November General Elections - More Indications

Contrary to the views of experts such as Wong Chun Wai of the Star Online, and indeed the reported advice of DPM Najib Razak by malaysiakini, I had blogged that the general election will be held in November this year rather than early next year.

I gave my reasoning in my post KTemoc predicts November General Election on 26 July 2007.

Three days later malaysiakini also posted my letter September orgy of celebrations, polls in November, basically a brief (and more couth) version of my posting.

To summarize my reasons, the 50th Merdeka celebrations will lead into two months of feel-good happenings/events for the public, with the usual array of pork barreling handouts topped by an expected pre-election budget full of delightful goodies.

The BN also hopes that an early (snap) election will deny the opposition sufficient time to re-group, strategize, prepare and implement whatever plans they may have, especially when a PKR is in disarray and whose main policy seems to be only about an alleged Najib personal association (through Razak Baginda) with the late Altantuyaa Shariibuu - so what, the average person/voter may well ask!

Today, malaysiakini provides further indications that my predictions may be realised.

It seems that BN secretary general Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad had sent a letter, directing BN elected representatives and senators to update their bio-data with the coalition headquarters. Mohd Radzi wanted returns from the recipients by June 21.

Well, according to BN sources, an updated bio-data of candidates (and potential candidates) would be usually required three months prior to a general election.

This is to allow AAB, the BN chairperson, and the police to scrutinise the background of candidates, in particular those who have generated controversy. Hmmm, how about those two disgusting Bocor-ites?

Well, there’s this month August, then September and October (3 months gnam gnam) before the November school holidays start. Usually in Malaysia, general elections have traditionally been held during school vacation periods so that the school buildings may be used as polling stations and the teachers possibly engaged as Election Commission staff to support the balloting process.

The letter requiring the BN candidates’ personal details has fuelled speculation that a snap polls will be called soon.

Yok Hoong, a visitor to my post predicting the November elections left a comment about Najib’s heads up to BN component party leaders about the general elections being held in early 2008:

“red herring by Najib? and if they think the fallout of the sub-prime loans in US may hit local stock market, bet the election may even be earlier than your prediction. imagine the stock market tanks and billions of wealth are wiped off and the economic indicators are blinking red alert. it will be suicidal then to hold an election, isnt it.”

Well, I can't comment on Yok Hoong's comment as I am not an economic expert. But other indications are all there for a November election. And, don’t be surprised if it’s even earlier.