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.



Guess who dropped by for a chat last night?


That's right... Nurul Izzah, Anwar's feisty princess, surprised everyone by showing up unannounced at an outdoor ceramah in Kg Pertak. The event was sponsored by a Pakatan Rakyat supporter to neutralize the vile and pernicious influence of the Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli - which has been used as a weapon to bludgeon the Temuan of Ulu Selangor into submission to more misrule under BN.

Izzah's enchanting presence at the Orang Asli ceramah was a poignant reminder to everyone present that the campaign was ultimately all about putting an end to gross injustice and abuse of power.

The Batin of Pertak, Bidar Chik, was visibly thrilled to be introduced to Izzah. "I greatly admire your father," he told Izzah. He had earlier had a long conversation with Selangor exco for environment and tourism, Elizabeth Wong, who spoke last in the program.

The event at Kg Pertak was notable for the spirit of fun and freedom that permeated the ceramah. A band from Pos Iskandar, Pahang, was on hand to provide lively joget numbers between political speeches. Jenita Engi, a young Temuan girl from Parit Gong, Negri Sembilan, was the emcee for the evening and she put everyone at ease with her easyflowing banter. An observer noted that many of the Asli tend to hang back in the shadows at ceramah hosted by the JHEOA. I guess they instinctively know better than to get too close to the density and darkness symbolized by the Dacing.

Many Orang Asli from other tribes were present to lend support to the Pakatan Rakyat campaign. They voiced their frustrations against the deeply entrenched arrogance, insensitivity and greed of the Umno/BN government and exhorted their fellow Orang Asli to awaken from slumber and vote them out.

Friday, April 23, 2010

P. Kamalanathan, Samy's phantom voter!

KAMAL A PHANTOM VOTER?

Selangor exco Xavier Jayakumar yesterday accused P Kamalanathan (pictured extreme left) of being a "phantom voter" in the Sungai Siput constituency, during his speech in Hulu Selangor.

The seat was a stronghold of the MIC's long time president Samy Vellu before PSM's Jeyakumar Devaraj seized it from him in the 2008 general election.

PKR Penang Pantai Jerejak state assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzin also levelled the same charge in his twitter while revealing Kamalanathan's IC number.

His twitter message read: "Shocking! Dr Xavier just revealed that Kamalanathan is pengundi Hantu in P62 Sungai Siput. Check for yourself 651018-10-XXXX".

Malaysiakini carried out a check on the Election Commission (EC) website with the IC data provided, and the result shows that it belongs to one P Kamalanathan, who is a voter in the Sungai Siput parliament constituency and Jelong state assembly seat.

The EC data also shows that this Kamalanathan address is Heawood Garden, and votes in Simpang Tiga.

Xavier later told Malaysiakini that Kamalanathan is living in Rawang, and his IC address is Rawang, and now he is a BN candidate for Hulu Selangor by- election, yet he votes in Sungai Siput, so it is clear that he is a phantom voter.

"I think a man who wants to be a member of parliament should be principled and accountable for what he has done before.

"It shows that he not to be trusted and is willing to break the law."

However, there is some doubt over this issue, as the relevant electoral law had been amended prior to the 2004 general election making situations like Kamalanathan's to be legal.

Malaysiakini called P Kamalanathan for clarification who said he will explain the issue when the time is right.

"I am now focusing on the election in Hulu Selangor, I want to meet the voters, I want to make friends with the voters, I will not comment it now.

"I will comment it at the right time. I want to go a meeting, bye bye."

Malaysiakini also SMSed the IC number to Kamalanathan for verification but there was no response.

At an earlier interview, Kamalanathan had admitted that in his younger days, he had stayed in Sungai Siput for a while, although he maintains that he has been a Rawang resident for 44 years.

CHECK IT OUT! Go to the SPR electoral roll checksite and key in 651018106495


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Anatomy of an obsequious Hand-Kisser

"Kiss his hand? When did I kiss his hand? Show me where I did that!" ~ Kamalanathan, BN's candidate for Hulu Selangor

Kamalanathan loses cool over criticisms
By Clara Chooi | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA KUBU BARU, April 21 — As a public relations manager, P. Kamalanathan hardly loses his cool.

The calm exterior of the 44-year-old finally cracked yesterday when he was made to answer to allegations that his bid to win this Sunday’s Hulu Selangor by-election would be at the cost of his pride and identity as a member of the Indian community.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate was asked to comment about his overdependence on Umno leaders to win the by-election race and how he was seemingly willing to sacrifice the community’s struggles by kowtowing to his Muslim leaders.

This, Kamalanathan was told, was illustrated once when he kissed the hand of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and when he promised to deliver Hulu Selangor as a “gift” to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Since being named as a candidate, he has also defended Malay rights group Perkasa, a move that earned him plenty of criticism.

A shocked-looking Kamalanathan immediately replaced his smile with a frown and quickly defended his move.

“Kiss his hand? When did I kiss his hand? Show me where I did that,” he exclaimed, looking miffed when asked at an unplanned press conference in Ladang Kerling near here.

He said that even if he had indeed kissed Muhyiddin’s hand, it was not a wrongful act but was merely a depiction of Malaysian culture.

When asked about how the act might show signs that he was willing to sacrifice Indian pride for the sake of winning the by-election, Kamalanathan looked further agitated.

“Oh my God! This is culture we are talking about. If someone can say that culture is selling pride then I do not know what they are talking about.

“I am shocked that people can compare culture to pride,” he said.

The MIC information chief insisted that it was in Malaysian culture to show such acts of respect to the elders.

“Every child is taught to respect their elders. I was taught the same thing,” he said.

Kamalanathan was also queried on Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) occasional reference to how he, as a first-time candidate, had to hide behind the Umno top guns like Muhyiddin and Najib in order to win himself support.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had pointed out yesterday how the by-election was really an Umno show in view of the large number of banners containing Najib’s face instead of Kamalanathan.

[Read the rest here.]

Kamalanathan wasn't lying. A close analysis of the photo above reveals that he was actually kissing his own hand. However, for public relations purposes, he wanted his gesture to look like subservience to the arrogant mud-faced Umno warlord....

Ah... Malaysian politics!


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Zaid Ibrahim on the campaign trail

PLAYING TO WIN...
Zaid politely declines to join three future constituents for a quick drink. "Tapi teh tarik boleh," he quips ;-)

[Photos courtesy of Minaq-Jinggo]

COME ON, FOLKS, LICK MY FINGERS!

Let me fry your chicken, pretty pleeeaaaase?

Obama thinks I've got excellent taste in chicks!

But... but... you guaranteed me an electoral victory...


KETUANAN FRIED COUNTRY
Finger Frickin' Gross




Monday, April 19, 2010

ONLY 500 TIGERS LEFT IN THE WILD!

THE TIGER
by William Blake

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand dare seize the fire?


And what shoulder and what art

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? What dread grasp

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?


When the stars threw down their spears,

And water'd heaven with their tears,

Did He smile His work to see?

Did He who made the lamb make thee?


Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


William Blake (28 November 1757 - 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognized during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age.


Since 1896, our national emblem has been the tiger, king of the jungle, which figures in Malaysia's coat-of-arms and many institutional crests. The tiger symbolizes courage, strength, bravery, agility, beauty and majesty.

But what have we done with our national icon? We have already killed more than 80% of them. By clearing forests without proper planning, we have deprived them of their habitats. Hunting tigers for profit to satisfy the demands of those who believe tiger meat has aphrodisiac or tonic properties has dramatically decimated the population.

This video shows how cruel hunters can be...



Today there are fewer than 500 tigers left in the wild. If the current rate of habitat destruction and poaching continues, these remaining tigers will be wiped out within a decade or less.

A nation that destroys the majestic animal that inspired its own national emblem surely cannot be called developed. We owe it to our children and their children to protect our tigers in the wild.