Tag: DAP

Election 2013: Lain Kalilah! – Part I

After exactly 4 years in power, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the dissolution of Parliament and general elections to be held on 5 May 2013. I was glad that general election was finally called but the problem was that I was scheduled to run a 10KM marathon at the Borneo Marathon to be held at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah!

Unfortunately for the organisers of Borneo Run, they did not anticipate the election day and had to reschedule the run. The organisers changed it to a midnight run (first time in Sabah!) on 5 May 2013 so that runners can return to their respective voting areas to vote after the run. Unfortunately, someone stole some detonators in Kota Kinabalu and the police advised the organisers to cancel the run! To avoid a terrorist attack like the Boston bombing, the organisers cancelled the run – when we were already in Kota Kinabalu! I am told that over 2000 runners traveled to Kota Kinabalu to run the Borneo Marathon.

Notwithstanding the bad news, I took the opportunity to attend some ceramahs in Kota Kinabalu City. Prior to that, I attended some ceramahs held at Happy Garden and Taman Desa, both fall under my constituency. The ceramahs were massive – perhaps a few hundred people. Ceramahs in this general election have turned to be a festive affair with hundreds and some even thousands attending.


At Happy Garden. Tereka Kok and Nurul Izzah spoke at this ceramah.


Taman Desa with Asalkan Bukan UMNO (ABU) ngo Harris Ibrahim


Some came prepared


Lim Lip Eng (Segambut candidate)

But the first ceramah I attended at Kota Kinabalu City was one by local opposition party, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), in particular by Melanie Chia. It was a small ceramah held at a small park near my in-laws place. She spoke in Hokkien, a dialect that I do not understand. Nevertheless, I managed to catch some of her messages when she put some slides on.


Melanie Chia’s ceramah.


Basketball court on the right XD

After leaving Melanie Chia’s ceramah, I headed to Pakatan Rakyat’s, national opposition parties collision, ceramah held at Foh Sang. It was not a ceramah. They were playing PSY’s Gangnam Style and Gentlemen! They were got people dancing there!


Gangnam style!

The ceramah continued after the song. There was a small commotion during the ceramah. President of SAPP, Yong Teck Lee tried to storm the stage after a speaker blamed him for the Project IC. The police were there to mediate the situation and Yong went back to his ceramah held one street away from Pakatan’s ceramah. I thought the police was trying to stop the ceramah because the ceramah played Gangnam Style and Gentlemen!


PAS Candidate for Tanjung Aru came with his entourage of tudong clad ladies holding PAS flags. It was a common sight to see Chinese waving the once feared PAS flags in this election.

I later stop at Yong’s ceramah. There were quite a lot of people – far much more than his fellow colleague, Melanie Cheah.

Sabah’s political sphere is quite different from Peninsula Malaysia. They have many parties which are not aligned to each other. 3 corner fights are normal. There is even a 7 corner fight!


This is how you campaign in Sabah!


Found this in my MAS flight back to Kuala Lumpur.

Since I didn’t get to run, I ended up eating non stop in Kota Kinabalu City. The next blog postings will be about food and thereafter the election results and my views about the results.

Election 2008: Part IV

The elections results are finally out. The opposition takes 5 states – Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Selangor and the Penang. The opposition also managed to deny Barisan Nasional a 2/3 majority forcing the Barisan Nasional to declare a simple majority.

This general election also marks the exit of a few well known politicians such Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. Poor Samy Vellu lost his seat which he had been holding on since 1974 on 8 March 2008, on his 72nd birthday. I was told that his supporters prepared a cake to celebrate his ‘victory’ and birthday. Unfortunately, I don’t think he was at any mood to cut any cakes.


Dr. Lo’ Lo’ .. what a name..

Fellow blogger, Jeff Ooi won comfortably at Jelutong. My cousin also managed to win a state seat in Perak. He’s only in his late 20s! Another surprise would be Low Gwo Burne, the man behind the V.K Lingam video and KeAdalian candidate for Kelana Jaya. For a person who is not even a registered voter in Malaysia, he has created an upset by beating the Barisan Nasional candidate.

My polling station was at SK Seri Mega, my former primary school. It’s been more than 10 years since I stepped into my old school.

Just as I stepped in front of the main gate, I saw Ms Carol Chew, candidate for Barisan Nasional helping out an old uncle with his motorcycle – surrounded by a group of photographers. Ms Carol Chew whom my mum dubbed as “Fei Poh” (translation: Fat Girl) is actually quite petite and fit. Her campaign pictures were not very flattering.

I bet that this uncle is actually an Opposition supporter…

I was directed to a room which I used to sit when I was in standard 2. The transparent ballot box laid in the middle of the room. The polling agents were screaming all sorts of funny numbers. As soon as I dropped by vote into the ballet box, I left the place and went on a tour of my school.


Place to check on voting details..


My old classroom..

My school didn’t change much save for the new computer lab. I started snapping pictures of my alma mater.

A policeman approached me and politely informed me that I cannot take pictures in the compound. Thank god he didn’t confiscate my camera.

Few hours later, Teresa Kok was declared winner of the Seputeh parliamentary seat with a majority of 36,492 votes, one of the highest highest in Election 2008.