Star Online - Malay battle looms in Semenyih (extracts):
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Pribumi the tong sampah |
... even though the party [Mahathir's Pribumi] has been mocked as a tong sampah or garbage bin, the crossovers are a coup of sorts for the elderly leader given that his party is preparing for its biggest battle since May 9.
“The Semenyih by-election will be the ultimate battleground for the Malay vote. It’ll be the litmus test of Malay support towards the government,” said KRA strategy director Amir Fareed Rahim.
Amir noted that incumbents rarely lose in by-elections and as such, expectations will be high for
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Leaders and supporters of PH accompanying Aiman Zainali, 30 (in songkok) to the Semenyih by-election nomination centre this morning |
“The stakes are definitely higher for Bersatu Pribumi than for Umno or PAS. The outcome will be read as a reflection of the Prime Minister’s standing,” he added.
Bersatu Pribumi, said Amir, needs to retain the seat to reassure its partners of its strength and also to halt the perceived decline in Malay support that the government has suffered in the past few months.
The polls will also test the dynamics of the ongoing political partnership of Umno and PAS and whether the two parties can build upon the momentum seen in the Cameron Highlands campaign.
“A win for Umno will strengthen the call for a more permanent cooperation between the two parties. It will also strengthen Mat Hasan’s (Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) grip on the party leadership,” said Amir.
However Aziz Bari who is Perak Education, Science, Environment, Green Technology and Information Committee chairman retorted that contrary to what the MB said, the state exco did not discuss logging activity near the Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Tasik Cunex, Gerik. What kind of MB is Azumu to tok-kok?
On top of his above sin, FMT reported:
The Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) has denied that it is cooperating with the company involved in the forest plantation project at the Kledang Saiong and Bukit Kinta forest reserves in Perak.
Its chairman, Wong Tack, said the use of permits for the 400ha forest plantation project at the two forest reserves was approved on Dec 14, 2018, and given to a company under the authority of the Perak Forestry Department and not MTIB or its subsidiary, Forest Plantation Sdn Bhd (FPDSB).
“The management of the company has no links with MTIB, had never been in contact with MTIB, and had no intentions to cooperate on the Forest Plantation Project under the Forest Plantation Development Programme managed by FPDSB,” he said in a statement today.
He was responding to Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s statement on the board’s involvement in the project during a media briefing on Feb 12.
Let's now leave Azumu and his story-telling while we move on to Pribumi's performance (or lack of) in GE15, in Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis and Pahang.
Pribumi ended up with duck eggs after contesting in:
(a) 6 state seats in NS;
(b) 10 state seats in Terengganu;
(c) 12 state seats in Kelantan;
(d) 5 state seats in Perlis, and
(e) 7 state seats in Pahang.
So much for the premier Malay political party. And that's why Pakatan could have won GE14 without Pribumi.
But the more important point to wonder is whether Pribumi can carry the Malay votes in Semenyih. Mahathir has now boasted he has a written agreement with PAS Hadi Awang that the Islamic Party won't help UMNO in the by-election. Wakakaka, how desperate.
MM Online reported:
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — PAS had decided not to support Umno in the Semenyih state assembly by-election, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
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Muhamad Aiman Zainali |
The polls will also test the dynamics of the ongoing political partnership of Umno and PAS and whether the two parties can build upon the momentum seen in the Cameron Highlands campaign.
“A win for Umno will strengthen the call for a more permanent cooperation between the two parties. It will also strengthen Mat Hasan’s (Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) grip on the party leadership,” said Amir.
According to former Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi, Semenyih is a different kettle of fish from Cameron Highlands.
“Malays make up 68% of the electorate in Semenyih and it will be the first real test of the Malay ground,” said Ooi.
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Zakaria Hanafi |
For this coming Semenyih by-election, three factors stand out to be considered seriously, namely:
(1) Pribumi for all its claimed über Malay-ness, stocked with disagreeable ultra-ethnic members, some of whom disgust, disappoint or dismay the average Malaysian voters (eg. Shabydin Yahaya, a former syariah court judge who advocated not charging statutory rapists if they marry their underage victims, and who also promoted child marriages, arguing that girls as young as nine were “physically and spiritually” ready for marriage), won only 700,000 votes in GE14 and 13 federal seats, just as many as Amanah (650,000 votes and 11 federal seats).
* (stats rounded UP to nearest figure)
Just as a point of comparative interest, MCA won just as many votes as Pribumi, by 640,000 votes although those votes manifested in only 1 federal seat (Ayer Hitam won by Wee Ka Siong). Thus Pribumi to the Malays is only as popular as MCA to the Chinese, or arguably even less since Malays constitute around 50% of the population (non-Malay pribumis constitute another 10 to 15%) whilst Chinese Malaysians are only less than half of that (approx. 23% of population).
Considering only the Malay political parties (thus leaving multiracial PKR aside for now), UMNO had by humongous contrast won 2,550,000 votes and 54 federal seats in GE14 while PAS captured 2,010,000 votes and 18 federal seats. Pribumi was nowhere near them.
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Dr Wee Ka Siong above top photo - Masters of Engineering (NTU) bottom photo (with wife) - PhD from UTM |
Considering only the Malay political parties (thus leaving multiracial PKR aside for now), UMNO had by humongous contrast won 2,550,000 votes and 54 federal seats in GE14 while PAS captured 2,010,000 votes and 18 federal seats. Pribumi was nowhere near them.
PKR, which as mentioned is multiracial but in reality more of a Malay-dominant party, garnered 2,100,000 and 47 federal seats.
Thus, as Malaysiakini columnist P Gunasegaram once mentioned, in GE14, with or without Mahathir and his Pribumi, Pakatan would have won that election.
Mahathir and his Pribumi were not as popular with the Malay voters as we have been misled to believe. GE14 was waiting for Pakatan to win, and Mahathir smoothly slided into the picture to boldly claim undeserved merit for that victory, while his 'macai's' proclaimed his divinity.
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P Gunasegaram |
Mahathir and his Pribumi were not as popular with the Malay voters as we have been misled to believe. GE14 was waiting for Pakatan to win, and Mahathir smoothly slided into the picture to boldly claim undeserved merit for that victory, while his 'macai's' proclaimed his divinity.
Mahathir as the so-called 'turning point' for Pakatan in GE14 has all along been a myth, which notwithstanding his insubstantial Pribumi pitiful victories in GE14, has allowed him to poker-bluff his dictatorial way through to the top to unjustifiably grabbed the MB positions for Johor (contested 18, won 8), Perak (contested 15, won only 1), and Kedah (contested 14, won 5) despite his Pribumi being NOT the major winning component party of Pakatan in any of those states.
In Perak the 'Ketuanan grab' has been the most obscene. Pribumi contested in 15 Perak state seats but won only one seat, by Ahmad Faisal Azumu, the current MB who has been exposed for approving a RM2 Company to develop 400 hectares of forest reserves without consulting his exco or the Malaysian Timber Industry Board. Maybe the MACC is sleeping?
Azumu even had the brazen nerve to criticise Dr Aziz Bari (DAP) for possibly not having experience on how the state government approves timber concessions, implying that Azumu himself of course has. Azumu boasted to reporters, “However, I have explained about this matter in the exco meeting and I believe they are clear over the procedure now.”
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Ahmad Faisal Azumu |
Azumu even had the brazen nerve to criticise Dr Aziz Bari (DAP) for possibly not having experience on how the state government approves timber concessions, implying that Azumu himself of course has. Azumu boasted to reporters, “However, I have explained about this matter in the exco meeting and I believe they are clear over the procedure now.”
However Aziz Bari who is Perak Education, Science, Environment, Green Technology and Information Committee chairman retorted that contrary to what the MB said, the state exco did not discuss logging activity near the Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Tasik Cunex, Gerik. What kind of MB is Azumu to tok-kok?
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Dr Aziz Bari |
On top of his above sin, FMT reported:
The Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) has denied that it is cooperating with the company involved in the forest plantation project at the Kledang Saiong and Bukit Kinta forest reserves in Perak.
Its chairman, Wong Tack, said the use of permits for the 400ha forest plantation project at the two forest reserves was approved on Dec 14, 2018, and given to a company under the authority of the Perak Forestry Department and not MTIB or its subsidiary, Forest Plantation Sdn Bhd (FPDSB).
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Wong Tack |
“The management of the company has no links with MTIB, had never been in contact with MTIB, and had no intentions to cooperate on the Forest Plantation Project under the Forest Plantation Development Programme managed by FPDSB,” he said in a statement today.
He was responding to Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s statement on the board’s involvement in the project during a media briefing on Feb 12.
Let's now leave Azumu and his story-telling while we move on to Pribumi's performance (or lack of) in GE15, in Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis and Pahang.
Pribumi ended up with duck eggs after contesting in:
(a) 6 state seats in NS;
(b) 10 state seats in Terengganu;
(c) 12 state seats in Kelantan;
(d) 5 state seats in Perlis, and
(e) 7 state seats in Pahang.
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wakakaka |
So much for the premier Malay political party. And that's why Pakatan could have won GE14 without Pribumi.
But the more important point to wonder is whether Pribumi can carry the Malay votes in Semenyih. Mahathir has now boasted he has a written agreement with PAS Hadi Awang that the Islamic Party won't help UMNO in the by-election. Wakakaka, how desperate.
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Pak Haji Hadi Awang |
MM Online reported:
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — PAS had decided not to support Umno in the Semenyih state assembly by-election, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman said the matter was voiced by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang who met him at the Al-Bukhary Foundation, here yesterday.
“In the meeting, we talked a lot about politics. A lot of political talk, among them about PAS in the Semenyih by-election, this time it (PAS) will not be supporting Umno.
“Hadi informed me that PAS will not support Umno. There is also a written and signed acknowledgement,” he said after delivering his keynote address at the Democracy Festival Kuala Lumpur 2019 organised by the Forces of Renewal for South-east Asia (FORSEA), here today.
Abdul Hadi was quoted as saying yesterday that his meeting with Dr Mahathir on Friday was to discuss administrative coordination between the State and Federal governments.
The Marang MP said the talks also touched on the Petroleum royalty, Economic Action Council and Federal and State Government projects so there were no conflicts.
Clare Brown, manakau. Siasat lah, wakakaka.
(2) Since last year's election victory for Pakatan, many of its manifesto promises were capati-ed (abandoned), with Mahathir even dismissing the manifesto as not being sacrosanct as a bible.
He said: Pakatan Harapan (PH) made too many election promises because it didn't expect to win the 14th general election in May.
The coalition chairman told PH and Parti Warisan Sabah MPs at a closed-door meeting in Petaling Jaya on Monday night (Aug 13) that this was why the new administration was facing a tough time meeting its manifesto pledges. [...]
One example he gave was PH's promise to make the position of opposition leader equal to that of a minister.
He said the promise was made in expectation of PH being in the opposition.
The coalition chairman told PH and Parti Warisan Sabah MPs at a closed-door meeting in Petaling Jaya on Monday night (Aug 13) that this was why the new administration was facing a tough time meeting its manifesto pledges. [...]
One example he gave was PH's promise to make the position of opposition leader equal to that of a minister.
He said the promise was made in expectation of PH being in the opposition.
In other words, Pakatan made a manifesto promise in anticipation of itself benefiting from that promise, but now that it is in power, ..... wakakaka, it looks like goodbye to democratic principles. Can we trust such a coalition which made promises in jest and with no intentions to fulfil them?
But to what extent will Pakatan's various manifesto capati affect the Semenyih by-election?
(3) Last but probably the most important, Mahathir's abandonment of his vow to other Pakatan parties that Pribumi won't accept UMNO deserters, and his snub of non-Pribumi Pakatan leaders' in making such an arrogant violation of Pakatan agreement so as to benefit his own party Pribumi, as was also the case in the Perak MB nomination, may well be the breaking point for Pakatan 'Gurkhas'.
Much as the Lims, Azmin Ali and his Dökkálfar Dwarfs may still support Pribumi in Semenyih, the rumour mills have mentioned that many non-Pribumi Pakatan members and supporters (PKR and DAP) either won't vote that day (play mahjong instead wakakaka) or even vote against the Pakatan (Pribumi) candidate.
On that score, it may well be that PAS members and supporters may still vote for the BN candidate.
Related: Semenyih by-elections March 2019.
Much as the Lims, Azmin Ali and his Dökkálfar Dwarfs may still support Pribumi in Semenyih, the rumour mills have mentioned that many non-Pribumi Pakatan members and supporters (PKR and DAP) either won't vote that day (play mahjong instead wakakaka) or even vote against the Pakatan (Pribumi) candidate.
On that score, it may well be that PAS members and supporters may still vote for the BN candidate.
Related: Semenyih by-elections March 2019.