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Kelantan's outstation voters flock back to state PDF Print
Friday, 07 March 2008 10:17

By Reme Ahmad, THE STRAITS TIMES

KELANTAN'S outstation voters have begun streaming into the east coast state in cars, trains, planes and buses since yesterday, ahead of Polling Day tomorrow.

With reports received by political leaders saying it remained tough to tell whether Barisan Nasional (BN) or Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) will win, these out-of-state voters could well be the kingmakers.

The BN is betting that most of those who have seen faster development and received higher salaries outside Kelantan will vote for the governing coalition, and has chartered some 100 buses to ferry them home.

But it remains unclear if these workers will return to slow-moving Kelantan to extol the virtues of big-city living to their parents, or complain about inflation, rampant crime and corruption.

In the 1999 general election, outstation voters brought home the urban anger over the sacking of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim. That helped PAS win Kelantan and Terengganu.

'This is the third time I'm returning to Kelantan to vote. I want to see both development and a caring society,' said civil servant Mohd Razi Mohd Fauzi. He said he is voting for PAS.

The 34-year-old was driving home yesterday from Kuala Lumpur with two aunts, also Kelantan voters.

The first buses were slated to leave for Kelantan from Kuala Lumpur in the wee hours of this morning. There are also chartered buses from Penang, Johor Baru and Sungai Petani in Kedah, all filled with voters, said BN Kelantan leader Hassan Harun.

'These people who work outside Kelantan tend to be more open-minded and normally vote for BN in a ratio of six to four,' he told The Straits Times.

There are 751,000 registered voters in the state. At least 50,000 of them live outside the state. BN has high hopes of capturing Kelantan, which has been in PAS' hands since 1990.

PAS had 23 seats and BN 22 in the previous assembly. Nine of the 45 seats were won with fewer than 200 votes, a situation likely to be repeated tomorrow.

BN campaigners have actively wooed outstation voters by promising a future Kelantan with plentiful jobs.

Last week, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi spoke to about 5,000 of the voters at a Kuala Lumpur meeting hall, saying they would 'decide whether it gets developed'.

A day later, Kelantan Menteri Besar and PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat addressed 3,000 voters from his state at a Kuala Lumpur hotel, saying the federal government will develop the state regardless of who is in power.

Some Kelantanese wonder if they want to return home one day to see posh condominiums and highways with pricey tolls like in Kuala Lumpur, said Mr Nik Marwan Nik Rahim, an IT business owner.

'Talking to other Kelantanese in KL, my feeling is that if more outstation voters return, the less chance BN has to win,' said the 38-year-old.

BN is hoping he is wrong.

Comments (6)Add Comment
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written by said, March 07, 2008 10:23:49
WORLD HEADLINES: GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS: 8,666 PEOPLE OVER 100 YEARS, 2 PERSONS AT 128 YEARS

MASSIVE ELECTION FRAUD-election is over before it started. Barisan still hold
2/3 majority. Opposition- won only about 30 seats. The day before election, 60 seats already won by Barisan thru FRAUD.

A) 220,000 postal votes with numbers on them, to Arm Forces and Police and voting conducted by Army and Police officers themselves, not election commission. Many double or triple votes for each person. Those voting Opposition to be traced by matching number to the list, and punishments lashed out to those voters by govt. Almost 100% of votes will go to Barisan thru fear of punishments.
B) Voters on voting list: 8,666 people over 100 years old and 2 as 128 years old. Impossible. Is like saying there are 8,666 elephants in KL or 8,666 whales in Malacca River or 8,666 twin towers in Malaysia. Should be in Guinness Book of Records for highest number, ever, of people over 100 years and the 2 really really longest living people in the world.
Should already be on front page of most world newspapers and TV if that is true.
C) Thousands of voters have their names in other states also and of dead people.
D) Many false MyKad issued for Barisan people to go to different places to vote.
E) Indelible ink banned by Barisan- multiple voting allowed.

Many people such as villagers and mat rempits, are paid by Barisan. to go from place to place to vote illegally, more than once and for dead people. Some election people working at stations make sure Barisan gets more votes.

ANSWER: Rakyat break into holding centers and burn boxes with postal votes. PAS, DAP, PKR observers checking of voters in election stations to check for illegal voters and verify papers of those over 100years old. Wallop and tie up illegal voters. And the most important action is:
AT THE CLOSE OF ELECTION IN THE EVENING ON SATURDAY, PAS DAP, PKR DECLARE THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT RESULTS OF ELECTION. Hold mass demonstration of 500,000 in front of Agong.

This is the story:
In a boxing contest, the referee passes a knife to one boxer. When the boxer with knife appears to be losing, referee brings out a second knife and finish off the other stronger and honest boxer.

WHERE IS THE JUSTICE, BADAWI MUGABE, NAJIB MUGABE,
AGONG MUGABE ??????????????????????
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written by est, March 07, 2008 10:30:46
Hari khiamat, hanya dacing yang tinggal: Khairy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsjCXHGi3Zg

Ridiculous comments by Khairy. Your are insulting the intelligence of people of Kelantan. If dunia kiamat, dacing pun tak ada. What crap are you talking about?
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written by Krazee, March 07, 2008 10:35:04
Prior to 2004 elections, the opinion is that most outstation voters from Kelantan votes for PAS..... Well this time round, I suppose the sentiments should be similar to pre 2004 which is vote Opposition!
BTW, outstation voters from urban areas are better informed and should help in telling their poor urban relatives the real situation of BN.
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written by Sudahlah tu, March 07, 2008 10:40:16
Rakyat Kelantan, masa depan negeri Kelantan di tangan anda sendiri.
Pembangunan negeri Kelantan tetap akan dimajukan walaupun sering 'ditakut-takutkan' oleh UMNO.
Kelantan mempunyai hasil minyak yang banyak yang tidak berani diterokai oleh UMNO selama ini kerana tidak boleh 'menguntungkan' nereka seperti mana yang dinikmati oleh mereka di Trengganu.
Ayuh .... Bertahanlah orang Kelantan semua ...
Biar kebenaran sebenar mewarnai serta menyerikan kehidupanmu setiap hari.
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written by Ben Nordin, March 07, 2008 11:49:51
The people of Kelantan has always shown strength in adversity. How many times have they been ridiculed and threatened by the BN government in the past but they still vote for PAS. Most of the Kelantanese returning home have seen what BN politicians have done and are doing in other states with their fancy cars and big houses and they're not impressed. They still love and respect their humble leader. They know that their State Government have done and are doing things right and fair to all. Best wishes to all in the elections tomorrow.
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written by Amzek, March 07, 2008 15:12:51
To all pemerhati pos undi, please look-out for the groups of voters who seem to get preferential treatment from SPR officials to 'cut' queues during their registration. Scrutinise their KPs, take their photos and MMS to other pemerhati at nearby pos undi. If they are pengundi hantu, they will likely head to the next pos undi and cast another vote.
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