Corrected on 28 Jan 2009 at 11.30pm IT was not an ordinary death, and so it was not an ordinary funeral. A Kugan’s funeral on 28 Jan 2009 drew hundreds of people who followed his body in a procession from the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) across Petaling Jaya to Puchong Batu 14, where he […]
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PAS celebrates BN setback
By Danny Lim and Deborah LohEVERYONE knew it was a tight race between two Malay Muslim parties. On the night of 17 Jan 2009, as the votes were counted for the Kuala Terengganu by-election, the ebb and flow of emotions outside the tallying centre was both audible and palpable. Tens of thousands had gathered outside the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin […]
Sunny start to polling day in KT
by Danny Lim and Deborah LohNO matter how hard they tried, politicians from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat could not supplant the relaxed vibe of Kuala Terengganu. And so the calm mood persisted into the morning of polling day, 17 Jan, even as the cloudy weather of late gave way to a rare sunny day. All across the […]
Balas budi promises in KT
By Danny Lim and Deborah LohBALAS budi. That is how Barisan Nasional (BN) has been aggressively wooing Chinese Malaysian voters in the final leg of campaigning for the Kuala Terengganu by-election. Nearly every night, dinners are held together with karaoke sessions, lucky draws and cultural shows. In between the merry-making, BN leaders drop in to exhort the crowd to vote […]
Positive and negative campaigning
By Danny Lim and Deborah LohBOTH Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional (BN) have taken different approaches with their ceramahs in Kuala Terengganu’s by-election. Those on PAS candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut’s campaign team repeatedly raise topics like the perceived abuses of power by BN and the issue of oil royalty. Among these supporters are blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin and Lembah […]
The art of campaigning
By Cindy Tham and Lainie YeohTHERE appears to be an art to displaying election campaign flags and flyers. The sights that greeted us as we drove around Kuala Terengganu from 10 to 12 Jan 2009 seemed to indicate that. The size of the flags, the effect of putting them against contrasting colours or a significant landmark, using tall flagpoles versus […]
KT’s decorative touch
By Danny Lim and Lainie YeohWHAT’S an election campaign without a poster and banner war? As expected, the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat have gone all out to decorate Kuala Terengganu with posters, banners and billboards for the parliamentary by-election. Messages reflect the issues of the day, such as oil royalty, racial relations and hudud. There are attempts to […]
Getting the message across in KT
By Deborah LohELECTION ceramahs are always interesting to attend not just to listen to the speakers, but to see who else shows up. Chinese Malaysians attending a PAS event always raise eyebrows, because they are traditionally seen as Barisan Nasional supporters. Their presence is even more interesting in the Kuala Terengganu by-election where they are said to […]
Contrasting campaign styles in KT
By Danny LimTHE two major competing parties in the Kuala Terengganu by-election couldn’t have started their campaigns in more contrasting fashions. Umno revved up its election machinery in the gilded expanse and expense of Taman Tamadun Islam’s convention centre on the eve of the 6 Jan 2009 nomination day. PAS, with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP, […]
Nomination day in KT
By Danny Lim and Deborah LohNOMINATION day in Kuala Terengganu dawned with clear skies instead of the usual morning drizzle common during the monsoon season. With roadblocks in place, the police were at their stations on roads leading to the nomination centre at Stadium Negeri by 5am. Supporters of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat had gathered at their […]