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

[Adrian Wong]

BN loss in Penang not unexpected

GEORGE TOWN: The political tsunami which swept Penang ending Gerakan's almost four decade rule of the island was not unexpected.

The writing had been on the wall, especially in the wake of several national and local issues which had enraged most Penangites.

Topping the list of concerns was the perceived erosion of non-Malay rights under Bari-san Nasional. The opposition exploited the dissatisfaction of voters and this could be seen in the huge crowds which turned up at its ceramah here.

The issues ranged from alleged Umno dominance in the state administration and Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon's seeming inability to counter it.

DAP top guns such as Karpal Singh, Lim Guan Eng and blogger Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun coupled with Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim criticised Koh and the BN government.

However, the BN campaign here was also derailed by the focus on the chief ministerial succession issue.

Instead of focusing on the battle at hand, Koh and Gerakan leaders were preoccupied with this issue.

The final results for Penang are: DAP won 19 state seats, PKR (nine), Pas (one) and Umno (11).

The state seats won by DAP are Sungai Puyu, Bagan Jermal, Bagan Dalam, Berapit, Padang Lalang, Prai, Jawi, Tanjung Bungah, Air Putih, Pulau Tikus, Padang Kota, Pengkalan Kota, Komtar, Da-tuk Keramat, Sungai Pinang, Batu Lanchang, Seri Delima, Air Itam and Paya Terubong state seats.

PKR won the Penanti, Machang Bubuk, Bukit Tengah, Sungai Bakap, Kebun Bunga, Batu Uban, Pantai Jerejak, Batu Maung and Bukit Tambun state seats.

Pas retained the Permatang Pasir state seat.

Umno won in Penaga, Bertam, Pinang Tunggal, Permatang Berangan, Sungai Dua, Teluk Ayer Tawar, Seberang Jaya, Sungai Acheh, Bayan Lepas, Pulau Betong and Teluk Bahang.

For the parliamentary seats, DAP won seven, PKR (four) and Umno (two).

DAP's parliamentary wins are in Bagan, Bukit Mertajam, Batu Kawan, Bukit Bendera, Tanjung, Jelutong and Bukit Gelugor.

PKR won Bayan Baru, Permatang Pauh, Nibong Tebal and Balik Pulau.

Umno won Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor.

The decline of Koh's political fortune mirrors what happened to his predecessor Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, who also suffered a wave of dissatisfaction which led to his defeat.

In the run-up to the 1990 general election, the opposition had capitalised on voter discontent which was then centred on the development of Bukit Bendera.

The proposed re-development of Penang Hill (as Bukit Bendera is called) in the run-up to the 1990 general election had cost BN dearly, and forced the resignation of Dr Lim.

The opposition in the run-up to the just-concluded polls had capitalised on the proposed redevelopment of the Penang Turf Club in Batu Gantung.

In 1969, Gerakan won 16 out of 24 state seats. Dr Lim, the party's founder, became the second chief minister.

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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!

Originally Posted by Chai

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

Originally Posted by marc

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

If BN had won in Selangor, the results would have already came out much much earlier to get back some confidence. But when I saw that the results were much delayed, I thought Selangor was much in the hands of the oppositions already. It turned out to be just that.

Btw, guys.. don't celebrate in the public and don't shout MAKKAL SAKTHI in the public anymore. Remember May 13 happened 1-2 days after the general election? Just remain calm for the next week or so until every piece falls into place.

Or else it would all been for nothing. And my time spent in ceramahs and Han Chiang (braving the downpour and all) would have been for NOTHING!

Don't give them any excuse to create riots...

So, far... situation in BM has been normal. And guys... go home early, if there's nothing important after work. I pray for your safety.

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Btw, if Malaysiakini is still not accessible to you, here are some:-

Malaysiakini
Malaysiakini
Malaysiakini

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Go Guang Eng!

Check out his last speech at Taman Ciku, BM before the election the next day (uploaded by yours truly).

Part 1 - Lim Guan Eng (Part1) @ DAP Bukit Mertajam Office, Taman Ciku (7 March 2008)
Part 2 - Lim Guan Eng (Part2) @ DAP Bukit Mertajam Office, Taman Ciku (7 March 2008)

Newly-elected Air Putih state assemblyperson Lim Guan Eng will be sworn in as the Penang chief minister on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters today, Lim said that the outgoing CM Koh Tsu Koon wanted to be present at swearing in ceremony but he would not be able to attend if the function was held tomorrow.

Lim said that Koh wanted to be in Kuala Lumpur when Barisan Nasional chairperson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi forms the federal government.

Abdullah is expected to seek an audience with the King tomorrow for that purpose.

“As such we have to do it on Tuesday so that Koh can also be present,” said Lim, who is also the DAP secretary general.

Lim also won the Bagan parliamentary seat, leading the way for the opposition parties to complete an almost clean sweep in the state.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Sri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at 6pm Sunday to inform him that the Barisan Nasional has won the general election.

He is expected to be sworn in as Prime Minister on Monday at 10.30am.

Umno leaders have converged at PM’s house in Putrajaya to pledge their support for him. They include Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil, Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcob, Entrepreneurial and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Umno information chief and former mentri besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

An aide to Abdullah refuted talk that the PM was considering resigning.

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GEORGE TOWN: Penang chief minister-designate Lim Guan Eng said the DAP, which won all the seats it contested here, will be forming the new state government with Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
"We pledge that we will be fair, just and not discriminate against anyone," he said.

Lim added the party hoped Barisan Nasional would play its role as a responsible and constructive opposition.

Speaking at a press conference which was held at 12.30am, Lim said that he would be meeting state secretary Datuk Jamaludin Hasan to discuss the formation of the new state government today.

He said the new state executive council line-up will be announced later.
Lim said the DAP wished to thank Penang voters for their incredible support.

"The people of Penang have created history by allowing the opposition parties to form the state government.

"We are humbled by the support shown in all the seats we contested. We will not disappoint the people of Penang."

Lim said he hoped the voters would now unite and give the party time, trust and opportunity to realise their promises made in the Penang state general election manifesto to make Penang dynamic again.

As at press time, results showed that the DAP had won all 19 state and seven parliamentary seats it contested here, while PKR won nine state and four parliamentary seats and Pas managed one state seat.

DAP won the Sungai Puyu, Bagan Jermal, Bagan Dalam, Berapit, Padang Lalang, Prai, Jawi, Tanjung Bungah, Air Putih, Pulau Tikus, Padang Kota, Pengkalan Kota, Komtar, Datuk Keramat, Sungai Pinang, Batu Lanchang, Seri Delima, Air Itam and Paya Terubong state seats.

The parliamentary seats it won were Bagan, Bukit Mertajam, Batu Kawan, Bukit Bendera, Tanjung, Jelutong and Bukit Gelugor.

PKR won the Pantai Jerejak, Kebun Bunga, Bukit Tengah, Bukit Tambun, Batu Uban, Pulau Betong, Bertam, Batu Uban and Batu Maung state seats and Bayan Baru, Permatang Pauh, Nibong Tebal and Balik Pulau parliamentary seats.

Pas retained the Permatang Pasir state seat.

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Berikut adalah senarai terakhir keputusan bagi jumlah kerusi di kawasan Parlimen dan Dun setiap negeri berdasarkan maklumat daripada Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR).

Parlimen

BN : 137
BA : 82 - (PAS-23), (KeADILan-31), (DAP-28)
Jumlah kerusi : 222

* Sabah dan Sarawak masih terdapat 3 kerusi yang masih belum membuang undi.

Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun)

Perlis : BN (14), PAS (1) jumlah kerusi = 15
Kedah : BN (14), PAS (16), KeADILan (4), DAP (1), Bebas (1) = 36
Kelantan : BN (6), PAS (38), KeADILan (1); = 45
Terangganu : BN (24), PAS (8); = 32
Pulau PInang : BN (11), PAS (1), DAP (19), KeADILan (9), = 40
Perak : BN (28), PAS (6), DAP (18), KeADILan (7), = 59
Pahang : BN (37), PAS (2), DAP (2), Bebas (1), = 42
Negeri Sembilan : BN (21), PAS (1), DAP (10), KeADILan (4); = 36
Melaka : BN (23), PAS (0), DAP (5), = 28
Johor : BN (50), PAS (2), DAP (4); = 56
Selangor: BN (20), PKR (15), DAP (13), Pas (8) = 56

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Adun Pasir Panjang, yang juga Setiausaha PAS Negeri Perak, disebut-sebut bakal menjadi Menteri Besar Perak yang baru apabila pakatan parti pembangkang berjaya membentuk kerajaan di negeri ini.

Persetujuan telah diberikan oleh DAP dan KeADILan Negeri untuk memilih calon dari PAS sebagai Menteri Besar yang baru dalam satu mesyuarat BA di Pejabat PAS Perak lewat pagi tadi jam 4.00 pagi.

Keputusan pilihan raya semalam memihak kepada BA di mana DAP memenangi 18 kerusi, KeADILan (7) dan PAS (6). Kemenangan 31 kerusi Dun membolehkan parti politik pembangkang menubuhkan kerajaan negeri dengan majoriti mudah.

Wakil pimpinan pakatan BA Negeri Perak dijadualkan akan mengadap Sultan Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah pada hari ini bagi membolehkan seorang Menteri Besar Perak baru dilantik.

[peaz]

Now it's time for DAP-PKR-PAS to show what they can do and deliver their promises. Otherwise... guess what we'll be doing 5 years down the road!

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Originally Posted by peaz

Now it's time for DAP-PKR-PAS to show what they can do and deliver their promises. Otherwise... guess what we'll be doing 5 years down the road!

Yup, can't agree more. We have managed to turn the tables this time. It'll be easier the next time around.