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

[Dashken]

Just change!

YouTube - Just Change - DAP 2008 Election Campaign Song

[Adrian Wong]

Take a look at what Michael Backman thinks about the upcoming elections :

Michael Backman

SHOULD Malaysians bother to vote? The corollary of this question is: does the Malaysian Government deserve to be re-elected? The answer to the second question is no.



Yes, no, maybe? Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has called elections for March 8.
In the past few years, the Malaysian Government has presided over an extraordinary number of scandals that are appalling by any standards: the trade minister's allocation of car import permits to friends, relatives and supporters; the billion-dollar fraud at the Port Klang Free Trade Zone; the outrageous and much-flaunted wealth of ruling party politician Zakaria Md Deros; the claims that a High Court judge allowed the lawyer representing a rich businessman to write for him his judgement in a defamation lawsuit; an immensely rich chief minister in Sarawak state who is allowed to rule as if it were his; and so on.

The Malaysian Government richly deserves to pay for all of this at the ballot box.

So the next question is: should the Malaysian Opposition be elected to office? Again, the answer is no.

The Opposition is a shambolic assortment of the disaffected rather than a competent, alternative government. In no way is it ready to govern.

All these questions are pertinent because Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has called elections for March 8.

Elections are fought tenaciously in Malaysia as if the South-East Asian country is a fully fledged democracy. But it isn't. It is democratic in that elections are held, but they are not fair. The ruling coalition has been in power in one form or another since independence 50 years ago. One reason for this longevity is that there are legal and institutional biases that favour the Government.

Malaysian electorates are severely malapportioned. The smallest electorates are rural; the largest are metropolitan. The largest have about six times the number of registered voters as the smallest. This means that the votes of those in the smallest seats count for many times those in the larger seats.

This sort of bias meant, for example, that in the last general elections held in 2004, the ruling coalition won 198 or 91% of the parliamentary seats with just 64% of the votes cast. The Opposition won only 21 seats or 9.6% of the seats compared with 36% of the popular vote.

Had the Parliament reflected voters' actual voting intentions, there would have been 79 rather than 21 Opposition members elected.

Outright fraud is another way in which Malaysians are cheated when they vote. Tens of thousands of dead people are believed to have voted in the 2004 elections. Exit polling is difficult, but it is assumed that these voters overwhelmingly favoured the Government. Credit must be given when it is due — the Government did eventually remove hundreds of thousands of deceased voters from the electoral roles. But the damage had been done.

Also at the last elections, thousands of Malaysians who turned up on polling day found that the electorates in which they were registered had been changed without their permission or knowledge. Thousands of voters were shifted into Opposition-held or marginal electorates. Absurdly, even family members living in the same house discovered that they had been registered in different electorates. Most Malaysians do vote for the ruling coalition, so the effect of this was to swamp the votes for the Opposition.

Multiple voting is another problem. Indelible ink is used to mark voters when they vote, but it is not compulsory.

Next month's election is being held a year early. Why? One reason is because Anwar Ibrahim, who was deputy prime minister until he was charged and convicted of corruption and sodomy in the late 1990s, will only be eligible to stand for election after April 8 because of the convictions. The sodomy convictions were overturned because of uncertainty about the dates on which the alleged acts were supposed to have occurred, but the corruption verdict stood.

Anwar is unfit to hold public office, regardless of the Government's manoeuvring against him. The sodomy issue is irrelevant. The serious charges against him are the corruption charges, which relate to Anwar asking the police to heavy two witnesses into withdrawing their statements against him. On this, Anwar was convicted with irrefutable evidence.

That the deputy prime minister of any country should do such a thing is unforgivable and yet Anwar has his backers, mostly in the Western media.

Most Malaysians found his criticisms of their Government shortly after he was removed from office to be transparently opportunistic, given that he had been a senior minister in the Government for 15 years. But while Anwar is more popular outside Malaysia than inside, he is still a rallying figure for the discontented.

So what should Malaysians do? Firstly, in a country where voting is not compulsory, they should vote. There's no point complaining on internet blogs but not bothering to vote.

Given the Opposition's unpreparedness to govern, the Malaysian Government is best returned. But it does deserve a good, hard kick. Even more, it needs a significant and strong Opposition to help it govern better. It needs greater accountability and scrutiny, which a strong Opposition in Parliament will help provide. That is what good governments everywhere have and need.

Of course, tiny Singapore is an exception but Singapore is a country in name only. The reality is that the Singapore Government is a glorified city council.

Malaysia, on the other hand, is a diverse and complex country that wants to be modern. It needs to be governed like one. - The Age

[Adrian Wong]

Here's something funny. Not really elections related since it deals with our ex-Health Minister who was caught doing the mambo with his "personal friend". But it's good for a laugh!

Check out this song over here - YouTube - Check Three Times

[Adrian Wong]

For a more serious video though, take a look at this interview of an Indian Muslim man who was assaulted by Mat Rempits at a BN rally - YouTube - 'I was assaulted by mat rempit in BN shirts'

If I'm not mistaken, he collided with one of them and when he came out to help the guy up, he was assaulted and ROBBED. All in full view of BN supporters at the rally.

Then when he makes a police report, the police told him that since the guys were with BN, they won't be taking any action. Is this the country you want to live in?

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by Adrian Wong

For a more serious video though, take a look at this interview of an Indian Muslim man who was assaulted by Mat Rempits at a BN rally - YouTube - 'I was assaulted by mat rempit in BN shirts'

If I'm not mistaken, he collided with one of them and when he came out to help the guy up, he was assaulted and ROBBED. All in full view of BN supporters at the rally.

Then when he makes a police report, the police told him that since the guys were with BN, they won't be taking any action. Is this the country you want to live in?

My goodness, now the police are helping these bikers? What can the bikers actually do for our country anyway??

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by The_YongGrand

My goodness, now the police are helping these bikers? What can the bikers actually do for our country anyway??

Well, it's not that they are helping the bikers.. They are just helping BN since the bikers are helping out with the BN election campaign.

[Chai]

Originally Posted by Adrian Wong

Here's something funny. Not really elections related since it deals with our ex-Health Minister who was caught doing the mambo with his "personal friend". But it's good for a laugh!

Check out this song over here - YouTube - Check Three Times

Good song!!!

[Adrian Wong]

Here's a long but interesting story on Air Asia and how our own leaders are using it to siphon money out of the government coffers...

By Little Bird

Kawan-kawan, please fasten your seat belts now. I thought that I knew something about what is really going on in the administration of Abdullah Badawi. Today I found out I have not even scratched the surface. The following is panas-panas news. You may want to hit the ejection button (not yours but theirs) after reading this.

Firstly, the shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.

We all know the story of Air Asia. Well, we all thought it was a rags to riches story. It is actually a story about riches. The rags part is actually very hazy.

When MAS entered into a phase of 'restructuring' about three years ago, Air Asia, through Tony Fernandez, struck fast and furious.

Before we go further, you may want to ask why did MAS have to suffer yet another 'restructuring'? That is a story by itself for another day but just bear in mind that Badawi's brother, Ibrahim, is the owner of the catering company (Skychef?) that used to supply mineral water at RM35 a case to MAS.

With that kind of pricing, surely MAS would need 'restructuring'.

Anyway, Air Asia stepped in and pushed the Gomen for a 'rationalisation' of the domestic air routes in Malaysia. Air Asia asked to be given MAS' Sabah and Sarawak routes. MAS could keep flying in Semenanjung, they said. Despite objections by MAS, Air Asia was granted its wish.

But the wish did not just happen. Zaki, a fourth floor boy at the PM's office, helped Air Asia make its wish come true.

Once MAS lost its Sabah and Sarawak routes to Air Asia, there was a staff redundancy. So MAS had to organise a VSS. MAS demanded that since Air Asia was taking over their Sabah and Sarawak routes it would make some of their staff redundant so Air Asia should pay MAS some compensation.

Everyone (MAS, Gomen and even Air Asia) agreed that compensation was payable to MAS. But Air Asia would not pay anything. Finally, the Gomen (err that means you and me lah, Encik Taxpayer) paid the compensation to MAS, which MAS promptly used in one of the most expensive VSS payments in our history.

If your blood is starting to boil, stop reading and better cool off because it does not get better.

Then, within one year, Air Asia realised that the Sabah and Sarawak routes were not profitable. They never were. MAS was performing national service in Sabah and Sarawak. Flying chickens and goats is not a money-making venture.

No problem. Air Asia made another wish. They told the Gomen, we have to return these air routes back to MAS. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant.

Then came the handing over ceremony of the air routes and the airplanes. When they took over the Sabah/Sarawak routes, Air Asia had 'acquired' seven airplanes from MAS in perfect working condition. (MAS does have one of the best safety records in the world.)

However, when Air Asia 'returned' the planes to MAS, only one was left in working condition. The other six planes were grounded, not fit for flying and could not fly.

In actual fact, Air Asia was cannibalising parts from the six planes to keep the seventh one flying. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant. It eventually cost MAS in excess of RM50 million to make the planes flyable again. This was a direct subsidy to 'rags to riches' Air Asia's profits.

Then Air Asia started eyeing the lucrative KL-Singapore routes. Tighten your seat belts. This one will really jolt. But they went about it the roundabout way. They said they wanted to go international. They did (some) but international routes are tough. No Zaki, Badawi, Khairy, Kalimullah or Kamaluddin to make your wishes come true.

But the KL-Singapore sector was generating RM40 million in PROFITS to MAS. This was the plum in the pudding. Air Asia wanted it badly.

So they made another wish. It came true. This is how they did it. Air Asia's bid to break into the KL-Singapore sector was first discussed in Cabinet when Badawi was on holiday overseas. Najib chaired the meeting and Air Asia's application was rejected.

The application was rejected for two main reasons:

i. By 2009 the whole of ASEAN becomes open sky anyway. ASEAN airlines can fly to all ASEAN capitals without restrictions. So why open up KL-Singapore in double quick time?

ii. If budget flights are allowed between KL-Singapore, KLIA will die an unnatural death. KLIA will become a feeder airport for Singapore's Changi. People will fly from KL to Singapore and then fly off from Singapore to the rest of the world. MAS will then die a natural death. So the request was declined.

Then Badawi came back from his travels and asked Tengku Adnan the Minister of Tourism to prepare a paper on tourism, linking MAS, Air Asia, SIA, etc., to tourist arrivals. At the next Cabinet meeting chaired by Badawi, he asked Tengku Adnan to present the 'Cabinet paper'.

Insiders say that the paper was an 'out of Agenda' item - meaning it surprised everyone, but the dunggus approved it nonetheless. Air Asia got its wish again. Tengku Adnan also secured his Putrajaya seat.

Now here is the killer. Soon after Air Asia started flying the KL-Singapore sector, they started giving away 300,000 free tickets, 5 sen tickets and all the other gimmicks. Singapore is believed to be subsidising Air Asia for all these expensive gimmicks.

For SIA, losing RM40 million (S$17 million) profit from the KL-Singapore sector is chicken feed. Air Asia is feeding thousands of transit passengers from KL to Changi . Air Asia is providing RM19 bus rides from KL to KLIA. From KLIA, passengers fly almost free to Changi. From Changi the passengers can connect to the world.

Now, Air Asia is making another wish - they want to fly direct from Kuching, KK, Penang, Alor Setar, Kota Bharu, etc., to Changi. They will earn even more 'subsidies' from Singapore. KLIA will drop dead later, MAS will die first.

This is how we go from 'rags to riches'. And we all thought Tony Fernandez was such a great guy too. The shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.

Yes, we believe in open skies, competition and all that. But friends, fellow Malaysians, this is the PM, his son, his S-I-L and his cronies lah. How can they sell out their own country? But this is what they are doing.

Kawan-kawan, come March 8th, 2008 you have an opportunity to hit the button for the ejecion seat. Hit the ejection button and send these people out into oblivion. Don't give them any parachutes either.

[Adrian Wong]

Not sure how accurate it is... but this is a video clip of Malaysian police brutality and government marginalization of our Indian citizens - YouTube - Malaysian Indian Ethnic Cleansing

[Dashken]

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today said that opposition parties were envious of Barisan Nasional’s success in administering the country and commanding the support the people.

He said this why the ruling coalition has become the target for slanders by the opposition.

gerakan agm 061007 abdullah with koh and kerkFollowing the increasingly strong support for BN, he said those who were envious of the coalition had made up all kinds of stories so that supporters of its component parties would quarrel among themselves.

"They (opposition) make up various stories so that we are suspicious of each other which leads to chaos, quarrels and eventually we become weak," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Abdullah said the opposition spread lies saying that the Malays and the Chinese were not supporting each other and made use of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to ask Malaysians not to support BN and MIC.

"The opposition parties hope that by making up these stories they can influence the people to support them when BN is divided," he added.

Abdullah said the opposition had been making wild allegations all this while using various ways but the people still supported BN.

"The opposition must realise why. They know, but pretend not to know although BN had led Malaysia to become the most developed country among the developing nations in the world," he said.

'We have achieved success'

Abdullah said the people realised that it was only through BN that political parties and minority groups in this country could work together.

"Who dares to say that his race is not developed or that they are always at the losing end ever since BN ruled the country more than 50 years?" asked the premier.

"Praise be to God that we have achieved success (in many areas). So who dares to say that his community's wealth and assets have not increased over the years?

"But success does not come easy while the country will never be peaceful if its people are plagued by suffering and hardship," he said.

"I have never said that we have done everything and that everything is perfect, but the situation in Malaysia has improved and the BN government will continue to implement welfare programmes," he added.

Abdullah said if the poverty level had been 10 percent previously, it had now gone down to 5.7 percent.

"We cannot deny that this is another success. If there are no more hardcore poor people and everything is alright, then we don't need the programme to eradicate poverty by 2010."

He stressed that the poverty-eradication programme covered all races in both rural and urban areas.

The government would continue with this programme for as long as there were poor people because human beings could turn agnostic due to abject poverty, he said.

Source: PM: Opposition jealous of BN