Put Captain Mahathir in Kepong for sure-win

Malaysiakini - Let ‘Captain Mahathir’ win in a safe FT seat by Francis Paul Siah (extracts):

In my previous article, I ruled out the Langkawi and Putrajaya seats for Dr Mahathir Mohamad to contest in GE14 because they are considered 'unsafe'.

His third and most probable choice of Kubang Pasu is a 'touch and go' case. As I’ve pointed out, a three-way contest with PAS in the picture creates an element of uncertainty for a Mahathir victory.

That being the case, where can the prime ministerial candidate of Pakatan Harapan go to?

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In the case of 'Captain Mahathir', I don’t believe in taking chances like hoping for the Malay vote to swing or depending on his stature and past influence for support.

There should be no 'ifs'; everything on the table must either be black or white. For this once, don’t even trust yourself that you can make the impossible possible. Many will not be able to stomach the moans of regret and remorse after GE14 should Mahathir falter.

So where can Mahathir secure a sure win? That route takes me to the Federal Territory (FT).

There are 13 FT seats. Apart from Putrajaya and Labuan (a 'no go' for Mahathir in my book), the others are Kepong, Batu, Wangsa Maju, Segambut, Setiawangsa, Titiwangsa, Bukit Bintang, Lembah Pantai, Seputeh, Cheras and Bandar Tun Razak.

Of the 11 seats in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, only Setiawangsa and Titiwangsa are held by Umno. The other nine are either with DAP or PKR.

Some of us must be hoping (perhaps hoping against hope) that one of the nine MPs would be gallant enough to offer Mahathir his or her very safe seat.

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Of course, I would love to see the grand old man in Kepong, Seputeh or Cheras. Then, he could just file his papers on nomination day, go on holiday during the campaign period and return to bask in glory on counting night.

I will readily agree with Tan Seng Giaw, Teresa Kok and Tan Kok Wai if they brag that they will never be defeated in their respective seats, not for a hundred years.

Tan Seng Giaw (Kepong) 

Teresa Kok (Seputeh)

Tan Kok Wai (Cheras)  

But that will be a ridiculous proposition as Malaysian politics has not reached that level of maturity (or absurdity?) yet where a Malay is chosen by his party to contest in a Chinese seat.

Seriously, I am eyeing Bandar Tun Razak as a sure win seat for Mahathir. Its incumbent, former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, is now an Independent following his exit from PKR.

Khalid has confirmed that he will not defend his seat, so that would ease Mahathir’s entry into Bandar Tun Razak.

This urban constituency also has a Malay-majority electorate of 53 percent, Chinese at 37 percent and Indian at nine percent.

On the BN side, Bandar Tun Razak is a MCA seat. I cannot fathom Mahathir losing to MCA here, whose resistance in the constituency has been token, at best.

I also hope that Mahathir’s running mate as deputy prime minister, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, will relocate to Lembah Pantai as speculated.

Let me get the discussion on Pakatan's DPM-designate out of the way before I comment on Francis Paul Siah's recommendation for Mahathir.

BTW, Francis Paul Siah heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS)

Is Francis Siah aware of the current political status for Pakatan in the federal seat of Lembah Pantai?

For such a strong advocate of Mahathir as Pakatan's PM-designate and a careful analyst of suitable seats for his idol, I find it bizarre, flabbergasting, bewildering and rather shocked and disappointed with his choice of seat for Dr Wan Azizah, the Pakatan DPM-designate.

Doesn't he know that Lembah Pantai is now very marginal for PKR and which is why the jungle drums informed us Nurul Izzah has been told to go north to stand in a safer (for her) Permatang Pauh?

Nurul Izzah and Raja Nong Chik 

In 2013 Lembah Pantai had approximately 73,000 voters and Nurul won with a majority of 1,847.

Raja Nong Chik, the BN candidate who lost to Nurul in 2013 secured 29,161 out of 60,336 valid votes or 48.33%. Nurul's percentage was then 51.39%. Turnout was then 84.33% which most people doubt will be bettered in the coming election, though 'sakti-ness' may occur, wakakaka.

But in GE14, (based on above stats as a simple extrapolation) all BN needs would be a mere 1.6% swing back to Raja Nong Chik who I believe will still be the BN candidate.

Word has been that Raja Nong Chik has been working extremely hard in Lembah Pantai and seemingly is also very popular there.

Francis Siah has analysed most carefully through a wide electoral landscape to select a blue-ribbon winning seat for Mahathir yet he (Siah) has been seemingly casual and nonchalant for Dr Wan Azizah's "safe"(?) seat.

What f**king gives? So think about it again, Francis Paul Siah.

As for Mahathir, Francis Siah loves to have his idol stand in the DAP blue-ribbon seats of Kepong, Seputeh or Cheras, when then Mahathir "... could just file his papers on nomination day, go on holiday during the campaign period and return to bask in glory on counting night."

But isn't that an insult to the voters of Kepong, Seputeh and Cheras to take them for granted?

Francis Siah might want to recall that Karpal Singh, the Lion of Jelutong, lost his blue ribbon seat of Jelutong in 1999, Tiger or no Tiger, which the late politician held for 21 years; likewise with his compatriot Lim Kit Siang in Bukit Bendahara.

Francis Siah should do well to remember not to f**k around with Chinese voters or take them for granted.

However, Francis Siah after dreaming of one of the 3 DAP blue ribbon seats in the FT for Mahathir, said most incongruously that it'll be unlikely for a Malay (Mahathir) to be chosen by his party (or coalition Pakatan) to contest in a Chinese seat (Kepong, Seputeh, Cheras). Siah said Malaysian politics hasn't yet reached that level of maturity (or absurdity?).

What a f**king insult to the DAP.

Has Francis Siah heard of former DAP's Zulfifli Mohd Noor, a Malay, who was nominated by his party DAP to stand in a mainly Chinese area Bukit Bendahara in 2004? While Zul didn't win he did quite well?

Zul was with the DAP for 26 years until he resigned on 24 Oct 2013, probably out of frustration at being marginalised by the Young Turks in his old party. Unlike PAS in Penang, he like the true gentleman he has been handed back all his appointments by the State before he went.

For more of Zulkifli Mohd Noor's performance as a DAP candidate in 2004 in Bukit Bendahara, Penang, please see my Oct 2008 post Gerakan & DAP - the missing songkok factor!.

Then in 2013, the Rocket Party stood Zairil Khir Johari in Bukit Bendahara. In this Chinese-majority federal constituency, Zairil won 77.93% of the total votes against his Gerakan Party Chinese opponent with a majority of 32,778 votes. Turnout was 83.16%.

Zairil Khir Johari

Francis Siah should watch what he said. I strongly suggest he withdraw his insults to the voters of Kepong, Seputeh and Cheras and also to the DAP, and recommend that Mahathir stand in Kepong. After all, rumours have it the incumbent Tan Seng Giaw is currently being marginalised by the DAP inner core.

Incidentally, as Tan Seng Giaw won 82.3% of the votes in that constituency with a majority of 40,307 votes in 2013, its winnable prospect will fulfil Francis Siah's hope for Mahathir to be a victorious candidate for GE14.

C'mon Francis, put your bloody back to it, your Captain needs your help, wakakaka.