Experts: Ruling party to suffer poll losses

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Malaysia's ruling party is expected to suffer losses in elections expected early next year as it grapples with rare street protests and racial and ethnic tensions, experts told a forum here.

But Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front coalition government should maintain its two-thirds majority in Parliament unbeaten since independence in 1957, they said.

Unprecedented street protests demanding electoral reforms and highlighting racial discrimination erupted in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur this month, posing one of the biggest challenges to Abdullah since he took over from the largely authoritarian and abrasive Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.





"I think that even with the parameters shifting at this particular juncture, it is extremely difficult for the opposition to break the barrier of the two thirds. Period," said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert at John Hopkins University.

Opposition parties in Malaysia, she said, did not provide a viable alternative electorally as they were still very personality driven and ideologically divided with limited capacity in terms of "real representation and aspect of governance."

'The only place to go is down'

The National Front secured the largest majority in about three decades, sweeping 198 parliamentary seats to the combined opposition parties' 20 seats, in the last elections held in 2004.

But Welsh predicted Abdullah's United Malays National Organization (Umno), the Front's lynchpin, could lose up to 15 parliamentary seats in upcoming polls and its senior coalition partner the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) could drop about six seats.

"The reality is electorally, the only place he has to go is down because he has 91 percent of the seats and it is very hard to go much higher," she said.

The fundamentalist Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS), which rules Malaysia's northeastern state of Kelantan, also has a "good chance" of losing the only opposition held state to Umno amid an influx of new voters, she said.

Aside from rising prices and other economic issues, race, religion and ethnic concerns are going to matter considerably in the next elections, she said.

Pek Koon Heng, an expert on Chinese politics in Malaysia from American University, highlighted dissatisfaction over an affirmative action policy favouring majority Muslim Malays over other races.

Many ethnic Chinese and Indians feel the time has come for a review of the New Economic Policy, framed after bloody race riots in 1969, after studies showed that Malays have already achieved the target of 30 percent corporate ownership.

But the government last year introduced another benchmark - household income - to measure Malay progress in an indication that the controversial policy would remain at least up to 2020, Pek said.

Unease over NEP

"There is a lot of unease about how the New Economic Policy is measured. With the uncertainty - the moving targets - it (the policy) can go on forever," Pek said.

"Although they accept the policy...because we need political stability but then to subject generations and generations of Malaysians to the policy, they say, 'sometimes we need to do something about this.'"

Citing an opinion poll conducted this year, she said the Chinese in Malaysia were "least satisfied with the economic conditions and Prime Minister Abdullah's leadership and most likely to vote for the opposition."

The ethnic Indians are also discontented. At least 8,000 of them defied police warnings and held rare protests in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week against what they see as racial discrimination.

Police beat them with batons and used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the rally.

Welsh said the protests were a critical "test" for Abdullah's coalition government.

A key problem in the government is "the rising dominance of Umno and Malay chauvinism of Umno (which) do not listen to the other voices within the coalition," she said.

- AFP


Umno leaders should be charged for sedition too

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I refer to Malaysiakini’s report MIC's 'Robin Hood' to meet the whip.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi used to lament that we have world-class infrastructure but Third World mentality. When he came to power, I, for one, thought that he and his cabinet would lead the way. After about four years, he and his ministers are far from achieving the First World mentality. Recent events confirm their state of mind.

When a MIC member spoke in Parliament about the hardships faced by the Indian community, a fact that Hindraf was trying to put across, without hesitation the ‘know-all’ minister Nazri sprang to action. Nazri insisted that this parliamentarian must pay for his foul-up with the ruling party even though it is a fact. In other words, when the ruling party claims that the world is flat, all members must agree.

Najib explained that anyone who fanned racial sentiments and instigated the people would be charged in court as their actions breached the country's laws. He added that no matter who they are, if they are found to be giving or have given seditious speeches that arouse the anger of the other races, they can be charged.

I strongly agree with such action. All peace-loving Malaysians will be behind you. He seems to be blind to the beam in his eye, but can see the splinter in Hindraf's eyes. When Umno delegates make speeches which even an imbecile could sense to be seditious under full view of the nation, there were no charges leveled against them.

Yes, Najib. Charge by all means those who create troubles and we are 100 percent behind you. It is disgusting when your policies are inconsistent. And inconsistence is the order of the day and an attribute of Third World mentality.

When Pak Lah said that Hindraf could hand over the memorandum in an orderly manner and need not march in the streets, he forgot that it was his son-in-law who led the way. His son-in-law could have sent his message to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a quiet way instead of leading a demonstration. May I ask, if it is permissible for Khairy, why is it not for others?

Nazri even labelled the demonstrating lawyers as “crazy people”. By the same token, Nazri had inadvertently labelled Khairy as one of them. Here again, Nazri thought the
rakyat are fools. If he lacked grey matter upstairs, do not presume others are of his class. They most probably thought that the rakyat are living in the earlier post-Merdeka era when kampung folks would relax over a cup of coffee and smoking rokok daun, town folks happily watching Teochew opera or the estate workers treated to a free show on the padang.

Just to wake you up, Mr PM, these simple folks have changed and are better informed through the advent of Internet. Even though some may not read, their children or neighbours could feed them with the latest information. Yes, the
rakyat had changed to first-class mentality, but sadly those in the ruling parties are stuck in the third!


Abdul Rashid yang suruh Bersih serah memo pada Agong

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Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil menghantar memorandum kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong sewaktu perhimpunannya 10 November lalu atas nasihat Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR),Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.

Dalam memorandum tersebut, Bersih menuntut supaya diadakan pilihanraya yang bersih dan adil di negara ini.

Setiausaha Sekretariat Bersih, Faisal Mustaffa berkata, Abdul Rashid menasihatkan anggota rombongan Bersih supaya berbuat demikian dalam satu pertemuan di pejabat pengerusi SPR itu di Putrajaya pada 3 Julai.

Katanya, dalam pertemuan tersebut pengerusi SPR itu memberitahu bahawa beliau tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk menukar peraturan dan perjalanan pilihanraya.

"Sehubungan itu, Abdul Rashid mencadangkan kepada Bersih supaya menghantar memorandum tersebut kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"Awak (Bersih) hantar kepada Agonglah kerana saya (Abdul Rashid) tiada kuasa," kata Faisal dalam sidang media di ibu negara hari ini.

Berikutan itu, kata Faisal, Bersih mengadakan perhimpunan yang hadiri kira-kira 40,000 dan menyerahkan memorandum tersebut kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong pada 10 November lalu.

Memorandum tersebut diserahkan kepada wakil Istana Negara oleh delegasi yang diketuai oleh Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, bersama Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang; Timbalannya, Nasharuddin Mat Isa; Ketua Pembangkang, Lim Kit Siang dan Setiausaha Agung DAP, Lim Guan Eng.

Bagaimapun, kata Faisal, Abdul Rashid telah menukar pendiriannya itu apabila mendapat tahu yang Bersih akan mengadakan perhimpunan untuk menyerahkan memorandum sepertimana yang dinasihatkan oleh beliau.

Dalam satu kenyataan selepas itu, Abdul Rashid berkata SPR akan memendekkan masa berkempen dalam pilihanraya umum akan datang, jika Bersih meneruskan perhimpunan tersebut.

Sehubungan itu, kata Faisal, Bersih akan mengedarkan pita perbualan antara Abdul Rashid dengan anggota rombongan Bersih itu di mana beliau telah menasihatkan gabungan itu menghantar memorandum itu kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Sementara itu, seorang lagi wakil Bersih, Tian Chua berkata, PKR mempunyai pengalaman pahit setiap kali berurusan dengan pengerusi SPR itu.

Beliau mendakwa, Abdul Rashid hanya mengikut telunjuk Barisan Nasional (BN) dan kerana itulah kerajaan cuba untuk melanjutkan khidmatnya setahun lagi.

"Abdul Rashid akan bersara pada 31 Disember ini tetapi kerajaan mahu meminda perlembagaan untuk membolehkan khidmatnya disambung," katanya yang juga Ketua Penerangan PKR


Lagi perhimpunan di Kuala Lumpur bulan ini


APA AKAN BERLAKU JIKA KERJASAMA INI DIWUJUDKAN UNTUK MENENTANG BARISAN NASIONAL


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Tiga lagi perhimpunan dijangka diadakan di Lembah Klang bulan ini.

Tiga perhimpunan yang dirancang itu akan diadakan walaupun kerajaan telah memberi amaran keras termasuk menggunakan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) ke atas mereka yang menyertainya.

Pada 9 Disember ini, Majlis Peguam akan mengadakan perarakan tahunan Hari Hak Asasi Manusia dan Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) telah menyatakan hasratnya untuk turut sama.

Dua hari kemudiannya, Bersih akan mengadakan demonstrasi di luar Bangunan Parlimen untuk membantah rancangan pindaan perlembagaan yang akan menaikkan had umur anggota Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR).

Perhimpunan ketiga akan dianjurkan oleh parti-parti pembangkang dan badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) untuk membantah kenaikan kadar tol lebuhraya di beberapa negeri mulai 1 Januari depan.

Rancangan perhimpunan anti-tol itu belum diumumkan secara rasmi dan tarikhnya juga belum dimuktamadkan.

Pakaian kuning

Pada 10 November lalu, hamper 100,000 menghadiri perhimpunan anjuran Bersih di luar Istana Negara untuk menyerahkan memorandum kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong menuntut supaya diadakan pilihanraya yang bersih dan adil.

Dan pada 25 November lalu, kira-kira 30,000 orang, sebahagian besarnya kaum India, menyertai perhimpunan anjuran Barisan Bertindak Hak Hindu (Hindraf) di ibunegara, untuk menyerahkan petisyen kepada Suruhanjaya Tinggi British.

Sementara itu, wakil Bersih Faisal Mustaffa (kiri) memberitahu sidang akhbar hari ini bahawa anggota gabungan tersebut akan berpakaian berwarna kuning semasa berarak bersama para peguam dari Majlis Peguam.

Mereka merancang berarak dari Sogo hingga ke Pasar Seni di mana beberapa aktiviti akan diadakan untuk menyedarkan masyarakat mengenai hak asasi manusia.

Majlis Peguam pula dijangka membuat pengumuman mengenai perarakan tersebut pada 1 Disember ini.

Pindaan perlembagaan

Perhimpunan di hadapan bangunan Parlimen akan diadakan pada 11 Disember depan, iaitu pada hari Rang Undang-undang Pindaan Perlembagaan akan dibentangkan untuk bacaan kali kedua.

Seorang lagi wakil Bersih, Tian Chua, berkata gabungan itu percaya kerajaan mahu mempercepatkan pindaan tersebut bagi membolehkan Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman terus memegang jawatan pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR).

Abdul Rashid mencapai usia 66 tahun pada 31 Disember depan. Pindaan tersebut akan memboleh Abdul Rashid berkhidmat setahun lagi. Beliau memegang jawatan tersebut sejak tahun 2000.

“Jika tidak, untuk perkhidmatan Abdul Rashid setahun lagi, perdana menteri perlu mendapat perkenan Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“Kita rasa kerajaan bimbang Yang di-Pertuan Agong tidak memperkenankannya," kata Tian Chua, sambil menambah Bersih menganggap perkhidmatan Abdul Rashid akan disambung untuk menjadi "alat" kepada kerajaan.

“Mengapa pinda Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk menyelamatkan seorang kakitangan awam?" soalnya.