Malaysia GE 15

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Apologise first, Kitingan tells Rafizi on GRS-PH tie-up post-GE15

KOTA KINABALU: A Gabungan Rakyat Sabah leader has told PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli to apologise for his Malaysia Day remarks before harbouring dreams of working together after the 15th general election (GE15).

Jeffrey Kitingan, the GRS deputy chairman, said although Rafizi’s idea of working with GRS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak to form the federal government was “practical and a move in the right direction”, it was nonetheless surprising.

This, he said, was because of what Rafizi said just a couple of months ago in his Malaysia Day message in which he claimed Sabah and Sarawak leaders abused their power to amass wealth.

Kitingan told FMT: “Does he still think Sabah’s underdevelopment and poverty are caused by Sabah leaders’ abuse of power and corruption?

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GE15: Malay fence-sitters true kingmakers in Tambun

IPOH – In Tambun, all coalitions are doubling down on their efforts to woo the Malay vote, which many considered as the silent majority and the eventual decider for the parliamentary seat.

While earlier news reports indicated that Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are focused on garnering support from the Indian community, campaigns on the ground are mostly to attract Barisan Nasional (BN) voters and fence-sitters.

Campaigns in places such as rural villages in Chemor, Changkat Kinding, and Tg Rambutan have ramped up, with PN and PH engaging grassroots leaders to make headway into BN strongholds.

Those three areas are part of Hulu Kinta state constituency, which has a voter breakdown of 59% Malay, 23% Chinese, 11% Indian, and 4% others.

In this area, PN is counting on PAS, which has a strong committee centred around a number of local surau and mosques in the district.

“Bersatu is playing catch-up in these areas but as a coalition, we are playing to our strength and everyone is doing their part.

“But it is better for us to redouble our efforts in tackling the Malay voters, the silent majority – urging them to come out and vote instead. We have a better chance of convincing Malay fence-sitters and even BN voters rather than the non-Malay community.

“Of course, there are efforts towards the Chinese and Indian community especially, but it is harder to woo them, and we all know where most of their votes are going,” said a senior Bersatu leader who does not wish to be named.

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GE15: Young Syefura has solutions, but does she have votes?

BENTONG – Nestled along the Titiwangsa mountain range close to the Selangor-Pahang border is Kg Janda Baik – a township in the Bentong constituency located some 50km away from Kuala Lumpur.

At an average elevation of 500m, Kg Janda Baik, with its cool climate and idyllic surroundings, has attracted tourists looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

With some of its 2,000 residents working as farmers, others run small businesses that cater to tourists, some of whom come from as far as Kelantan and Terengganu.

A drive through the winding roads will reveal dozens of homestays, glamping parks, restaurants, cafes, and cottage industries.

On the weekends, cars and tour buses line the narrow roads, ferrying visitors to and from attractions.

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Can PH bank on “kingmaker” GPS’ support come GE15? Analyst says “no”

PAKATAN Harapan’s (PH) mission to wrest control of Putrajaya once more on Nov 19 may remain a distant dream as the opposition coalition will likely not get the support of the “kingmaker” for the 15th General Election (GE15) – Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

GPS, a coalition of four former Sarawak-based Barisan Nasional (BN) parties that was formed after BN’s disastrous performance during the last elections, held the lion’s share of the state’s parliamentary seats before Parliament was dissolved last month. It also governs the Sarawak State Government.

Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan said it will come as “no surprise” if GPS wrests control of all 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak come GE15.

The coalition, comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), won 19 seats during the 2018 polls – an admirable feat, although it was six fewer seats than what GPS bagged during the 2013 polls.

“No doubt they will be the kingmaker,” Azmi added, “because peninsular-based parties will not have enough (MPs) to go beyond the 112 benchmark (to obtain a simple majority to form the government)”. There are 222 seats in Parliament’s lower house.

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GE15: BN can win over 112 parliamentary seats, Ismail Sabri says

BERA – Barisan Nasional (BN) is confident that it can win more than 112 parliamentary seats in the 15th general election (GE15) to form the new federal government.

Caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that according to the latest information on BN’s GE15 campaign trail presented at the Umno Top Five briefing session in Kuala Lumpur earlier today, there is a very positive acceptance among BN voters.

The Umno Top Five refers to president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, and three vice-presidents, namely Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Ismail Sabri himself and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Ismail Sabri said even though BN would be able to form a government with that 112 seats, he still believed that BN would not be doing so on its own, but rather with Friends of BN from Sabah and Sarawak to ensure that it will be a more stable government.

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Drop walkabout permit requirement, Gobind urges IGP

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Gobind Singh Deo has urged the police to do away with the requirement for election candidates to obtain permits to go on walkabouts when campaigning for the general election (GE15).

In making the appeal to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, Gobind said this requirement made no sense as the two-week campaign period was meant to allow candidates to introduce themselves to voters.

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GE15: vote for clean, smart leaders, not just Malay ones, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR – Malay voters must not only look at their leaders’ race, but should vote for those who show firm and brave leadership, said Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Taking anti-PH and anti-DAP rhetoric by the horns in a speech in Kuala Terengganu today, Anwar told a gathering of local PH leaders and supporters not to fall for rivals’ rhetoric against the coalition because DAP was part of it.

“If Anwar becomes prime minister, they say Chinese DAP will be the one pulling the strings and Anwar will follow.

“This comes from people who say oh, prices of goods are going up but just be patient, Allahuakbar (God is great),” Anwar said, referring to PAS, which rules Terengganu.

His video of his speech in Kuala Terengganu was posted on his Facebook page.

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GE15: is Dr Mahathir facing sagging fortunes in Langkawi?

LANGKAWI – It is looking tough for the oldest candidate in the 15th general election (GE15) to defend his Langkawi parliamentary seat as locals feel the pinch of the sagging economy in this resort island within Kedah.

Among the Malay heartland, there is general dissatisfaction that Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 97, has not been responsive enough to the issues raised by them, especially in the post-pandemic era.

There is also sagging confidence in him among non-Malays after he resigned as prime minister in February 2020, paving the way for the Pakatan Harapan government he led to collapse.

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GE15: can DAP retain its stronghold Sandakan seat?

SANDAKAN – DAP might not be able to win the P186 Sandakan seat comfortably this time even though DAP’s Vivian Wong won it with a 74.15% majority (16,012 votes) during the Sandakan by-election in 2019.  

For one, DAP does not have the support of Warisan this time as it did in 2019. 

Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal told the people here earlier this week that Vivian had allegedly won in 2019 because of him. 

“I was the one who took her to last-minute campaigns in Pulau Berhala, Taman Mesra, and so on. There are no Chinese there, they are mostly Bajau.

“This time, I will ask them to vote for Warisan,” he said. 

While it may be true that Shafie helped garner Bumiputera support, it does not mean that she would have lost the seat without Shafie. 

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GE15: free Indera Mahkota from ‘traitor’ Saifuddin, Anwar tells voters

KUANTAN – Voters in Indera Mahkota, Pahang have been urged to rid the federal constituency of its incumbent MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah as he turned his back on the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition after winning the seat under its ticket.

Calling it a “traitor’s seat”, PH president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the voters to keep in mind Saifuddin’s “betrayal” when casting their ballots as he had quit PH component PKR and is now a member of rival party Bersatu.

“Saifuddin won the seat based on his promise to look after the welfare of the people… but he was quick to betray (the people’s mandate) just to defend his position (as MP),” said Anwar during a campaign rally at Beserah here last night.

“He (Saifuddin) doesn’t deserve to be an MP. His reasons for trying to defend his seat have nothing to do with proper principles.”

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