The Khir Toyo scandal, corruption and power abuse

First, the Istana Zakaria of former Port Klang state assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros and now another palatial palace of former Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo just surface a few days ago.

After Dr Mohd Khir, who else? We are certainly sure that the rest of the Umno leaders do also own such palaces. These are the results of businesses, contracts, favours and rewards that they had received during their tenure in offices respectively.

Looks like these Umno leaders are fond of wealth and building palaces and mansions here and there to tell the people of their extensive wealth and powers they possess.

So what did the other BN component parties like MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, PBB, SUPP, PBS, SPDP, Upko, LDP and PBRS have to say? Well, they said nothing and all seems to be keeping quiet about the power abuses of their leading component party, Umno. This is because Umno owns a ketuananship that other BN component parties do not enjoy.

But when our Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng left the termite infested official residence, Seri Mutiara to move into a state subsidized rented bungalow, all the BN component parties are making the hell of noise saying that Guan Eng is wasting public funds by renting a bungalow and not wanting to stay in Seri Mutiara anymore.

So, who cause the Seri Mutiara to be infested with termites? Shall we say Gerakan and MCA as they were the members of the previous state government in Penang? Is Gerakan or MCA trying to say that Guan Eng had abused his powers by moving into a bungalow from Seri Mutiara? They wanted Guan Eng to continue staying in Seri Mutiara until it collapse one day and injure him and his family members.

What do MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, PBB, SUPP, PBS, SPDP, Upko, LDP and PBRS have to say about their political master Umno who spend billions of Ringgit in building and constructing palaces and mansions for their top leaders and divisional chairmen? Are those leaders in MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, PBB, SUPP, PBS, SPDP, Upko, LDP and PBRS too blind to see all those wrong doings committed by Umno leaders?

Therefore, we urge MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, PBB, SUPP, PBS, SPDP, Upko, LDP and PBRS not to be so hypocrite and look at the mess in the BN coalition first before they talk about leaders and governments of Pakatan Rakyat.

In fact, the leaders of MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, PBB, SUPP, PBS, SPDP, Upko, LDP and PBRS are not fit to talk about competency, accountability and transparency or whatever KPI because they are already part of the dirty dozens in the BN fold.

Hidden crisis in the BN fold

As we all know, whenever Pakatan Rakyat component parties are practicing their democracy from within and expressing their different thoughts and views respectively in public, the Barisan Nasional (BN) particularly Umno is quick to take advantage on the situation by saying that the opposition alliance is in brink of collapsing.

Why did they do that? Because they wanted to divert the people’s attention from their massive internal bickering in both BN and Umno itself. Umno’s factional infighting intensified with most of its reform minded leaders were either being sidelined or sacked from the party. Of course we all remember that Datuk Zaid Ibrahim was sacked from the party for his outspoken and reformist views.

MCA’s team A led by Datuk Ong Tee Keat (party president) is giving no way to the party’s team B which is led by Dr Chua Soi Lek (deputy president). Efforts by both factions to outdo each other are beginning to hurt the party very much from within. Both factions are also uploading their canons to be fired at each other whenever there are opportunities to do so.

MIC’s supreme leader, Datuk Samy Vellu had successfully kicked out his potential challenger Datuk M.Muthupalianappan in the recent party elections, while PPP’s Datuk M.Kayveas kicked out his suspected presidential rival Datuk T.Murugiah, accusing him of money politics.

Gerakan’s outspoken party vice president Huan Cheng Guan is on his way for expulsion after being issued a show-cause letter for his lashing on the party’s central leadership. Looks like party president Dr Koh Tsu Koon is not going to give way and he is now working towards a collective decision from the party central committee to have Huan expelled from the party.

It seems that most of the BN component parties are facing the similar problems. All potential rivals or reform minded leaders from within are systematically curbed or eliminated to prevent any challenges to the present conservative leaderships in those component parties.

It is a clear fact that BN is operating like a secret society, where its component parties are trying to cover up their own weaknesses or divert the people’s attention to other politicized issues. It is a waste that all those young leaders in the BN are not groomed and appreciated at all. They were merely tools being used by their party elders to seek support from the young voters.

Most of the leaders of these BN component parties are resisting every effort to reform and change of which will definitely see their powers and stature being affected. And if these happens, those party elders are set to lose all their positions and powers they had long enjoyed for decades.

Then when the press or newspapers are trying to check for information regards on their internal feuds, they are quick to maintain that their respective parties are still united and strong as before. They are covering their open secrets which are already known by the people, hoping to avoid any embarrassment or being scrutinized by the people or voters.

Oppressive laws restricting human liberties, freedom and justice

Since from day one, we were all given to understand that the Federal Constitution of our country called Malaysia is the highest instrument of law in our beloved nation.

As such, should any conflicts or misinterpretation arise in defining and implementing other sets of legislations and laws in our country, the Federal Constitution should therefore be referred to as a final tool in order to determine if those sets of legislations and laws goes by the relevant articles of the Federal Constitution.

Unfortunately our Federal Constitution which we thought is able to protect us has been undermined by these sets of legislations and laws. These sets of legislations and laws had all the time overruled the Federal Constitution in a lot of matters concerning human liberties, freedom and justice as well.

We are deeply concern that our highest instrumental of law (the Federal Constitution) would be sidelined very soon, as our nation is seeing its way to become a police or fascist state.

And when a police or fascist state takes its effective rule, these draconian legislations and laws shall therefore overrules the Federal Constitution completely. The Federal Constitution is on its way to suspension. Unless the entire situation differs to otherwise, the Federal Constitution of our country today will become redundant and useless, merely as a symbol or perhaps a history.

Let us review some of the articles of the Federal Constitution which are now being restricted by these sets of draconian legislations and laws which are deemed oppressive and restricting human liberties and our freedom.

Article 5 of the Federal Constitution confirms the liberty of any persons was restricted and oppressed by the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960, Restricted Residence Enactment (Cap 39; Sec 117 Criminal Procedure Code Cap 6).

Article 6 which guarantees our people from slavery and forced labour was overpowered by Essential (Self-Reliance) Regulations 1975 and the National Service Ordinance, while Article 9 which states Protection against Banishment and Freedom of movement was overruled by the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960, Banishment Act 1948 and Immigration Acts 1959 and 1963 respectively.

Article 10 (1)(a) which guarantees our Freedom of Speech and Expression is being overly restricted by Seditions Act 1948 (including amendments 1971), Official Secrets Act 1972 (including amendments 1986), Printing Presses and Publishing Act 1948 (including amendments 1988) and Control of Imported Publications Act 1959.

Article 10 (1)(b) which guarantees our Freedom of Peaceful Assembly was being bound by Public Order (Preservation) Ordinance 1958 and the Police Act 1967 (including amendments 1988). Article 10 (1)(c) which states our Freedom of Association was apprehended by the Trade Unions Act 1959 (including amendments of 1980 and 1989), Societies Act 1966 (including amendments 1981), University and University Colleges Act 1971 (including amendments 1975) – concerning Discipline of students rules and Discipline of staff rules.

Again Article 10 (1)(c) which states our Freedom of Association and our rights to Industrial Action including strike was effectively being prevented by Essential (Prohibition of Strikes and Prescribed Industrial Actions) Regulations 1965 and Industrial Relations Act 1967 (including amendments 1971 and 1975 respectively).

Article 121 which described the Principle of Judicial Review was harshly overruled and amended in 1988, followed by another amendment to the Internal Security Act in 1988, followed by another major revamp in 1989.

It is very clear fact that the BN-Umno federal government uses these draconian legislations and laws to curb and restrict the liberties and freedom of our people and at the same time restrict the rising influence of a the newly emerging opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat under the pretext of “national security”, according to them.

Such harsh legislations and laws had also instilled a culture of fear and worry among our people to such an extent that even they agreed they are living under a stressful condition similar to an authoritarian police, fascist state or military rule.

As the result, most of us are too afraid to voice our protest or express freely our opinions and thoughts. Most of us are also afraid of debating current issues and matters concerning the well-being our beloved nation and the way it is being run with.

So, does our Federal Constitution protect our people effectively and how powerful is our country’s highest instrumental of law in standing against all these draconian legislations and laws?

So long as the BN-Umno still rules the country, our Federal Constitution shall remain in a shamefully disrespect manner.

Khir Toyo suspended one year

Malaysiakini reports that the Selangor assembly's rights and privileges committee has suspended opposition leader Dr Mohd Khir Toyo for 12 months from the House yesterday for ignoring an inquiry set up by the Speaker to hear his wrong doings and misued of public funds.

Apart from his suspension, Khir Toyo's allowances as a state assemblyman were also frozen for insulting the committee and the House continuously.

He said he will challenge his suspension. What challenge is he going to mount? Call in the police, FRU and the military to forcefully evict the state assembly Speaker from office like what his party had done it in Perak? He is demonstrating his supremacist ideas and characters again.

Khir Toyo should admit his guilt and "bertaubat" on all his previous wrongdoings and power abuses during his reign as the menteri besar.

In that case, give us a walkover

If the Penanti by-election was a waste of time and money as suggested by the prime minister, Anwar suggested that BN spared the trouble by letting PKR retain the seat.

What the PKR advisor said is reasonable, if BN and Umno feel that it will be waste of time and money and they are not confident of capturing the seat, don't contest the seat as they too will be wasting their money, time and resources.

Furthermore, it was BN and Umno who are spending billions of ringgit via government machineries to assist its candidates who are contesting while Pakatan Rakyat's resources are limited.

It is certain that BN and Umno's fundings are now drying up and that is why they are complaining about wasting time and money. If they have think of that earlier, and withdraw their candidates from the earlier by-elections, billions of ringgit could as well being saved.

BN and Umno badly defeated in two by-elections

We had seen recently that Pakatan Rakyat’s PKR and PAS candidates had handsomely won their respectively state and parliamentary seats with increased majorities despite open and continuous attacks by both BN and Umno to undermine the opposition coalition with negative reports and publicities.

Still Pakatan Rakyat overcame all these obstacles without any problems. In Bukit Selambau, PKR’s S.Manikumar won with 10,229 votes with a majority of 2,403 which was higher than 2,362 which they gained in last year’s general election. At Bukit Gantang, PAS won the seat in 2008 with a majority of 1,566 votes but this time round with Near Jamaluddin contesting, he gained with an increased majority of 2,789 votes where he garnered 21,860 votes.

It proves that the people of both constituencies had not forgiven BN and Umno yet for what they had done i.e. racism, violence, threat, ISA, corruption, money politics and a lot more.

In Perak’s Bukit Gantang, the result was very clear. The people openly demonstrated their dissatisfaction and rejected Umno’s coup d’etat on February which saw the legally elected state government has been undemocratically toppled and replaced with a rebel state government led by Umno.

It was a moral victory for Nizar who once lead the Pakatan Rakyat state government in Perak until four of its state assemblymen defected after being enticed by Umno who later capitalized the defection by seizing power by undemocratic means i.e. having called for an illegal state assembly sitting at the Perak Umno headquarters to pass a “no-confidence” motion to topple Nizar and his state government.

In this case, the Umno-led Perak rebel state government must accept their defeat and call for the dissolution of the state assembly to pave way for a new state election. First of all, will they dare to face the people again? Certainly not, they are too scared of the people’s power.

In Kedah’s Bukit Selambau, it has been clear despite so many attempts by BN-Umno to discredit Pakatan Rakyat with numerous publicities of “defection” of PKR members, Manikumar managed to overcome the attack by gaining a far more sounding majority.

The loss for the BN’s candidate from MIC also dealt another blow to its party president Samy Vellu who himself had lost his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat in last year’s general election.

The victories have brought to four by-elections wins by Pakatan Rakyat after the earlier victories in Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu. It significantly shows that the Malaysians want to change irrespective of the new prime minister. The people still want change and they are stronger in their support for Pakatan Rakyat.

There is nothing else BN and Umno could do now. The people are fed up with their old style of conservative stories and politics, coupled with already widely known corruptions, money politics, supremacist ideas, violence, threats and racist politics.

BN sponsored phantom voters

What is phantom voter? Phantom voter is a person who is not residing in a parliamentary or state constituency but who is a voter in that constituency. A phantom voter is also considered not a local or a person who is born and bred in that particular area. A phantom voter is also seen as a stranger in that particular area and could have never been to the said area unless there is an election going on. Phantom voters are normally heavily sponsored by the BN via offers of cash, valuables and benefits like free transportation, food, lodgings, accommodations as well as limited shopping incentives for their votes cast in each electoral constituencies.

Well, a very large number of phantom voter were discovered by PKR elections operations team recently confirming that a housing estate was fully infested by these phantom voters believed to have been implanted by BN and Umno in order for them to gain additional and more votes in the by-election or general elections.

What did the PKR members actually found? A particular single storey terrace house with only three rooms situated in a “Taman” housed about sixty (60) over people in it, but upon checking with the actual residents who were staying there, they are no such persons residing there and they do not even know who are all those sixty over persons listed in the electoral list. So these sixty over people with an address situated at a single storey terrace house with only three rooms are definitely call Phantom voters. Why? Because they are actually not genuine voters and they do not even belong to that constituency.

And whenever such allegations arise, BN and Umno are quick to deny it, because they already got their backings from the Election Commission (EC) as well. The EC in order to assist BN and Umno, often view such claims as non-existence. The EC instead twisted the facts by saying that “ghosts” are wondering souls of dead persons and there is no such thing of “ghosts” being able to vote. They are all in fact trying to cover-up facts and confuse the people on the definition of phantom voter.

Now let us shift our attention to Umno. During their party’s divisional and branch elections held last year, they are a lot of allegations by their own local party leaders and members that phantom voters exist in their divisional and branch levels too. And the Umno top leaders never deny the existence of phantom voter inside their party and in fact some even acknowledged that phantom voters did really exist in their party by saying that such happenings are common in their party politics.

As such, you could see the chain reaction here, if money politics exist in Umno, there are sure to have phantom voters in the party as well. And these party phantom voters are also given the same exclusive treats like what BN is giving to the electoral phantom voters when there is a general or by-elections.

No matter how much BN and Umno firmly denying the existence of phantom voters, we all know the facts and figures. We all know who is actually cheating us all these while. They are doing these just because they are the federal government and had their control over the related authorities and departments which are able to assist them in such manipulations.

That is why we must reject BN, Umno, money politics, corruptions and phantom voters at all cost.

Money politics continue in by-election campaigns

The nominations for the by-elections for Bukit Selambau in Kedah, Bukit Gantang in Perak and Batang Ai in Sarawak had started on 29 March with candidates from both Pakatan Rakyat, Barisan Nasional and the independents being endorsed for contest on 7 April.

And there comes money politics pouring in from BN and Umno election machineries with all sorts of promises and pledges to uphold the constituencies with developments, new roads, new lanes and “new state governments” as well.

BN and Umno campaign machineries, with the assistance of the federal government departments are doing all it can to trick and cheat the voters into believing in their promises and pledges. During the one week campaign grace period for these three constituencies, millions of Ringgit will be pouring in, thanks to Umno’s continuous practical money politics.

Besides, BN and Umno will also be working hand in hand with the election commission, the police and other federal government agencies to ensure that phantom voters will be safely ferried into these constituencies during the voting day on 7 April. Possible manipulated postal votes will also be on standby should the BN and Umno feel that the votes seen are not accounted on their side in a week’s time.

As such, Umno cannot eradicate money politics, as it has been in their roots ever since. The Bukit Mertajam Umno division chief had already said it during the party general assembly.

Hisham wants teachers to be active in politics

The News Straits Times press had on 29 March reported that the Umno newly elected vice president and education minister Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein had suggested in the Umno general assembly that school teachers to be allowed to get involved in politics.

If allowed and implemented, school teachers nationwide will be actively participating in politics and they will lose focus as educationist. Hishammuddin’s suggestion to allow teachers to take active part in politics is just like asking our children to give up education completely.

We also view Hishammuddin’s suggestion as being political motivated as majority of the teachers in the national based schools are Umno members.

Therefore, once these school teachers are allowed to take active role in politics, the educational needs of our children will be totally neglected as these politician teachers will tend to leave their work behind by taking emergency leave, no pay leave or even medical leave to attend political gathering and functions.

And again, once these school teachers are elected to hold party positions in Umno, will they have the sufficient and quality time to focus on the educational aspects of our children? Will they have the sufficient time to provide quality teachings and guidance to our children in the schools?

The answer is, they will not even have time to provide focus to our children once they are active in politics. With these teachers losing focus on their professionalism to serve their own political needs, our children and the parents are the ones who are going to suffer.

The parents upon seeing their children having insufficient education in schools will resort to sending them to tuition centers to ensure their kids would not be left out. And the children themselves will then feel the pain and suffer due to overstrained and pressure they endured the entire day with lack of proper rest and attention.

So, the consequences are our children are going to suffer the most when school teachers are allowed to take active part in politics. And if this is allowed and implemented, it is going to benefit Umno entirely and as the result the educational qualities is going to lose out eventually.

Umno is trying to make use of our children for their own political gains. This is disgusting and inhumane.

Read more in the Bahasa Malaysia version.

Change or no change makes no difference in Umno

Yesterday night, we saw the results from the Umno polls and its elected members of the supreme council.

There is actually no change at all. The line-up in the new leadership still consist of old guards and conservatives. The only change that Umno undergone yesterday was a transition from Pak Lah's men to Najib's men.

This is not change at all but only an exchange. Umno is still the same like the last or previous Umno. It did not demonstrate its willingness to open up and be multi-racial in its stand as well as its policies. It is still a political party that emphasize high supremacy over others with its racist jargons and normal threats towards others should anyone tries to mention about justice, equality, democracy and freedom. Money politics and corruption will still continue in the party as usual.

So, why do we need to focus so much on Umno's general assembly unnecessarily? Let us not waste our time on Umno.

Factional rifts in Umno worsens

Looks like the factional rifts in Umno had worsens following the recent decision made by the party’s disciplinary committee to disqualify potential deputy presidential candidate Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam from contesting in the party polls.

But the Umno disciplinary committee decides to allow the Federal Territory youth chief Datuk Norza Zakaria to contest in the party polls instead. Datuk Norza was recently charged in the court for money politics and corruptions in the party.

It seems that the Umno disciplinary committee is behaving one-sided, barring Ali Rustam from contesting in the polls because he is guilty of money politics and corruptions in the party and allowing Norza to contest but he is also guilty of money politics and corruption.

The situation here is Ali Rustam is being probed by the Umno disciplinary committee while Norza is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC). What has been decided by the Umno disciplinary committee is being upheld, while what has been investigated by MACC was not recognized by Umno, reasoning that Norza has not been found guilty yet by the court and the proceedings are ongoing.

So, MACC should also charge Ali Rustam in this case or Ali Rustam should voluntarily surrender to the MACC so he could be investigated like what had Norza being treated with.

The differences of treatment carried out by the Umno disciplinary committee had been clearly seen as a factional rift in the party had intensified. Party president-elect Datuk Najib Razak will take office soon and he wanted to see his men on his line-up. That is why he needed to purge as many rivals as he could in order for him to consolidate his grip in both party and the government.

Mohd Ali Rustam disqualified from Umno election candidacy

One of the top contenders for the Umno deputy presidency, Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam has been disqualified by the party disciplinary committee recently. Ali Rustam was disqualified from contesting any positions in the party because of his active involvement in money politics.

Actually there is no such word of “money politics”. The word “money politics” was created by Umno leaders in order to confuse the people on its definition from the real facts. The actual word for such wrongs is in fact called corruption or bribery. Ali Rustam was disqualified because he was guilty of corruption for trying to bribe Umno delegates into voting for him and it has been proven by the party disciplinary committee after calling up several witnesses to testify during their inquiry.

Since his corrupt practice has been proven and because of his offence, he has been disqualified from the party elections, why is the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) keeping quiet? Wasn’t the MACC supposed to come in and detain Ali Rustam, who is also Malacca chief minister and charge him for corruption as well. The evidence has been shown and proven, so what is MACC waiting for?

Or is MACC afraid to act against Ali Rustam because he is still a head of a state government? Was MACC prevented from acting against Ali Rustam by both the Umno president and deputy president as well?

Umno caught some of its prominent leaders for corruption but did not want to release them to MACC for prosecution. And MACC did not want to act reasoning that there is no report lodged, that is why they did not file the case. Double standards and pretenders!

Read more in Bahasa Malaysia version

Who embarrass the nation in the eyes of the world?

According to the Perak Umno rebel state government’s mentri besar Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir the emergency session of the state assembly held under the tree was to embarrass the nation in the eyes of the world.

It was Umno who had already embarrassed the nation in the eyes of the world from day one starting from the coup attempt organized at the Perak Umno headquarters right to the day when Umno held its illegal state assembly sitting also in the Perak Umno headquarters to topple a legally elected state government by proclaiming the rebel state government.

Umno toppled a legally elected state government by force, in an unconstitutional manner, in an undemocratic way, and in order to enforce their rebel administration, they got the federal security force to surround the Kinta Palace to force the Sultan of Perak to recognize their rebel administration.

That has actually already embarrassed the nation in the eyes of the world. And now they are creating more and more chaos and threats in order to curb the people’s uprising and to cover up their misdeeds.

Then they order the federal security forces to storm and seal the state assembly building and prevent our state assemblymen from convening a meeting for our people. That is why the state assembly sitting has to be held outside the building under a tree.

Umno had actually embarrassed the people of Perak and the nation in the eyes of the world just because they wanted to achieve their own political agenda, power and prestige. Umno had created a jungle rule in Perak.

MACC investigating Perak Speaker

The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) is still an old brand of Anti Corruption Agency despite its recent rebranding and upgrading. They are not doing what they are supposed to do, to combat corruption at all levels.

But instead they are now helping the BN-Umno federal government to combat their political opponents, by targeting Pakatan Rakyat leaders with unnecessary threats of harassments, investigations and interrogations like the police are doing now.

They are helping the BN-Umno leaders to curb Pakatan Rakyat influence by taking up various imagining corruption and power abuse allegations on its leaders in order to create a bad reputation on PKR, DAP and PAS leaders.

Looks like the MACC is still ineffective in combating corruptions, they are interfering deeper into the political stream especially the current Perak constitutional crisis.

The MACC do not care of the rampant corruption and money politics in Umno at all because because MACC is still accountable to the prime minister’s department whose office was led by the Umno president himself.

So do you think will MACC ever dare step into Umno to probe into their corruptions when their boss is the Umno president and prime minister?

Toll hikes differed to end of this year, some in Umno were unhappy

After received much protest from the public on the toll hikes in several highway concessions, the BN federal government had agreed to differ the plan to the end of this year. The people are now relieved after the toll hikes has been differed and will BN make another attempt to do the same in the middle of this year?

Well, when the toll hikes were differed, some Umno state and divisional leaders were in fact disappointed with their top leader’s move. Most of these second and third level Umno leaders were actually owners and directors of several toll concessionary companies which manage those highways and collect the tolls.

By differing the toll hikes would also means differing the profit margins and gains by these Umno linked concessionary companies.

And these unhappy Umno leaders will then voice their dissatisfaction in the coming Umno general assembly which is expected to be held soon. The party assembly is also expected to oversee the power transition from the current Pak Lah’s premiership to his deputy Najib Razak.

The discontent and dissatisfaction among the Umno delegates will also expected to see many of Pak Lah’s men to be voted out in favour of Najib’s henchmen. It is not known if Pak Lah’s son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin will be able to make it in the Umno youth chief race or otherwise. Some source had also mentioned that Khairy may dump his father-in-law in order to further his own political aspirations.

Well, all these transition effects were mere speculations among Umno delegates and members. Some said when Najib take on the premiership, harsher measures and policies are expected to take place, which include the differed toll hikes may also see its increase moving back to its original plan in order to please the Umno linked concessionary companies where several of its party leaders are directors and major shareholders.

Then, after that will Umno ever listen to the people again?

Upcoming By-elections: Non-Malay votes could swing

With the dust barely settled on the Kuala Terengganu by-election last month, the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition is thrown into two more by-elections in which many unresolved controversies are likely to hold sway. The sudden by-elections in Perak and Kedah will take place in two seats that have a significant non-Malay voter base.

“The non-Malay votes will play a decisive role in these two by-elections,” said electoral analyst Ong Kian Ming. That is not good news for the BN.

Through regular surveys, it would appear that while the Malay support for BN may have held since the March general election last year, the non-Malay support has fallen.

If it had its way, the BN will not want to face voters at a time when pro-opposition sentiment is boiling over. But it has no choice, as the law requires that the by-elections be held within 60 days of the seat becoming vacant.

The Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak fell vacant when the Pas MP Roslan Shaharum died suddenly of a heart attack on Monday.

The Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah was vacated when its PKR assemblyman V. Arumugam reportedly quit over claims that he was being pressured to defect. He is still missing but Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Azizan Abdul Razak has announced his resignation. So far, there is no word to the contrary.

Allegations have surfaced that Arumugam had married a second wife in contravention of the law. The PKR has claimed that he married her only through religious rites, and did not register it. He is still legally married to his first wife.

Although in different states, both seats have significant numbers of non-Malay voters, making it very hard for the BN to wrest them away.

“The mood of the day is against the status quo, especially among the non-Malay voters and the young,” said Professor Agus Yusoff, a political analyst.

The voter breakdown for the Perak parliamentary seat is 63.5 per cent Malay, 27.1 per cent Chinese and 9.1 per cent Indian. For the Kedah state seat, it is 50.2 per cent Malay, 19.3 per cent Chinese and 29.5 per cent Indian.

Ong's study showed that about 53 per cent of the Malays voted for BN in Bukit Gantang last March. Only about 35 per cent of non-Malays did so, sharply down from the 85 per cent in 2004.

As for the Kedah seat, the Malay support for the BN was a high 63 per cent, with the non-Malay vote at a low 26 per cent, according to the study.

The non-Malay vote had plummeted in March last year because of resentment over the heightening race rhetoric at that time.

The situation has not improved much. “Umno didn't change, it didn't come clean on issues, or deliver on promises to change,” said Agus.

Two major controversies that have special resonance for the minority communities, are still raging.

The first is the BN-Umno seizure of the Perak state government last week. It angered many voters, and will become the biggest issue in the Bukit Gantang by-election.

The Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition may take full advantage of this by fielding former Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as a candidate.

“I believe Nizar is a symbolic figure in view of the present circumstances,” said Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham.

Nizar was popular among the non-Malays, and his move to approve permanent land leases for Chinese new villages and vernacular schools was hailed. There is concern now among villagers whether the BN government will continue this policy.

The new BN Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir has said it was too early to decide.
The non-Malay votes in Perak will be very difficult for the BN. This is clear from the response to the defecting Chinese assemblyman Hee Yit Fong. The locals were so enraged that her family is taking the brunt of their anger.

In Kedah, the major issue that will play among the non-Malay voters, especially the Indians, is the perception of continued marginalisation of the community. This had lost the BN most of their Indian support last March.

The BN is likely to be further hobbled by a MIC candidate. The party is hugely unpopular with the Indian community.

As a result, analysts believe BN's strongest voter bank in both seats will be the Malay votes. In Perak, Umno still has a fairly strong standing in the community. Of the 28 BN assemblymen, 27 are from Umno.

“The Malay vote is fairly status quo, but the young voters may be different. They may swing away,” said Agus.

The Malay dissatisfaction over the perception of their diminishing political clout, especially in Perak where their numbers form less than half the population, could also come into play. But it will be hard work for the BN - Agencies.

Guan Eng: Four Vacant Posts As Bait For Party Hopping

The Perak Umno state government has been accused of keeping four Executive Council (Exco) posts vacant as bait to lure State Assemblymen from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to defect.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also claimed that the appointment of only six Exco members was irresponsible because the task of managing a government was not easy especially when the world was facing an economic crisis.

"How can six people handle all the tasks because the previous government, whether the BN or PR, had 11 Exco members including the menteri besar. Why only six (Exco members) now...?
"They think they are supermen...obviously it is a political reward to strengthen the position of the illegal Umno (government) in Perak. It will encourage more Assemblymen to defect to the BN," he said at a media conference at his office, here Wednesday (11 Feb).

Lim, who is also the DAP secretary-general, described the offer of the vacant Exco posts as a promise to any PR Assemblyman to cross over to the BN.

"Maybe, upon crossing over they can be offered the post. Otherwise, why are all the posts not filled up. I feel this is an irresponsible act," he said.

Tuesday (10 Feb), six new Perak Exco members had taken their oath of office before the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah. They are Datuk Saarani Mohamad, Zainol Padzi Paharudin, Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid, Dr Mah Hang Soon, Hamidah Osman and Datuk Ramly Zahari.

In another development, Lim set Feb 28 as the deadline for Umno and the MCA to pay their outstanding assessments to the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP).

He said there were nine BN political party offices, comprising eight Umno offices and one MCA office, which failed to settle their outstanding assessments totalling RM238,632.17 - Agencies.

Most Perakians will not recognize Umno’s new state government

We believe most of our Perakians had on yesterday and today witnessed an event which no one will forget till the end. We all had witness how Umno had seized the state government by an illegal means, unconstitutional and in an unethical, immoral manner (corruption).

We had also seen how Umno launched its coup to topple a government elected by the people during the last year’s general elections. How Umno who currently still control the federal government had made use of various security agencies under its powers to wipe out the Perak state government from power and pressured the Perak Sultanate into recognizing the a new state Umno government which came into being to rival the existing legitimate state government on 4 February.

Therefore, as the result of such unconstitutional manner Umno carries into forming the new state government which is to be dominate by only Umno themselves, we are certainly assured that majority of our Perakians will not recognize the new state Umno government as a legitimate one because the new state Umno government was not elected by the people but was installed after a power seizure which was carried out unconstitutional way and in an immoral manner.

Most Perakians will still recognize the Pakatan Rakyat state government of Chief Minister Datuk Nizar Jamaluddin and his state executive councilors who has been forcefully vacated from their respective offices by the federal controlled security forces under Umno’s supervision.

Let us all tell our friends and our neighboring countries how unjust Umno has been treating its people and the various discriminations they had carried out onto our people. Let our friends of other nations know too of Umno’s political atrocities against our people, their crime against democracy and their dictatorial policies as well.

We therefore, declare the new Perak state Umno government as an illegal entity and urge the people not to deal with this illegal establishment by all means.

Perak Sultan urged to allow dissolution of state assembly

In the name of the people and in order to seek a fresh mandate from the people, we would like to urge the Sultan of Perak to approve the Mentri Besar’s proposal for the dissolution of the state assembly given to the fact that the Pakatan Rakyat state government balance of power has been affected following the Umno’s corruption and money politics in enticing the PKR duo to defect.

The Sultan of Perak must also understand that Umno is trying to launch a coup to retake the state government by an illegal means that is corruption and money politics. In order to disallow such an immoral move from being materialized by Umno, the Sultan must return the mandate to the people instead of allowing corruption and money politics takes its place.

We must not allow Umno to terrorize the Perak state with its corrupt practice and immoralities. The people of Perak should be given an opportunity to make their stand on this matter with their votes. Please allow democracy to take place.

Perak PKR duo confirmed defecting to Umno

The much awaited answer of the two Perak PKR state executive councilors status are still hanging and so far one had confirmed leaving the party to go over to Umno. What about the other guy? There’s still no news on him as he is still missing.

This situation leaves the Perak state government in-balance due to its majority decreasing and Umno got its number increased instead should the other decides to join Umno as well.

A confirmed source had also mentioned that Umno leaders promised via its dominated federal government to reverse the corruption charges onto the PKR duo if they agree to leave PKR and join Umno.

If the PKR duo who is currently facing corruption charges on a proposed housing development, decides to cleanse themselves by joining Umno who promised to drop the charges, the Perak Pakatan Rakyat leadership will have no other choice but to seek a new mandate from the people by calling for a fresh state election as soon as possible.

With the departure of the PKR duo, the Perak Pakatan Rakyat could not function properly as all its administration activities will come into blockade with Umno and BN current have an increase bargaining power with the two crossovers. That means Umno and BN will block whatever implementation the state government wishes to carry out in order to continue destabilizing the administration and grab the state powers by all means.

As such, no other choice. The Perak Pakatan Rakyat must call for a fresh election to seek a fresh mandate from the people.