Malaysia's Elections 2008 (Before, During & After)

[Adrian Wong]

Many BN First Timers Lose In Election

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) - Many of the first time contestants from Barisan Nasional (BN) became casualties of the unprecedented swing against the ruling party in Saturday's general election.



The few from BN who made it included the Prime Ministers son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Sarawak Chief Minister's son Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib.

Khairy won the Rembau parliamentary seat with 26,525 votes, defeating PKR candidate Badrul Hisham Shaharin who obtained 20,779 votes. Mukhriz took the Jerlun parliamentary seat with a majority of 2,205 votes, beating Idris Ahmad of PAS.

Sulaiman replaced his father Tan Sri Taib Mahmud in the Kota Samarahan parliamentary seat and won it with 15,559 votes, defeating PKR candidate Hussain Abang Apok (4,148) and Independent Awang Bakar Awang Daud (898). Sulaiman won with a majority of 11,411 votes.

In another three-cornered fight, BN first timer and Umno Tanjung Malim Wanita chief Datuk Rosnah Kassim won with 13,057 votes from PKR's A. Ayyathurai (7,825 votes) and Independent M. Sathiya Seelan (360).

Chua Tee Yong, son of former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, beat DAPs Teo Eng Ching for the Labis parliamentary seat with 13,658 votes for a 4,094-vote majority against Teo's 9,564 votes.

A daughter of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and two sons of DAP chairman Karpal Singh were among the newcomers from the opposition who defeated BN opponents.

Anwars Nurul Izzah seized the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat from the incumbent, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil.

The PKR candidate won with a 2,895 majority, gathering 21,728 votes against Shahrizat's 18,833. Karpals younger son Gobind Singh Deo thumped BN's Lau Yeng Peng in the Puchong state seat with 35,079 votes for a 12,593-vote majority.

Gobind's elder brother, Jagdeep Singh Deo, gave DAP the Datuk Keramat state seat in Penang by beating incumbent Ong Thean Lye with a 1,855-vote majority. Jagdeep had 7,995 votes and Ong 6,140.

DAP's M. Manoharan, currently detained under ISA, won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor with 12,699 votes despite being unable to campaign. A first timer, he defeated BN candidate Ching Su Chen who obtained 5,515 votes.

Another newcomer for DAP, Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, a former lecturer with UKM, won both the Perai state seat and the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat where he turned giant killer to defeat Penang chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

For the Perai state, seat he bested his opponents by collecting 7,668 votes, compared with BNs L. Krishnan who got 2,492 votes while Independent Ulaganathan K.A.P. Ramasamy received 311 votes.

Lim Si Pin, son of former Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, lost to PKR's Chua Tian Chang in the Batu parliamentary seat with only 20,330 votes against the latters 29,785.

Similarly, Datuk Ling Hee Leong, son of former MCA president and Transport Minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik was beaten by PKRs Lee Boon Chye for the Gopeng parliamentary seat. Lee obtained 29,696 votes compared to Lings 22,328 votes.

The BN candidate for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat, Umno Treasurer Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi, lost in a three-cornered fight. He had 18,449 votes to Pas candidate Roslam Shaharums 20,015 votes and Independent M. Mohganans 872 votes.

Another first timer for BN was Tan Yoke Cheng who lost in the Air Putih state seat in Penang to DAPs Lim Guan Eng (6,601 votes) as Tan obtained only 2,540 votes.

Liew Mun Hon of MCA, who made his debut in this election, was beaten by Lims father and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, 37,364 votes to 15,422.

Gwo-Burne, Loh who took the infamous Lingam video, won a parliamentary seat for PKR. He beat Lee Hwa Beng of BN and Lim Peng Soon, an independent. Gow-Burne received 30,298 votes, Lee 25,267 and Lim 1,895.


The BN candidate for the Port Klang state seat, Roselinda Abdul Jalil, the daughter-in-law of the controversial former holder of the seat, Datuk Zakaria Md Deros, lost, garnering 7,990 votes to PKR's Badrul Hisham Abdullahs 12,397 votes and Independent Nazir Mansors 580 votes.

[Adrian Wong]

OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

S. SAMY VELLU (BN)
It was an unhappy birthday for the Works Minister, who turned 72 yesterday. He became the biggest victim of the backlash from Indian voters as he lost his Sungai Siput seat.

The leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress, a BN component, had held the Perak seat for three decades. He lost it to the PKR's Dr Michael Jeyakumar by 2,466 votes.

Datuk Seri Samy Vellu was the longest-serving government minister with almost 30 years in the Cabinet. But he became a prime target of anger within the minority Indian community over complaints that they faced discrimination by the coalition.

More than 10,000 ethnic Indians took to the streets in an anti-government protest last November.



SHAHRIZAT ABDUL JALIL (BN)

The 54-year-old minister lost to the much younger Nurul Izzah Anwar, 27, in a seat that was meant to be a BN stronghold.

The defeat in Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur marked two worrying trends for the government.

First, it meant that it is not just the Chinese and Indian votes that have swung to the opposition. The loss of a Malay-majority seat meant urban Malay votes have also upped and left.

Second, it gave an indication of just how strong the support for former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim is.

All eyes now will be on whether Ms Nurul Izzah will give up this seat to her father.



ZAINUDDIN MAIDIN (BN)

The Malaysian Information Minister, 69, lost to the PKR's Johari Abdul, 53, in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

His defeat was one of many for the ruling party in the home state of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad as it fell into PAS hands.

The result came as a rude shock for the minister. He had been confident of retaining the BN stronghold, to the point of proclaiming that his target was a sweep of all the three state seats under the parliamentary seat.



KOH TSU KOON (BN)

The decision by the outgoing Penang Chief Minister to move from a state seat to a federal one proved disastrous as he lost to DAP's P. Ramasamy.

Tan Sri Koh has led the state since 1990 and the defeat marked a quick fall from grace. He had only recently taken over leadership of BN component party Gerakan from Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik.

He is partly responsible for his own downfall, having held back from naming his successor as chief minister.

The opposition seized on this and accused Gerakan of being under the control of Umno, the lead party of BN.

His loss and that of the Gerakan base Penang cast serious doubts over the future of the party.



M. KAYVEAS (BN)

The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department had been on shaky ground in Taiping before the election, and his unpopularity on the ground resulted in a handy defeat by DAP's Nga Kor Ming.

There had been unhappiness in the lead-up to the polls, as residents considered him a 'parachute' candidate who had been imported just to contest the constituency.

The DAP had also been engaging in attacks on his credibility. Its chairman Karpal Singh alleged that Datuk Kayveas had been fined RM1,500 (S$660) by the Malaysian Bar disciplinary board in 2005.



TAN CHAI HO (BN)

The Deputy Minister for Home Affairs lost Selangor's Bandar Tun Razak by a slim margin of 2,515 votes to PKR's secretary- general Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

After winning the constituency in three consecutive elections, Datuk Tan's loss was seen as part of a wider trend across the state of Selangor residents deserting BN candidates.

In the lead-up to the election, there was speculation that this seat could be given up for opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to make his political return.

[bslee]

I'm so glad many heavyweights fell...especially those who've been arrogant, cocksure and just about too long in office.
We look forward to a new dawn in Malaysia!. SYABAS!. Malaysia Boleh!.(in a true context!). We've done well to pry open a 50 year old door to progress.
Errrr! friends!.. Please stay calm and don't gloat too much. Lets cut some slack for our new Wakils and help them all the way to prevent further ruin in this country we love. Lets ALL act like CIVILIZED citizens! NO UNDESIRABLE VIOLENCE or break the LAW!

SHOW BN what OPPOSITION can do for us all ( but we MUST help too!, they keep harping Opposition got NO TRACK RECORD!)
Long live BR! DAP/PKR/PAS!
What say you all?

[Adrian Wong]

Hey there, bslee!!

Where have you been?? Celebrating??

Yes!! Long live the Opposition!!!!!

We did it TOGETHER!! All of us, Malaysians. WE DID IT TOGETHER!!!

[belikethat]

tsunami!!

i have no freaking idea why the tv never show reports on selangor , i check malaysiakini and they mention an uncomfirm win in selangor where else the tv and i mean all the tv keep talking about sabah, sarawak, perlis, johor.. every other state expect selangor
.. and today i woke up and read the papers.. the paper mentioned that about 10.30pm it was comfirm that opposition managed 2/3
and last night i stayed up until 3am but no news on selangor!

[Chai]

Originally Posted by belikethat

tsunami!!

i have no freaking idea why the tv never show reports on selangor , i check malaysiakini and they mention an uncomfirm win in selangor where else the tv and i mean all the tv keep talking about sabah, sarawak, perlis, johor.. every other state expect selangor
.. and today i woke up and read the papers.. the paper mentioned that about 10.30pm it was comfirm that opposition managed 2/3
and last night i stayed up until 3am but no news on selangor!

Opposition didn't managed 2/3, but it did prevent BN from winning 2/3 of the seats.

[marc]

that's because the major shareholders of all prominent media in Malaysia are from our beloved BN. >.<

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by marc

that's because the major shareholders of all prominent media in Malaysia are from our beloved BN. >.<

Indeed. They dared not report about the Opposition's wins!

[Adrian Wong]

Dr Koh clears office

By BERNARD SEE and CHRISTINA CHIN

PENANG: Hours after conceding defeat to the opposition, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon returned to his 28th floor office in Komtar to pack his belongings.

At about 2.30am Sunday, the outgoing chief minister and Gerakan acting president left his office, carrying a pillow, some documents and other personal items.

Speaking to the press briefly before leaving the tower office, Dr Koh said he was taking home the pillow he used to sleep on when he was tired at work.

"The other state executive members will be coming in to clear their offices as well," he said.

Dr Koh lost the Batu Kawan Parliamentary seat to DAP's Dr P Ramasamy by 9,485 votes.

Dr Koh, who held the chief minister’s post for 18 years and was appointed Gerakan acting president last year, said he would have to think about whether to remain in politics and continue as the party's acting president.

Apart from Dr Koh, other Gerakan top guns who were wiped out in Penang this election were party secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye, deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon and vice-president Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.

Earlier, DAP secretary-general and the state's incoming chief minister Lim Guan Eng paid Dr Koh a courtesy visit with about 20 party officials after meeting state secretary Datuk Jamaludin Hasan.

State DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow refused to comment on the short meeting.

About 150 police and enforcement officers were on standby at the building before dispersing at 2.40pm.

[Adrian Wong]

PERMATANG PAUH, SUN:

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail who managed to defend her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat said she would make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.



“However, we shall meet up with the PKR leadership first,: she told reporters this today.

Wan Azizah defeated Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Pirdaus Ismail with a 13,388 majority.