Orang Asli hospital signboard (Pic courtesy of theSun) KUALA LUMPUR, 26 April 2010: Staff at the Orang Asli hospital in Gombak have systematically attempted to convert Orang Asli to Islam regardless of the “converts’” willingness to do so, several Orang Asli have revealed. Mohd Zaki Abdullah, an Orang Asli Muslim convert who still goes by […]
Current Issues
Winning Hulu Selangor
By Deborah Loh and Ding Jo-AnnA victorious Kamalanathan with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (left) and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak THE Barisan Nasional (BN) has wrested back Hulu Selangor from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), but who is the real winner — MIC candidate P Kamalanathan, or Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak? Kamalanathan polled 24,997 votes […]
Hulu Selangor assessment and strategies
By Deborah Loh and Ding Jo-AnnFelda Sungai Tengi settler, Mohd Zaini Hamdan NO doubt about it. The fight for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat is located within the Malay Malaysian community. Ceramah rhetoric on both sides has been geared towards raising emotive issues for this electorate. Barisan Nasional (BN) harps about Datuk Zaid Ibrahim‘s liberal ways and Datuk Seri Anwar […]
Convincing Orang Asli in Hulu Selangor
By Ding Jo-AnnA house in Kampung Pertak IT’s been a busy week for the Orang Asli in Hulu Selangor, with Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) both trying hard to win the over 700 votes in the community. The Orang Asli are usually wary of outsiders, but a senior couple in Kampung Pertak warmly welcome The […]
PAS’s dance with alcohol
By Shanon Shah“Zaid committed a personal sin when he consumed alcohol. If he has repented and Allah accepts it, his sins are forgiven.” PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali, on character assassinations against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s candidate for Hulu Selangor, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, for his alcohol-drinking. Mustafa called Zaid’s detractors “unprofessional”, and reminded them not to forget […]
What Indian Malaysian voters want
By Deborah LohINDIAN Malaysian voters are said to be the deal-breakers in the Hulu Selangor by-election, according to one view. They comprise 12,453 or 19.3% of the total 64,500 voters in this parliamentary seat. In the 2008 general election, 51% of their votes went to the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate, Datuk G Palanivel from MIC. Palanivel lost […]
BN’s “nice guy” offer for Hulu Selangor
By Ding Jo-AnnBN candidate P Kamalanathan, with his wife Shobana “CALL him Abang Kamal,” says Umno member Abdul Razak Baba, referring to the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s Hulu Selangor candidate P Kamalanathan, when visiting Bukit Sentosa on 19 April 2010. Abdul Razak is not from Hulu Selangor, but he is accompanying Kamalanathan in the Malay Malaysian majority area. […]
Campaign promises and goodies
By Deborah Loh, Ding Jo-Ann and Jacqueline Ann SurinIn the BN corner “The development of vacant land and the UiTM campus is perceived to be able to stimulate industrial growth in the area and capable of creating business and job opportunities.” BARISAN Nasional (BN) Hulu Selangor candidate P Kamalanathan, on how to improve the economic prospects of Hulu Selangor residents. Kamalanathan is also […]
Irrelevant PR rhetoric
By Ding Jo-AnnBUKIT SENTOSA, 21 April 2010: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders are working hard for votes in Hulu Selangor. But their campaign rhetoric is not necessarily chaste or relevant to the constituency. “There was no tear, blood or scar in [Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan]’s anus, he’s still a virgin. So how was he sodomised? Maybe online? Or […]
Jumping off the PKR train
By Deborah Loh(Pic by Jascha400d / sxc.hu) IS the timing of the resignations from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) before and during the one-week Hulu Selangor by-election campaign purely coincidental? Two days before nomination day on 17 April 2010, Bakar Arang assemblyperson Tan Wei Shu became an independent lawmaker in the Kedah state assembly. As if knowingly, Deputy […]