To make a real difference, SUPP and other minority parties must leave BN

Written by  Jason Tan, Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

The disastrous outing of SUPP in the recently concluded Sarawak state elections must have startled Chua Soi Lek and Koh Tsu Koon. The MCA and Gerakan presidents were alarmed and shocked by the sentiments of Sarawakian Chinese, who all but dumped the BN.

SUPP were left with just a couple of Chinese representatives in the Sarawak state assembly after DAP grabbed the lion's share of Chinese-majority constituencies with 12 seats.

Was Chua Soi Lek emoting the true sentiments of the SUPP members or was he further rubbing salt into the wound by advising the Sarawak-based party to stay out of the state Cabinet. This serves as an obvious insult towards SUPP, which has been part of the Cabinet for 4 decades.

It might also have been the MCA president's way of deliberately highlighting SUPP’s failure in front of his big boss, Umno and Najib Razak, and to divert attention from his own party’s failure in securing Chinese votes in the past few years.

Whichever his motive, Chua Soi Lek straightaway earned himself a new nickname of 'God-of-Contradiction' eclipsing even his long-standing 'God-of-Porn' - both of which were bestowed on him by the average man-in-the-street. In coffeshops throughout the nation, Soi Leki's statement, "If they take part in the Cabinet, I feel the Chinese of Sarawak would think they are there only for the seats and not to serve the community", became the top subject of debate and ridicule by the community.

Partly, because after assuming the MCA presidency in 2009, Chua Soi Lek had pressed for a Cabinet post to be awarded to his son, Chua Tee Yong, the Labis MP. Yet the MCA had chalked its worst-ever electoral performance in the 2008 general election as the Chinese in the peninsula slammed the door in the MCA's face. So why did Soi Lek 'volunteer' his son? Why are there still several MCA ministers in the Cabinet? Why doesn't Soi Lek pull them out immediately, especially Tee Yong?

On top of that, MCA's sole representative in Perak Dr Mah Hang Soon also accepted the post of state executive councilor. Aren't these sparkling examples the evidential proofs of the hypocrisy and double standards that led to MCA's own downfall?

Twisting the knife and throwing a red herring
Soi Lek  also seems to have forgotten his disastrous 'cameo' performance in Sarawak.

He had gone there to assist SUPP's campaign but the move backfired, with Sarawakians openly shunning him because of his infamous sex video. Sad to say, Sarawakians perceived him as a leader without moral values and principles, comparing him unfavorably with DAP's Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng.

In particular, Guan Eng is remembered as the activist who was jailed under Malaysia's infamous Sedition Act for fighting the injustice surrounding an underaged Malay girl who was allegedly raped by former Malacca Chief Minister, Rahim Thambi Chik. Whereas, Soi Lek is remembered for the the sex clip featuring himself cavorting with his mistress. The clip went viral around the world when it was uploaded on YouTube.

Still, while twisting the knife into SUPP and its dethroned president George Chan, Chua Soi Lek made sure to hone his shoe-polishing skills by heaping praises on Prime Minister Najib Razak. This sparked suspicion in the ever-alert Chinese community that he was "doing something for Umno" or in other words casting a red herring to defect attention from the fact that the community had rejected BN due to its racist ways and that the BN deserved the voter snub.

Nonetheless, Soi Lek urged the Chinese to take note of Najib's ability to lead Barisan Nasional to victory in Sarawak. Never once did he mention the massive electoral fraud and vote-buying scandals that marred Black Saturday, April 16, where the Election Commission was repeatedly caught red-handed closing an eye as BN supporters turned the situation at the final tally centres to their favor.

Not suprisingly, Soi Lek was again accused of being Umno's 'running dog' in commentaries throughout cyber-space.

Tsu Koon - another Sleeping Beauty?
Meanwhile, Gerakan's Koh Tsu Koon president of Gerakan also made his voice heard right after the Sarawak elections. To his credit, Koh made better sense when he said, "We need to look at the matter seriously as the phenomenon is now truly a big challenge for the BN". 

The problem with Tsu Koon's rationalising is that the Chinese community has long voiced out its displeasure. Their unhappiness had already translated into votes for Pakatan Rakyat in the 2008 general elections, and also in the subsequent 16 rounds of by-elections since then. In these by-elections, only 20 to 35 per cent of the Chinese votes went BN's way.

Isn't Tsu Koon being a little too little, a little too late with his comments?  The former Penang chief minister had held in his hand the power to make a difference but he wasted the decades of opportunity and in the end Penangites booted him out. He lost his seat, just like George Chan.

So for Tsu Koon to make 'tut-tutting' conciliatory sounds now only invites more brickbats from the Chinese, who are just too fed up to want to close an eye anymore.

The real decision facing SUPP and other minority parties
Already, many have slammed him for putting his personal ambition and high-profile federal Cabinet post before Gerakan grassroots and their aspirations. At the most recent Gerakan congress, he exorted members to be more aggressive and assured that the party was recruiting new members at a healthy clip.

But he drew only yawns of disbelief. As Minister for Key Performance Index, most Malaysians - not just the Chinese - believe that Koh has failed his own KPI and should resign.

Some Gerakan members even point to the party's congress in 2008, when Tsu Koon grandly declared that Gerakan would stay in BN - the same tough choice that SUPP members are facing now.
Tsu Koon's rationale was that Gerakan would be more effective should it stay and be the opposition within the BN. Has it?

This all-important question should be put to Malaysians regardless of race. Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Dayak, Orang Ulu or KDM and all other races - if they can be bothered to even care about Gerakan anymore should be asked, "has Gerakan lived up to Koh's pledge to be the opposition within the BN?"
This is the real lesson for SUPP members, pundits say, and certainly not about staying within the Cabinet or not. That may just the red herring thrown out by a "sly" Chua Soi Lek, perhaps on the egging of a fearful Umno elite, they added.

Indeed, it does look like the real decision that members of SUPP and all other minority parties must make if they are serious about contributing to Malaysian society as politicians fighting for a better tomorrow is - isn't it time to leave Barisan Nasional and make a difference?     -    Malaysia Chronicle

Who is RACISM?

WHO IS RACISM? 

NOW BN MINISTER BLAME CHINESE MEDIA. WHAT ABOUT IF UTUSAN POTRAY THE PERKASA NEWS? PERKASA IS TOTAL RACISM WHEN IT START TO BLAME OTHER RACES WHEN SOME ISSUE BROUGHT UP.
BUT BN MINISTER KEEP QUITE. CHINESE IN SARAWAK START TO RAN AWAY FROM SUPP BECAUSE VERY LIMITED SPACE TO VOICE OUT BUT IN DAP YOU CAN BARK THE GOVERNMENT!
__________________________________________________________________

Hisham warns Chinese media not to play up racism, defends Utusan

Written by  Malaysia Chronicle

  The print media should not play up racial sentiments for profits and at the expense of the nation’s interest, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said.

He cited a Malay proverb about people who gloated about their “successes” while their homes were sacrificed.

“When the country is in chaos, there would be no value if Sin Chew, Nanyang or Utusan could sell even a single copy of their newspaper,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby yesterday.

He said news, particularly in the Chinese newspapers, was being monitored closely.
Asked about a report in Utusan Malaysia that suggested that Barisan Nasional need not take care of the Chinese following the outcome of the just concluded Sarawak polls, he said: “Besides Utusan, other editions speak that way, too.

“It is the same with The Star as they talk about the same sentiments.

“If you talk to the Chinese newspapers, it is even worse and I have been monitoring the Chinese papers,” he added.

However, Hishammuddin noted that Chinese newspapers needed time to adapt to the current political changes.

“Give them space and they will know the landscape sooner or later,” he said.

Hishammuddin, who is also Umno vice-president, viewed Barisan’s loss in the predominantly-Chinese seats in Sarawak as a testing time for the coalition in facing racial and religious issues.

“We must not allow such issues to rear their head,” he said.

He also said it was time for the Barisan component parties to help their weaker partners.

“Even Umno had to look to the Chinese for their support when the party was in crisis.

“That is the difference between the Opposition and Barisan – we have friends in the coalition and we face things together.

“When Umno was divided, those that helped us were the component parties like the MCA,” he added.
SUPP was crushed by DAP in the Sarawak election.

SUPP contested in 19 seats and lost 13 with its president Tan Sri Dr George Chan being the biggest casualty.

- The Star

What's wrong with SUPP?

Written by  Malaysia Chronicle

Someone asked me, what's wrong with the SUPP?

I said, senselessness.
The senselessness has been around for some time, but its destruction has been chronically and grossly underestimated.

SUPP has never sensed the needs of the urban folks nor the feelings of the Chinese community.
It has never sensed the change of times, nor its own senility and degradation.

As a matter of fact, there are apparent signs and symptoms of this malady called senselessness, but weirdly the sufferer itself fails to detect even the slightest signs.

It was least perturbed when it lost almost half its urban constituencies in the 2006 state election. In its stead, the internal rift widened and power struggle intensified.

It did not have any feeling towards the defeat in Sibu by-election, and went on with its own political tricks.
Five years on, any effective cure for this malady should have by now evaporated, and the time has come for it to face the final verdict.

Even as the storm was looming, the party remained surprisingly unfazed.

Some said, "The voters are frustrated with SUPP."

It responded, "No one shall negate SUPP's past contributions!"

Some said, "A tsunami is brewing within the Chinese community. It's going to be an opposition lean."

It responded, "The Chinese community cannot do away with significant Chinese representation in the state government. They will continue to support SUPP."

Some said, "People are turning against Taib. Things are not looking too good!"

It responded, "This has nothing to do with SUPP."

On the final day, a banner was seen hanging over the street, reading: Save the SUPP!
Too late!

Senselessness is by no means fatal, but we need to give it sustained attention to turn around
The first prerequisite, progressive thinking.

Beginning with socialism, the SUPP lost its direction mid-way through its struggle.

It is imperative that the party should infuse more social democratic thinking and come to the appreciation of the universal values of democracy, human rights and freedom while advocating an independent judiciary system and preserving social justice and transparency in governance.

Next, it has to learn not to grow too complacent. It needs to stay highly alert at all times.
Thirdly, the power it has bagged has rendered it arrogant and haughty.

With power in its safe grips, it has got itself dislodged from the society, even to the extent of confronting the interests of the people.

With such power no longer on its side, perhaps it should learn to be a little humbler.
Fourthly, ageing.

Infighting and clinging onto power have hampered the healthy metabolism within the party.
The election defeat should serve as a laxative that clears the bowels of its filth. It is high time now to inject some truly aspiring, energetic and capable new blood into the ageing body.

-  SUPP

Kit Siang proposes DAP-SNAP merger

FMT Staff  | April 19, 2011

The merger will accelerate the Iban-Dayak political awakening and help Pakatan topple BN in Sarawak

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: DAP parliamentary leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang today proposed that DAP and the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) merge in time for the next general election in order to better serve the Iban-Dayak community.

He said that such a merger would accelerate the Iban-Dayak political awakening following the recently concluded Sarawak general election.

“Sarawak DAP cannot rest on its laurels having won 12 seats in the Sarawak state election, but must prepare immediately for the next general election which is not far off.

“From now till the next general election, DAP leaders, members and supporters must work with Pakatan Rakyat partners to reach out to all Sarawakians including Ibans-Dayaks and Malay-Melanaus,” he said in a statement today.

He added that in the next general election, Pakatan parties must avoid multi-cornered contests which can only benefit the Barisan Nasional (BN).

“For this reason, I would even suggest that DAP and SNAP should seriously consider a merger of the two political parties to accelerate Iban-Dayak political awakening,” he said.

In the run-up to the Sarawak polls, DAP’s Pakatan ally PKR and SNAP failed to solve seat arrangements, resulting in the two parties contesting in 24 seats together with BN.

SNAP which contested in 27 seats lost all, with all but one of its candidates losing their deposit. PKR contested in 49 seats and won only two. The party blamed SNAP for being the spoiler.

DAP emerged as the biggest winner from Pakatan by winning 12 of the 15 seats it contested, all of which were in the urban and Chinese-majority areas.

SNAP to study the matterIn an immediate reaction, SNAP’s secretary-general Stanley Jugol said he was surprised by Lim’s proposal of the merger.

“This is a big surprise, to be invited to merge with a big and national party like DAP. It is indeed an honour,” he told FMT.

However he said that the party needed to study the matter in depth before making any decision.

Earlier today, SNAP president Edwin Dundang told reporters that the party was looking at the possibility of “having electoral pacts” with parties outside Sarawak.

Dundang also revealed that he was going to step down from his post to take responsibility for the party’s dismal showing in the state polls.

Inroads in rurals seats too
Lim also brushed aside talks that DAP was only interested in the interest of urban Chinese.

“Thanks to enemy propaganda in the controlled mass media in the past decades, DAP is projected and perceived by some as a Chinese party.

“This is a perception that the DAP must eliminate so that all Malaysians can accept and support us as a political movement committed to the betterment of the welfare of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region,” he said.

He also pointed out that Pakatan also won rural (Ba’Kelalan and Krian) and semi-rural (Batu Kawah, Dudong and Piasau) seats in Sarawak.

These victories, he said, smashed the myth that the opposition received support only in urban areas.
He quoted political scientist Bridget Welsh’s analysis that Pakatan’s gains in semi-rural seats were more than in the other areas: 19.7% compared with 14.8% in the rural areas and 13.4% in the urban communities.

He added that the Bidayuh seats were most impressive – for although Pakatan failed to win a single one of the Bidayuh seats, there was a 17.9% swing in the Bidayuh votes in favour of the opposition.
Lim said that there were encouraging statistics and inspiring pointers for Pakatan in the next general election in Sarawak.

Masing may fill No 2 state cabinet post

FMT Staff  | April 19, 2011

With the Chinese out of the way, the Dayak-dominated parties within Sarawak BN are eyeing the deputy chief minister's post.

KUCHING: In the wake of Sarawak United Peoples Party’s (SUPP) defeat in the just-concluded Sarawak election, the Deputy Chief Minister’s (DCM) post it once held appears to be up for grabs.

Word is that Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing is eyeing the seat and the only route available is to re-establish long-mooted talks to merge Dayak-based parties PRS and “rival brother” Sarawak Democratic Progressive Party (SPDP).

PRS currently has the upper hand having won eight of its nine seats in the April 16 state polls. SPDP won six of the eight seats it contested.

Sarawak has two DCM posts. One is held by lead party Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president Alfred Jabu Numpang, who retained his Layar seat and the other by SUPP president Dr George Chan.
Six-term incumbent Chan lost his Piasau seat to DAP greenhorn Ling Sie Kiong by 1,590 votes.

Chan’s defeat, along with two other assistant ministers – David Teng Lung Chi and Tan Joo Phoi – has put an end to his DCM position and Chinese representation in the state cabinet.

SUPP’s four Bidayuh-Dayak assemblymen – Francis Harden (Simanggang), Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Johnical Rayong (Engkilili) – won their respective seats.

According to Teng, the four have been “nominated” for the post.

But at the CWC meeting yesterday, their nominations, according to sources, led to a “heated argument” which saw party deputy secretary-general Wong Soon Koh leave the meeting in a huff.

Bigger representation
With SUPP’s representation in Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s cabinet literally “downsized” , the Dayak dominant parties are now looking at a bigger representation.

Rumours are rife that the PRS and SPDP will resume talks immediately.

Yesterday, Masing when asked, simply said: “We’ll talk about it.”

His comment prompted SPDP president William Mawan to later tell reporters: ” If that is what Masing said, I’ll say the same thing.”

The Dayaks currently have the upper hand in the government following their overwhelming support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) and would want to leverage on this with Taib.

In this scenario, Masing seems the ideal choice as the common view is that the president of the merged entity should be the one helming the post.

PRS and SPDP have been talking about merging for years but for some reason never quite took off.
The groups had even gone as far as shortlisting names for the new entity.

Discussions on the possible merger of the Dayak parties have had the blessings of Taib who has in the past opined that it would be a major step to consolidating native-based coalition in Sarawak.

Except for opposition DAP, PKR, PAS and Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM), all other political parties in Sarawak are native-based.

Taib’s approval
On the speculated merger talks between PRS and SPDP, Taib said: “It is a good step. My advice to them is when you go for a merger you must go through a process like that of a married life.

“You ought to learn what your partners are like and then try to understand them.”

Citing the formation of PBB as an example, Taib told reporters that PBB’s formation was  a result of two consecutive merger processes.

The first was held on March 25, 1968 between Parti Negara Sarawak (Panas) and Barisan Rakyat Jati Sarawak (Barjasa). Together they formed a common entity called Parti Bumiputera Sarawak (PBS).
Then on April 30, 1973, PBS merged with Pesaka to form PBB.

After PBB was formed, Taib became deputy president while the president was former Pesaka founder Tun Jugah Barieng.

The merger processes, Taib said, required a lot of adjustments that had to be made.

“But eventually they (parties) became a very cohesive party.”
Sarawak BN comprises four parties, namely PBB, PRS SPDP and SUPP.
______________________________________________________________
NewDimension Prediction - CM Abdul Taib Mahmud will not give 2 DCM Post to Dayak. Might probably 2nd DCM will fill up by his future successor that is Abg Jo or Awang Tengah. It is more realistic compare to put up 2 Dayak DCM and it will prove to the Sarawak people that is CM ready to relinquish his CM Post. This cant  be done before and Chan fall out bring cheers to CM.

Pakatan Rakyat Victory

YB Baru Bian, YB See Chee How dan YB Ali Biju telah membuktikan kepada Kerajaan Barisan Nasional bahawa angin perubahan akan berlaku di Sarawak. DAP tidak boleh di pertikaikan lagi apabila menyapu bersih kawasan majoriti pengundi cina dan mengurangkan majoriti kemenangan BN di Bawang Assan dan Senadin.

Terdapat beberapa faktor yang menyebabkan kekalahan mengejut Parti Keadilan Rakyat kepada calon BN. Antaranya adalah pengaruh undi pos. Undi pos adalah proxy kepada BN dan undi pos boleh di poskan ke kawasan yang bergoyang pada pendapat BN. Jika kita lihat kemenangan majoriti kecil adalah di sebabkan proxy undi pos. SPR hendaklah mengkaji semula perlaksanaan undi pos. Asas saya berkata demikian adalah tempoh undi pos PRU Sarawak yang sepatutnya berakhir 15 April 2011 telah di lanjutkan ke 16 April 2011 dengan alasan ada pegawai yang belum menunaikan tanggungjawab mereka. Ini menunjukan kredibiliti SPR telah mula di pertikaikan.

Faktor yang kedua adalah taktik kotor BN dimana mereka mengunakan istiilah Pembangunan untuk memancing Undi. Harus di ingat, BN adalah kerajaan yang memerintah selama 48 tahun di Sarawak. Sekiranya BN gagal membawa pembangunan, maka mereka harus di tolak. Ada calon BN yang mengugut rumah panjang dengan istilah pembangunan ini.

Kes 1. Rumah Panjang ini telah di janjikan dengan pembinaan jalan raya pada kempen 2006. BN menang pada masa itu dan penduduk rumah panjang tersebut telah menuntut janji mereka pada kempen PRU 2011. Apa yang menyedihkan adalah, calon BN telah memberi amaran pada penghuni rumah panjang tersebut dengan berkata "Jika undi kamu tidak kepada BN, lupakan sahaja hajat untuk menikmati jalan raya yang di janjikan oleh BN" Ini adalah ugutan. Penduduk rumah panjang tidak ada pilihan selain daripada memberi undi mereka kepada BN. Sepatutnya pembangunan bukan untuk memancing undi. Pembangunan adalah TANGGUNGJAWAB kerajaan. Malaysia tidak akan maju 2020 dan Sarawak 2030 sekiranya kerajaan mengunakan istilah Pembangunan sebagi umpan untuk memancing undi.

Janji dan ugutan BN telah menyebabkan banyak undi penduduk luar bandar memihak kepada BN dan penduduk rumah panjang sangat sangat mendambakan wakil BN untuk menunaikan janji mereka. Saya sedih dengan keadaan penduduk rumah panjang yang begitu selesa dengan kehadiran wakil rakyat BN. Bantuan segera, politik wang, membeli undi antara faktor yang menyebabkan PR sukar untuk menembusi kawasan rumah panjang. Oleh itu tahniah kepada YB Ali Biju kerana berjaya dalam misi kali ini.

Faktor seterusnya adalah dengan kehadiran PM hampir 2 minggu di Sarawak dengan menjanjikan pelbagai prospek pembangunan dan taburan wang berbilion ringgit yang saya percaya membawa kepada Malaysia MUFLIS seperti yang di ramal oleh Datuk Seri Idris Jala. Janji ini telah di makan oleh penduduk pedalaman di sarawak kerana mereka kurang arif dengan Pentadbiran Negara.

Kes 2. Projek Hospital dan Jalan Raya yang di janjikan. RMK10 telah di bentangkan dan di luluskan. Namun janji yang di tabur pada PRU Sarawak ke 10 adalah projek mega dan TIDAK DI MASUKAN DALAM RMK10! Bajet negara telah di atur dan mana mungkin sesuatu projek di luar bajet untuk di laksanakan!

Rakyat Sarawak telah tertipu. Apa yang kita harapkan adalah, PR dapat mendapatkan semula dan compile semua janji BN untuk memastikan ia di tunaikan oleh BN walau jauh di ceruk rantau sekalipun. Perjuangan PR baru bermula di Sarawak. Hasrat untuk menawan Sarawak pada PRU Sarawak 11 bukanlah misi mustahil. Angka 11 akan menjadi angka bertuah pada PR.

Teruskan usaha anda dan generasi muda yang berada di kelas pertengahan akan sentiasa menyokong PR.

Sarawak Election 2011