ULTIMATELY, the heart of the battle for Kuala Terengganu was always the Malay Malaysian vote, which was, by extension, a referendum on the relevance of Umno. But the fact that Chinese Malaysians largely stayed with the Barisan Nasional (BN) is perhaps indicative of the DAP’s and Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s inability to penetrate non-Malay enclaves on […]
Umno
Missing Umno deputy branch chief found dead
GERIK, 17 Jan 2009: An Umno deputy branch chief who was reported missing while fishing in Sungai Perak near Kampung Kuala Kenderong, here two days ago, was found drowned today. Gerik OCPD Supt Mahad Nor Abdullah said the body of Zainal Abidin Abdul Rahim was found floating in the river by a fishermen at 7.30am, […]
Polling in KT ends (Updated with video at 7.20pm)
by Danny Lim and Deborah Loh(Updated 7.20pm, 17 Jan 2009) Polling at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pusat Bukit Bandar, where Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh and wife Toh Puan Intan Baizura Abdul Wahab cast their votes KUALA TERENGGANU: All 36 polling centres for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election were closed at 5pm today. Election Commission (EC) chairperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz […]
Why just hudud?
By Jacqueline Ann SurinIT is understandably very easy to demonise PAS for its Islamic state agenda. After all, the party leadership seems quite adept at declaring its intentions to implement some features of an Islamic state, such as hudud, at the most inopportune moments. In a global climate of Islamophobia and because of Muslims acting out of a […]
Assessing Chinese Malaysian support
KUALA TERENGGANU, 14 Jan 2009: The street in Kampung Cina here appears relatively calm despite daytime activities and the intensified campaign for the 17 Jan Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election. “Actually, it is boiling here,” a coffeeshop owner, who wanted to be known only as Chua, said, referring to the close battle for the 8,229 Chinese […]
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 […]
Abdullah’s presence may tip scales
KUALA TERENGGANU, 9 Jan 2009: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s presence here yesterday was brief but it might have just tipped the scales in Barisan Nasional (BN)’s favour to retain the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat. He might not have been able to meet the voters himself, but the prime minister’s visit has injected a fresh […]
PAS supports BN’s airport upgrade
KUALA TERENGGANU, 9 Jan 2009: PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang supports the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s move to upgrade the Sultan Mahmud Airport (LTSM) here to cater for haj pilgrims from three east coast states. The Marang Member of Parliament said with the airport, haj pilgrims in the three states would be able 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, […]
BN ready, says Najib
Audio clip of Najib speaking about these issues KUALA TERENGGANU, 6 Jan 2009: Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) was ready to answer all issues raised by the opposition in the 17 Jan Kuala Terengganu by-election. The deputy prime minister said BN, however, did not expect many issues to be raised in […]