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Saturday, May 29, 2010

Can Anwar Ibrahim boost PKR's image?

It’s true that the images of the political party play a strong role in boosting up the support and the victory.

Typically, strong grass root level support, party machinery and media reporting are vital to boost party’s ratings.

Often than not, political opponents are critical and post as the major hindrance to boosting party image. In order to boost the party's image, PKR was urged to be more courageous and be determined in the perception of the public.

In reality, PKR seems got nothing to be boosted. The defection of 10 of its parliamentarians and state assembly representative is the worst thing that has ever happened in the political history of Malaysia. It clearly serves as the evidence of an increasing degree of unacceptable behavior in the party.

The defection has long been criticized and PKR need to be prepared for the worst political wave.

Politically, major party defection is extremely rare and the defection took PKR by surprise. It was a crushing setback for opposition parties, instantly reducing what limited power opposition has in the Dewan Rakyat.

The ability of the opposition to stop legislation or to block BN agenda is now crippled if not eliminated in some instances. Although the political circumstances are different today, yet it dealt a damaging blow to PKR. And how many defections have we seen in the other direction remained questionable.

It apparently frees people up to say what they really believe the relevancy of the PKR elected parliamentarians and state assembly representative.

The political climate seems more unfavorable for PKR and the opposition leader's popularity won't be remain instead fall dramatically. Several studies have implicated that PKR do not have any takeover opportunity in the Dewan Rakyat.

It was skeptical of the urgency of the defection of the PKR parliamentarians and state assembly representative problem. After all, there is some precedence for PKR changing their minds. There need to wonder how many more PKR leaders will be outing themselves as skeptics?

They may never constitute a majority, and many of them have differing views emanating from contrasting political ideologies in PKR, it only takes few of them to be right for the deflection for PKR to collapse.

The question therefore is not whether Anwar Ibrahim will retain as the Opposition Leader and PKR de facto head.

The critical question is whether the PKR elite in which the post of Opposition Leader and PKR de facto head is determined still fighting to retain much of their political struggle and how to overcome the political defection.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Chinese still Support BN

The victory of DAP in Sibu parliamentarian by-election does not represent Sibuan support for opposition but it does implicate that the Sarawakians are no longer fixed deposit for the Barisan Nasional.

The impact of the defeat means the beginning ultimate down fall of SUPP should no remedy is taken seriously.

Other than national and local issues, how much SUPP can fight for the Chinese interests remains questionable.

Ironically, Chinese are not voting opposition parties, but they are protesting the policies being implemented. The protests are actually a protest against the policies that are unfavorable to them. The by-election voting pattern clearly reflects this social attitude.

The assumption by the Chinese that the government had neglected the community in terms of education although was unfounded but is increasingly being seen as the result of the Chinese base party is not fighting for the Chinese.

In the many by-elections held after the 12th general election especially the latest in Sibu, the strategy used by BN is to allocate special allocation for Chinese and mission schools.

Unsurprisingly, this strategy doesn't seem to be working well out for BN, it did not swing their votes big enough to win the by-election. The BN is most unlikely to benefit from an increase in its support but just preventing further decrease in its support as the Chinese did not seem to increase their support to BN either.

On the other hand, if the strategy is not being used, there might be more swing in the Chinese votes towards opposition.

The RM18 million benefited the schools are as follows:

RM10 million for 60 Chinese Medium primary schools,
RM5 million for Chinese Medium Secondary Schools,
RM2 million for SMK Sacred Heart
RM1 million for St Mary

Undeniably, the RM18 million special by-election allocations is timely and it does help to ease the financial burden of Chinese medium schools in Sibu, but the electoral result shown that it did not swing the votes back to BN.

Although in appreciation, but the voters in Sibu did not express their gratitude by voting SUPP over the RM18 million allocations given by Najib. It seems that the event is overtaken by issues.

The crux of the matter is that though it is true that the allocation is timely and by far needed by Sibu Chinese community, but how about other schools in other areas? It was claimed that it does; however, it appeared that the government had neglected the community especially in terms of education.

The allocation strategy during the by-election claimed to be implicated that the government constantly show negative allocations, it is one-off during by-election and not a consistent allocation.

The allocation provided a good opportunity for the opposition parties to exploit the issue that the ruling party is often using their power monopoly to misuse public money to gain vote and not otherwise as reflected in the tactics employed by opposition in public campaigns to garner the support of voters.

On the other hand, though there are many more good policies that the ruling party had implemented but mostly the ruling parties were seen to practice double standards among the people and within SUPP.

BN candidate Robert Lau comes from elite SUPP and it was claimed that the elite SUPP families become very rich while ordinary Chinese need to struggle hard to make ends meet.

The KTS group is belonging to the family of the BN candidate. It is nothing wrong for the group to control timber business, retailing, plantation, reforestation and print media, but the ongoing court case due to the refusal to settle NCR land taken by the company cause him to suffer no meaningful political damage.

Politics is the art of the impossible, in winning strategy is important. Political parties especially politicians need starting to really stress now as the next general election are coming closer.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Sibu : DAP wins by 398 vote majority

DAP's Wong Ho Leng won the by-election by 398 votes, garnering 18,845 votes to beat BN's Robert Lau Hui Yew (18,447). Independent Narawi Haron polled 232 votes.

DAP (Wong Ho Leng) : 18,845 votes
BN (Robert Lau Hui Yew) : 18,447 votes
Independent (Narawi Haron) : 232 votes
Majority : 398 votes


Sibu by-election - DAP Won by majority 398 votes

DAP has won Sibu by-election by majority 398 votes.

Sibu voting turnout - 59.86%

Voter turnout : 59.86%

Voters : 32,742

Friday, May 14, 2010

Sarawak govt imposes premiums based on flat rates

Good news for Sarawakians.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Ab­­dul Taib Mahmud announcing a flat rate on premiums for residential, commercial as well as agriculture properties. The new policy will take immediate effect.

The new policy has done away with the old system of calculating premium based on a percentage of the market value of the property. The new policy will cover renewals for 60 years.

For residential properties. the new rates are RM1,000 for a terrace house, RM3,000 (semi-detached) and RM6,000 (detached).

For shophouses, the rates are RM40,000 per unit in Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu; RM20,000 for Sarikei, Sri Aman, Kapit, Limbang, Mukah, Betong and Samarahan, and for rural towns of Lundu, Asajaya, Niah, Marudi and the likes, RM10,000 per unit.

The rates for agriculture land, RM5,000 per acre for town land, RM2,500 per acre for suburban land, and RM200 per acre for country land.

Taib said the state was implementing the new system to make it easier for the people to understand.

“I have always said the state government is sensitive and responsive to the people. The rates are the lowest compared with other states,” he said.

Sibu is a holiday destination

Sibu is the a vast area of natural beauty and unique people of different cultures and traditions. It is a holiday destination for culture, adventure and nature.


Thursday, May 13, 2010

Sibu by-election poster war

Poster wars are part and parcel of the process of by-election campaign, candidates and parties sometimes go to extreme measures to put up their posters and billboards.

In Sibu by-election, both parties are not so keen to put up banners and posters.

The main theme of BN is sustain developments for Sibu and opposition is go for a change.






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