Saturday, April 24, 2010

Primitive Pork-Barrel Politics & Mr Pink Lips


With Najib’s giveaways, BN must win big in Hulu Selangor

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — Barisan Nasional (BN) must win big in tomorrow’s Hulu Selangor by-election to justify Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal involvement in what he has called a referendum of his year-long administration.

In an unprecedented move, the prime minister himself has led the campaign to ensure MIC information chief, P. Kamalanathan, defeats PKR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim when night falls on Hulu Selangor tomorrow.

BN lost the seat for the first time in its electoral history by a razor-thin 198 votes in Election 2008, which saw the ruling federal coalition humbled in four states and 81 other federal seats.

BN has consistently won the seat with at least 8,500 votes majority since 1990, when Datuk G. Palanivel began the first of his four terms in the constituency the size of Malacca.

For the current campaign, BN has given close to RM60 million in a combination of projects and cash awards to win over the majority of the 64,500 voters in the traditionally pro-BN constituency, which comprises three state seats won by BN in Election 2008.

Anything less than a 3,000-vote majority, ironically predicted by independent Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali, will be a slap in the face for Najib and BN.

[Read the rest here.]

Friends on the ground report that they found themselves within a few yards of Mr Pink Lips today in Kuala Kubu Bharu. The crime minister was emerging from the BN media center and walking towards his car. They were astounded at how low-key the unexpected encounter turned out to be. No jeers, but no cheers either for Mr Pink Lips. Truth is, his energy is DEADLY DULL... just like the entire BN campaign.