A+ | A- | Reset

==> Pls visit new site at http://malaysia-today.net/ <==

Home

No Holds Barred

From Around The Blogs

A Republic of Virtue

The Corridors of Power

Guest Columnists

Special Reports

Contact Us

ALERT

Existing members can now re-register. Details here
Read Archives of Malaysia-Today since 2004-2004
Candle Vigil Gallery
Download FREE RPK Wallpapers
Google language translation: Simplified | Traditional | Hindi

BNâ€™s popular vote dips below 50% in Peninsula

Wednesday, 12 March 2008 12:54

Greetings from Ground Zero, three days after the political hurricane that struck a wide swathe all the way from Kedah to Selangor.

This morning, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was sworn in as Penang Chief Minister even as Zakaria Md Deros passed away. (Oh, what good is storing worldly treasures in earthly palaces when you can’t take it with you when you go? I think there is a message from above in there, especially in the timing.) It is a historic day for it is the first time the Opposition is taking over the reins of the Penang state government in nearly 40 years.

Koh Tsu Koon, still gracious in defeat, was present, but BN state assembly members reportedly stayed away. In fact, Koh deserves to be commended for the calm, collected way he has handled this devastating defeat and for facilitating a smooth transition.

Chief Minister Lim pledged to introduce a Freedom of Information Act, ensure open tenders for public projects, work towards the revival of local council elections and get public servants to declare their assets. Penang’s influential civil society groups are expected to make even more recommendations in the weeks ahead.

It remains to be seen whether the BN-controlled federal government will attempt to trim or delay its financial allocations to the state in the months and years ahead. If that happens, the Penang government will have to be even more creative and imaginative in raising funds through, for instance, a review of land reclamation projects.

Let’s wait and see what happens in Perak and Selangor.

READ MORE HERE

Comments (9) Add Comment

...
written by archie, March 12, 2008 13:12:52

PKR/PAS should educate the rural electorate in Sabah and Sarawak. A majority of the urban electorate in these two states also voted for the opposition.

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 14

...
written by billykbk, March 12, 2008 13:17:58

With transparency and accountability, the new Penang govt should be able to attract it's ppl, who have been yearning for such a change for 40 over years. The time has come for good-natured MCA, Gerakan, MIC & UMNO members to join the bandwagon. Choo, choo..Barisan Rakyat train is steaming ahead!!!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 13

...
written by billykbk, March 12, 2008 13:35:59

Penang is going to have 2 Deputy CM - a Malay and an Indian. Great!!!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 18

..., Lowly rated comment [Show]

...
written by temenggong, March 12, 2008 14:02:10

Thats because our BN malay CMs are not politically savvy enough, confident enough, gracious and magnanimous enough to appoint non malay DCMs.

BN members are political pygmies who rely on gerrymandering, cheating and threats to stay in power. We called their bluff and they lost.

The only way BN can regain some power to to further gerrymander but they will be impossible now! On the contrary their past gerrymandering has now become a heavyweight albatross around their neck, as it is the malays that are moving to the oppostion. A small malay swing causes a large swing of seats. I guess they didn't figure that out!

Too late to undo the damage!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 5

...
written by Kimm, March 12, 2008 14:07:14

For the 1st time I like what Former Gerakan Persident Lim Keng Y said to Badahwi yesterday.

"Sack those bad advisers that had given wrong advice and caused the election downfall!" "And STOP being arrogant and stop speaking arrogantly during UMNO and Parliment Meetings and also stop raising kris as well!" "UMNO should learn from MCA,GeraKan and MCA to manage our manners and sensitivity".

And Lim GY said all this while the 3 main component parties had been saying in closed camera and this cant work anymore and got to stop or else more CHINESE will run away. This truly proven that the 3 parties had been acting like dogs to UMNO by keeping quiet and let them be bullied.

This will help the recent winners to wake up and speak up for the ppl who had voted in good faith for you to rep them in Parliment and the state. You fail you will reap the same outcome.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 12

...
written by Tom Cruise, March 12, 2008 14:28:11

Let us start thinking collectively as Bangsa Malaysia. We are already in that direction as seen in the recent polls. It's time we shed this racial segregation bit. We should be united as one as thats our future.

Lets not dwell in the past but work together for a new tomorrow for a united Malaysia, fair and equal for all. It's nice to see the steps taken by the new Penang CM bearing in mind the sentiments of the people but honestly I think a leader who's fair to all is our main objective.

We already have a leader with caliber and that's none other than our beloved PM in waiting Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim. To me he is the one man who can bring Malaysia it's lost glory and reputation with transparency, equality and democracy. His charisma has been proven and it's just a question of time before the Barisan Nasional becomes extinct!!!

We want a unified Malaysia tak kira kaum, agama dan bangsa so lets focus only on that and build Malaysia together.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 7

...
written by Tornado, March 12, 2008 14:30:14

Terdapat khabar bahawa DSAI berada di Sarawak untuk mengadakan rundingan bagi membawa parti kompenan BN Sarawak menyertai BR. Ini satu langkah yang bijak. Terdapat juga khabar ramai pemimpin dan usahawan Sarawak telah dipinggirkan terutama melibatkan pemberian projek RMK-9 yang rata-ratanya dikuasai oleh kroni KJ dan royalty Minyak & Gas.

Tindakan segelintir golongan di Sarawak yang cuba membawa UMNO ke Sarawak juga dikatakan menjadi isu mengapa ramai pemimpin Sarawak meragui semangat setiakawan Dollah. Penaja UMNO Sarawak dikatakan amat rapat dengan KJ. Tujuan UMNO Sarawak diwujudkan adalah untuk mempastikan kepimpinan BN Sarawak di alih memandangkan Taib Mahmud tidak dapat dikawal oleh KJ.

Tidak seperti zaman TDM, yang melihat Sarawak sebagai kunci kepada penguasaan BN dalam parlimen, Dollah dan KJ melihat BN Sarawak sebagai pengacau & penyibuk dalam usaha mereka membina lebih banyak kekayaan.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 5

Write comment

This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment.

You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.