Opposition Boycott Batu Talam By-election
PAS and Parti Keadilan is not going to stand in for the Batu Talam by election.
PAS vice president Husam Musa told Malaysiakini reasons' why the Opposition decided to boycott the Batu Talam by-election:
We are just not entering the by-election this time. We want to send a strong message to the Election Commission (EC) and Umno that they need to rectify some of the practices in the elections including money politics and unfair media coverage.
Umno (election) workers are frustrated with this decision because they will not have the opportunity to make money from this by-election. This normally happens during a by-election, especially in Pahang. In the Pengkalan Pasir by-election (in Kelantan), they (Umno) spent lavishly. All their workers were given a certain amount of money not just to distribute to voters but also for themselves.
EC and Umno need to review some of these election practices immediately. That is the main reason behind our decision.
Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Wednesday night announced that they would boycott the Batu Talam by-election scheduled for Jan 28.
Pas deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa said the decision was taken following the discovery of discrepancies in the electoral roll for the constituency.
"The electoral roll appears doubtful. Coupled with postal votes that are never transparent and prejudiced, we decided that it was best we boycotted the by-election," he said before 1,000 Pas and PKR supporters at Pas' constituency headquarters here.
Also present were Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Nasharudin also said that the biased attitude of the Election Commission chairman favouring the Barisan Nasional (BN) was also a factor in the boycott decision.
"If Pas and PKR participate in this by-election, it would mean we too are party to the abuse of the democratic process," he added.
The seat fell vacant following the death of its BN state assemblyman Datuk Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan, 65, of cancer on Dec 27. In the last general election in 2004, he beat Dr Mohamed Nilam Abdul Manaf of Pas with a majority of 2,761 votes.
The EC fixed Jan 16 as the nomination day.
With PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) announcing a boycott and the DAP disinterested, the Barisan Nasional (BN) stands a good chance of retaining the Batu Talam state seat unopposed on Nomination Day on Tuesday.
PAS and PKR have cited unhappiness with so-called irregularities in the electoral rolls for the constituency for staying away from the by-election while the DAP does not have much influence among the constituents.
"Even if we enter the fray, we will end up losing our deposit," Pahang DAP Chairman Lip Tuck Chee told Bernama.
Victory for the BN this time will be the third in a by-election under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is said to be the prime mover behind the opposition’s decision to boycott the Batu Talam by-election scheduled for Jan 28.
According to sources, the two-pronged strategy is meant to save the credibility of both Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
A source said that if the opposition lost, as many expected the result to be, the former Deputy Prime Minister who is now PKR adviser would not be blamed for the defeat.
Even if the Opposition could win, it would defeat the purpose of them having a nationwide campaign accusing Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Election Commission (EC) of manipulating the election, said the source.
The Malay-majority Batu Talam state seat is an Umno stronghold.
Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa however played down Anwar’s role, saying that it was a collective agreement between his party and PKR.
"We have to boycott Batu Talam by-election to send a strong signal to the government that we’re serious about electoral reform," he said in a joint Press conference here yesterday.
He also brushed aside allegations that Pas was afraid of losing, saying that the party had lost deposits in last year’s Sarawak state elections and other previous elections.
Observers believe that Pas does not have much chance of winning the Batu Talam by-election.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and PAS and 25 non-governmental organisations are to go on a nationwide drive to create awareness among voters on the need to restructure the Election Commission (EC).
This follows yesterday's decision by PAS and Keadilan to boycott the Batu Talam by-election, scheduled for Jan 28, on grounds of alleged discrepancies in the electoral roll for the constituency.
They also alleged the election process was prejudiced and one-sided and criticised EC chairman Tan Sri Ab Rashid Ab Rahman for being inconsistent and pro-Barisan Nasional (BN).
In the press conference, jointly chaired by PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali, the parties said they would go on the ground to expose the incompetence of the EC and the electoral process.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng Lim told theSun in a telephone interview that the EC could not even provide valid and convincing reasons for the discrepancies in the electoral roll for Batu Talam.
"I was told there were only two houses resided by Indians in Batu Talam. But there are more than 300 registered Indian voters. The EC could explain that," he added.
Lim said for free and fair elections to be conducted, the EC must ensure that:
* there is no politics of fear, like the blatant use of May 13 to scare voters;
* there is no money politics;
* there is a free media; and
* there are no phantom voters
THE first sign that something was amiss in Batu Talam came when someone removed the word "candidate" from a banner to announce the Opposition bid for the constituency.
The banner strung up at Pas’ office in Kampung Sega originally bore a message, in bold red letters, proclaiming a major event to be held there on Wednesday night: "Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) joint declaration of the Batu Talam by-election candidate."
But when the event rolled around, the word "candidate" had been painted over.
Few noticed. A stellar crowd-pulling cast of Pas and PKR leaders, including Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was in attendance.
When Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa took to the stage amid a heavy downpour and read out a prepared statement, the truth was finally revealed.
What was supposed to have a triumphant announcement of Pas’ candidacy turned into a declaration of an Opposition boycott of the by-election.
Malaysia Batu Talam By-election
PAS vice president Husam Musa told Malaysiakini reasons' why the Opposition decided to boycott the Batu Talam by-election:
We are just not entering the by-election this time. We want to send a strong message to the Election Commission (EC) and Umno that they need to rectify some of the practices in the elections including money politics and unfair media coverage.
Umno (election) workers are frustrated with this decision because they will not have the opportunity to make money from this by-election. This normally happens during a by-election, especially in Pahang. In the Pengkalan Pasir by-election (in Kelantan), they (Umno) spent lavishly. All their workers were given a certain amount of money not just to distribute to voters but also for themselves.
EC and Umno need to review some of these election practices immediately. That is the main reason behind our decision.
Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Wednesday night announced that they would boycott the Batu Talam by-election scheduled for Jan 28.
Pas deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa said the decision was taken following the discovery of discrepancies in the electoral roll for the constituency.
"The electoral roll appears doubtful. Coupled with postal votes that are never transparent and prejudiced, we decided that it was best we boycotted the by-election," he said before 1,000 Pas and PKR supporters at Pas' constituency headquarters here.
Also present were Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Nasharudin also said that the biased attitude of the Election Commission chairman favouring the Barisan Nasional (BN) was also a factor in the boycott decision.
"If Pas and PKR participate in this by-election, it would mean we too are party to the abuse of the democratic process," he added.
The seat fell vacant following the death of its BN state assemblyman Datuk Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan, 65, of cancer on Dec 27. In the last general election in 2004, he beat Dr Mohamed Nilam Abdul Manaf of Pas with a majority of 2,761 votes.
The EC fixed Jan 16 as the nomination day.
With PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) announcing a boycott and the DAP disinterested, the Barisan Nasional (BN) stands a good chance of retaining the Batu Talam state seat unopposed on Nomination Day on Tuesday.
PAS and PKR have cited unhappiness with so-called irregularities in the electoral rolls for the constituency for staying away from the by-election while the DAP does not have much influence among the constituents.
"Even if we enter the fray, we will end up losing our deposit," Pahang DAP Chairman Lip Tuck Chee told Bernama.
Victory for the BN this time will be the third in a by-election under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is said to be the prime mover behind the opposition’s decision to boycott the Batu Talam by-election scheduled for Jan 28.
According to sources, the two-pronged strategy is meant to save the credibility of both Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
A source said that if the opposition lost, as many expected the result to be, the former Deputy Prime Minister who is now PKR adviser would not be blamed for the defeat.
Even if the Opposition could win, it would defeat the purpose of them having a nationwide campaign accusing Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Election Commission (EC) of manipulating the election, said the source.
The Malay-majority Batu Talam state seat is an Umno stronghold.
Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa however played down Anwar’s role, saying that it was a collective agreement between his party and PKR.
"We have to boycott Batu Talam by-election to send a strong signal to the government that we’re serious about electoral reform," he said in a joint Press conference here yesterday.
He also brushed aside allegations that Pas was afraid of losing, saying that the party had lost deposits in last year’s Sarawak state elections and other previous elections.
Observers believe that Pas does not have much chance of winning the Batu Talam by-election.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and PAS and 25 non-governmental organisations are to go on a nationwide drive to create awareness among voters on the need to restructure the Election Commission (EC).
This follows yesterday's decision by PAS and Keadilan to boycott the Batu Talam by-election, scheduled for Jan 28, on grounds of alleged discrepancies in the electoral roll for the constituency.
They also alleged the election process was prejudiced and one-sided and criticised EC chairman Tan Sri Ab Rashid Ab Rahman for being inconsistent and pro-Barisan Nasional (BN).
In the press conference, jointly chaired by PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali, the parties said they would go on the ground to expose the incompetence of the EC and the electoral process.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng Lim told theSun in a telephone interview that the EC could not even provide valid and convincing reasons for the discrepancies in the electoral roll for Batu Talam.
"I was told there were only two houses resided by Indians in Batu Talam. But there are more than 300 registered Indian voters. The EC could explain that," he added.
Lim said for free and fair elections to be conducted, the EC must ensure that:
* there is no politics of fear, like the blatant use of May 13 to scare voters;
* there is no money politics;
* there is a free media; and
* there are no phantom voters
THE first sign that something was amiss in Batu Talam came when someone removed the word "candidate" from a banner to announce the Opposition bid for the constituency.
The banner strung up at Pas’ office in Kampung Sega originally bore a message, in bold red letters, proclaiming a major event to be held there on Wednesday night: "Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) joint declaration of the Batu Talam by-election candidate."
But when the event rolled around, the word "candidate" had been painted over.
Few noticed. A stellar crowd-pulling cast of Pas and PKR leaders, including Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was in attendance.
When Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa took to the stage amid a heavy downpour and read out a prepared statement, the truth was finally revealed.
What was supposed to have a triumphant announcement of Pas’ candidacy turned into a declaration of an Opposition boycott of the by-election.
Malaysia Batu Talam By-election
Labels: opinion Malaysia
posted by Ah Yun Wong at
10:32 AM
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