“Don’t poison the well that you drink from…We must be grateful. If people are good to us, we should return the gesture. This is part of Chinese culture, too.” Datuk Seri Najib Razak, speaking to the Chinese Malaysian electorate of Kuala Terengganu in the Bandar state constituency on 13 Jan 2009. Chinese Malaysian voters were […]
voters
Signal from KT
Translation by Leong Lai MingFROM 12 to 18 Jan 2009, the Chinese press highlighted the Kuala Terengganu by-election. Guang Ming Daily‘s editorial on 18 Jan, titled Pay attention to the signal from the Kuala Terengganu by-election, examined what Chinese Malaysian voters want from political parties. The 17 Jan by-election saw PAS candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut wresting the parliamentary […]
Bring back “wow” factor in Umno: Muhyiddin
MANAMA (Bahrain), 19 Jan 2009: Umno has lost the “wow” factor that would attract people to the party, and needs to institute radical change to win back support. In a frank analysis of what ails Umno in the wake of the Kuala Terengganu by-election, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the there was a need to […]
Reckoning with the electorate
By Deborah LohBN streamer in front of a temple in Kampung Cina IN the March 2008 general election, the 11% Chinese Malaysian voters in Kuala Terengganu were considered the swing voters in this largely Malay Malaysian constituency. Analysts have predicted that the Chinese Malaysian vote will also decide the results of the upcoming 17 Jan by-election as […]
Keeping the BN afloat
By Wong Chin HuatCorrected on 14 Jan 2009, 3.30pm I ARGUED previously that the Kuala Terengganu by-election is a battle in which Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has little to gain and much to lose. A real turning point would happen only if Umno can seriously bring down PAS’s support to below 45% among Malay Malaysians […]
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 […]
Gerakan to use Net in by-election
KUALA TERENGGANU, 29 Dec 2008: Gerakan will use the internet and telephones to reach out to voters in the 17 Jan 2009 Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election. The party’s secretary-general, Teng Chang Yeow, said although Gerakan did not have any seats in the state’s legislative assembly, the party wanted to help the Barisan Nasional (BN) win […]
Swing voters in Kuala Terengganu
By Ong Kian MingThe merry-go-round in Kuala Terengganu’s Islam Hadhari theme park THE Kuala Terengganu by-election, which has to be called following the death of its Member of Parliament Datuk Razali Ismail from the Barisan Nasional (BN), will be held on 17 Jan 2009, with nomination day falling on 6 Jan. The parliamentary seat is one of the […]
EC’s integrity challenged
KUALA LUMPUR, 7 Nov 2008: An opposition Member of Parliament (MP) says the Election Commission (EC) has lost its integrity because it is unable to verify the status of 11,842 voters on the electoral roll. Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said it was illogical that the commission was unable to confirm whether these voters’ should be […]