Najib's 'Bribery is The Best Policy' Election Strategy Fails

Ban Election Bribery

So the opposition dramatically snatched a parliamentary seat in Sibu, a hitherto BN stronghold. This can be rightfully described as an 'historic' by-election, no doubt about that.

Two important conclusions that can be made from this result are 1) The influence and unlimited power of the BN and Umno is approaching its nadir. This is good for the country's future. 2) Money, even tonnes of it, can't buy everything. Najib splurged and promised millions in exchange for votes. But this sort of bribery didn't work with the Chinese. (Malays and Indians are a different kettle of fish however and we can fully expect Najib's 'development philanthropy' to target these communities more intensely in future polls).

You can bet your last election bribe ringgit that the Umno leadership especially its middle echelon will be wild at the 'ungrateful' Chinese. These leaders are so used to the 'you scratch my back, I scratch yours' practice, that any sign of independent thinking or action immediately elicits the 'you are a pengkhianat' knee jerk reaction. We can expect the Utusan Malaysia and a few intellectually challenged crony Malay 'patriots' to lead the clarion call to punish the Chinese in whichever way possible. 'Revoke the citizenship of these pendatang', 'don't test Malay patience and generosity', 'Malays are under threat by kafirs who will take over and enslave us' will be some of the more idiotic statements that will be made.

Amidst the hysteria, Tun Dr Mahathir will proclaim that this is what happens when the people continue to forget May 13 and ignore the noble intentions of 'ketuanan Melayu'. "If Umno and Najib continue to sideline Perkasa and other well meaning groups and persist in pampering the non-Malays and implementing the unfair NEM, we will become slaves and servants in our own tanah air," Mahathir will lament.

Ibrahim Ali, foaming in his mouth, may call for a Malay 'boikot' of the Chinese without giving details. He would probably conveniently omit selling all shares in and resigning from the board of directors of Chinese owned companies.

Najib however will as much as possible avoid commenting on the debacle and will instruct his henchmen to redouble efforts to create at least five more 'independent MPs' so that his 1Malaysia matlamat can take root.

All the non-Malay BN component parties will secretly curse Umno for this embarrassing loss while outwardly dismissing it as a minor setback.

All the above reactions may or may not take place but what the DAP should ensure is to NOT allow itself to gloat or appear pompous after this fine win. Modest deportment in the wake of a well deserved victory is a sure vote winner.

Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong Has Quit PKR

So it has come to pass. The Wangsa Maju MP has finally crossed the Rubicon. There had been speculation for quite some time now that Wee Choo Keong was going to take a walk to the 'other side'. And keeping to current 'fashion' he joins that fastest growing grouping in Malaysian politics -- 'independent' elected representative.

When the chips are down for Najib and Umno they can be assured of Pakatan reps saving the day by declaring themselves independent. It happened prior to the Hulu Selangor by-election and is again occurring with the Sibu by-election less than a week away. To be sure, there will be a mini exodus in the next few days when rank and file Pakatan members, lower echelon office holders and maybe one or two more prized catches will be paraded for photo-ops and speeches to run down the Pakatan leadership.

Don't be surprised if the Umno pet dog, MACC even arrests a couple of Pakatan leaders on corruption charges over the weekend. Then Umno can go to town in Sibu and tarnish Pakatan as the corrupt party!! To such levels has descended the state of politics in Malaysia today.

What hope is there when Najib can go to Sibu, 'donate' RM15 million to Chinese schools and brazenly say that he is helping them, therefore they should help him too and they should know what 'help' he is talking about. This is out and out bribery. But to Najib it is merely aiding 'development' there.

But through all this I have the feeling that the electorate in Sibu is not as gullible as Najib thinks. They may have all these decades been rubber stamp voters for Barisan, but the mechanics has changed in the past two years and even they in the East have been profoundly affected by the many issues and controversies, the race baiting, the religious chest thumping and the monumental corruption. The country is psychologically ready for a paradigm shift in national leadership. Umno is merely attempting to slow down the inevitable. Wee Choo Keong's 'declaration of independence' is merely another futile attempt at retarding the pace of reform and change.

Pak Lah Faces Calls To Quit After Anwar Victory

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi faced calls to quit from within his ruling party Wednesday after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim scored a landslide by-election victory.

Anwar won the vote to return to parliament despite an intense campaign mounted by the Barisan Nasional coalition, which he has promised to unseat within a month with the help of defecting lawmakers.

The failure to check Anwar has heaped more pressure on Abdullah, who has fought to hold on to his job since March general elections in which the opposition gained unprecedented ground.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a senior member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) which leads the ruling coalition, called for a new leadership "to unite our people... and forge a clear national direction."

"(Abdullah) does not have the minimal credibility needed to run the country day by day, let alone to take it in the new directions we need to go in a complex world," he said. "This dangerous situation cannot continue."

Razaleigh said the coalition's by-election campaign, which was criticised for its racial overtones and focus on sodomy allegations against Anwar, has "embarrassed and divided the nation with its ugliness. It is time to face the music: it is we who have been buried," he said.

Razaleigh plans to challenge Abdullah for the party leadership in December polls, but is likely to fail after the premier silenced calls for his immediate ouster by agreeing to hand over power to his deputy Najib Razak in 2010.

Abdullah's main critic, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has also called for the resignation of his successor after relations between the two soured in 2006.

Mahathir's son Mukhriz, another senior UMNO figure who is vying for the top spot in the party's influential youth wing, also called for Abdullah's immediate resignation.

"I think Abdullah should strongly consider for all our sakes, to step down now," he told AFP.

"This is a second time that the Malaysian people have given a clear message, with the first at the general elections. It is a rejection of the present leader and he must leave now." (AFP)

***** Two questions which should be asked at this point in time are:

1) If Pak Lah quits will things genuinely improve or will we have to put up with more of the same race-baiting and corrupt governance as before? Chances are that without Pak Lah things may actually become worse especially for non-Malays.

2) Shouldn't Najib too be urged to resign after the election debacle since he was in charge of the 'ops' to ensure Anwar's defeat?

For the future wellbeing of our country, the only safe remedy is for BN to be ousted at the earliest, the nation be allowed to start anew with a clean slate and the quick implementation of safeguards to prevent the resurgence of Umno-style racism and divide-and-rule.

Najib: Polling Day Scuffle Due To Large Number Of Aggressive Opposition Supporters From Outside

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak expressed disappointment over the scuffle that occurred during polling in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election today caused by the presence of a large number of opposition supporters from outside.

"They brought supporters from outside. When they met Barisan Nasional supporters they started to act aggressively, so a scuffle ensured. I'm disappointed," the deputy prime minsiter said when interviewed on Edisi7 news at noon.

He said police would ensure that security was under control during the announcement of the election result Tuesday night.

Najib said that generally, the election proceeded smoothly although the turnout was poor.

According to the Election Commission, 26,914 voters had cast their votes by noon.

The by-election is a three-corner fight among Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the BN's Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah and Hanafi Mamat of Akim. (Bernama)

***** According to Najib the scuffle was 'caused by the presence of a large number of opposition supporters from outside'. Past experience tells us that it was normally Umno which bussed in large numbers of outsiders in previous elections. Therefore perhaps we should take the DPM's claim with a dollop of salt.

From swissinfo.ch: Anwar confident of victory in Malaysia vote

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.

944 Names Missing From List Of Permatang Pauh Voters? What Is The Election Commission Up To?

From Bernama

The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) claims that 944 names of voters have 'disappeared' from the electoral list for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency which had been updated up to July 2008.

The PKR deputy director of elections, Fuziah Salleh, said a letter of protest had been sent to the Election Commission.

"We find that 944 names of voters who are eligible to vote have disappeared whereas they had voted in the March election this year," she said at a press conference at the Yayasan Aman building in Kubang Semang, here Sunday.

Fuziah, who is also the Kuantan Member of Parliament, claimed that of the number, six had been identified to have moved and changed their addresses, 81 could not be traced and 868 had been omitted from the electoral roll.

The Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency has 58,459 registered voters.

Meanwhile, State EC Deputy Director Ilyani Farha Mohammad refused to comment on the allegation and said that the EC would hold a press conference tomorrow pertaining to the polling day on Tuesday.

***** What the devil is the EC up to? Are they conducting a by-election for the nation or for Umno? How can so many names simply disappear? Would anyone like to take a guess for which party the 'missing' voters would have voted for?

We always knew that the ruling party would stoop to any level to triumph in this crucial electoral battle. I suppose having given up any hopes of winning it fairly, they have now resorted to using the EC to cheat their way to victory.
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Poverty Eradication Regardless Of Race, Ideology BN Candidate's Agenda. But Is That Umno's Agenda?

From Bernama

The eradication of poverty among the people regardless of their race, religion and political ideology will be the national agenda for Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah in Parliament if he were to win in the Permatang Pauh by-election on Tuesday.

He said the poverty eradication agenda would not be realised if the approach used was based on racial interests and political ideologies of a particular community.

"There must be other ways of resolving the poverty problems of the people. A comprehensive study involving local leaders who are truly concerned must be carried out.

"It should not involve leaders who are only interested in seeking positions but do not carry out studies because certain people have different political ideologies and thus are left out. In the end, we cannot resolve the poverty problem," he told Bernama here Saturday.

"I have a national perspective in the various fields to be shared together if I were elected as a Member of parliament," he said, refuting allegations that he could not make any significant contribution in the Dewan Rakyat.

When asked on his agenda in strengthening racial unity, Arif Shah said a solution must be worked out to ensure that unity between the various races and differing political ideologies could be nurtured.

The Seberang Jaya State Assemblyman said currently solidarity between the Malays themselves was weak, what more between the various races.

"The Malays themselves are divided into the Umno Malays, PAS Malays, and PKR Malays, and even among the Umno Malays, they are divided into several groups. Thus, we have to find a solution so that they will become a single Malay entity.

"Among the Chinese, Indians and the other communities, we have to identify a way of merging them to eliminate whatever prejudice that are being fanned by those with ulterior motive," he said.

In this context, he said more programmes involving all the various races and supporters of the various political parties must be held to instil solidarity between these various groups.

Arif Shah believed his agenda on poverty eradication and strengthening solidarity not only among the Permatang Pauh electorate but also the people of the whole country could be achieved with cooperation from all the communities and local leaders.

"If this (cooperation) can be achieved, then it is easy for us to meet this target," he said.

In the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election, Arif Shah is involved in a three-cornered fight with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) candidate Hanafi Mamat. The seat fell vacant when the incumbent member of parliament Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also PKR president, resigned.

***** If Arif Shah were to be candidate for the PM's post, at least we can give him the benefit of the doubt for that very muhibbah claim. Unfortunately he is but a mere cog, and an insignificant one at that, in the racist Umno wheel. One can safely dismiss his speech as election bluster.

Umno in its present form will continue to be the practitioner of undisguised and unrepentant racism.

Is Lee Chong Wei Being Manipulated By BN?

From The Star Online

Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei has clearly been "manipulated" by the Barisan Nasional when he agreed to receive his RM300,000 cheque in Permatang Pauh.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said there was no need to send Lee back to Permatang Pauh using an airplane provided by the Defence Ministry and landing at an air force base for the purpose of the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign.

"In fact, I understand that he's back here today. Why can't the cheque presentation take place in Kuala Lumpur? "It's quite clear that he's been manipulated and Barisan is using the ceremony to their advantage for the campaign."

Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has also been using the ministry's facilities in his campaign by flying to Penang. "The use of the Defence Ministry's facilities for the by-election is improper, a form of abuse and a waste of public funds," he told reporters Thursday at the Parliament lobby here.

Lim said on the contrary, neither he nor any other DAP members use their official state cars when they go campaigning. "We drive our own private cars. This should be the way. Clearly, Barisan has not learnt its lesson from the March 8 general election," he said.

The badminton player received the cheque from Najib in a ceremony in Butterworth on Wednesday night. He also received RM3,000 being the pension reward the Government had promised for the feat. The payments which begin next month are for life.

Lim said Najib should differentiate between private political interest and his government posts.

Asked about the conferment by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas of the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) award on Lee on Aug 30, which carries the title "Datuk", Lim said the ceremony would take place after the polling date in Permatang Pauh. "This is because we don't want to be seen as taking advantage of him," he said.

***** Waah! Chong Wei terbang in Mindef plane and landed at an air force base brudder! I wonder if this is the manner in which future medalists of international sports competitions will be treated? Or will this privilege only be accorded during certain by-elections?
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Disappearing After Permatang Pauh Nomination. Where Is Hanafi Mamat?

From Sin Chew Jit Poh

The election campaign went into its fourth day on Tuesday, however, Angkatan Kemajuan Insan Malaysia (AKIM) candidate Hanafi Mamat was nowhere to be seen in Permatang Pauh ever since the nomination day last Saturday.

Similarly, the media have not received any call from AKIM or been informed of any campaign activity or ceramah. There are only two major camps now lobbying for votes, UMNO and PKR.

On the nomination day, Sin Chew Daily reporter was promised an appointment to meet Hanafi for an interview on the following morning (17 August). However, when Sin Chew Daily tried to approach him early in the morning for the exact place and time of interview, Hanafi said apologetically that he was in Kota Bharu.

He told Sin Chew Daily over the phone that he would travel between Permatang Pauh and Kelantan during the campaign period, and when he is away, his 200-member election team would help him campaign for the election.

He felt he did not need to set up too many election offices, or put up posters or organise ceramahs during the campaign period, because what matters most is that he could effectively deliver AKIM's message to the voters.

He said his team would go from door to door to convey AKIM's message while lobbying for votes.

Sin Chew Daily approached him again on Tuesday to find out where exactly he would campaign for the election. Hanafi said he would be back in Permatang Pauh on Wedneday.

It seems that by the time he actually begins his campaign tour, half of the campaign period would have been over. His "composure" has taken many by surprise.

We have no idea whether that is his election tactic, showing that he is fully confident of himself and his team, or because he simply has no experience running for the election.

Well, only he himself can tell.

***** Many felt that Hanafi's inclusion was an attempt to whittle down support to Anwar Ibrahim. So what happened? The candidate got cold feet? Or perhaps the campaign strategy inspired by Umno had gone haywire and therefore aborted. Not that it would have made much of a difference to the inevitable final result.

ACA: No Special Preparation For Anwar By-Election. No Surprise Who'll Be Doing The Bribing Then

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) is not making any special preparation ahead of the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election which has been dubbed by many parties as "the mother of all by-elections."

ACA Director-General Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan on Saturday said the strength of their workforce at the Penang office was sufficient to monitor the by-election where nomination day had been fixed for Aug 16 while polling would be on Aug 26.

"That is what you (media) presumed (of the by-election's reputation) but to us it is nothing and it's normal," he told a news conference.

The by-election was called following the decision of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, who is PKR president, to relinquish her Permatang Pauh seat to make way for her husband, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is PKR advisor.

Said said ACA could not afford to give special focus on the by-election under the present scenario where they also had to monitor the Umno branch and divisional elections.

Furthermore, he said the number of complaints concerning political corruption was relatively small compared to complaints on irregularities in the awarding of projects or supplies of equipment.

Meanwhile, he said ACA had received over 10,000 information on corrupt practices within the first half of this year but only about 3,000 were found to have substantial grounds.

He added that the majority of the information received were in the form of flying letters with baseless and slander elements or irrelevant to the functions of the agency.

He said that they also had to assist to rechannel the irrelevant complaints to the right government departments and agencies. (Bernama)

***** The ACA D-G said that the agency "could not afford to give special focus on the by-election under the present scenario where they also had to monitor the Umno branch and divisional elections." Well that's being pretty honest and upfront!

So the buggers know that the most corrupt culprits are all gathered in one political party. Yet they can do precious little. Sometimes you can't help but feel sorry for these ACA blokes. They're caught in a perpetual dilemma. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

Mufti Of Perlis To Take On Anwar At Permatang Pauh?

Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he had no knowledge that the Mufti of Perlis had been made offer to contest the Permatang Pauh by-election on a Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket and stressed that the BN had yet to make a decision on who will be fielded.

The Prime Minister said it could be the offer to Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin might have been made by the people of Permatang Pauh because the mufti hailed from the constituency.

"Maybe the people of his kampung asked him to stand against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) when he (Mohd Asri) came by for a visit," he told reporters here today.

The seat fell vacant after its Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail resigned to pave the way for Anwar, her husband and de facto leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), to contest the seat.

Abdullah said he did not know when such an offer was made to Mohd Asri but it was not he who made it. (Bernama)

***** A contest between these two personalities could be a keen one. The Perlis Mufti is a popular figure, an enlightened man of religion and he could be the perfect foil for Umno.

However given his current position and when considering his views on politics, it seems very unlikely that the Mufti would agree to engage in electoral battle on Umno's behalf. In fact he has been placed on record as having turned down the offer. Still, anything can happen in Bolehland.

Permatang Pauh By-Election Will Be 'Costly', Says Syed Hamid. Not If Govt Stops Giving Mega Bribes

The by-election in Permatang Pauh, which will see PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim contesting, will be a "costly affair".

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said there were both "direct and indirect" costs involved in ensuring that the whole democratic process was run efficiently and peacefully.

"The by-election is too soon after the general election in March. If (former MP) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had said earlier that she was giving way to Anwar, then the voters may have decided differently then.

"People don't usually see the indirect costs. More policemen will need to be deployed to Permatang Pauh to ensure that the whole process is conducted smoothly and peacefully, and to ensure there is no untoward incident.

"This whole operation costs extra money," he told reporters Tuesday after the ministry's monthly assembly here.

He however declined to give the number of personnel expected to be deployed for the by-election or the cost involved. "The size of the force will depend on the excitement and emotion on the ground," he said.

On suggestions by various Umno members and PAS for Barisan Nasional not to run against Anwar, Syed Hamid said this was for the coalition leadership to decide. (You can read the full story HERE)

***** What is Syed Hamid whining about? So Dr Wan Azizah resigned. If some MP had died, a by-election would have to be held too. It is the right of a Member of Parliament to resign whenever he or she wishes to.

What has got good old Syed Hamid's goat is that Umno has diddly squat of a chance of triumphing over DSAI. That's all. All that talk about 'costs' is merely window dressing and a sandiwara ala Umno.

But do you think that while appearing sooo concerned about the costs, Syed Hamid will at least urge the ruling party to stop giving bribes? For all you know he might be right there in the front of the queue distributing largesse and overseeing the handling and distribution of 'development projects'.

Rafidah's Transition Plan For Wanita Umno

Umno Wanita chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz revealed a transition plan for the party wing on Monday.

Rafidah said she will stand for election this year and hand over the chief's post to deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in mid-2009.

Some quarters in Wanita Umno had been proposing a transition plan for its two top women leaders along the lines of the 2010 handover of power between Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The transition formula is believed to be a compromise solution of sorts for the women’s wing because Rafidah has indicated that she wants to stay on for another term while Shahrizat has told her supporters that she is ready to challenge Rafidah for the Wanita leadership at this year’s party polls. (The Star Online)

***** Rafidah has apparently done her homework and while she would love to stay on for another term, she also knows that her political time is pretty much up. Thus this practical suggestion of a temporary truce whereby there will be no contest in the upcoming party elections and a peaceful transfer of power in mid-2009. A face-saving, win-win proposal if it is accepted by the members.

Anwar Ibrahim Fears Government Plan To Sabotage By-Election

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said on Sunday that he feared the government may resort to "massive funding and bribery" to sabotage his chances of winning a parliamentary election.

Anwar, who is battling allegations that he raped a former male aide, plans to stand for election from a constituency in northern Penang state which his wife has vacated.

"If... Barisan Nasional decide(s) to get rough with massive funding and bribery then we will have to be really prepared," Anwar told reporters referring to the ruling coalition.

"We will have to see how many 100 million (ringgit) will be brought there (to the constituency). We are not taking it for granted," he said.

Anwar's wife Wan Azizah resigned last week to make way for him to contest and regulations state that a by-election must be held within the next 60 days.

The Election Commission will meet on Wednesday to decide on the election date.

(Read the whole report HERE)

Muhyiddin Yassin Bows To Reality, Says Will Stand For Umno VP Post

International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, a party vice-president has just confirmed that he will not contest the post of Umno president or deputy president.

He also said that he abided by the decision of the Umno Supreme Council for an orderly transition of power from Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in June 2010.

"As such, I feel it is most appropriate for me to defend my post of vice-president so that I can play a role in facilitating the transition of power," he said in a statement issued here.

Muhyiddin said he arrived at the decision based on the awareness and principle he had upheld all along -- to be prepared always and work together to ensure party integrity and put up a credible and strong top leadership which could strive to champion the unity and plight of the Malays in the interests of the people, religion and country.

He also said that the decision he had taken did not mean that he was dismissing the principles of democracy and right of expression of Umno members. (Bernama)

***** It is apparent that Muhyiddin has made a careful and impartial assessment of his chances and realised that there was no way he could sneak into the top two. So rather than go for broke and end up with nothing, he has decided to cool his heels and be patient while waiting for another less risky shot at the higher positions.

All that pious talk of awareness and principle is basically just verbal camouflage.
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Boycott Permatang Pauh By-Election, Says Annuar Musa. Now This Is A More Realistic Proposal

Kelantan Umno Liaison Committee chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa Friday suggested that the Barisan Nasional (BN) boycott the by-election to be held in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency following the resignation of its Member of Parliament and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail Thursday.

He described the resignation of Dr Wan Azizah as a PKR political strategy to steer public focus away from the sodomy accusation against her husband and PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Speaking to reporters here, he said fielding a candidate would result in a waste of public funds and that it was unnecessary for the BN to go along with Anwar's political strategy. (Read the whole story HERE)

***** Now this is what I call a realistic guy. Unlike over-optimistic Muhyiddin who sees a 'golden chance' for Umno to wrest the seat, Annuar Musa obviously knows the score and instead of seeing his party do battle in the by-election and getting walloped to kingdom come, he realises the best way out of the impending battering is to loudly declare a boycott.

Sitting it out is better than a severe loss of face. But will the warmongers in Umno listen and heed his call?

Height Of Optimism - Golden Chance For BN To Win In Permatang Pauh, Says Muhyiddin!

The upcoming Permatang Pauh by-election is a golden opportunity for Barisan Nasional to wrest the parliamentary seat from PKR, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Umno vice-president said the election could also be an opportunity for Barisan to regain the people's confidence, especially voters in the parliamentary constituency.

"We hope voters in the area would not be influenced by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who may use the campaign to garner sympathy over the sodomy allegation.

"Barisan leaders have expected that his wife (Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah) would vacate her seat to enable Anwar to contest the Permatang Pauh seat," he told reporters in Pagoh on Friday. (Read the whole story HERE)

***** The golden chance in fact was in 2004 and even then BN could not take the seat. So what is silly little Muhyiddin blabbering about now? Umno should be glad if its candidate doesn't get hammered by a five-figure loss in the coming by-election.
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From Bernama: No Easy Victory For Anwar In By-election, Predicts Previous BN Candidate

Wan Azizah Resigns As Permatang Pauh MP To Pave Way For Anwar Ibrahim

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has resigned as member of parliament for Permatang Pauh to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election.

She handed her resignation letter to Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia today.

At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, she said she would remain party president.

Anwar Ibrahim had in June announced that he had to put off a contest in an election – which would have given him a chance to enter Parliament – in order to deal with the sodomy accusation against him.

He was then expected to have announced that he was to contest in Bandar Tun Razak where the Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid was to step down to allow Anwar to contest. These plans were then shelved in order to clear his name.

Lately the Kulim-Bandar Baru parliamentary constituency became the centre of speculation. But according to Anwar, the election petition issue there might take too long to settle and thus this decision to contest at Permatang Pauh. Of course this sudden resignation by Wan Azizah must surely take everyone by surprise, especially those from Umno.

Party insiders have for some time publicly said that once his name was cleared and the truth was out on the sodomy issue, Anwar will contest a by-election and also that he is expected to win by a large margin due to the current antipathy and anger against the Barisan National.

Repeat Of 2004 Landslide Election Win By BN Possible, Says PM!

Confidence
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has confidence that Malaysians can help Barisan Nasional win big in the next general election similar to the 2004 historical victory.

He also stated that the disastrous results of the March election was a blessing in disguise, adding that there was a lesson to be learnt from it all.

He suggested that if Malaysians could change their attitude and refuse to be beaten, repeating the historical 2004 general elections results was possible.

"I'm used to making history that leaders before me had not achieved. The 2004 general election was the best but the 2008 result was the worst which no leader before me had achieved," he said.

Together with positive thinking, he said, the implementation of objectives should also be in order to succeed.

"There are always challenges and lessons. Losing does not matter; there is a blessing behind all these. Don't poison our minds with ideas that kill initiatives and make us lose confidence in ourselves; think that we can do it and we will succeed," he said Saturday when addressing thousands of people from over 80 non-governmental organisations who came in droves to show support for Abdullah here.

Abdullah also suggested that Malaysians upgrade their standard of living, adding that there were many opportunities to develop and progress. He believed that he could help Malaysians, particularly the Malays, adopt a change of attitude and work towards progress.

He said three or four years before former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad retired, the latter had apologised in a party meeting stating that he could make many changes but not change the attitude of his race.

"Deep down I had told myself that if I am destined to be the next leader, I would work towards that," he said.

He told the people that one had to change and want to succeed while emulating the struggles of the disabled to live.

Abdullah ended his speech with three shouts of "Hidup Malaysia" and the people replied with "Hidup Pak Lah." (The Star Online)

***** Pak Lah apparently is much more optimistic than the average Malaysian about the fortunes of Umno and the BN. While the BN component parties are themselves increasingly worried about their relevance as well as their future role in the changing climate of politics, the PM's confidence must be pretty reassuring for them. However whether this confidence is founded on reality is of course open to question.

An Obama Presidency - Whose Race Problem?

Lots of Americans Accept Obama. But Will The World?
"Will Americans vote for a black man?" I've been asked this question by foreigners of various origins a dozen -- or maybe three dozen -- times since the U.S. presidential campaign began for real in January. Now we have the answer: Yes, Americans will vote for a black man. Which means that it is time to turn this rather offensive question around: Will foreigners accept a black American president?

I realize that this, too, may seem like a rather offensive question, particularly if one believes everything that one reads in newspapers. Germany, to take one random example, is at the moment experiencing something like its own version of Obamamania. The media appear to see the Democratic candidate as what a Der Spiegel journalist calls "a cross between John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr."; the German foreign minister has been heard chanting "Yes, we can!"; and Obama T-shirts can be spotted in the hipper quarters of Berlin. This sort of enthusiasm isn't unique to Germany: British, French and even Polish newspapers splashed Obama and his candidacy on their front pages this past week, most accompanied by laudatory articles that solemnly proclaimed, "America has changed."

But has Europe changed? And have Asia and the Middle East changed? I hate to put it so crudely, but -- European newspaper reporting to the contrary -- racism is not unique to the United States. The situation of ethnic minorities in Europe and Asia is completely different from that in the United States, and in many ways our societies aren't comparable: Most nonwhite inhabitants of European societies are recent immigrants, not descendants of former slaves, and the particular circumstances of, say, the black Christian population in Arab-dominated Sudan are unique.

Nevertheless, it is safe to say that there is a distinct dearth of nonwhite politicians in Europe. The Indian caste system has an element of skin-color discrimination built in. Arab societies have their own history of trading in black slaves, and the existence in the Arab world of prejudice against black Africans is no secret. Periodically, African students in Moscow are beaten up on the street. Though it is certainly more severe in those countries that actually have large nonwhite populations, unreflective racism exists even in parts of the world that have barely any darker-skinned or nonnative inhabitants. Japan has been singled out by the United Nations for racist treatment of foreigners. And while some of the stares that black Americans say they get on the street in Warsaw or Prague reflect simple curiosity, some, I'm told, contain an element of hostility, too.

A President Obama wouldn't have to worry too much about angry stares from people at bus stops, of course, and it is fair to assume that prejudices harbored by the odd foreign leader would vanish in the presence of the American president. In the rosiest scenario, an Obama presidency -- or merely an Obama candidacy -- might even force a broader international discussion of race. Andrew Sullivan wrote eloquently last year about the way in which Obama's face, by itself, will help change America's image around the world. By the same token, candidate Obama -- merely by being who he is, and looking the way he does -- could begin to change European, Arab and Asian attitudes about race. Millions of Africans would surely treat an American president of African descent as "their" president, just for a start.

But in the meantime, do not be surprised if there is some backlash as well. A hint of what might be hiding behind those enthusiastic headlines emerged last week in Obamamanic Germany, where a Berlin newspaper, Die Tageszeitung, put a photograph of the White House and the headline " Uncle Barack's Cabin" on its front page. The editors argued that their intention was satirical, but since the same newspaper has also referred to the current U.S. secretary of state as "Uncle Tom's Rice," it is clear that they understood the nastiness of the "Uncle Tom" connotation perfectly well.

Listen carefully, too, when foreigners start worrying about Obama's lack of foreign policy experience. Though this is a legitimate concern, I occasionally catch a racist undertone in this kind of conversation. "How could a black man possibly understand European/Middle Eastern/South Asian politics?" is what my interlocutors sometimes in fact seem to be saying.

The correct response, of course, is that plenty of white men don't understand European/Middle Eastern/South Asian politics, either. But not everyone, everywhere, is going to understand that. Foreign coverage of U.S. politics always reveals a lot about foreign countries, but never more so than in this election season. (Anne Applebaum, The Washington Post)

***** I don't know about the rest of the world, but Malaysians will embrace an Obama presidency without reservation. It is only when accepting an Obama-like figure as our own leader that serious objections will crop up and the contentious question of race and religion will rear its ugly head.