You Win Some, You Lose Some, Or Is It?

My earlier posting before nomination day had indicated to Pakatan to look at the possibility of giving the two by-elections a miss after my simple evaluation that Pakatan will lose. Read here and here.

The very simple fact is that PM Najib and BN needed these wins desperately to probe up their falling credibility and support. They knew that they have to win, its a do or die mission. Knowing PKR and partly PR are in disarray, their confidence in winning is rather high.

Pakatan on the other hand is still on cloud nine, even though my suspicion is that they knew that their chances of winning is low especially in Batu Sapi. Even if it is a 50-50 chance, Pakatan need not have to contest to proof anything and there is nothing to lose.

With the latest two by-election results favoring umno-bn, the score now stands at, Pakatan 8 and umno-bn 5. Many are treating these by elections like it is a sporting game, you win some and you lose some.

These by elections are not a game but 'battles'. In any sporting game you have coaches, follow daily routine, restricted food consumption, you face your opponent on equal footing and strictly follow by the rules, trying to play dirty will get you disqualified.

There are referees in all sporting games and 99% of them are refereeing with integrity and standing on neutral ground.

To me, these by elections are political 'battles' against your political enemy. There are no coaches to teach you how to fight a political battle. Everyone from the commander in chief down to the foot soldiers will have to fight, i.e kill or be killed. There are referees also in these political battles but we know that they are 100% bias and are aligned with your enemy. Pakatan by now should have learned from all past elections how their enemy fights and won their many political battles.

Knowing that you are fighting your enemy who is holding the upper hand by being the ruling government and with the backing of all the institutions that they control and the vast amount of resources they have, you cannot simply go for every battle against your enemy head on every time.

You may had won a few battles earlier but it is not shameful to make retreat for one or two battles when you know that you are going to lose. These are only small battles, would it be better to retreat on these battles and get prepared for the real big war?

By going into battles that you are going to lose will give your enemy better positioning, presenting their new arsenals and gain territory by whatever means, legal or illegal does not matter because the referee is on their side.

See what happen now, they can claimed anything irrespective whether they are true or not, just because they won. They have the multi-media and all the TV stations to do their bidding. Have the tide really shifted towards umno-bn, have the Chinese flocking back to bn in droves? If anyone really study and look into the results, there is no big shift towards umno-bn although there is a slight change in Galas but that is expected. Umno-bn is now using these two wins to create a mountain out of a molehill and the gullible Malaysians are falling for it.

Borrowing the word from Haris of People's Parliament "We have a nation to take back." In order to do that Pakatan Rakyat must wised up and stop dreaming. There are still solid support for PR but many are feeling delusion with its leaders especially PKR. The people wanted to hear what are PR plans to govern Malaysia that everyone will be happy and love and not to hear the news of infighting and power crazy politicians.

There is very little time left before the 13th GE, PR must sort out all their problems and start scrutinizing and select credible candidates and if warranted work with the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement(MCLM). There is no time for party dignity and selfishness.

Galas, Batu Sapi By-Election Results - Live Updates

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Congratulation to Umno-BN for winning both the seats. Questions they face are, is the EC fair, is money being a part of it or Umno-BN sincerely think that they won fair and square.

For Pakatan Rakyat, no point going into the process of blaming others but yourselves. Listen to the ground and not what you all think is always right. Study the way how Umno-BN punched through the wall and built your wall thicker and stronger. Umno-BN got the resources but you have the rakyat.


Polling closes in Galas and Batu Sapi, waiting for counting and the results.

Official Results

Batu Sapi

EC : Voters turnout at 5PM - 61.47 % 15,774

Pakatan Rakyat - 3414 votes

Umno - 9773 votes

SAPP - 2013 votes

Umno won with a 6359 majority

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Galas

EC : Voters turnout at 5 PM - 82.71 % 9,555

Pakatan Rakyat - 4134 votes

Umno - 5324 votes

Umno won with a 1190 majority


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Do we need to wait till tonight to find out the Galas and Batu Sapi by-election results? With what had happened over the nine days campaigning we can announced the results right now.

"Umno-BN in good working relationship with the EC won both the Galas and Batu Sapi by-elections with overwhelming majority.

Umno-BN is very happy to see that the by-elections conducted by the EC went smoothly and fairly.

The EC was right to announce that, 'Alms or not, giving money is bribery', only the opposition tend to give bribes.

On the other hand, Umno-BN, will never resort to bribery even though cash were given openly to the people, there is nothing wrong because we treated them as campaigners and helpers.

Umno-BN always look after the people and in return the people will look after Umno-BN, 'You help me, I help you' is the right way to go forward in all Umno-BN future election campaign. The EC and MACC have no objection to this kind of clean and fair campaigning.

The EC has always praised the good conduct of Umno-BN during campaigning. They are allowed to use force when they feel that they are going to lose the election, a case example was the attacked on Teoh Beng Hock's brother in law and the unwarranted arrest of the deceased sister, Teoh Lee Lan. To the EC its OK, nothing wrong with that, the police can handle the situation. Certain areas are off limit to the opposition, only Umno-BN campaigners were allowed in."

So, with the EC being fair and non biased as claimed by Umno-BN and the EC themselves what kind of results would you expect when on the ground everything does not look that way, simply WYSIWYG.

You still want to know the final results, well I will try to update this page as the results come in. Stay tune.

PM, Umno-BN Come Begging For Chinese Votes

I cried when reading Najib's speech delivered by his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the 2nd World Chinese Economic Forum. I cried not because of happiness nor recognition but the insincere and hypocritical treatment of the Malaysian Chinese by the PM.

They can keep on bashing the Malaysian Chinese of being ungrateful, pendatang, prostitutes, si-sepet and claiming that they do not need the Malaysian Chinese votes to stay in power. No one can questions their imaginary ketuanan and special rights. The PM and also their president was very brave with his threat while giving his umno speech.

Now in sick bed and facing the real threat of losing the 13th GE without the Malaysian Chinese supports, the PM takes the opportunity of the 2nd World Chinese Economic Forum to beg for the Malaysian Chinese votes. He has no choice but to recognise that Malaysia will not be what it is today without the Malaysian Chinese support.

Now we want to see what umno, perkasa and Mahathir have to say about this speech by Najib.

“Malaysia would not be what it is today without the industry, expertise and dedication of the Malaysian Chinese community,”

“Likewise, there will be a bleak future for Malaysia without the Chinese community’s support. We would clearly fall short of reaching the goals to become a developed nation by 2020.”

He added that the community formed the backbone of the Malaysian economy through its small and medium enterprises.

This speech can proof only one thing, that Malaysian Chinese can survive without any government's handout and do not have the time to quarrel or argue about the ketuanan melayu and their special rights, 54 years have shown that.

Speeches are just speeches and they are meaningless without action. We have heard many nice and juicy speeches by the PM regarding Malaysian Chinese and to date what actions have been taken. The racist school principles and the PM senior aid are not punished for the crime they committed.

By allowing umno, perkasa, Mahathir and utusan to spin and twist everything in sight into racial and religious issues proof that the PM is in Somniloquy Mode.

As a Malaysian Chinese, I am calling all others not to be sucked in by the PM nice speeches. He is good to you now because he wanted your votes. Once he got your votes you will become pendatang again, you are ungrateful and if you do not like it you can go back to China. We are not beaten twice shy but many times over.

The only way to ensure that we remain recognised as a true Malaysian with equal rights and opportunities is to let umno/bn sit as opposition for at least two terms come the 13th GE. Only then will umno/bn learn and behave to appreciate each and every Malaysian.

The Real Power Behind The Throne

Mariam Mokhtar

COMMENT Malaysian Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s illness with chicken pox on the eve of the visit of two foreign dignitaries – Australian Prime minister Julia Gillard and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, is unfortunate but not as awkward as how events have unfolded whilst he is recuperating.

Najib first showed symptoms of illness at the 17th Asean Summit Meeting in Hanoi and according to his wife, Rosmah Mansor, has been asked to rest by his doctors.

Whilst at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where she paid a visit to the accident victims of the Genting bus crash, Rosmah was reported to be in ‘high spirits standing in for Najib at functions’.

Rosmah appears to be taking her role a bit too seriously.

Is she not overstretching her responsibilities when she says she will stand in for the PM by ‘officiating on Najib’s behalf’ at the ‘1Malaysia Deepavali Carnival’ at Little India in Brickfields a few days ago?

Yesterday, she repeated this prime-ministerial role at Sri Perdana for Julia Gillard.

Malaysians are confused for they would tend to believe that when the Prime minister is incapacitated or on holiday, it is his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin who takes over.

People will start to make comparisons and say, when Barack Obama is ill, Michelle does not stand in for him. When Julia Gillard is ill, her partner Tim Mathieson does not take over. When the British monarch falls sick, Prince Philip her consort, does not take over, but Prince Charles, the heir apparent to the throne, assumes her role.

There is speculation that Najib is not really ill but wants to avoid the two dignitaries, who are probably the two most powerful women in the world.

Does Najib not want to be pressured into concessions with both Clinton and Gillard? Or is his ‘sickie’ just him ‘playing hard to get’?

Clinton will meet civil society groups and also leaders of the opposition. Is Najib ‘upset’ and so snubs her because of this?

One of the major topics to be discussed by Gillard is about human-trafficking. Recently, seven Malaysian immigration officials were arrested for the part they played in people-smuggling.

Australia is the final destination for asylum seekers, principally from war-torn Afghanistan who fly into Malaysia before taking a boat to Indonesia and thence, to Timor Leste and Australia.

This year alone, over 5,500 refugees have ended up in Australia.

Is Najib reluctant to support Australia in setting up a processing centre for asylum seekers in Timor Leste, because he does not want to risk upsetting his counterparts in Timor Leste and Indonesia? Is he afraid to say ‘no’?

Is he also fearful of telling Gillard that human-trafficking is a rampant problem and that with high levels of corruption in the country, which his government appears not to deal with effectively, it is therefore impossible for him to tackle the issue?

Did he send his wife out to ‘soften’ both these women so that they would accept his views? He realises that Clinton and Gillard are both professionals in what they do but if Rosmah engaged them in small talk, he effectively employs delaying tactics to important issues present on their busy schedules, which only a decision from the Malaysian Prime minister would suffice.

Whatever the true reasons, Rosmah should never have assumed the PM’s role in public. It is highly unprecedented.

The image projected worldwide must be one of confusion. Does protocol not mean anything in Malaysia? Even if Rosmah was not in any formal discussion but was merely present in an ‘entertainment’ capacity like in a banquet or similar, it is awkward for the main players involved.

The mixed messages to the public, when Rosmah takes centre stage standing in for PM are confusing and damaging.

For the visiting dignitaries, they are not accorded the due respect which should be reserved for people of their seniority and importance.

Gillard and Clinton are important world players. Has Najib an ulterior motive for staying away and is using the chicken pox as a convenient excuse?

For Muhyiddin, people will wonder why he is perceived to be of lesser importance and not worthy of his deputy premiership. Has Rosmah usurped him?

For Rosmah, the people will think that she has delusions of grandeur. They will ask why she is ‘standing in’ when she is not even an elected person. She is only the PM’s wife.

They may well say she is not even the wife of an elected PM; nor is she a civil servant.

They might even suggest that if she fancies herself as PM that she should offer her candidacy at the next General Election.

Maybe these conjectures are all wrong and that she is truly the power behind the throne.

Misconstruing The Constitution

Misconstruing the Constitution - Let's Stop Doing It!

By Ramon Navaratnam

The Malaysian constitution has been misinterpreted and misconstrued after 1970 in a wide ranging and consistent manner.Hence it has led to polarisation and exclusiveness that has built disunity into the Malaysian polity . This negative trend has been reinforced by the intrinsic promotion an subtle practice of "ketuananship" or Malay dominance and domination.

For instance article 153, provides for the ``special position `` of the Malays as well as the ``legitimate interests of the other communities ``. But it is the former constitutional provision that has been emphasized and the latter relatively neglected . This is the root cause for divisiveness and the source of much dissatisfaction for all fair minded Malaysians.

The so-called ``social contract `` is perhaps the most misinterpreted and misconstrued in the debate on national unity and nation building for the following reasons and there has to be more constructive debate on this critical issue , to promote national unity ;--

Firstly , there is no evidence of any written social contract . It’s being presented as something in concrete and is being perpetuated constantly to give the concept some credibility.

Secondly , admittedly there was an unwritten understanding that the ``special position `` of the Malays would be protected while about 1 million non-Malays were offered citizenship.

But unfortunately many politicians and even academics choose to ignore the fact that the citizenship was given as a matter of the birth right of these 1 million non-Malays and was also a requirement that the Malay elite and political leaders at that time, had to accept in order for the British to agree to grant Merdeka (independence) to Malaya, practically on a silver platter .

Thirdly, it is becoming fashionable for some politicians and even elitist leaders to claim that the ``special position `` of the malays is being challenged . This is not true . However the implementation of article 153 of the constitution pertaining to the affirmative action policies, such as the``New Economic Policy``, is being constantly queried by tax payers and others who wish to fight the abuses of the implementation of the NEP and the consequent wastage of public funds and the many inefficiencies in implementation .

Fourthly, what is misconstrued now is to extend these preferences in scholarships , licences , permits , housing and government contracts, etc , well after the original target period of 20 years i.e. until 1990 . Now this protective and preferential policy is being perpetuated as if it will be implemented forever ? This single factor is causing much uncertainty and a severe lack of confidence, which is aggravating the huge ``brain drain`` of talented professional Malaysians of all races amounting to hundreds of thousands !

Fifthly, the government claims that the 30% equity target has not yet been met , is now being seriously challenged. About RM50 billion has been allocated over the years to achieve the restructuring target! What has happened to these vast sums of money – where has it all gone too? And how much more needs to be spent and for how long more? These are legitimate questions, from local and foreign investors and from Malaysian tax payers, which must be answered soon .

Conclusion.

In conclusion, those who criticise others who question the quality of implementation of the NEP, should be asked whether they are sincere in protecting the interests of the poor ? Or are they wanting to prevent criticism of the social contract and affirmative action in order to benefit from the special position of the Malays, for their own selfish gains and not those of the low income Malays and others, who deserve our full support ?

We have to be honest and sincere in promoting national unity and thinking like true Malaysians in order to protect the integrity of our nation and its sustained long term peace, stability and progress , please .

(Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam is a prominent civil society leader, a former top government servant and personally helped to draft the New Economic Policy)