By Lim Kit Siang
I call the Election Commission to convene an all-party roundtable conference for all political parties to forswear the politics of fear and blackmail in the 13th General Elections and to accept any peaceful and democratic change of government, whether at the Federal or state level, if this is the verdict of the electorate.
This is most urgent and imperative for two reasons: firstly, the increasing incidents of the politics of fear, blackmail, gangsterism and violence in the run-up to the 13GE; secondly, the possibility that the 13GE will herald the first change of federal government in 56 years through the ballot box, namely the formation of a Pakatan Rakyat Federal Government in Putrajaya following the ousting of the Barisan Nasional Federal Government through the democratic process.
I have received information that the Bukit Aman and Defence Ministry intelligence do not rule out the defeat of Barisan Nasional in the 13GE. According to one Bukit Aman intelligence estimate, which I cannot verify whether it is from the police or not, the possible outcome of the 13GE for parliamentary elections is as follows:
|
State
|
PR
|
BN
|
| Perlis | 1 | 2 |
| Kedah | 13 | 2 |
| Kelantan | 13 | 1 |
| Terengganu | 4 | 4 |
| Penang | 12 | 1 |
| Perak | 18 | 6 |
| Pahang | 5 | 9 |
| Selangor | 20 | 2 |
| Wilayah Per. | 10 | 1 |
| Putrajaya | 0 | 1 |
| Negri Sembilan | 6 | 2 |
| Melaka | 2 | 4 |
| Johor | 12 | 14 |
| Labuan | 1 | 0 |
| Sabah | 12 | 13 |
| Sarawak | 16 | 15 |
| Total | 145 | 77 |
According to this
estimate, PR will win 145 parliamentary seats compared to
77 for Barisan Nasional – or a majority of 68
seats.
This is well beyond
my “dream” results for the Pakatan Rakyat in the 13GE –
which is PR winning 125 parliamentary seats or a majority
of 28, distributed evenly among PKR with 45 seats and DAP
and PAS each winning 40 seats.
With the possibility
for the first time in more than five decades of Malaysian
history of a democratic transition of power through the
ballot box, the onus is both on the Election Commission
and the police to ensure that a democratic transition of
power will be a peaceful and orderly
one.
I welcome the
reminder by the former Inspector-General of Police, Tan
Sri Musa Hassan urging politicians to stop “putting fear
in people” by making statements about possible racial
tension or riots should there be a change in government in
the general election.
Musa took issue at a
forum on smooth and peaceful transition of power in Kuala
Lumpur with recent statements by both Umno Wanita chief
Shahrizat Jalil and former prime minister Dr Mahathir
Mohamad.
Shahrizat had warned
of a
repeat of the May 13, 1969 racial riots during
her policy speech at the Umno general assembly November
last year, while Mahathir recently wrote
on his blog that I would attempt to drive
a wedge between the Chinese and the Malays in my campaign
for Gelang Patah.
“As leaders, they
should advise the people to be calm in selecting a
government of their choice,” said Musa, who has been vocal
in his opinions since his retirement.
Musa said: “For me,
(the statements) are almost like sedition
(menghasut).”
Here is a case where
a former Inspector-General of Police is of the view that a
former Prime Minister had been guilty of sedition. But
would the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail act
independently and professionally to arrest and charge the
former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir, for the offence of
sedition in raising the spectre of racial conflict to
scare the voters from freely exercising their
constitutional right to vote.
I fully endorse
Musa’s criticism of the police authorities for failing to
act independently and professionally where the culprits
come from UMNO and Barisan Nasional.
Musa argued that the
enforcement system would need an overhaul should there be
a change of government in the May 5
election.
The Pakatan Rakyat
is fully committed to bring about such an enforcement of
the police force, to ensure that the police could restore
public confidence in their efficiency, professionalism and
independence so that they could reduce crime and make the
country and public places safe again for citizens,
investors and tourists as well as establish an Independent
Police Complaints and Misconduct Commssion (IPCMC) to deal
with public complaints of abuses of power and corruption
against the police.