Mega Projects On

PM Abdullah assured the Penang govt that the federal govt will not abandon major projects promised to Penang. Penang BN should respect the PM's decision and accept their defeat. CM Guan Eng : Pak Lah made the right decision.

Umno protests

Those Penang Umno chaps are such sore losers. They sabotaged their own party candidates, because their chiefs were not selected. They lost Balik Pulau and Nibong Tebal and of course, Permatang Pauh and seven state seats. Gerakan and MCA lost all their seats (parliament and state) and accepted their losses like ladies and gentlemen. The out-going CM Koh Tsu Koon was even present at the swearing-in of new CM Lim Guan Eng of DAP. Umno reps stayed away. Just after being sworn-in the new CM Guan Eng said that among his agenda was to skip the NEP (New Economic Policy/Dasar Ekonomi Baru) especially the selective tendering of projects to favored contractors ( Umnoputeras). Open tender will be practised. Yesterday, the new opposition leader Azahar Ibrahim (he was slated to be the DCM but BN lost) threatened the people of Penang that he will ask the federal gov't to pull back all the mega- projects promised for Penang (the second Penang bridge is one of them). As for me, they can take it all back, we Penangites do not need more developments, all we want is clean air, less traffic hassle,a safer environment and cheaper consumer products. Today, about 1000 some say actually about 500 (the rest are passers-by and shoppers) Umno members, led by Azahar gathered at Komtar, where the state gov't office is situated. They were shouting and screaming like crazy nuts protesting against the DAP-PKR joint gov't's uncompromising stand against the NEP. (This New Economic Policy/DEB is already 37 years old). Banners declaring Hidup Melayu (Long live the Malays), Melayu Pulau Pinang menyokong kepimpinan Pak Lah (the Penang Malays support Pak Lah's leadership), Anwar Ibrahim pengkhianat bangsa (Anwar, traitor of the Malay race), Tak akan Melayu hilang di Pulau Pinang ( Malays will not be sidelined in Penang) ,Kepimpinan DAP dibantah oleh Melayu Pulau Pinang ( Penang Malays against the DAP led gov't) and Jangan hapuskan DEB (Don't terminate the NEP). Take note that it is the Umnoputeras who are stirring disturbances. Because they are the big losers, when the NEP is taken away. The police and FRU were there, but nobody was arrested or charged for unlawful assembly. No water cannons were used. Well, different rules for different FOOLS.

The people's choice

The people have decided on March 8 2008. Denied the 2/3rd majority to the ruling BN gov't in Parliament. There'll be new state governments for Penang (my home state), Kedah, Perak (unexpected) and Selangor (totally unexpected). And the people of Kelantan chose to be ruled by PAS again. Those elected must remember who put them in parliament and the state assemblies. You must not fail the rakyat who trusted and voted for you. Congrats to the winners and to the unelected, don't lose heart, try again next time. I salute blogger Chegubard for giving a good fight to that BN boy in Rembau. Although you didn't win , I bet you scared him out of his socks. His 'reinforcements' were more powerful than yours. Hoping for an 'improved' government.

12GE 2008

12th General Elections 8/3/08 ------------------------------- After BN won simple majority at 2.30am - Pak Lah : I'm not resigning.I'm not under pressure. At 2.42am - BN lost its 2/3rd majority in parliament and 4 state governments (Penang,Kedah,Perak and Selangor.) PAS retains Kelantan. Pak Lah : We've lost, we've lost. Party chiefs Samy Vellu (MIC),Koh Tsu Koon (Gerakan) and Kayveas (PPP) lost their federal seats. Minister Shahrizat lost to newcomer Nurul Izzah Anwar in Lembah Pantai. MCA president Ong Ka Ting : We never expected this could happen. (MCA won only 15 federal seats out of the 40 contested.) On the oppositions victory in 5 states : PKR adviser Anwar Ibrahim : A defining moment in Malaysian history and the opening of a new chapter. Koh Tsu Koon : I take full responsibility for BN's loss in Penang. (Gerakan lost all state and federal seats in Penang.) DAP & PKR will form Penang state govt with Lim Guan Eng as CM.

EC breaks promise

Will we be seeing 'ghosts' on March 8. ? Election Commissioner TS Rashid decided, with the agreement of the IGP and AG, that indelible ink won't be used to mark 'voters'. Some RM2.4 million was allocated to buy the ink from India. Turning around on his earlier announcement after parliament was dissolved. Reason was, as he bullshitted, that some jokers had bought the inks from a neighboring country and were planning to mark the fingers of several 'simpletons' from remote villages, making them believe that it was required prior to voting . When actually it would 'disqualify' them from voting. Fingers are supposed to be marked after voting. There might be some 'troubles' in the polling centers when these people are prevented from voting. Man, I was so eager to get my finger painted to show that I voted. So now, its possible for ' phantom voters' to siege the polling centers of the 'hot' seats in their chartered busses. Remember, the police have warned opposition party supporters not to hijack or stop those busses from ferrying the 'ghostly' voters to the polling centers. Is the ruling party so scared to lose that it had to enlist the '3 Stooges' to put up obstacles on the election path ? What next ?

Hidup Umno ! not Hidup BN !

I got really pissed from what I saw on TV3 1.30pm news today. There's this bimbo (probably first-timer) running for a state seat somewhere in Johor. After introductions by her seniors, made a little speech. And she rounded it off with shouts of 'Hidup Umno !' 'Hidup Umno!' ' Hidup Umno !' and ' Hidup Melayu !' 'Hidup Melayu !' 'Hidup Melayu !' Did anybody tell her that she is running on a multi-racial Barisan Nasional ticket ? She forgot that she was accompanied by several non-Melayu to submit her nomination papers last Sunday. If this is the type of young Malays being groomed as future leaders, then it don't look good for racial harmony and all that muhibbah bull being publicised all over the world. No wonder, the other BN coalition parties, despise Umno, and are just hanging on to BN for their own political and financial survival. Just disband the BN and each go your own way.Who will survive ?

Penang's candidates

Sunday was Nomination Day for Malaysia's 12th General Elections. I watched Pak Lah and other candidates in the Kepala Batas constituency filing their nomination papers on TV. Pak Lah's constituency is next to my constituency of Tasek Gelugor. Local UMNO warlord Shariff Omar (deputy agriculture/agro-based industries minister) has been the Tasek Gelugor MP for three terms. He was deputy CM of Penang, before he moved to parliament. He had to give up his seat to elections first-timer senator Nor Mohamed Yakcop (second finance minister cum economics adviser to the gov't). I guess Shariff was not very happy, and so were some of the locals. This YB always returns to his kawasan regularly. He lives not very far from the Tasek Gelugor, Sungai Dua and Telok Air Tawar towns in the constituency. The state assemblymen/woman from TG constituency were retained to seek re-elections. At the 11th hour, incumbent Sg Dua ADUN, Jasmin Mohamed was dropped for a Pemuda UMNO candidate. Then at the 11th and a half hour later, he was in again. The Pemuda chap had a 'khalwat' case ongoing. On Nomination Day, it was confirmed that Nor Mohamed Yakcop will be fighting for the Tasek Gelugor parliament seat against Ismail Salleh from PAS. Jasmin Mohamed going for Sg Dua state seat against Mohd Salleh Man of PAS. Shahbudin Yahaya for Ptg Berangan state seat against Arshad Md Salleh (PAS) and Jahara Hamid for Telok Air Tawar state seat against Norhayati Jaafar of PKR. I predict that BN will win all those seats but with reduced majorities. Former Penang CM and acting Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon is running for parliament in Batu Kawan on the mainland. If he had stood for parliament on one of the island's Chinese majority seats, he doesn't stand a chance against the DAP. He will be facing off against Dr Ramasamy of DAP. There are 23% Indians,21% Malays and 54% Chinese in this constituency. I ,personally would like to see Koh Tsu Koon in parliament. Good luck to him. DAP sec.gen. Lim Guan Eng is trying his luck in Bagan on the mainland. The incumbent DAP MPs on the island were reluctant to give up their seats to an 'outsider'. He managed to get a state seat Air Putih in the Bukit Bendera parliament constituency ( the fortress of Gerakan sec.gen. Chia Kwan Chye). He could win both seats. PKR president Wan Azizah is defending her Ptg Pauh parliament seat. And the disgraceful ustaz Firdaus Ismail is trying again to get that seat. Wan Azizah will win again with an increased majority, if there is no hanky-panky from SPR and BN. I will not be voting in Tasek Gelugor (my wife will be voting here). I will be voting in Bayan Baru parliament seat and Batu Uban state seat on the island. I registered as a voter there in my bachelor days and haven't re-registered at my present address. Old friend Zahrain Md Hashim (PKR Penang chief) is running against MCA's Ooi Siew Kim for parliament. I wont tell who I'll vote for, my secret.

Kong Xi Fa Cai

Happy Chinese New Year to everybody with Chinese ancestory. (Look up your family tree, and maybe you might find some drops of Chinese blood there. I know, I have some.) Drive safely, keep your houses safe and enjoy the holidays. Kong Xi Fa Cai.