HOT HOT HOT HOT
Let the propaganda battle begin!
While KJ is contesting in Rembau, Negri Sembilan , Mukhriz is sent to Jerlun instead of his original choice, Langkawi to spread the UMNO spirit in Kedah. OK, I stand corrected, it is more on the domination a priori on the ticket of culminating the perpaduan melayu spirit, pembangunan orang melayu luar bandar dan sebagainya.
Fong Po Kuan of DAP, who earlier on has announced nationwide of her pulling out as a candidate, has decided to keep up the DAP spirit by rejoining the election campaign to retain her Batu Gajah MP constituency in Perak.
Demam pilihanraya, general election fever is back! When it is usually a once in 5 year affair, this year 2008 saw the Malaysian Parliament officially dissolved on the 13 February 2008 and now it's campaigning time, four years after the 11th General Election. Election day falls on the 8th March 2008, Saturday.
While my UNDI is rahsia (my vote is undisclosed), I like to follow some bits and bobs on the general election news and so on. I have never voted before, not in malaysia and certainly not in the UK even though i was there during the 2001 and 2005 election. But to see the voting results on the telly was something i like to look forward to. All my life in the UK from 1997 to 2005, it was ruled by Labour Party and the Prime Minister back then was Tony Blair. When I went back to the UK mid-2007, Tony was still the PM but his days were numbered. His successor was already widely known and now Gordon Brown, the former Labour Chancellor took the torch to rule the country. During my 1st degree all the way to my 1st half of my 1st year PhD, William Hague was the Tory Shadow PM, followed by Iain Duncan Smith in 2002, then successed by Michael Howard for 2005 election and now led by David Cameron.
While my UNDI is rahsia (my vote is undisclosed), I like to follow some bits and bobs on the general election news and so on. I have never voted before, not in malaysia and certainly not in the UK even though i was there during the 2001 and 2005 election. But to see the voting results on the telly was something i like to look forward to. All my life in the UK from 1997 to 2005, it was ruled by Labour Party and the Prime Minister back then was Tony Blair. When I went back to the UK mid-2007, Tony was still the PM but his days were numbered. His successor was already widely known and now Gordon Brown, the former Labour Chancellor took the torch to rule the country. During my 1st degree all the way to my 1st half of my 1st year PhD, William Hague was the Tory Shadow PM, followed by Iain Duncan Smith in 2002, then successed by Michael Howard for 2005 election and now led by David Cameron.
Malaysia however is more dramatic when it comes to Election Day. We will be seeing thousands of sepanduk, banners, bunting, massive ones, small ones, annoying faces, goodfellas, future leaders, smiley faces, arrogant faces, high-spirited faces, samseng faces, angelic/innocent faces, pretty faces, lapuk faces, regular faces, balik-balik dia jugak faces, tak malu faces, smug faces, all will be seen on the roadside, highways, buildings, fences, bridges,in between coconut and palma trees, nearby the market, along the housing areas, and etc.
Whichever party you vote for, have a look at some of the parties website laden with campaign stories, kisah buruk2 kan parti or calon lain, gossips, campaign schedules, sape nak kasi apa campaign promises, interactives, party activities, who's who, basically whatever related to election day or not necessarily related to the campaign:
- DAP
- PAS
- Parti Keadilan Rakyat
- The ruling coalition party, Barisan Nasional: basically covered in most of the local daily newspapers i.e. Utusan, Berita Harian, The Star, The New Straits Times, and for the locals, they can view live on the tv on most of the national channels, i.e. RTM, TV3, NTV7, 8TV, Astro Awani, Astro Bernama, and TV9.
- Those parties in Sarawak and Sabah, some are under the coalition and some are mainly representing the indigenous natives.
The first three parties are the Opposition Parties. We may not see them much on the TV except whenever something very, very vulgar, or some important announcement, or if they did not name any possible candidate and rendered the BN candidate menang tanpa bertanding (win without contest), the news will then be a bit of one-sided. However much dissent and disparagement, this is what it's gonna be like, nothing dissimilar to what I have seen during Tory-Labour-LibDem campaigns. The Labour superimposed William Hague into Thatcher's face and added the words like: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid on the poster and added fangs to Michael Howard, the so-called vampire from Transylvania to scare people away from ever thinking of voting him as the next PM.
ON the other hand, Malaysian newspapers and television channels would highlight whatever ridiculous things about the opposition parties be it in their speech or their retaliations during some interviews and usually the negative parts will be aired/printed. The mass and electronic media might even edit their interviews to make them look even more absurd and the public would be left thinking how these people are making a complete ass of themselves.
ON the other hand, Malaysian newspapers and television channels would highlight whatever ridiculous things about the opposition parties be it in their speech or their retaliations during some interviews and usually the negative parts will be aired/printed. The mass and electronic media might even edit their interviews to make them look even more absurd and the public would be left thinking how these people are making a complete ass of themselves.
Let the propaganda battle begin!
While KJ is contesting in Rembau, Negri Sembilan , Mukhriz is sent to Jerlun instead of his original choice, Langkawi to spread the UMNO spirit in Kedah. OK, I stand corrected, it is more on the domination a priori on the ticket of culminating the perpaduan melayu spirit, pembangunan orang melayu luar bandar dan sebagainya.
Fong Po Kuan of DAP, who earlier on has announced nationwide of her pulling out as a candidate, has decided to keep up the DAP spirit by rejoining the election campaign to retain her Batu Gajah MP constituency in Perak.
Jeff Ooi, of the well-known, not to forget, controversial blog: Screenshot will be pursuing as a DAP candidate in Jelutong, Pulau Pinang. From a blogger to a political figure, he's quite adamant on battling against his old party, Gerakan, a BN coalition party and he even put up his own campaign website too: Jeff 4 Malaysia.
See, Malaysian election campaign is full of drama. I better be ready to have to bear the indelible ink mark on my finger thumb as a proof of voting.
Ikhlas,
Political scene observer
Ikhlas,
Political scene observer
17 comments:
I love voting. Voted twice in UK. Once in the 1982 election which saw Margaret Thatcher re-elected as PM. The second time in 1986/7 again won by Conservative. It was so weird that being a member of the common wealth, we could vote. It was so easy to register. The election commission people in Manchester and Reading came to the house and registered me.
In Malaysia I have voted 3X. Whom did I vote for,....rahsia :)
I had never known that while you are in the UK, you too can vote during election. I thought election is for British nationals only? After all, you need to register your names or smthing first right, I mean I'm comparing to the situation here in Malaysia.
For instance, I wouldn't want some foreign nationals go out and voting, thus giving implication to the future of my country. I mean we have enough confused (and sometimes stupid, sori to say that ahak ahak) fellow Malaysians who can't make a wise decision over who to vote for, let alone some foreigners who may not have a clue. Just a thought anyway.. hehee..
I heard that indelible ink is unremovable for a week eh? If so, then how about ablution.. will it form some kind of barrier for water to reach our skin?
HAPPY VOTING MANAL!!!!
Talking about politics (or in this case, writing about it) can be very tiring. Thinking about it sometimes gives me headache. And now that the election is coming, trust the media to report (on behalf of BN no doubt) ALL the stupid and wrong doings of the opposition party. So yes, I agree with you Manal - Malaysian politics are so full of drama, and the media will of course cleverly does it part to make the opposition parties look like assholes. BUT the media for the opposition parties themselves are not any better.
Whatever it is, our politics these days mainly consist of people criticising one another on the media, a lot of backstabbing - hence reflecting a very immature set of leadership style.
But when you need to vote, you vote. Cuma who you vote for tu is hardly a difficult guess.
Manal dear.. happy voting..!!
Hi Manal, as far as I am concerned with elections, be it here or anywhere else, it adds to global warming, what with the hot air coming out from all the campaign speeches, etc...and thats the only time you see politicians, lepas dapat voted, they raise their salaries, then do a disappearing trick, till 4 years later.
One VIP did knock on our door, and he had hardly done anything, so I terus told him at my door, "you want my vote, then you raise your salary 30% and disappear till 4 years later, you come back".
He and his bodyguard left immediately, I telling him, "I'm voting for the Communist party", ha ha.
That fellow samy Vellu still around? Lim kit Siang?
If in KL, I might take a look if Anwar Ibrahim running....that guy is a smart fellow. Lee.
Hi manal (& hi to UL to!),
Am back after a long 'break' - election fever punya pasal! Sori beb - bukan sombong ye.
Dunno about being involved in UK election til I read the comment by madam curi. Thats interesting!
I won't be 'meraih undi' (unlike during my younger days hehehe) on this coming polling day but I did my part - just gt back from kpg - kempen pada family & friends je.
All that I can say is that - without much prodding - The Sentiment is very much the same!
Marilah mengundi kwn2..
I saw so masuk-bakul-angkat-sendiri BN adverts along the north-south highways on my way back from JB today.
Just wondering how much $$$$$ were spent for this unnecessary act...sigh..
What did the BN advert say Ryzah? Could u highlight it to us, thanx..
i'm voting for meself this year
undilah SUE!
Madam Curi,
I was sent mails on asking me to vote for my local MP and state assemblyman but i have declined them back in london especially. But i felt a londoner never the least hehe...
Yeah mari la mari, mari mengundi, jgn lupa kewajipan pada negara....
Pisces Man,
U heard the news, no more indelible ink. Why, too paranoid that the public are losing trust to them ruling party ka?
NOT just ANY foreign workers/students, but those considered professionals with a proper bank account details are those who are allowed to get to vote in the UK. Here in malaysia, the govt should allow the PR and professional workers the right to vote too so long as they have stayed and worked here more than a certain number of years and are associated with legal business or multinational companies/universities and so on.
Mel Ija,
Immature, indecent, selfish, self-righteous, and so on....that are prolly what a politician is made of. But we do have the diplomatic, conscientious, selfless, visionary, sensitive, empathetic, full of humility and people-person politicians and apparently, these species are in the endangered list. Even those who were once good people, can change once he/she surrounded with materials, fame and power-hunger crowd.
You too, Ija, do your responsibility to the nation by this coming polling day.
Ija
I mean: by "voting" this coming polling day
Uncle Lee,
HOT AIR!!! hahahaha....spot on, dude!
Unfortunately, he is still contesting for his 3 decade Sungai Siput seat. Heaven knows how much he has been spending on adding hair on his head.
Anwar, well, it's his daughter for Lembah Pantai,KL seat and his wife for Permatang Pauh, penang seat. Apparently, one cannot be smarter than the boss unless he is related blood-wise. And usually an asshole gets away scot free despite whatever crime they committed in the past/present as long as he/she be the asshole the way boss like it.
Rad,
U know what, Dato VC already circulated the notice warning any one tried to associate him/herself to any political activity come the election day.
Yeah....lets go mengundi! I do no party, so no need to temp me with whatever propaganda and what not. They are human beings with needs and flaws. And we can only hope the SPR ballot counting system live up to the principles. Semoga mereka yang mempunyai niat buruk and wanting to porak-perandakan negara di timpa balasan seadilnya!
Hszyr,
Two words: Ad Nauseam!
Pisces again,
Click on the BN2008.org.my and feast yourself. And dont try to think how much those people get paid.
Sue,
Parti CAP ape kak? Calon bebas is it? To all cat lovers (can i say pussy instead of cat?), vote Sue and your pussies' welfare will fall in the right capable hands of hers.
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