Hantu Laut
With two by-elections looming UMNO may have to start counting the days to the next general elections. The Perak crisis could further aggravate its already shattered image.UMNO can forget the Chinese and Indian voters altogether.It is not even worth the afford to spend too much time and money to campaign in Chinese and Indian areas because it's a foregone conclusion that the Chinese and Indians do not want UMNO or the BN.Only the Malays can save them from going into oblivion.UMNO should field Malay candidates for both the Bukit Selembau state constituency in Kedah and the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat.It will be a tough fight but at least you have a fighting chance.
Strange as it may sound, PAS the smallest outfit in the Perak coalition government was the biggest trouble maker in the current constitutional crisis in the State. Almost all of the demonstrators against the Sultan's decision not to dissolve the state assembly were members and supporters of PAS.Undoubtedly, PAS had become the cry-baby for Pakatan, making the Menteri Besar the cause celebre to rouse Malay sentiments to go against UMNO and the Sultan.The Menteri Besar is working under the auspices of DAP and PKR.He has served his masters well. He was there because the state constitution forbids non-Malay from becoming menteri besar, in another word he is an 'accidental' menteri besar, not someone who is there because majority want him there. Basically, if not for the prohibition in the constitition, Perak would be another Penang and would have a Chinese menteri besar and Chinese majority government.
The political pundits that predicted the demise of UMNO may have jumped the gun.UMNO is not a write off yet in Perak.DAP and PKR were there mainly because of the Chinese and Indians.PAS was riding the wave blown by the wind of change.PAS and PKR can hardly say they represent the Malays. They only have total of 13 seats together and PKR, pathetically, only have 3 Malay seats, the rest 3 Chinese and 1 Indian.
Pakatan only have total of 9 Malay seats in Perak against UMNO 27. To say dissolution of the assembly might make history of UMNO in Perak and make Pakatan much stronger may not hold water. UMNO still have strong Malay supports in the state.Now, it is a matter of reinforcing this support in the areas where the majority were marginal.
The uninitiated, the dreamers and the misled are sold by the idea of 'Bangsa Malaysia' that we often see prominently displayed in many blogs that support Anwar and Pakatan.It's true we all should work toward that single entity but is there any semblance of truth that under Pakatan this can be achieved or it's just the opposite, race relations have actually deteriorated since after the 8 March 2008 Elections.
The 12th General Elections was the most racially polarised elections ever held in this country. Never before have the people voted so much on racial line.The make up of the state assemblies in Pakatan control states are reflections of the voting trends in the last elections.
The 'Bangsa Malaysia' promoted by Anwar and Pakatan is a propaganda and could well be just a pipe dream.They have not made any sincere effort to work on it other than providing lip service.They have done more to hurt race relations.Those who are besotted with Anwar and Pakatan may not realise this and those who know would refuse to admit it but it's a fact race relations has deteriorated to a worrying level and the BN government poor handling of many issues have added more salt to the wound.
If Anwar and his Pakatan partners are serious about 'Bangsa Malaysia' than they should form one multi-racial party.Maybe, DAP and PAS should be dissolved and all come under one umbrella of PKR. Otherwise, it is no different from BN, a grouping of race-based political parties.
It would still be tough fight for UMNO in the forthcoming by-elections but the constitutional crisis could be their blessing in disguise.
Losing the 2 by-polls could spell disaster for UMNO in the next general elections.
14 comments:
I disagree with your analysis of the GE12 results, that they were the most racially polarised elections ever.
Many DAP candidates won in previous BN strongholds because a lot of Malays crossed the traditional racial voting lines. Likewise PAS won in many urban seats with significant non-Malay population, because many Chinese, especially, voted for PAS for the first time.
Its not some sort of non-racial dawn in the country, but its a good start.
Race relations have deteriorated since GE12 because UMNO has chosen to attempt its recovery by playing the Ketuanan Melayu "Malay rights under threat" card.
Take a good look at the numbers - GE12 actually increased the number of Malay MPs in the Parliament.
PKR is but a distorted reflection of BN ! The politics are similar.
I don't think this is quite correct. I've been to KT by election and what I see bring tears to my eyes. Different races were working together on the ground. It is possible HL, I hope you'd agree with me sometime in the future. Umno's policy will always be to divide and conquer and in this regard, the main cheerleader is our expm. BTW I'm a Malay.
kittykat46,
You said it, there was increase in the number of Malay MPs.....doesn't that tell you people voted on racial line.
A.John,
Same, no different,still communal politics.
Isma,
Yes, just like BN, they also work together for their own convenience.
BN worked very well with MIC,MCA,Gerakan and others before.No different, Isma, Pakatan still on honeymoon, give them another year or so the story will be different.
As I wrote in my blog, both parties are evil. Prior to the 12th GE, we regard and choose umno/bn the evil we know rather than the evil we don't know.
After the 12th GE, we have two evils and among the two at least PR now is the better evil.
PR may be evil, but on all counts they are better than the umno/bn evil and hence PR is now an evil we know better.
HL,
Give the PR a break lah. The BN has been in power for 51 years & they still can't form a "single" party. Yes, we all (well those of us who have a brain) want a "Bangsa Malaysia" too. It's going to take time for the PR to form a single party.
As for Keris...well...Najib said he will bathe the Keris with Chinese Blood! For teh Chinese (& the Indians) who support Najib & UMNO, well, they are worse even than the Racist UMNO crooks that support their Leaders!
hantu,
this one, you are absolutely wrong.
people vote along racial lines?
i am baffled. How did PAS win in a mixed constituency which traditionally is BN fortress. Ask yourself.
Oh, by the way I am a voter registered in Titiwangsa, KL. Yup, I am a Chinese and I voted for PAS for the first time coz I find the party has more honour than the corrupt BN.
And Nizar, an apologist for DAP. Ask the Chinese whether they support Nizar. Go to the ground and check it out rather than writing from your castle top. Toady, Nizar can stand in any of the mixed consitutnecy in Perak and he wins hands down. Not even a DAP a candidate can beat him Why? Because the people of perak sees him as a good and fair man.
God bless him and God blast those who blast others with C4.
The Keris (UMNO) sure is not a write off. The Kerishamudin is also not a write-off. The Keris waving KJ is not a write off too. It pays to play the racial card to the hilt to climb up the ladder in UMNO and this reflects the racism within UMNO.
Oh, wouldnt want to use the KERIS when theres somuch to make. Some highways and monopolies in security printing, Hisha? Some commission and NS deals, Keris, no? some hospital deals, KJ, no?
Oh, please wake up people. Think they care two hoots about you ordinary people.
Remmeber the story about the missionaries that went to Africa. They asked the locals to close their eyes to pray to the new God. Sure they did and when they open their eyes, the lands are all gone, at least the juicy ones.
A regime that is as unfair, racist and corrupt as BN, will not get the mandate of Heaven. Such regimes will eventually have to rely on force and intimidation and violence to preserve their power. Even Mugabe, the thug and robber, is about to give way after ruining teh country with his corruption. Maybe, Malaysia wants to follow his footsteps coz at least the people will be all trillionaires (or toilet paper with uncountable zeros?)!
Bukit Selambau may turn out to be a difficult fight for PKR or any other PR party, but for very different reasons from UMNO's strength or otherwise.
It seems that Arumugam has been a nearly bl**dy useless ADUN, hardly reachable by his constituents after March 08 last year.
Then again, the anger that many voters felt towards Barisan Nasional last year has hardly abated, maybe even strengthened by recent events.
Which factor will dominate ? Who knows ?, but its looking like a more even match than originally thought.
Anonymous,
You are wrong.You voted PAS because you hated UMNO and the BN and you wanted the opposition to win, not because you like PAS.
I can assure very few Chinese like PAS, if you are one of them than you must be very unique or you are lying to yourself.
Do you think PAS trust DAP and DAP trust PAS? They only say so to fool the supporters of Pakatan.You will see the outcome of this marriage of convenience in the very near future.
What choice DAP has in Perak, of course, they have to support Nizar,the Chinese can't be MB in Perak.
Kelantan may be a bit unique, but after all, it is the only state which has experience of a PAS state government.
I know many Kelantan Chinese who support PAS because they think it is runs a better, cleaner government than UMNO - not purely dislike for the other side.
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