Malaysia GE 15

[superadmin]

Pekan Umno nominates Najib as candidate for GE15

PETALING JAYA: The Pekan Umno division will stick to naming the jailed Najib Razak as a potential candidate for the next general election (GE15), said the division’s deputy head, Zamri Ramly.

Zamri said the former prime minister, who has been the Pekan MP since 1976, except for one term from 1982-1986 when he was the menteri besar of Pahang, is among the five candidates nominated by the division.

- More -

[superadmin]

Ex-Umno MP Tawfik Ismail to take on Zahid ‘anywhere’

PETALING JAYA: Former Sungai Benut MP Tawfik Ismail is set to contest against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the 15th general election (GE15).

Tawfik, the son of Malaysia’s second deputy prime minister, Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, confirmed with FMT that he will throw his hat into the ring against Zahid wherever the Barisan Nasional chairman contested.

- More -

[superadmin]

Don’t contest both parliamentary and state seats, DAP leaders urged

PETALING JAYA: DAP central executive committee (CEC) member Ronnie Liu said the party’s top leaders should not contest in both parliamentary and state seats in the 15th general election (GE15).

The Sungai Pelek assemblyman said there was enough talent in the party to be fielded in the impending polls.

He also pointed out that top leaders of parties like Umno, MCA, MIC and PKR did not contest in both seats.

“The idea (of not contesting in both seats) was first mooted by the late Karpal Singh for the 13th general election,” said Liu in a Facebook post. “It is time to implement his good idea now.”

- More -

[superadmin]

PH-Muda tie up ‘almost a done deal’, says Fahmi

PETALING JAYA: PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said discussions on Muda’s possible cooperation with Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the 15th general election (GE15) are in final stages.

“It’s almost a done deal. There are certain key conditions, such as seat allocations, that we are looking into.

“So once these conditions are agreed upon, an announcement will be made,” he told reporters at the PKR headquarters today.

Yesterday, PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim said the coalition was only considering an electoral pact with Muda for GE15 instead of admitting it as a component party.

- More -

[superadmin]

Anwar ‘misquoted’, PH won’t work with Muhyiddin, says Guan Eng

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim was misquoted on potential cooperation with former ally Muhyiddin Yassin, Lim Guan Eng said.

The DAP chairman said the PH presidential council previously decided not to cooperate with either Perikatan Nasional (PN) or Muhyiddin because of his prominent role in the Sheraton Move, which led to the collapse of the PH government in February 2020 after 22 months in power.

“One cannot cooperate with a person with serious trust issues,” Lim said in a statement.

“Cooperation with Muhyiddin or PN can only be entertained if the PH presidential council reverses its previous decision.

“I would oppose any reversal of the previous decision.”

- More -

[superadmin]

Swan song for Charles Santiago?

PETALING JAYA – Selangor DAP will be deciding over the weekend if Charles Santiago gets a shot to defend his seat as Klang MP.

One of the more successful DAP MPs, Santiago has been widely regarded as a hands-on MP who has solved many of the constituency’s issues since he was elected in 2008.

He has since defended the seat of over 210,000 registered voters by increasing majorities.

In fact, 2008 saw Santiago break Barisan Nasional’s (BN) three-term hold on the constituency when he defeated MCA’s Ch’ng Toh Eng with a resounding 17,701 majority out of a turnout of 59,279.

In 2013, he defended his seat against Teh Kim Poo, with an increased majority of 24,685, while the last election in 2018 saw the incumbent take a whopping 78,773 majority over challengers Ching Eu Boon (BN), Khairul Shah Abdullah (PAS), and independent G. Puvananderan.

- More -

[superadmin]

Possible wipeout? Observers see no hope for Bersatu in GE15

KUALA LUMPUR – Unimaginable as it may have seemed two years ago, when Bersatu led the federal government and appeared to command firm support on the ground, the party now possibly faces the bleak prospect of a wipeout in the looming general election.

A combination of a number of factors – including public acrimony towards party hoppers, its role in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, and its own waning influence – could potentially lead to Bersatu’s downfall, political observers project. 

One analyst went as far as predicting the party would possibly return from the polls empty-handed.

This perhaps explains its continued push to form political alliances with rival parties – after an initial failed attempt to cooperate with Barisan Nasional (BN), Bersatu and its coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) mooted the idea of working with Pakatan Harapan (PH), which was rejected.

- More -

[superadmin]

Let’s win this: Muda rallies after forming pact with Pakatan

KUALA LUMPUR – Muda has welcomed the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council’s decision yesterday to form an electoral pact with the fledgling party, after weeks of negotiation. 

With the matter settled, Muda is now rallying members of the coalition to ensure victory in the 15th general election, which is expected to be held early next month.

“Let’s win this together,” party deputy president and election director Amira Aisya Abd Aziz said in a statement today.

Yesterday, PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had all but confirmed that the opposition coalition will enter into an electoral pact with Muda for the national polls, following a decision made in its presidential council meeting.

- More -

[superadmin]

GE15: A lesson from the 1911 Xinhai Revolution

EXACTLY 111 years ago, on Oct 10, the Xinhai Revolution (辛亥革命) started. At the end of four months and two days, the Qing Dynasty fell, paving the way for the rise of modern China under Dr Sun Yat-Sen as the president of the republic. 

Coincidentally, 10-10 is also the date for the dissolution of the Parliament, ending Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s 14 months as the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of Malaysia.

As said by Fareed Zakaria, “Legitimacy is the elixir of political power.”

This is true for both the Qing Dynasty and the Malaysian political landscape. Although the Qings ruled for 276 years, the people’s dissatisfaction with the Government grew until they overthrew it. 

Throughout history, the people’s power has been employed many times over, especially to unseat incapable leaders who are corrupted and greedy.

- More -

[superadmin]

“Concurrent elections or not must be based on the unity of Pakatan coalition”

THE Penang DAP prefers to have simultaneous parliamentary and state elections.

However, with the assistance of the national leadership they need to convince the other Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties, Amanah and PKR that this is the best option under the present political circumstances.

There is a possibility that Pakatan Harapan states like Selangor and Negri Sembilan might opt for a separate state election.

Penang DAP has convincing reasons why it is better to go for concurrent elections.

First, voters need not come twice to the state if concurrent elections are held.

Second, there is a feeling among the grassroots that concurrent elections are the best way to defeat the Barisan Nasional (BN), especially when its strength is at its lowest.

If separate elections are held, the BN by winning the parliamentary seats might be in a position to dent the strength of the Opposition at a later point when state elections are held.

- More -