat dalam kempen.

"Kita kena mencontohi Perdana Menteri yang baru, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yang turun ke kawasan penempatan penduduk dengan bersikap rendah diri sambil berjalan kaki sahaja. "Tetapi saya lihat jentera BN turun ke kampung-kampung dengan menaiki kereta mewah sedangkan sesetengah rakyat hidup dalam kemiskinan," ujarnya yang berkempen di peti undi Kuala Sin. Katanya, deretan kereta mewah yang masuk ke kampung-kampung bukan sahaja menarik perhatian ramai tetapi juga membawa imej kurang baik di kalangan pengundi.

Luahan hati Mohd. Noor itu tidak boleh dipandang ringan terutama sekali ketika kempen pilihan raya pakatan pembangkang menjurus kepada isu rasuah. Memang mudah untuk menuduh si polan dan si polan kaki rasuah dan khalayak pendengar pula menerimanya secara bulat-bulat. Dalam ceramah pembangkang, apa yang tidak mereka kata kepada pemimpin BN? Rasuah berbilion ringgit, mega komisyen malah terlibat dengan pembunuhan. Hinggakan apabila ada jentera BN menaiki kereta mewah, kedengaran ada yang berkata: "Sudahlah, kereta mahal beli dengan duit rasuah."

Memang tidak adil secara semborono menuduh mereka hidup mewah hasil rasuah kerana sesetengah daripada mereka bertungkus-lumus berusaha mencipta kejayaan dalam kerjaya masing-masing. Sudah tentulah mereka yang berjaya dalam pelajaran dan kerjaya mempunyai gaya hidup yang berbeza dengan kumpulan masyarakat yang pencapaiannya biasa sahaja.

Pemimpin pembangkang juga dilihat menggunakan kereta mewah tetapi itu tidak menjadi isu kerana yang sentiasa dipertikaikan ialah pemimpin BN dan mereka yang berada di sekelilingnya. Pakatan pembangkang sebenarnya telah berjaya menanam imej rasuah pemimpin BN itu sehingga rakyat benci kepada parti itu. Ia bukan baru dilakukan tetapi sudah begitu lama diperkatakan dalam kempen-kempen mereka. Tetapi itulah yang berlaku di peringkat bawahan, sesetengahnya tidak boleh menerima orang lain lebih hebat daripada mereka dan kepercayaan bahawa orang UMNO mewah kerana rasuah bukanlah satu yang luar biasa.

Maka mahu tidak mahu, para pemimpin BN yang menjadi sasaran perlu mengambil langkah bagi membetulkan imej itu supaya parti tersebut boleh meneruskan legasi para pemimpin terdahulu. Transformasi di bawah kepimpinan baru sama ada dalam kerajaan atau pun parti ketika ini, perlu memberi hala tuju yang jelas dan membuktikan bahawa pemerintah sedia ada mempunyai kewibawaan dan integriti yang tinggi.

Mungkin nasihat Tun Mahathir di Institut Kemahiran Mara (IKM) Sungai Petani Ahad lalu wajar direnungi, "turunlah padang dan bersalamlah dengan rakyat."

Bukit Gantang : PAS admits drop in Malay votes

By Adib Zalkapli

TAIPING, April 8 – Despite increasing its margin of victory by almost 100 per cent in the Bukit Gantang by-election, PAS today admitted that it lost some support among Malay voters. The party also suffered a minor setback in Changkat Jering, the state constituency which was represented by former PKR man Osman Jailu, who quit the party last February to back a Barisan Nasional-led government.

Party officials attributed the reduced support in Changkat Jering to BN’s strategy of fielding a local candidate. When the outcome of the election was announced last night, Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin defeated local boy Ismail Saffian from Barisan Nasional by 2,789 votes.

“The drop in Malay votes, as claimed by analysts, was not that much. We expected to get around 40 per cent but we got 43 per cent,” said Perak Pas deputy chief Asmuni Awi when presenting the party’s early assessment of the by-election. In the general election last year, the Islamist party obtained 47 per cent of the Malay votes. “Even if we lost some Malay votes, the urban Malay votes saw an increase, due to better access to information,” said Asmuni.

Pas however managed to get an increase of the Chinese votes from 65 per cent last year to 75 per cent this time around. He said the political crisis, which was triggered by the takeover of the state government by BN and Nizar’s refusal to step down, had contributed to the outcome.

“If every party understands the message of the people, the dissolution of the state assembly must not be delayed,” said Asmuni, reiterating the party’s stand that the by-election was a referendum on the newly-formed Perak government. He admitted that the battle was close but was happy with the outcome.

“This has been an Umno stronghold. We had never made inroads here until the last general election,” said Asmuni. – The Malaysia Insider

Bukit Gantang : Syabas kerana rakyat tetap bersama Pakatan Rakyat

Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Wed Apr 08, 09 2:59:52 pm MYT

Alhamdulillah, saya panjatkan rasa penuh kesyukuran ke hadrat Allah S.W.T di atas kemenangan pilihanraya kecil pada 7hb April 2009.

Syabas saya ucapkan kepada pengundi di Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang dan Batang Ai. Sokongan yang anda berikan menjadi bukti kekuatan rakyat untuk berani berhadapan dengan kekuasaan. Undi yang telah anda berikan untuk Pakatan Rakyat menjadi saksi akan kemahuan yang kuat menuntut Perubahan.

Tahniah saya ucapkan kepada para calon dan petugas Pakatan Rakyat kerana bekerja keras untuk memastikan kejayaan hari ini. Kemantapan kerjasama di antara Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PAS dan DAP semakin hari semakin utuh.

Kemenangan di Bukit Selambau dan Bukit Gantang serta sokongan pengundi Batang Ai membuktikan rakyat masih yakin terhadap kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat untuk terus menerajui perjuangan menuntut Perubahan bagi mencipta Malaysia Baru yang adil dan saksama. Hari ini rakyat menghantar mesej yang jelas. Mereka mahukan perubahan yang nyata, bukan sekadar janji politik untuk terus kekal berkuasa.

Kemenangan Dato’ Seri Nizar di Bukit Gantang merupakan satu referendum agar dikembalikan Kerajaan Perak yang sah. Rakyat menuntut agar Dewan Undangan Negeri dibubarkan dan pilihanraya diadakan di seluruh Negeri Perak.

Kepada pendokong Pakatan Rakyat di Batang Ai, kita berhasil mengungkapkan isu tanah adat dan peminggiran rakyat yang terjadi di Sarawak. Parti Keadilan Rakyat dan Pakatan Rakyat akan terus berjuang membawa Perubahan kepada rakyat Negeri Sarawak. Sekali lagi kewibawaan proses pilihanraya menjadi pertikaian. Pengiraan awal yang tidak dilakukan di tempat pembuangan undi serta penggunaan helikopter untuk mengangkut membuka ruang kepada penipuan. Ini seharusnya menjadi pembakar semangat untuk terus bekerja keras membawa Perubahan, bukan sahaja di Batang Ai, tetapi juga di segenap pelusuk tanah air.

Walaupun berulang kali berhadapan dengan kekerasan, fitnah dan ugutan penguasa, ianya tidak akan menghambat kami dari menunaikan janji yang telah diberikan. Pakatan Rakyat akan terus mempertahankan keluhuran Perlembagaan dan berusaha melaksanakan agenda serta dasar untuk membantu sesiapa sahaja yang terpinggir tanpa berasaskan kaum. Pakatan Rakyat tidak akan sesekali mengkhianati amanah yang telah diberikan rakyat ini.

Saya menyeru rakyat Malaysia untuk tetap bersama-sama dengan agenda perubahan dan Pakatan Rakyat. Sudah tiba masanya kita meniup nafas segar kepada demokrasi dan memperkukuhkan kembali kedaulatan undang-undang di negara ini.

KENYATAAN MEDIA BERHUBUNG KEMENANGAN DI BUKIT GANTANG, BUKIT SELAMBAU DAN BATANG AI

(Sidang Media 8 April, 11:30 pagi, Ibu Pejabat Parti Keadilan Rakyat)

Bukit Gantang : Rakyat tolak politik kotor BN

Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang

Wed Apr 08, 09 1:53:33 pm MYT

Bersyukur kehadrat Allah SWT setelah kita semua bertungkus-lumus berusaha akhirnya dengan keizinan-Nya, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) dianugerahkan kemenangan dalam pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Bukit Gantang melalui calon parti, Dato' Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

Sesungguhnya kemenangan ini adalah sangat bermakna buat PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) khasnya di Perak kerana ia membuktikan bahawa rakyat menolak sama sekali amalan kotor 'politik pintu belakang' yang direncanakan oleh Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) sehingga menjatuhkan kerajaan negeri yang dipilih dan diberikan mandat oleh rakyat dalam pilihan raya umum yang lalu.

Mudah-mudahan kemenangan ini akan menyedarkan semua pihak bahawa satu-satunya penyelesaian kepada konflik politik dan perlembagaan yang sedang dihadapi di negeri Perak Darul Ridzuan adalah dengan cara membubarkan Dewan Undangan Negeri dan seterusnya menyerahkan kembali mandat untuk diputuskan oleh rakyat dalam pilihan raya kerusi DUN di seluruh Perak.

Sehubungan dengan kemenangan ini juga saya ingin mengambil kesempatan mengucapkan jutaan terima kasih kepada semua para petugas dan pekerja parti dari seluruh negara termasuklah rakan-rakan dari PKR dan DAP, pimpinan dan ahli Kelab Penyokong PAS, kelompok Media Baru, para NGO dan orang perseorangan yang telah bekerja tanpa jemu dalam menyumbang ke arah kemenangan ini. Mudah-mudahan segala pengorbanan dan kerja kuat itu akan dibalasi dengan ganjaran yang setimpal oleh Allah SWT.

Kemenangan ini juga adalah menunjukkan keberanian suara rakyat yang mempunyai harga diri dan tidak mampu digugat oleh janji dan ugutan dari jentera Umno dan BN yang terus menerus berselindung di sebalik jentera kerajaan. Kehadiran serta kempen Tun Dr Mahathir dan pimpinan baru Umno yang kononnya melaungkan nada baru dalam pilihan raya ini juga bukan sahaja tidak mendatangkan kesan, malah memburukkan lagi keadaan.

Ternyata bahawa kegagalan Umno dan BN dalam pilihan raya umum yang lalu adalah bukan berpunca semata-mata dari kelemahan bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tetapi adalah suatu hakikat bahawa sememangnya parti Umno dan BN semakin lemah dan tidak mampu berhadapan dengan rakyat yang semakin celik di negara kita ini.

BN hanya berjaya mempertahankan kerusi di Batang Ai dan di lain-lain tempat yang rakyat sememangnya dinafikan hak untuk mendapat maklumat sahaja.

Saya juga ingin mengambil kesempatan mengucapkan syabas dan tahniah kepada PKR kerana berjaya mempertahankan kerusi DUN Bukit Selambau melalui calonnya S.Manikumar. Sesungguhnya kemenangan ini memperkukuhkan lagi kedudukan Kerajaan PR Kedah pimpinan Dato? Seri Azizan Abdul Razak.

Kedua-dua kemenangan ini di samping kemenangan terdahulu di kerusi parlimen Permatang Pauh dan di kerusi parlimen Kuala Terengganu insya-Allah akan merubah lanskap politik tanahair dengan menempatkan PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat sebagi parti arus perdana baru yang disokong dan didokong oleh rakyat jelata.

Bukit Gantang : The People Have Spoken

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

http://art-harun.blogspot.com/)

The results from Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau are but definite proof that more than a year after March 8, 2008, the people are still resolved to show their discontentment and complete unhappiness with the ways of the Barisan Nasional in general and UMNO in particular. It is also conversely a display of strengthening support for Pakatan Rakyat, regardless of the apparent ideological and political differences in the allegiance of the 3 political parties of which it consists.

That the two by-elections are won by the Pakatan Rakyat with increased majority is of course a cause for concern for the BN and the newly minted Prime Minister, Najib Razak. Add in the fact that the whole might of the BN's election machineries - including government machineries - was at full steam to ensure a BN victory, the win by Pakatan Rakyat is conclusively a mega achievement in the true spirit of the proverbial David and Goliath fight.

The BN has done everything within its power to win these two by-elections. The whole cabinet could be seen campaigning tirelessly in the two areas. Hotshots from the Federal Capital converged the two areas and lighted the campaign trail. Amidst the cries of reforms from within UMNO and the euphoria of a new found "unity" - when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi held the hand of Mahathir Mohammad and Najib Razak at the closing ceremony of the recently concluded UMNO General Assembly - as well as the installation of Najib Razak as the nation's 6th Prime Minister, the campaign started and was conducted with such intensity that any independent observer would be hard pressed to think of a PR victory, let alone with an increased majority.

No stone was left unturned by the BN to woo the voters. Schools were visited by the Minister of Education. Rhetoric was aplenty - where Muhyiddin Yassin's call for the "slaughter" of Nizar for the latter's apparent treasonous behaviour towards the Sultan has to take the cake and its icing too - as well as name calling and the usual brow beating. (It was quite a disappointment though when the "Class F contract vending machine" which was used during the Kuala Trengganu by-election was nowhere to be seen this time). Concerts by scantily clad Chinese lady singers were even thrown by the BN at a fishing village attended by, non other than the defender of the Muslim faith, Zahid Hamidi who later famously proclaimed that the Chinese culture must be respected.

As the new Prime Minister, Najib Razak made a refreshing inaugural speech, releasing 13 ISA detainees and promising a comprehensive review of the ISA; singing the oft repeated unity, one Malaysia and fairness slogans as well as inviting all Malaysians to embark on a great journey with him. This was expected to make an impact on the voters.

The most startling show was of course reserved for the grand old man of UMNO, Mahathir Mohammad. After Najib Razak was installed as the PM, Mahathir MOhammad rejoined UMNO. He then happily hit the campaign trail, campaigning for the party which he proclaimed as a "corrupt party" just about a week before. It was thought that Mahathir Mohammad would take the by-elections by storm and galvanise the voters to support the BN.

The Pakatan Rakyat, on the other hand, had to face obstacle after obstacle in their campaign. Their rallies were invaded by the Federal Reserve Unit. Acid laced water was sprayed at the attendees. In Bukit Selambau, the police moved in without warning and even fired tear gas at the crowd attending a PR rally. When permits were given, unreasonable conditions were imposed. A certain dead Mongolian woman's name was even prohibited by the police from being mentioned by the PR in any of its rally. A person caught selling that particular woman's mask was arrested. And leading to the campaign, the Suara Keadilan and Harakah - the PKR's and PAS's respective publication - were suspended from publication for 3 months by the Home Ministry.

The state owned mass media were of course playing their old games of blowing the BN horn while puking at everything which the PR did. Interviews with the BN supporters who would laud the "development brought about" by the BN government were shown every day and night. The newspapers were full of praise for the BN and its leaders. Not a single teeny weeny good report was made about the PR. That is what they call "balanced and factual" reporting.

Despite it all, PR still won the two by-elections. What went wrong for the BN? If it needs more than 3 minutes for the BN or UMNO to find out what went wrong for them, then may I suggest that the party be dissolved forthwith.

First of all it shows that the people don't believe what the state owned or mainstream mass media are saying anymore. Everything they say is being disbelieved or at the very least taken with a huge cup of sodium chloride. The younger voters now are a sophisticated and educated lot. They scourge the internet for alternative news. It is, rightly or wrongly, set in their mind that whatever is being said by the mass media is a lie and conversely everything which is said on the internet is the truth. Can they be blame for that? If the BN thinks that elections could be won by massive propaganda, positive or negative, through the mass media, it is completely ignorant of reality. The people now laugh at all the so called news and "balanced reporting" by the mass media. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that mass propaganda undertaken by the BN spectacularly backfired!

Secondly, the people just do not believe all the cries and slogans for "reform" and "change". A case in point is the apparent differences between what the UMNO leadership is saying and what its grass root leaders were saying the UMNO Assembly. While Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak pledged and in fact pleaded for reforms and changes, the speeches from the delegates were talking about filling up the GLCs and Universities with UMNO people! They were talking about withdrawing scholarships from those students who dare oppose UMNO. They were talking about how UMNO should wantonly use its powers when the powers are still with it.

Viewed from that perspective, Najib Razak's release of the 13 ISA detainees and the promise of a comprehensive review of the ISA also backfired. While the true intention was doubted by the people, such move was also seen and perceived as a victory of sorts by the people. In their mind, that was the effect of the people's pressure on the government. In their mind, if the people would unite to pile on the pressure, perhaps more detainees would be released and the ISA abolished. And so, in their mind, they were saying, let pile on more pressure by voting for PR.

Thirdly, the BN should be mindful that we are all now living in the 21st century, a new millennium. Character assassination don't work anymore. Calling a person a traitor without basis don't work. Spreading nude pictures of a PR MP don't work. Opening up blogs to call really bad names against the opposition candidate don't work. The people want engagement. The people are now smart enough to desire an intellectual engagement. Calling name is so passe!

Fourthly, the people now want answers and they want them fast. And clear. Parochialism is a thing of the past. Even the Malays are not easily bought by Ketuanan Melayu anymore. The people look at real issues which are affecting or may affect them. The economy. The sharing of the economic pie. Education. Justice. Fairness. An across the board enforcement of the law as opposed to selective one. These are close to the people's heart nowadays.

If there is one thing which the people despise, and despise strongly at that, is hypocrisy. And this is the most important element. The advent of technology now makes it easy for the people to store data and facts and access the same within seconds. And it is just not kosher for politicians and leaders to say one thing and do completely the opposite and be found to have done completely the opposite.

In the two by-elections, the people came out, they saw and they conquered.

Bukit Gantang... Nizar could have won much higher

By Jeff Ooi

Yesterday, my DAP Jelutong Team was assigned to partner PAS Federal Territory (Kuala Lumpur) to take charge of voters in the Larut Tin polling district, an Umno stronghold. We had a few plans lined up knowing full well that BN would prefer a lower voter turn-up rate, especially those from the non-Malay votes.

Our candidate Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin came to our pondok panas around 9.25am, followed by Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar around 10.15am though the twain didn't meet. The voters had been coming in at steady flow, then.

However, we became panicky around lunch time, and rain came in about that time. Of the 1,308 voters from Taman Sungai Mas, a total of 869 had yet to come out to cast their votes with closing time ticking away. Whereas, those from the Malay wards of Kampung Larut Tin and Kampung Larut Tin Tambahan had almost voted in full force.

Taman Sungai Mas was critical as the voters are pre-dominantly non-Malays. The tally around 1.15pm indicated that only about 1,000 out of 2,900 voters from my polling district had turned up. We had less than 4 hours to escalate the 33.9% turn-up rate to the targetted 80% by 5pm, when balloting had to stop. That's a big headache.

The sluggish turn-out was largely caused by massive traffic jams along the narrow trunk roads, strangely filled with idle, double-occupancy vehicles bearing the W and B number plates from the Klang Valley. Roads along Jalan Kota and onward to Kuala Sepetang, another Chinese-concentrated area, were paralysed at the 4-corner main junction. Folks who stayed or worked in nearby Taiping town simply couldn't get to the polling stations in Simpang and Kuala Sepetang without making huge effort.

I drove out to take a look around 3.30pm. The traffic police weren't of much help. Vehicles coming from Taiping were not allowed to travel forward to Kuala Sepetang nor turn right to the Kamunting exit. They were only allowed to reverse at the farther third U-Turn, which by then had seen the back flow thinned out. Many a voter caught in the situation would have been pissed and aborted the will to vote.

Earlier, we complained to the police, and on our own organised convoys of motorbikes to ferry the voters. My command to the team is to gather every non-Malay vote as every vote counts to ensure a thick cushion to avert any potential upset.

Admittedly, though, I would certainly say turn-out rate among the Chinese voters was seriously impacted. I reckon it was frantically too little too late and we should be more prepared the next time. Otherwise, Mohd Nizar would have won more than the that he received last night.

Meanwhile, we will have to wait for the Forms 14 to analyse the voting pattern by racial breakdown. Because it's ever so easy for Umno to blame MCA, Gerakan and MIC for not delivering the non-Malay votes to BN.

But then again, Gerakan which held the constituency in GE2004, and MCA and MIC combined, were virtually non-existent hence non-effective in Bukit Gantang. Their leaders showed up on the ground as mere election tourists to coincide with the appearance of Umno taikos.

Never mind the fact that Dr Koh Tsu Koon had only a handful to accompany him to midnight supper near Taiping Lake Garden on the eve of Voting Day. My DAP Jelutong Team of 12, who happened to be there, simply outnumbered his.

All said and done, the post-mortem will dictate that Najib's political coup d'etat has been invalidated by the Perak people. Fresh state-wide election is a must to restore public and investor confidence in Malaysia. (http://www.jeffooi.com)

Nizar beats Barisan man with increased majority

The Star : Wednesday April 8, 2009

TAIPING: PAS’ Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin went from being a mentri besar to an MP when he won the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election with an increased majority of 2,789. He beat Barisan Nasional’s Ismail Saffian and independent Kamarul Ramizu Idris. The 52-year-old garnered 21,860 votes against Ismail’s 19,071. Kamarul Ramizu only managed to secure 62 votes and lost his deposit.

Nizar said the win showed people wanted openness and a good democratic system. “Only through the ballot can people tell the Government what they want,” he told reporters at a press conference, shortly after he was proclaimed the winner at the Taiping Municipal Council here.

On his next move, Nizar said he would again request for a dissolution of the Perak assembly to resolve the state’s constitutional crisis. He said he would also unify the Bukit Gantang people to work harmoniously with Pakatan Rakyat.

Ismail, 49, was the only local candidate in this three-cornered contest. Nizar, who hails from Kampar, is a registered voter in Pasir Panjang in the southern part of Perak. Ismail said he accepted the results of the polls.

”Now, it is time for Nizar to act on the promises he has made to the people here,” he said.

Barisan’s hopes of increasing its support by fielding a local candidate did not materialise. The coalition managed to get 622 more votes compared with the 18,449 votes it secured in 2008 general election. PAS, through Nizar, who was said to have banked on sympathy votes after the Barisan takeover of the state, improved its vote count by 1,845 compared with the general election votes.

The by-election – largely seen as a referendum on Barisan’s move to capture the state from Pakatan Rakyat by getting three state assemblymen to quit the pact – was called following the death of PAS MP Roslan Shaharum in February. Roslan had scored an upset over Umno’s Datuk Abdul Azim Zabidi with a majority of 1,566 votes in 2008. Intermittent rain did not deter voters from coming out to exercise their rights. Turnout was 75.1% or 41,626 of the total 55,562 registered voters, slightly higher than the 72.65% in 2008.

However, it was the highest ever turnout for the constituency since it was created in 1986. In the last six elections, the average turnout was only 70%. The semi-rural parliamentary constituency is made up of the three state constituencies of Changkat Jering, Trong and Kuala Sepetang. – The Star

Bkt Gantang : New PM fails to staunch opposition rise

TAIPING, April 7 — New Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak suffered an early blow after just four days in power when the opposition scored a big win in a tense by-election that was billed as a referendum on his premiership. Facing the worst recession since the Asian financial crisis of a decade ago, voters turned out in large numbers in Perak in a parliamentary election triggered by the death of the MP.

PAS said the result in which its majority for that seat rose to 2,789 votes from 1,566 votes was a judgment by the people of a putsch staged by Najib this year to seize power in the state.

"People are just sick with the political turmoil in Perak and this is an indictment on them (the government)," PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa said after the results.

The Barisan Nasional coalition that Najib heads has ruled Malaysia for 51 years and managed one win today in a state assembly seat in Sarawak but lost another in Kedah. The results were in line with expectations and showed that Najib and Umno, the lead party in the ruling coalition, have failed to reconnect with voters after a poor showing in elections a year ago.

"The results show that Umno can no longer hope to be successful campaigning mainly on ethnic nationalist issues on the back of an economic crisis and governance issues," said Ibrahim Suffian, of the Merdeka Centre, an independent pollster.

Overall, nearly 100,000 voters were eligible to cast ballots today in the three polls in this Southeast Asian country of 27 million people, where the majority are ethnic Malays but where ethnic Chinese and Indians account for about 35 per cent. Turnout in Perak was 75 per cent, more than that in the 2008 general election when the government stumbled to its biggest ever election losses, ceding control of five states and losing its once iron-clad two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Voting in Perak, where the state mentri besar ousted by Najib was the opposition candidate, took place amid a heavy police presence as hundreds of chanting rival supporters faced off outside polling stations. As evening fell and the votes were counted, riot police formed up behind barbed wire on a rugby field overlooked by a colonial mansion outside the election centre to face thousands of flag-waving PAS supporters. There were no reports of violence, as backers of PAS, which is a member of the opposition three-party Pakatan Rakyat bloc, greeted their victory with shouts of "God is Great".

The loss in Perak marks the third parliamentary by-election vote that has gone against the BN since elections in 2008 when it recorded its worst-ever result in state and national elections, losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority. Najib, who took over from lacklustre premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, has promised economic reforms as export-dependent Malaysia faces up to the impact of the global financial crisis that has slashed demand for its products. Expectations of reform from Najib are high and he looks set to name a Cabinet later this week that could include news faces to push through much needed economic change.

Today's poll losses could, however, hit markets, financial analysts said, due to concerns over whether Najib would be in full control of his government as he undertakes planned changes to Malaysia's huge state-controlled companies. "The concerns about the longevity of the current government and the possibility of a significant change in corporate dynamics longer term might spook the market near term," Deutsche Bank said in a report published today. — Reuters

Cash-strapped but Perlis still going strong

The Star : Saturday May 16, 2009

By RONNIE OH

GEORGE TOWN: Kudos to the Perlis players! They only received half their pay last month and yet never let it affect their performances on the field. And coach Irfan Bakti can’t stop gushing about his players’ loyalty and understanding.

“It is true that we only got 50% of our pay for April because nothing has come from our sponsors,” said Irfan said Kangar yesterday. “Had it not been for the generosity of our Perlis FA president (Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim), who dug deep into his own pockets to pay us, we would not have received our salary for April. “I am so surprised and overwhelmed that despite the FA’s financial constraints, our performance has not been affected. My players are still enjoying their game and doing exactly what is expected of them on the field. “This clearly shows their character and maturity.”

Irfan, however, hoped that well-wishers would come forward to help them out financially. Despite their financial woes, Perlis continue to lead the 14-team standings with 32 points from 10 wins, two draws and two losses.

And Irfan is confident that his Northern Lions will continue to protect their proud unbeaten home record and lead in the Super League when they entertain Kelantan today.

Perlis bid to pile on more misery for struggling Red Warriors

The Monday : Monday May 18, 2009

By LOGANATH VELLOO

GEORGE TOWN: Super League leaders Perlis have no qualms about kicking a man when he is down.

The “man” in question is the down-on-their luck Kelantan, currently undergoing a post-FA Cup final confidence crisis.

Last Saturday, Perlis eased past the out-of-sorts Red Warriors 2-0 in Kangar. And the Northern Lions want to heap more misery on the East Coast outfit when the two teams meet again in the return league encounter in Bukit Jalil tomorrow.

Perlis coach Irfan Bakti said yesterday: “Kelantan’s morale is at its lowest point and this is the best time for us to take advantage of the situation.

“We must not make the mistake of presenting Kelantan with the opportunity to snap out of their dismal run. Perlis should have won by a bigger margin in Kangar and I am confident we can obtain another victory on Tuesday.”

First-half goals from Mohd Firdaus Fauzi and Mohd Nizaruddin Yusop allowed the Northern Lions to maintain their slender one-point lead over Selangor at the top of the standings.

It was the third straight league defeat for Kelantan following their 1-4 penalty shoot-out defeat by Selangor in the FA Cup final last month.

Prior to Saturday’s loss, Peter Butler’s troubled side went down 0-2 to Negri Sembilan and 1-2 to Johor FC. The three-game losing streak saw Kelantan dropping to sixth place in the standings.

Kelantan’s cause was not helped by the ban on the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru due to crowd trouble. The Red Warriors are using the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil as their home base until the end of the year.

The Kelantan-born Irfan had nothing but praises for the Perlis players for their professionalism on the pitch. The Perlis players have not been paid their full salaries last month.

“We have reached the point in the season when there is no turning back. We are in the position to fight for the league title and cannot do it without total commitment and co-operation from everybody,” he said.

“I am proud of the players for not allowing the team’s financial problems to distract them from their task.”

For tomorrow’s clash, Irfan will be without injured centreback Amzar Junaidi and the suspended midfielder Azi Shahril Azmi. But the coach believes the duo’s absence will not affect Perlis’ chances of notching their 12th win of the season.

Polls loss puts pressure on Perak government and Najib

By Lee Wei Lian

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — The win by Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin, the ousted mentri besar of Perak, in tonight's by-election in Bukit Gantang will likely place additional pressure on the Barisan Nasional state government, say some political analysts. The by-election was widely perceived to be a referendum of sorts on whether Pakatan Rakyat's Nizar or BN's Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir, who was sworn in by the Sultan of Perak in February, is the people's choice.

"The result will increase pressure on the present state government to deliver on their promises because in some ways, the Bukit Gantang by-election is a referendum on who the people of Perak want as the state government," says Ibrahim Suffian of Merdeka Centre, a political science and economics research firm.

"The margin of victory is a validation that the state votes for the Pakatan Rakyat remain intact and if a statewide election is held, the results will be similar."

Professor Mohamad Agus Yussoff, a political scientist at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, concurs but adds that despite the electorate having spoken, the matter should be left to the courts.

Tony Pua, DAP's national publicity secretary, says that the election results are an endorsement of the ousted Pakatan Rakyat government in Perak and that the nearly 100 per cent increase in the margin of victory is a message for new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that Perakians want the assembly dissolved for fresh elections.

"It is high time, as a new prime minister, to do the right thing for democracy in Malaysia by ensuring that the people of Perak get a government they have themselves elected," said Pua in a media release, referring to Najib's statement that he wanted to build a democracy responsive to the people’s needs.

PR won with a majority of 2,789 votes compared with 1,566 in last year's general election. The prime minister has been speaking the language of reform, of building a performance based nation and committed himself to meeting the needs, aspirations and concerns of all Malaysians.

Agus, however, says the election results are a sign of voters sending a message to Najib that he will have to show substantive results from his reform proposals. "The people are not stupid anymore. They are not buying into promises. They want to see results," says Agus. "The reforms sound fantastically good but only when people start believing the results will they gain confidence and come back to BN."

Pua holds a similar view and says: "Najib has his work cut out for him and it is quite clear that Malaysians will not give him a 100-day honeymoon period to perform. He must hence immediately institute firm and resolute measures to eradicate corruption, overhaul archaic and repressive laws and dismantle discriminatory policy tools antithetical to his ‘One Malaysia’ agenda."

Closely analysed will be the racial breakdown of voting patterns in the by-election. "This election indicates the attractiveness of PR's ketuanan rakyat to non-Malays and that Umno's promises to defend the Malays may not have been bought into," says Ibrahim.

He thinks that the victory for Nizar, who is from PAS, will further strengthen the moderate voices within the conservative Islamist party and shows that its hardcore supporters have not been alienated.- The Malaysia Insider

Bukit Gantang : Nizar wins!

By Adib Zalkapli and Debra Chong

TAIPING, April 7 — In a major boost to the ousted Pakatan Rakyat state government, PAS won the Bukit Gantang by-election with its candidate Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin defeating his closest rival, Barisan Nasional's Ismail Saffian, by 2,789 votes. The former Perak mentri besar, who was ordered to resign by the state Ruler, obtained 21,860 votes while Ismail garnered 19,071 votes. Independent Kamarul Ramizu Idris only managed to secure 62 votes and lost his deposit of RM10,000. A total of 41, 626 voters out of 55,471 or 75.1 per cent cast their ballots.

The by-election was widely seen as a referendum on the newly-formed Perak government led by BN's Datuk Dr Zambry Kadir and today's outcome was the clearest sign yet that the move by the coalition to form the new state government has not gone down well with the people. BN formed the government in February after three PR lawmakers left the alliance to become BN-friendly independents and Nizar's attempt to dissolve the state assembly to pave the way for state-wide election failed.

And with the swearing in of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the sixth prime minister last Friday, the by-election also became the first test of his leadership and his reform agenda.

Nizar told a press conference after the announcement of the result that his immediate priority would be "to stabilise the political situation in Perak" and to seek the dissolution of the state assembly.

"This is a very strong signal from the people that they reject corruption, but they want democracy and they want a free and fair election," he said, agreeing to suggestions that the outcome of the election was an endorsement of the ousted PR-led government.

He was also confident that the alliance would win with a bigger majority if state elections are called. "Our policies are not discriminatory," he added. Earlier in his speech, Nizar urged party supporters who had gathered outside the polling centre to disperse.- The Malaysia Insider

Perlis kukuh cengkaman Liga Super

Oleh Hussain Said, Fazallah Pit, Harris Rajahdin, Bashah Zainol Abidin dan Asrol Awang

PERLIS terus gah menambah koleksi kemenangannya dalam saingan Liga Super dan malam tadi, skuad Singa Utara menundukkan Kelantan 2-1 di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil. Pelawat sudah berada di depan seawal minit ketujuh hasil jaringan K Soley selepas dia merampas bola daripada Mohd Azlan Zainal sebelum meluru masuk ke kotak penalti untuk melepaskan rembatan menewaskan penjaga gol Kelantan, Mohd Shahrizan Ismail. Tiga minit selepas itu, Kelantan menyamakan kedudukan menerusi Indra Putra Mahayuddin yang mudah menolak masuk hantaran lintang Mohd Nor Farhan sebelum Zuraidey Jumai, memanfaatkan bola yang muntah untuk gol kedua Perlis pada minit ke-41.

Di Stadium Bandaraya, Pulau Pinang tidak mampu menyekat kemaraan Selangor apabila tewas 0-1 bagi membolehkan anak didik K Devan terus mengekori rapat Perlis. Selangor terpaksa menunggu sehingga minit ke-56 untuk membolosi benteng tuan rumah yang ketika ini menghuni tangga ketiga dari dasar liga apabila tendangan lencong Safee Sali menewaskan penjaga gol Pulau Pinang, Khairul Iskandar Ismail. Perlis kini mengumpul 38 mata, mengekalkan kelebihan satu mata mengatasi Selangor yang mengekori rapat di belakang mereka.

Di Stadium Darulmakmur, Pahang mencipta kejutan apabila menjinakkan Negeri Sembilan 1-0 hasil jaringan Mohd Azamuddin Akil, pada minit ke-84 tetapi keputusan itu tidak mengubah kedudukan negeri Pantai Timur itu di tangga ke-13. Sementara itu, Polis terikat 1-1 dengan KL Plus di Stadium Tunku Abd Rahman, Paroi, manakala KM Naza tewas kepada MyTeam 1-2 di Stadium Darulaman. (BH: 20/5/2009)

Irfan: Players showed true character despite financial woes

The Star ; Thursday May 21, 2009

PETALING JAYA: Perlis coach Irfan Bakti praised his men for their show of professionalism even though they had taken a pay cut and received only half-month salary last month.

The Northern Lions continued with their gnashing form in the Super League to remain on top the 14-team standings on 38 points, one point in front of Selangor.

“We are down with financial problems and our president is paying from his own pocket. We received only half pay last month but the good thing is that the players have maintained their character. We will continue to push ahead and we are not worried about Selangor breathing down our necks,” said a proud Irfan.

Although Perlis have woes of their own, Irfan has sympathy for their counterparts from Kelantan, who are suffering badly from not getting to play their home matches in Kota Baru.

“It is a pity the moral of the Kelantan team is down ... everything is down for them,” said Irfan after his side edged Kelantan 2-1 in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday.

“Kelantan are a good side but their players are exhausted, having to travel twice compared to other teams. I think they have been punished enough.”

There was cheer for the Perlis side as their FA president, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, has said that the team would be reward with a bonus for their victory over Kelantan.

Kelantan coach Peter Butler was disappointed that his team conceded two soft goals to hand Perlis victory.

“They were the bad team of the night. Yes, we are having a bad run and are in a bad situation. The confidence of the team is down. We gave conceded two silly goals and they cost us dearly,” he said.

The Englishman, however, said that he offered no excuse even though they were put in a situation of having to travel for both home and away matches.

“I am a realist. Kelantan have a mountain to climb. I have been in this situation of going on a losing streak. But there is always the chance to come back. I am not going to panic,” said the former West Ham star.

RECONSIDER NAJIB APPOINTMENT

(Text of Dato' Zaid Ibrahim's speech AT ROTARY CLUB FUNCTION)


Wednesday, 18 March 2009 16:52

This is the second time I have been invited to address a Rotary Club. Thank you for the honour. Given the times we live in, perhaps it might be appropriate for me to speak about the leadership transition that has been foisted upon us Malaysians.

I say ‘foisted’ because neither me nor anyone in this room had any role or say in the choice of the person who will lead Malaysia next. We were mere bystanders in a political chess game. And yet the transition is a subject of great consequence to the nation, one I would say is of great national interest.

Leadership is definitive; the individual who assumes the mantle of leadership of this nation, whomever that may be, is one who for better or worse will leave his mark on us. His will be the hand who guides us to greater success, or possibly gut-wrenching disaster.

Save for the dawn of Merdeka, never in the history of this country has the choice of prime minister been so crucial: Malaysia is in crisis. We are facing tremendous economic challenges with unavoidably harsh socio-political consequences. Our much undermined democracy is once again being assailed by those who would prefer a more autocratic form of governance.

Our public institutions are hollowed out caricatures, unable to distinguish vested party interests from national ones, unable to offer the man in the street refuge from the powerful and connected. Our social fabric that took us from colony to an independent nation and on through the obstacles of nation building has reached a point where it sometimes feel like we are hanging on by a thread. This is the Malaysia we live in.

PM’s resignation ill-fated

This is the Malaysia which Abdullah Ahmad Badawi leaves behind. Our prime minister will resign later this month - an ill-fated decision. I say ill-fated not because he has been a great prime minister and we would lose irreplaceable leadership, that is regrettably not the case as all things said and done, Abdullah could have done much more for Malaysia.

Rather, I say that his resignation is ill-fated because his departure will expose the country to forces which may take us down the road of perdition faster than ever. Much has been said of Pak Lah being a weak leader. However, what his critics have not adequately addressed are the consequences of replacing him as prime minister with the anticipated incoming president of Umno, Najib (Abdul) Razak.

It is an undeniable truth that the average Malaysian is anxious about the anticipated transition. Many would prefer it did not happen.

There are two reasons why this is so. The first has to do with the reasoning underlying Umno’s demand for the transition itself. The second has to do with Najib personally.

We must recall that after the 2008 general election - a great success for the nation but a fiasco for Umno – one of the chief complaints by the powers-that-be within Umno was that Abdullah’s feeble leadership led to the concept of Ketuanan Melayu being challenged and ultimately undermined.

His critics also lashed out at him for the latitude given to civil society, a move which they believed weakened a key aspect of Umno’s political leverage. It followed in Umno’s mind that in order to regain lost ground, it was necessary to reassert its ideology with greater strength.

There was nostalgia for Mahathir’s heavy-handed style of leadership and a return to the times when the party cowed many into subservience and submission.The conservatives in Umno yearned for a return to Mahathirism, hoping that it would become a cornerstone of the leadership transition plan. There has been much speculation and punditry on whether a return to the Mahathir era would be good for Malaysia.

Difference between then and now

Let me offer some of my own insight to this debate. The major difference between then and now is this: in most instances, Mahathir was harsh and dictatorial if he believed it was good for the country. But an authoritarian style of government under anyone else would be dictated by the need for self preservation and very little about the country’s interest.

The evidence is all around us. After March 8, (2008) when the prime minister ceased being the home minister, the threats of reprisal have escalated and a climate of fear re-cultivated. The detention of Raja Petra Kamarudin, Teresa Kok and Tan Hoong Cheng exemplify this turn for the worse, this appetite to use the sledgehammer.

The shameful power grab in Perak and wanton disregard for public opinion over how BN wrested control of the silver state make many people shudder at the prospect of a return to the dark days. If that was not depressing enough, we have had to bear witness to the police and the newly-minted Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) displaying their allegiance and support to the BN when all we needed and craved for were honest brokers.

It stands to reason that in the mind of the average Malaysian, having suffered a significant loss last March, Umno is on a rampage to regain what it lost by any method available and the man who is expected to lead it to victory is the man who succeeds Abdullah: Najib (Abdul) Razak.

A prime minister must have the confidence of the majority of the rakyat. In order for this to be the case, his integrity must be beyond question; not only must he be such a person character, he must be seen to be such a person. The office of prime minister is one of great trust, he who holds that office cradles the nation in his palms.

For this to be the case, there cannot be anything in the mind of the greater public that, correctly or otherwise, associates him with matters of criminality, wrongful action, improper conduct or abuses of power. In short, he must be beyond reproach in his dealings both official and private.

Without intending any accusation, it is regrettable that in the collective mind of the rakyat, Najib is not such a person. If a referendum were to be conducted on the subject or if the prime minister was to be elected directly by the rakyat, I do not think Najib would succeed. The reason for this is obvious: the rakyat has doubts, fuelled by the unanswered allegations against him and his unwillingness to confront these allegations.

It is not a mere trifle in the minds of the rakyat that despite a direct challenge from a member of parliament in the august House recently, the deputy prime minister remained silent, not even denying the implicit accusation made against him and demanding that it be repeated outside the chamber in the tried and tested method of refutation employed by parliamentarians throughout the world.

It has not assisted the cause of the incoming prime minister that the MP concerned was suspended for a year on a motion tabled by a fellow minister without the member having been afforded an opportunity to defend his position.

Evidence of SMS text-messages

Consider this. Commissions were paid to an agent for the procurement of submarines through the Defence Ministry, Najib (then) being the defence minister. It is unthinkable that he had no knowledge that the agent was his adviser and aide, Abdul Razak Baginda. The commission paid out was exceedingly large, in excess of RM400 million.

The defence minister was dutybound to direct enquiries to see if there had been any impropriety in the way the contracts were awarded when news of the commission surfaced; after all the price of the submarines would be considerably lower without the need for such commissions.

Taxpayers, you and I, have paid for those submarines at a price that in all probability factored in the commission. Taxpayers are yet to be told of an inquiry let alone the result of such an inquiry.Consider the Altantuya Shaariibuu affair. A young woman was brutally murdered, her corpse destroyed by explosives.

These explosives are not the usual type of explosives, yet no inquiry was held to determine how they were available to these killers. Those accused of her murder are police officers serving in the Unit Tindakan Khas, a highly specialised unit who amongst other things serve as bodyguards to the prime minister and the deputy prime minister.

Amidst evidence that the accused were employed to protect the PM and the DPM, they were directed to (Abdul) Razak Baginda through the aide of the deputy prime minister. Amongst other things, we have heard of the senior investigating officer admitting that the deputy prime minister was an important witness and yet no statement was taken.

It is not unreasonable to think that this is irregular, more so when evidence of SMS text-messages from the deputy prime minister concerning material matters have surfaced. The text-messages cannot be ignored, proverbially swept under the carpet.

Even if they do not establish - or are not capable of establishing - any culpability on the part of Najib, these issues must be addressed.

The air must be cleared, it is thick with accusations and doubts which can only undermine the office of the prime minister if he were to assume it. The deputy prime minister’s cause has not been aided by the fact that charges were preferred against (Abdul) Razak Baginda only after public outcry, the manner in which the prosecution was conducted and the decision of the High Court acquitting (Abdul) Razak Baginda not having been appealed.

Power grab an unmitigated disaster

The Perak affair was an unmitigated disaster for the nation. It is no secret that Najib led the charge there and is still overseeing matters.

In the minds of Malaysians, Perak is synonymous with the deputy prime minister. They now equate him with the high-handed tactics that were employed to seize power, tactics that included the disappearances of the three crucial assemblypersons and the blockading of the legislative assembly by the police.

In doing so, they equate the DPM with the hijacking of democracy, the only persons saying otherwise being those persons who have associations with Umno. In their minds, no responsible leader would allow for the undermining of the institutions of state and the constitution of this nation.

They ask, rightly so, whether this is the kind of leadership that Malaysians can expect from Najib when he becomes the prime minister.

With all of this, and more, how are we not to feel anxious? How are we to sleep peacefully at night? I know that I cannot. The situation is desperate and the air is pregnant with tension. We need the state of affairs to be resolved in a way that is in the best interests of the nation and the rakyat.

To an extent, this is a matter for the Barisan Nasional. I urge its members to put politics aside and think things through. We all want a better future, a safer and more prosperous life for our children, all of them, a Malaysia where our children can reach for the stars with the certainty that there is nothing to stop them from being the Malaysians they want to be.

Let the king be kingmaker

I do not believe that the Barisan Nasional will do what is necessary. Politics has a tendency of making those who embrace it cynical. The answer lies elsewhere, with His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

In this case, His Majesty plays the role of ‘kingmaker’. The discretion to appoint the prime minister who succeeds Abdullah lies with His Majesty. Though His Majesty is required under the constitution to appoint the person who commands the confidence of the majority of the members of parliament, it is a matter for His Majesty’s judgment.

Never before has such a heavy burden being laid on His Majesty to make a brave and correct choice.

For King and country, I urge His Majesty to take into consideration the prerequisites to appointment and the concerns of the rakyat. There is no constitutional obligation on His Majesty to appoint the president of Umno as the prime minister. There are still well qualified members of parliament from Umno who can be appointed PM to bring us back from the brink.

Malaysia needs someone who the rakyat can throw their weight behind without reservation. Someone they can trust and respect. Someone who has no scandal to distract him and thereby gain respect from the international community.

These are difficult times and be prepared for worst times to visit us. Malaysia needs a leader who will unite the country in the face of the adversity. Divided, we are weak. I am loath to say it, but for the reasons I have set out am compelled to say that Najib will most certainly divide us and in doing so, will nudge us closer to the edge.

Some of you may say that all efforts to promote the national interest are at this stage an exercise in futility. If truth be told, I am tempted to slip into cynical hopelessness too. I am fighting the temptation to give up for one simple reason: Malaysia and all that it represents. This is a blessed country, a country too valuable for us to turn our backs on.

Challenge the Speaker... and Constitution, by default

By Jeff Ooi

Gobind Singh Deo is the MP for Puchong, the constituency where I used to stay and have a house in. Yesterday, I took time off to accompany him to the Kuala Lumpur High Court, where he filed a suit against the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and three others over his 12-month suspension as MP. He is seeking a declaration that the suspension is null and void, and unconstitutional.

If I remember correctly, this is the first time an MP has filed a suit against the Speaker, and to challenge a decision made by the Chair during Parliament proceedings in Malaysia. Gobind's suit against the Speaker is very interesting because, win or lose, he will put the Federal Constitution to test. The Constitution is like a double-edged sword. Mess it around and it cuts both ways.

The difference is, while Gobind is an individual vested with his Constitutional rights -- just like you and me -- but the government of the day will get irreversibly damaged whether it loses or wins in this case. Don't forget, the federal government has a larger stake to risk in Perak, and the Constitution being the sacrificial lamb for partisan politics is being barbecue-ed, slowly moving from medium rare to well-done. Malaysia will get charbroiled in the end. It cuts both ways

Let me help you with some contexts to understand the significance of Gobind's suit. Recently, the Federal Court -- the apex court in Malaysia -- created a precedent that had deconstructed the convention of Separation of Powers in several decisions taken pertaining to the current constitutional crisis in Perak. The Judiciary is now seen to be interfering into and lording over the Legislative, while the favoured party appeared to be the Executive, the federal government of the day.

In essence, the Federal Court decisions demonstrated that it has over-ruled the decisions of a state assembly and its Speaker, which by extension corresponds to decisions made in the Dewan Rakyat and by its Speaker.

Gobind, on the other hand, is testing if the Constitution does not carry double standards and seek the Courts to similarly over-rule the decision of the Dewan Rakyat and its Speaker that he claimed had done him injustice -- suspended from the Dewan Rakyat and stripped of his status, privileges and perks as an MP for one year.

The net effect of whichever the verdict will be, however, will demonstrate whether the Separation of Powers had been pilfered with, and parliamentary democracy had died in Malaysia.

The collapse of the Separation of Powers -- where Judiciary gangs up with Executive to strangle Legislative, or in any other permutations of two versus one -- will pronounce the death of parliamentary democracy.

For context, I suggest you read:1 ) Malaysian Insider: The day the Constitution died?2 ) NH Chan: When a judge is plainly wrong3 ) NH Chan: When the highest court in the land could bring down the government of the day4 ) Param Cumarasamy: Is Sultan Azlan right about our constitutional monarchy?

For your information, N.H. Chan is a retired judge from the Court of Appeals, Param Cumarasamy is a former UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers and a past president of the Malaysian Bar Council..

BACKGROUNDER

Gobind's Suit

Gobind filed the writ of summons at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Registry at noon yesterday. He named as defendants the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Dewan Rakyat secretary and the Government.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker's Decision in Contention

On March 16, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia suspended Gobind from his “duties as a Member of Parliament for 12 months” for alleging that then Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was involved in a murder case and for being in contempt of the House. The suspension came after the Dewan voted for a motion against the DAP MP.

Gobind's Claims

Gobind claimed his suspension was unconstitutional as he was not allowed to defend himself when the motion was approved and that it had contravened equality provisions in the Federal Constitution.

He told the Press yesterday: “You will note that I was not suspended from the Dewan Rakyat but I have been suspended as an MP, so it goes beyond the suspension from attending sittings in the Dewan Rakyat.”

He added that he wanted a ruling from the court on what actions Parliament could take against MPs. Among the other reliefs he is seeking is a declaration that he is entitled to the remuneration and other benefits granted to him under the Constitution. With the decision taken by the Speaker, Gobind, as the "crucified" MP, stands to lose more than RM157,000 in perks and allowances.

Federal court judgement; A double edge sword..

24/04/2009 by drrafick

1. As anticipated, Deo, the cub (Gobind Singh Deo) declared that he would file a case to lift his suspension in the Parliament. He will cite the judgment of the Federal court in the case of Zambry Vs Nizar where the Federal court rule in favour of Zambry et al despite the presence of Article 72 of the Federal Constitution.

2. Zambry who seems to have found some miraculous victory in the Federal court is not seeking several more judgement that would allow him to continue to function as MB. The latest news on Malaysiakini showed that now he will have more help when the High Court allowed Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to intervene in Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin’s suit challenging the legitimacy of Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir’s appointment as Perak MB.

3. The biggest joke would probably be the AG excuse in trying to intervene where he cite that it has to intervene on the excuse being the guardian of public interest. I would say that if the AG really concern about the public interest then he should have advice the King to advice his fellow ruler in Perak to dissolve the assembly. The way I see it, “public interest” probably represent small segment of the public which is aligned to Zambry.

4. I am not to concern about Deo action at the moment but I am concern about the long term impact of the Federal Court in the governance of the country. Parliament and state assembly are no longer free from court interference. The highest court of the land can now rule on the organization and people that makes the law.

5. The action of the Federal court in violating Article 72 will open a flood gate. This decision is so unique that it is probably the only kind within the Commonwealth. In the future, any assemblyman who is unhappy with running of the State Assembly or Parliament can always goes to court. This will affect the smooth running of the Parliament or State Assembly.

6. The qualities of the running of the decision making body will now deteriorate very fast. I would say, from the wet market situation currently it will become far worse. It would probably be equal to the Selayang Wholesale Market. The speaker will have its hand full.

7. In my view the decision of the Federal court has far reaching implications and beyond the imagination of a man (or woman). The five judges have created a mockery. I am still waiting for the written judgment to be out, so that I could understand further the reasons behind their decision. I wonder what they were thinking about when they made the judgment. Whatever it is, their action cannot be retracted.

8. There is a popular Malay proverb that says, “Terlajak perahu boleh di undur, terlajak kata badan binasa”. In this case the so called “badan” will the country and we owe it to this five person that sits on the bench of the Federal Court. This “famous five” will be remembered in history in years to come. May God (Allah) bless this country and its honest people.

Gobind sues Govt, Speaker and others

KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 23, 2009 : Puchong Member of Parliament Gobind Singh Deo has filed a suit against the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, the Dewan Rakyat secretary and the Government of Malaysia. In the suit filed Thursday morning at the High Court here, he said his suspension from the House for a year, including losing his remunerations, was null and void.

In his summons filed at the High Corut registry through Messrs Karpal Singh & Co, he claimed tht his one-year suspension effective March 16 violated Article 8 (1) of the Federal Constitution. He named the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Dewan Rakyat secretary and the Malaysian government as defendants.

He also filed for endorsement for his case to be heard as soon as possible to enable him to attend the next Dewan Rakyat sitting which will start on June 16. He seeks to declare that the letter dated March 18 and signed by the Dewan Rakyat secretary, Datuk Roosme Hamzah, suspending him as a MP and stripping him of all the allowances and benefits as an MP is null and void because it is unenforceable under the law. Gobind, 36, also wants a declaration that he is entitled to all those allowances and benefits under Article 64 and that the proceedings and decision of the Dewan Rakyat on March 16 are not immune to adjudication by the court. He is asking for costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.

In his affidavit, Gobind claimed that the Dewan Rakyat proceedings on March 16 violated human rights because he was not given a chance to counter the allegations in the motion tabled by Mohamed Mohamed Nazri to suspend him and deny him the allowances and benefits as an MP. He also said that the court had the jurisdiction to scrutinise the proceedings of the Dewan Rakyat because Article 64 of the Federal Constitution provided for the mandatory entitlement of an MP to the benefits as an MP.

Gobind's father, Karpal Singh, who represented him in the case, told reporters that the originating summons was filed following the Federal Court's decision last Thursday that Perak state assembly speaker V. Sivakumar's suspension of Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and his state executive councillors was null and void.

He said that when he was suspend as Jelutong MP on Nov 22, 1984, in connection with his statement on the Sultan of Johor, he was not stopped from receiving his allowances and other benefits, Bernama reported.

Last month, Gobind was suspended from Parliament for a year for alleging that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who was then deputy premier, was involved in a murder case. He was also held to be in contempt of the House. The suspension came after the Dewan Rakyat voted for a motion against him. Gobind was told he would be paid any allowance or given any benefits accrued to MPs during the suspension.

It is believed that Gobind would using as precedent the Federal Court ruling last week that it has jurisdiction over the legislative powers of the Perak state assembly. In its landmark unanimous decision, the Federal Court ruled that Perak Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar did not have the power to suspend Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and his six executive council members from the assembly. The Court then lifted the suspension on Dr Zambry and his six executive council members and said the seven could attend the next assembly sitting.

Pakatan scores higher in 2 Bukits, BN keeps Batang Ai

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Wounded from losing Perak, Pakatan Rakyat fought back with greater ferocity to retain both Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau with bigger majorities, reinforcing a two-party concept and striking a blow to new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's “One Malaysia” idea.

Najib's ruling Barisan Nasional kept the Batang Air state seat in Sarawak with a bigger majority but the results laid bare the lie that its Election 2008 defeat was due to former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's weak leadership.

Ironically, Abdullah's trenchant critic and predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad campaigned vigorously yesterday for Barisan Nasional in both Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau and endorsed Najib as a better leader for the country's future.

The people in Peninsular Malaysia decided otherwise, with Bukit Gantang giving PAS candidate Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin a higher majority of 2,789 votes in what was seen as a referendum of BN's putsch in Perak when it ousted the popular mentri besar. Far from being a washed-up has been politician known for defying a state Ruler, the Pasir Panjang state assemblyman will now have a national stage to fight his cause apart from increasing the Pakatan Rakyat numbers to 82 in Parliament.

In the Kedah state seat of Bukit Selambau, the first scent of BN's loss came when candidate Datuk S. Ganesan told reporters he will not turn up at the counting centre in Sungai Petani. PKR's S. Manikumar retained the seat with an increased majority of 2,403 votes and won himself a state executive councillor post.

Their victories have brought to four by-election wins by the Pakatan Rakyat after earlier victories in Permatang Pauh last August that returned PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Parliament and in Kuala Terengganu which was won from Barisan Nasional.

Anwar was happy with the results, conceding they did not expect to win in Batang Ai which he had earlier declared was the beachfront to take Sarawak. "Malaysians want to change irrespective of the new PM. They still want a change. They are stronger in their support for Pakatan Rakyat," he told reporters near Taiping.

He said he was satisfied with the results and glad about the Bukit Selambau win where Manikumar was one of 15 candidates, the largest field of candidates in Malaysia. Asked if the Bukit Gantang results reflected the people's desire for fresh state elections, Anwar said: "Certainly there should be fresh elections."

Perak Umno secretary Datuk Ramly Zahari said: "We still maintained the Malay votes that we got in 2008." He said the non-Malays voted for PAS because of the populist policies of the PR-led state government including awarding permanent land titles to new villagers. "And probably our strategy was also not right. We couldn't focus much on the by-election because of the party elections and in Perak itself we have been busy with the political turmoil," he told The Malaysian Insider.

PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas said the results were more disappointing than his own defeat in Election 2008, adding he believed BN could win and this was not a referendum on Najib who is widely blamed for ousting Nizar. "Don't prejudge him. He has not formed his Cabinet yet, give him time," Kayveas said in Taiping. "Najib's takeover and changes are yet to be felt on the ground. It will take six or seven months for it to be felt," he said, adding some did not even know that ISA detainees had been released.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the defeats reflected a desire for real change and it would take time for BN to regain the people’s trust and accept there is only one political master, the people. "We have a long journey ahead and there is much to be done as well as undone before we can firmly say BN is well grounded with the people to know how to serve the people.

"We must seize the opportunity to change or be forever silenced," said the Transport Minister, adding the setback will spur BN to work harder while the win in Batang Ai is encouraging ahead of the Sarawak state election.

Gerakan president Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon said the results were a reminder that BN has to effect reforms more concretely. "Admittedly, the results showed BN has yet to turn the tide in regaining support from the people, especially the non-Malay voters," he said in a statement. The former Penang chief minister said BN should learn lessons from these by-elections and retune its strategy and approach, which he described as the great challenge for the next two years. But he said BN has a good platform to perform, implement positive reforms and good policies benefiting the people as it remained the federal government and, in winning Batang Ai, retained the confidence of Sarawak's rural people.

Barisan Nasional's only consolation was in Sarawak where Batang Ai returning officer Nelson Mujah declared BN's Malcom Mussem Lamoh the winner at 7.40pm to thunderous applause. He won with 3,907 votes against PKR's Jawah Gerang's 2,053 in the remote constituency of 8,006 voters where the voter turnout was 71 per cent (5,670 voters).
Election officials said the final turnout in Bukit Gantang was 75 per cent or 41,626 out of 55,562 voters while it was 70 per cent in Bukit Selambau or 24,687 voters from 35,140 voters. Counting started at 3pm in Batang Ai while election officials said counting began at 5.30pm in Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau.

There were stand-offs between rival supporters in both Bukit Gantang, where riot police earlier fired tear gas, and Bukit Selambau where police had to stop them from throwing water-bottles at each other. Riot police fired tear gas in Pengkalan Changkat Jering to disperse rival supporters in the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election but voters continued to stream in to cast their ballots.

Polling was more peaceful in Batang Ai and Bukit Selambau, although the Kedah state seat had tense moments when PAS supporters stopped several busloads of people suspected of being phantom voters. Police said they were just BN supporters.

Witnesses said the FRU were called into the SMK Pengkalan Aur polling centre in Air Kuning, Changkat Jering to diffuse tension between rival supporters who threw bottles and chairs at each other between 11am and 12.30pm. Some of the elderly who came out to vote were affected by the tear gas which was apparently fired at the Barisan Nasional side. Apart from the FRU, police Light Strike Force personnel had to rush around the parliamentary constituency to keep both PAS and Barisan Nasional supporters apart.

A downpour at 1pm in Bukit Gantang did not last long, and the sun was back within the hour, bringing the voters streaming back. Election officials said the final turnout in Bukit Gantang was 75 per cent or 41,626 voters while it was 70 per cent in Bukit Selambau (24,687 voters). In Batang Ai, Election Commission chairman Abdul Aziz Yusof said it was 71 per cent (5,670 voters).

Bernama reported that six out of the 25 polling stations in Batang Ai were closed by 11am due to the small number of voters. Sarawak EC director Takun Sunggah said the polling stations were at SK Ulu Engkari, SK Nanga Delok, SK Nanga Aup, Sempang Kemas kindergarten, Salcra Batang Ai multi-purpose hall and the Nanga Patoh Agriculture Office. It is learnt that at least three buses with suspected phantom voters were stopped in Lubok Antu. They are now being held at the police station.

The EC said in the three by-elections, senior citizens and women were the majority of voters in the morning, while more young voters were expected to cast their ballot papers in the afternoon and evening.

In Sungai Petani, Kedah EC director Zainal Abidin Zakaria said the voting process for the Bukit Selambau seat went on smoothly and the fine weather was the reason many came out to vote in the morning at the 22 polling centres.

Kedah police chief Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said police were patrolling the roads and monitoring all the voting areas besides carrying out air surveillance. “So far, so good. No untoward incident has happened except for some shouting and jeering by party supporters in the hot spots,” he said. He also said a busload of BN supporters was mistaken for phantom voters by their political rivals.

Later, police said two men, one aged 37 and the other 54, were detained at Kampung Bukit Lembu this morning for stopping the bus, which was carrying BN election workers to their assigned stations across the constituency. Police said the two men, driving a Toyota MPV, cut across the path of the bus and forced it to stop before boarding it and preventing the driver from proceeding with his journey.

Manikumar arrived at his SMK Taman Ria Jaya voting centre and told reporters he was hoping for a bigger majority. He is one of 15 candidates running for the state seat, making it the largest field of candidates in electoral history. His BN opponent, Datuk S. Ganesan, was seen casting his vote at SJKT Ladang Perbadanan Kedah.

Independent candidate M. Vinsen has complained of discrepancies in the ballot papers at the Institut Kemahiran Mara polling centre. He said that his name was placed next to someone else's logo in the ballot paper. He also said that his name was misspelt in the ballot counting box which would be used for the counting process later.

Vinsen said he has lodged a police report and intends to take action against the EC. But the commission said it was a mistake that has been rectified.

Earlier, some supporters prayed for Nizar's success at the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election, where a victory will be seen as vindication for his short tenure as Perak mentri besar before he was ousted in February. He was mobbed by supporters outside the Sekolah Kebangsaan Changkat Jering but booed by BN supporters who greeted him with shouts of “Traitor” for having defied the Perak Ruler by refusing to quit as mentri besar.

The Bukit Gantang constituency has traditionally been pro-Umno but they voted for PAS in 2008 due to dissatisfaction with outside Umno candidate, party treasurer Datuk Azim Zabidi. The BN candidate is local boy Ismail Saffian, who is confident of faring better and regaining the seat. Ismail arrived at the SRK Bukit Gantang about 8.45am to cast his vote and told reporters later that he expected victory with a 3,000-vote majority. Apart from Nizar, the other candidate is independent candidate Kamarul Ramizu Idris. BN supporters were quieter and seemed content to wave BN and Umno flags. All shows of support have been peaceful thus far.

However, seven police Light Strike Force personnel complete with helmets, shields and armed with batons had to form a barrier between vocal PAS and BN supporters outside one voting centre. Taiping OCPD Asst Commissioner Raja Musa told reporters Light Strike Force personnel have been placed outside all voting centres to monitor and prevent rising tensions. The normally sleepy constituency and its main town of Taiping was heavy with traffic and there was congestion in some areas. Supporters from both sides are providing transport for voters to the polling centres which closed at 5pm.

The by-elections in Bukit Gantang and Batang Ai were held following the death of the incumbents, Roslan Shaharum (PAS) and Datuk Dublin Unting Inkot (BN) respectively, while in Bukit Selambau it was due to the resignation of its assemblyman V. Arumugam (PKR). – The Malaysia Insider