Monday, August 25, 2008

Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim Set To Win Parliament By-Election

After 10 days of racist insults, accusations of sodomy and oblique references to murder, campaigning drew to a close Monday in a key by-election to Malaysia's Parliament that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim looks set to win.

Anwar is pitted against Arif Shah Omar Shah of the governing National Front coalition in Tuesday's by-election in this semi-rural district in the industrial heartland of Penang state.

"God willing we will perform well. We will manage against all odds, unless there is massive rigging. Any independent observer will concede we have an edge," Anwar, 61, told reporters Monday.

A former deputy prime minister with an eye for the top job, Anwar sees his imminent entry into Parliament as the next step in his effort to topple the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by mid-September.

If Anwar succeeds and becomes prime minister, it would be a stunning political comeback for the man who was ousted from the ruling coalition in 1998 and served six years in prison for sodomy and corruption. Anwar has always said those charges were political frame-ups.

Few expect Anwar to lose, despite being charged anew with sodomizing a male aide in June, said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the independent Merdeka Center, which conducted a telephone poll of 544 voters from Friday to Sunday.

Ibrahim said 57 percent of those polled believe that Anwar is "capable of bringing change that will benefit the people regardless of race."

In general elections in March, Anwar's three-party opposition alliance won an unprecedented 82 of Parliament's 222 seats — 30 short of a majority — as well as control of five states.

Among the seats won by the opposition was Permatang Pauh by Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Anwar could not contest the March elections because of a ban on holding political office stemming from a previous corruption conviction. It was slapped on him in 1998 when he was also charged and later convicted of sodomy. The sodomy conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2004, and the political ban expired in April this year.

In June, Wan Azizah resigned her seat to allow Anwar to contest it.

But his campaign received an early setback when his former aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, swore on the Quran at a Kuala Lumpur mosque on Aug. 15 — a day before Anwar filed his candidacy papers for the election — that he was raped by Anwar.

Anwar said the ruling party "orchestrated the entire malicious, dirty campaign in time for this election."

The ruling coalition's campaign posters have also described Anwar as an Israeli agent who would allow American military bases in the country the minute he becomes prime minister.

The opposition has delivered a few punches under the belt too. Anwar has called ruling party leaders stupid, idiots, scoundrels and damned.

His party posters have shown images of slain Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu with the word "Justice" stamped on her forehead in red.

Shaariibuu, 28, was shot in October 2006 and blown up with explosives in a jungle. Abdul Razak Baginda, a close friend of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, is on trial for abetting the murder. Najib also has been linked to the woman with allegations that he had an affair with her.

Najib denies this vehemently, and recently took an oath in a mosque that he never knew the woman. (International Herald Tribune)

***** Many see an Anwar win as the first step to improved inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations and harmony. For far too long has Umno practised a divide and rule strategy which has deeply polarized the country. We need Umno as badly as the Americans need George Bush. 'Nuff said.

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8 Comments:

Blogger kopitelp16 said...

Never be too confident knowing what BN can and will do to deter AI gaining entry into Parliament. Yes, some said he was not the right man to lead the country but he's definitely better than Najib! Just hope the election is clean.

After 10 days of mud slinging, it's show time !

6:19 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous,
If BN ever win it will be by cheating, thats how umno have won most of the seats they hold. From Rembau to Kangar that has been the way these idiots operate. The EC of course are beholden to umno and will turn a blind eye regardless of how umno cheats. However this is one by election umno will not win, they cannot bring in 50,000 postal votes and no way they can justify there are 50,000 soldiers from Permatang Pauh. Speaking in hokkien is not going to help the goon call Arif, neither does having a Guru from India going to do D(UNGU)PM any good. Yes collect all the Muftis and Immam to pray for umno and they will still lose. Allah can see through the WICKED PM and all his moroon ministers. No amount of money going to the mosque or schools is going to buy umno any votes, the people are not as cheap and will not believe Badawi's lies anymore. He lied in 2004, and no one is going to believe him anymore, neither is anyone going to believe Najib swearing on the Koran, taking the Holy book in vain is his way of claiming innocence, what a shame he has brought to Islam. Syariah court should cut of his tongue and stitiched up Saifool's arse, he seems to enjoy been sodomised...ever wonder why Saifool went to Najib's house??? He needed to get his sodomised to show the HKL doctor he has been sodomised. Too bad they could not get Anwar's dna TO STICK IT IN HIS ARSE.
UM Noooooo!!!!

9:26 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yup guys...don't discount the BN (read: UMNO) yet!
You think they are going to allow DSAI to get into Parliment that easily? One way or another they can't afford to "allow" him the chance to become PM. If he wins, there is a chance that the "cross-overs" will occur! If that happens, can you imagine what's goint to happen to Najib, Rosmah, Pak Lah, KJ, Semi Value...& all the other UMNO & BN crooks?
All the mis-deeds over the last 51 years are going to come out?
They will either "win" by their crooked means (with the help of the EC) or they will ensure that DSAI is found guilty & thrown in jail.
God help Malaysia & Malaysians for you can be sure UMNO has evil plans for us!

10:40 AM GMT+8  
Blogger kopitelp16 said...

Today's the day, D-Day if you wish. Will we see a new beginning for M'sia as a whole? 10 days of untiring effort by all to pull in the votes, will be known this evening. Anwar seems to be fav, but never discount Arif. He seems to be a 'nice' guy, only working for a wrong party.
You're right, anonymous.... BN's government will be known as the 'Flip-flop' gov. Say one thing today, announced the opposite the next day. No election today, announced it next hour. No petrol increase today, the drastic hike came later.... no petrol price slash by this month, then came the cut! How are we goona believe in such a compulsive liar?

10:42 AM GMT+8  
Blogger dano said...

BN still has the sodomy charge to use on DSAI.

11:33 AM GMT+8  
Blogger kopitelp16 said...

If AI wins and then get convicted again for sodomy,he'll be stripped for being an MP. That will be a fatal blow to PR and his dream to form a new Guv.

Looking at how 'independent' our judiciary system is, I must say time behind bars is a very real threat. BN will definitely use this card!

3:03 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

well for some, they are more willing to settle for a new body government that is unstable, yet to be formed, and headed by a politician that seems to care genuinely only for his own political career.
and by the time, for the next GE, we will be crippled enough that we may never walk again.

4:21 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous,
Hey redbag,
Anything is better than fcuking umno/bn government. It is wonderful news that bloody umno lost and in bigger majority. It only shows umno is rejected and bn government should start packing up their personal belongings. You should know when you are sodomised.
Fcuk UMNO

9:23 AM GMT+8  

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