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

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Amaran Buat Rakyat Malaysia: Tolak Niat Jahat Menantu PM

Maklumat baru kami terima, menantu PM sedang merancang untuk melakukan huru-hara untuk mempertahankan bapa mertuanya daripada disingkir oleh UMNO.

Menurut sumber yang boleh diterima baru sebentar tadi, menantu PM sedang merancang menggunakan PEKIDA untuk mengamuk diatas isu "Hak keistimewaan Melayu"berikutan dengan kekalahan BN untuk mendapatkan majoriti 2/3 dalam pilihanraya umum ini.

Jika ini berlaku, undang-undang darurat akan digunakan dan keputusan pilihanraya ke 12 akan digantung. Ini membolehkan bapa mertuanya terus berkuasa dan elemen anti Pak Lah dapat dibersihkan.

Ini akan menyebabkan bapa mertua Khairy terus berkuasa dan negara dapat dijual kepada Singapura. Dikatakan agen-agen perisik daripada Singapura membantu menantu PM untuk menjayakan misi ini.

Rakyat Malaysia diminta jangan terpengaruh dengan sebarang anasir yang boleh merosakkan negera. Jangan kerana nak biarkan Pak Lah dan menantu berkuasa, nagara dibinasa.

Tolak niat jahat menantu PM!!!

Source: Malaysia Today: Your source of independent news - Amaran Buat Rakyat Malaysia: Tolak Niat Jahat Menantu PM

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Anwar's comeback

TEN years after being booted out from office, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is poised to make the mother of all political comebacks.

'It is a new dawn for Malaysia,' the 60-year-old former deputy prime minister said after opposition parties denied the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition a two-thirds majority in Parliament and wrested four states from it.

He could have been speaking about his future.

Datuk Seri Anwar has emerged as a de facto leader of the opposition. He was instrumental in brokering a deal between Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) - two parties mutually suspicious of each other - to avoid three-way fights.

The success of the coalition of opposition parties, including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), has given his standing a major boost. He is now seen as the only politician who can unify the opposition into a coherent and credible force.

And that, in turn, has fuelled talk of him as a future prime minister.

'He played a major role in the opposition's success...He delivered a powerful blow to the ruling party,' Dr Mohamad Agus Yusoff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia told AFP. 'He could one day become the prime minister. If the Barisan remains weak, we could see it being toppled in the next polls.'

But first, he has to get elected as a Member of Parliament.

In answer to questions about his future, Datuk Seri Anwar has said he is 'in no hurry to get into Parliament'.

'I have 31 seats to consider which Keadilan won,' he said yesterday, referring to the party his wife leads.

Datuk Seri Anwar is barred from standing for election until next month - the result of a conviction in 1999 for corruption, a charge which he says was politically motivated.

But he has said he could re-enter Parliament through a by-election. And his wife, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who regained her seat in Penang with a bigger majority, has indicated she may step down to trigger just such an election.

His comeback as head of the opposition would be the latest milestone in a career that has had major turns.

A Penang native, Datuk Seri Anwar first drew notice as a fiery student leader with a strong following.

He was tapped by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to join Umno. In 1982, he won a seat from his hometown Permatang Pauh, and his political career took a meteoric rise.

Datuk Seri Anwar was elected Umno Youth chief in 1984, and was vice-president in 1986. He was put in charge of various ministries before being appointed finance minister in 1991 and deputy prime minister in 1993.

His fall from grace was just as rapid - and brutal.

In 1998, Datuk Seri Anwar was sacked by his mentor over allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power.

In the run-up to that, tensions had grown between the two over matters such as how to manage the economy in the wake of the Asian financial crisis.

In 1999, Datuk Seri Anwar was convicted on four corruption counts and sentenced to six years in jail, triggering violent street protests for four days.

In 2000, he was sentenced to nine years in jail for sodomy - a charge from which he was acquitted in 2004.

Since his release, Datuk Seri Anwar has been a visiting professor at Georgetown and Johns Hopkins universities in the United States, and at Oxford in Britain.

More recently, he has spent more time at home as adviser to PKR, campaigning across the country on its behalf.

Umno leaders have vilified his moral record and more recently, his track record in government - to little effect.

'He has, in a dramatic way, shut up all the Umno leaders, Abdullah and Najib included, who have dismissed him as irrelevant,' said Mr Yang Razali Kassim, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

But Datuk Seri Anwar's climb back to the post many of his supporters believe was rightfully his may not be so swift.

Political analyst Shamsul Amri Baharuddin said the opposition would have to forge an alliance and create a two-party system in order to build a future for itself.

He told AFP: 'Only then will Anwar have a chance to become a prime minister, and maybe he could be a prime minister in the next 10 years.'

Source: Malaysia Today: Your source of independent news - Anwar's comeback

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wow..SG gona buy johor for 20 trillion tramillion ringgit

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FINAL RESULTS 2008 GENERAL ELECTIONS (PDF File)

[bslee]

A lot of people I spoke to yesterday are anxious for radical changes in the Selangor government...ALL for the better, fairness and transparency. I'm hoping The outgoing batch of administrators in city/town councils don't sabotage and handover power smoothly for the benefit of Selangor rakyat.
You can bet if I sense or hear that there's vengence or unfair play by the incumbents, you bet I'm going to despise BN further.

[jasperchc]

Hmmm.... what now?
I keep on pressing refresh on the news website craving new breaking news. Maybe some ministers committing suicide , maybe heart attack? fleeing the country? A certain party being disband? come on i crave breaking news

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Samy to stay on as MIC chief

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who crashed to a shock defeat in the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat, will continue as the MIC president and restructure and rebuild the party.

In a statement, he said he was not feeling unhappy but reminded the MIC members that they were in a very challenging period.

“We have to move in the direction where the wind is blowing and we hope a day will come when the new wave will be with us,” he said.

Samy Vellu, who had been the Sungai Siput MP since 1974, lost to PKR's Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj by 1,821 votes.

He thanked the people of Sungai Siput for supporting him in the last eight elections since 1974.

“I am very grateful for being given the opportunity to serve this constituency and I believe I have done whatever possible to make the people of Sungai Siput happy.

“But times have changed and every good thing has to come to an end but there is always a new beginning,” he said.

Meanwhile secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who was one of three MIC leaders to have retained their parliamentary seats, said the MIC has to take cognisance of the results and the fact that the majority of the Indian community did not support the party in the elections.

“This is the first time we have suffered such a loss,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam, who retained the Segamat parliamentary seat, said that the next four years would be challenging to rebuild the confidence and to instil in the people the relevance of the MIC to the Indian community.

He said Samy Vellu was the president of MIC and should continue dictating the direction of the party.

MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan, who won the Tapah parliamentary seat, said it was normal for parties to win or lose seats in elections.

“Even Keadilan lost in many seats in the last general election but this time, it made some gains. Winning or losing is not all that the game is about but more about serving the people,” he said.

Saravanan, who is also Federal Territory MIC chief, said this was the best time to prove that “we are here not for position or power but merely to serve the people”. - STAR

Source: Malaysia Today: Your source of independent news

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We'll address the toll rates, says PJ DAP

ONE of PJ DAP's pledges in its five-point manifesto is to enhance quality of life by decreasing the cost of goods and renegotiation of unfair contracts, including toll rates.

The manifesto was launched last month at the DAP centre in Damansara Utama by the members of what has now become the new government in PJ.

The team, comprising new PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin, Kg Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San and Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, outlined the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) as an example.

“The cost of building the highway was only RM1.3billion, but the profit over 30 years would amount to RM18.7billion.

That works up to a return rate of 47%,” Pua had said during the press conference then.

Some two years ago, when the government decided to hike up toll rates, the DAP had put forward a suggestion that the government buy back highways specifically in the Klang Valley at cost price in order to reduce the burden on motorists.

The high rates of tolls, specifically on the LDP, have been the grouse of PJ-ites since toll rates were hiked, particularly in the light of the traffic congestion that still continues to occur on the highway despite the price increase.

The PJ DAP plans to keep its promise, but presumably, residents cannot expect an overnight change.

“We will certainly look into it from a larger perspective particularly from the legal and technical aspect of it,” said Lau during a phone interview yesterday.

“There are certain terms in the agreement that the government of the day has to adhere to.

“We have to see if there are hidden costs involved in the terms and agreements of the highways involved before we can make the appropriate move,” said Lau. - STAR

Source: http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/c.../view/4088/84/

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Sorry man, no breaking news just yet...

Foreign investors unfazed by election outcome

KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign investors are not too worried over the general election results.

Most investors are adopting a wait-and-see stance after the weekend's surprise polls results. They hope the four states that are soon to see a change of guards will have a smooth transition of power.

Aberdeen Asset Management Sdn Bhd, which has invested some RM7.1 billion in Malaysia, is unfazed and sees the political development as positive.

"Having a larger minority voice is extremely positive. A country works better when there are checks and balances," managing director Gerald Ambrose said.

Barisan Nasional won the election by only a simple majority, although analysts had widely expected it to win by a two-thirds majority.

Aberdeen's investment objectives in Malaysia were unchanged, he added.

"It (the election results) doesn't really matter and will not make any difference to our long-term investment objectives."

President of Taipei Investors Association in Malaysia Datuk Dr Ting Chung Cheng, hoped both the state and federal governments would ensure that the interests of the country would always come first.

"They have to work closely," he said.

Dr Ting said he was not worried as the government was open and sensible.

"Those in power will not do anything that will harm the country. If anything, the polls show that Malaysians can vote out the government if they don't like it. I think this is a very positive development."

Datuk Wong Siew Hai, the chair of Malaysia American Electronics Industry, wants to see Malaysia continue with its pro-business policy.

"As foreign investors, we definitely want to see political stability, peace and the smooth transfer of power," he said.

All eyes are on how the opposition will deliver on their promises after they successfully denied the ruling BN government its two-third majority in parliament and won control in five states.

He also does not expect foreigners to hold back investment here. "We are not too worried because there is no sign of unrest." - NST

Source: Malaysia Today: Your source of independent news - Foreign investors unfazed by election outcome

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Longkang Politicians vs Web 2.0
By Tony Savarimuthu

The best spin-doctors I’ve seen throughout this election season are probably the guys who were earnestly fresh-tarring the perfectly good road in front of my house. While there are serious issues being debated on whether or not the soul of the country is being usurped by corruption, crime bosses or constitutional misdemeanours, the “longkang” politician’s capacity to influence voters by implementing some well-timed brand activation programmes cannot be underrated.

The political party, the prospect (in this case the voter) and the product meet in a bizarre confluence of local activities that strangely out-bid the vociferous ceramahs and seasoned campaigners arguing national issues across the country. Issues like toll hikes and fuel prices are made to seem like loose change in ceramahs where many turn up for the sheer entertainment value of watching prospective parliamentarians slapping themselves in the face or holding comedy court as gas-bags full of vacuous platitudes.

While many prospective parliamentary candidates set up shop and work the constituency conscientiously in their bid to serve their communities, many an unknown have also turned up unexpectedly at the door of the electorate and presumptively hope that party loyalty will return favours at the ballot box. Rising party stars get parachuted into safe seats, while some others confront those with marginal wins in the past, in the hope that the need among the electorate for alternate voices might see them elected, or at the very least see their “manly” behaviour deemed worthy of a more winnable seat the next time round. Nothing has changed, it seems, on this level.

But is the battle for the soul of the nation a serious one? Has there been a serious and unexpected up-turn in the campaign that has emerged over the last few days of campaigning?
Certainly a more dynamic strain of candidates has emerged in GE2008, with the ability to engage younger audiences through their message of political change, poverty eradication, gender equality, protection of minorities and the disenfranchised, and many contemporary issues that the younger, more conscientious voter would be concerned about.

With 13 million Internet users and 22 million recorded mobile phone subscriptions, the sheer intensity of email blasts and pervasiveness of YouTube links, social networking sites and sundry political jokes or texted messages being sent, is new media going to trump the estimated RM15 million already spent in traditional media like newspapers, television, billboards and radio?
With corporations staking their claim to the affection of the sitting government with a series of supporting campaigns, celebrity endorsements being sought across the political divide and allegations of scantily clad dancers gyrating on stage to boost attendance, the mix of media influences being used in GE2008 has probably never been higher.

The emergence of a variety of latter-day political brand ambassadors underscores the point that politics makes strange bedfellows and adds a strange twist to the election. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself has been spotted on the YouTube hustings, having lost none of his wit and providing good value with a number of entertaining and well-targetted barbs.
Many have asked if this is indeed the dawn of Web 2.0 in Malaysian elections.

Sadly, from our research, over 60% of the Web 2.0 generation have disqualified themselves from the political process by not registering as voters. Some say they were rebuffed by the bureaucratic process and have not returned.

Perhaps the Election Commission needs to think of new ways – mobile phone and Internet registrations are not inconceivable, nor kiosks that can accept MyKad registrations. Or the fall-out from both the apathy and the inability of bureaucrats to court the young into the political process may see a whole generation of young adults unbothered about whether the country is worth a damn or not.

Meanwhile one can’t underestimate the power of the local constituency politician. It may be about clogged drains, blocked access roads or attendance at the parent-teacher association, but in the majority, it can still hold sway over Web 2.0, serious national issues and even the expensive but vacuous political campaigns and supplements.