From The Reuters
By Julie Goh
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – A January by-election will provide a key test for Malaysia’s incoming prime minister as he seeks to avert a sharp economic slowdown, while a win for the opposition could reignite Anwar Ibrahim’s stuttering campaign.
The election commission on Friday set the date of the vote, caused by the death of a government MP, for Jan. 17.
It will be the first vote since the collapse of Anwar’s bid to take power on Sept. 16 when he failed to win over the support of 30 government legislators needed to form a new administration.
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, seemed to be on the verge then of ousting the government that has ruled Malaysia for 51 years after the opposition scored its best result in elections in March and Anwar returned to parliament in August with a landslide win.
The main government party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), accelerated a handover from lacklustre Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to his deputy, Najib Razak.
“If UMNO wins, it will be seen as a victory for Najib personally, but if the opposition wins, it can only be seen as PAS getting stronger since the March general election,” said James Chin, professor of political science at Monash University.
Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), the Islamic party popular with Malay Muslims in Anwar’s three party alliance, will contest Kuala Terengganu which is located deep in the Malay heartland.
The constituency is almost 90 percent Malay, the race traditionally represented by UMNO, compared with 60 percent nationally.
The government majority in the constituency in elections held in March this year when there was a massive swing to the opposition was just 628 votes.
“The poll will be seen as a bellwether of the Malay heartland vote,” the Singapore-based Straits Times said on Friday.
However, in terms of altering the balance of power in parliament where the government currently has a 55-seat majority of 221 sitting MPs, the vote will not have a massive impact.
TESTING ECONOMIC TIMES
The global economic recession is starting to bite in Malaysia and the government is forecasting economic growth will be 3.5 percent in 2009, the lowest in eight years.
Since UMNO agreed the handover of power, it is Najib who also became finance minister who has made policy and has taken charge of steering Malaysia through the gathering global economic storm.
“This contest will be a bellwether of Najib’s ability to galvanise the troops on the ground and convince voters that he is the future of the country,” said the influential Malaysian Insider website.
let the people decide their future…………………..
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view from the moon Reply:
December 7th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
PAS will win because traditionally, the opposition has a higher chance of winning bye-elections since the BN already rules Trengganu.
The key issue is we want to hear what PAS and PKR have to say to the Malaysian rakyat of non malays…we have come thus far, we would like to know what are PAS & PKR plans ??
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DSAI, this is your opportunity which God has created for you and your PKR party to oust the current BN government.
The rakyat and me included are fed up with the current BN government who do nothing but go on whirlwind worldwide visits under the name of Lasbela ( eg to Taiwan , I wonder what have they learnt from that trip ) and bickering the Parliament over non sensical issues.
Former US President Bill Clinton has said yesterday that Malaysia is a role model for the world where people of different religion can live and work together in harmony.
He is absolutely right.
We the rakyat are smarter than the current BN leaders and we know what the BN leaders have said are not true. If we have followed what the BN leaders are doing , the whole country would have been in total chaos.
We the rakyat understand and follow what has been laid down in the Malaysian Constitution. The BN leaders do not understand and do not follow what has been laid down in the Malaysian Constitution.
That is the main reason we see these BN leaders fighting and quarelling in parliament – worse than a fifth grader.
The country’s economy is going down . But our Prime Minister is only interested in going on overseas trip and his Deputy is also facing a lot of negative remarks and he is not defending himself and instead leave it to ARB to defend for him.
DSAI, please do something and lead this country out from the rut.
The current BN government has already become the past tense.
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This is a vote of heart or rationality for the Malaysians. If Malaysians want to see prosperity and progressive Malaysia, they will vote for the opposition. If they still wants to hide in the well, then vote for UMNO.
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Semua Poster dan bena dan risalah Pilihan Raya Kecil KT ,”PR Pakatan Rakyat” ditukar kepada :-
“PR Pandangan Rakyat”
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sama-sama kita jatuhkan BN….adakah nenek maimun akan kembali???sama-sama kita nantikan….mat sabu pun tumbang dengan nek maimun inikan p.lah dan najib, celah gigi sja….apa kata kalau PR ajak nenek maimun join PR?setuju x semua?
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harris Reply:
December 7th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
ada juga org sebodoh awak ye. Nila Mat Sabu kalah dengan Nek Mun?
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Wishes PAS will win the re-election as gained 1 more MP for opposition parties
I’m DAP suppoters but I’ll also support PAS since their are partners.
All peoples please do vote Pakatan Rakyat!!! Viva Pakatian
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DSAI,
Time is already come for PR to focus on their winning states to ensure the governments are delivering according to their pledges during the last general election. Too many politickings will kill your long years of struggles for changes to this country. You could be honest on your goals but people surrounding you could be the bitter pill that you may need to swallow if your party and alliance do not consistent and deliverable. One year is going to over and your party must show some significant results which you can sell to the people so they can be convinced to continue to support the party and alliance. BN could be not strong anymore but please don’t be complacent. People can anytime judge and penalize your party and alliance if they are not convinced. All the best to you,InsyaAllah. Self check please. Thanks.
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The 3 PR coalition partners must work closer to ensure the PAS candidate wins the KK Parliamentary By-election just like they did in the PM Parliamentary By-election. There are enough issues at hand for the PR coalition to put them across to the voters of KK Parliamentary constituent. There is no time for complacent.
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