SUNGAI PETANI, 2 Apr 2009: The public should disregard SMS-es that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will not approve Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s appointment as prime minister tomorrow, said Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein. He said the SMS-es were baseless. “Remember, there were SMS-es claiming the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government would fall due to […]
Barisan Nasional
Difficult terrain at Batang Ai for PKR
By Sim Kwang YangTHE hand-to-hand combat has begun in earnest for the 7 April 2009 Batang Ai by-election between the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). It is a torturous and expensive battle for both the contesting parties. Lodged under the shadow of the mountain range that separates Sarawak from the Kalimantan side of Indonesia, Batang […]
Bringing change to Bukit Selambau
By Shanon ShahDATUK S Ganesan likes to tout two things during his interviews: his past links with some Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) leaders, and his belief that he can bring positive change à la US President Barack Obama. Ganesan meeting a breakfast crowd on 27 Mar. When asked if he is campaigning, he says, “No, that’s […]
Mahathir to campaign in Bkt Gantang?
By Deborah LohTAIPING, 2 April 2009: Barisan Nasional (BN) is looking to unleash its secret weapon as it makes its final assault to woo Malay Malaysian voters in Bukit Gantang by bringing in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to help with the campaign. The former prime minister may turn up to stump for the BN candidate Ismail Saffian, […]
BN and PAS face off in Perak
By Deborah Loh(Pic by Raj Kumar, courtesy of theSun) NO other issue dominates the Bukit Gantang by-election as much as the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s 5 Feb 2009 takeover of the Perak state government and the sultan’s role in it. As the BN and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) take to the campaign trail, who has the better argument in […]
No holds barred in Bukit Gantang
By Deborah LohCorrected at 1 April 2009, 11.15pm and 2 April 2009, 2.11.pm THE Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat can be considered a mini-Malaysia as its racial population breakdown reflects the country’s ethnic composition. With 63.5% Malay Malaysian and 35% non-Malay Malaysians voters in the constituency, what happens here could well reflect the national sentiment. (Corrected) Expect a […]
PKR may find it tough in Batang Ai
KUALA LUMPUR, 1 April 2009: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) hopes to pull off an upset in the Batang Ai by-election, having done so once before in the urban seat of Padungan during the 2006 Sarawak state election. But a repeat performance may not be on the cards as many political observers say the party faces […]
Independents “no ties with PKR”
PETALING JAYA, 1 April 2009: Two independents in the Bukit Selambau by-election who were previously connected with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) no longer have any ties with the party, Dr Syed Husin Ali said. The PKR deputy president said that Md Radzi Md Lazim and A Jayagopal, both former PKR division chiefs, are no longer […]
Media banning is legal
By Zedeck Siew“This is nothing. Why do you call it a crackdown? This is quite normal. We always give reminders to newspapers or political parties which publish organs regardless of whether it is the BN or other parties.” DEPUTY Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung, who said the suspension of two opposition party newspapers under the Printing […]
The return of Mahathirism
By Zedeck Siew(File pic by Samsul Said @ Flickr) THE appearance of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the final day of the 59th Umno general assembly precipitated a riotous cheering. This overwhelmingly positive reception is telling of what the party truly wants — and what a worrying prospect that is. No doubt Mahathir’s presence […]