By Boo Su Lyn
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 18, 2013
Voters will have to decide in the May 5 polls if they support Barisan Nasional’s (BN) “underhanded tactics” after the Registrar of Societies (RoS) decided not to recognise the DAP’s office-bearers, DAP’s Lim Guan Eng said today.
The DAP secretary-general said that the RoS decision, which was made less than three days before the nomination day on Saturday, showed that this was the “worst BN we’ve seen in history”.
“This is despicable, this is dishonourable,” a visibly upset Lim told reporters at the DAP headquarters here today.
“This is character assassination. This is political assassination. I’m very upset by these underhand tactics,” he added.
Lim said that DAP candidates would run under PAS’ full moon logo in the peninsula and PKR’s eye logo in East Malaysia in the 13th general election, if the Election Commission (EC) did not issue a letter approving DAP candidates in using their rocket logo.
“The most important letter to issue is to withdraw this letter,” he said, referring to the RoS letter dated April 17, 2013, that refused to recognise DAP’s office-bearers that were elected on December 15, 2012.
Lim said that he did not trust the EC’s verbal assurance on the DAP being able to use its rocket logo in Election 2013, pointing out that DAP candidates needed to show EC officials on nomination day a letter of authority signed by the party’s secretary-general, authorising them to use the party’s logo.
“If our CEC is not recognised, we don’t have powers to issue letters of authority,” said Lim, referring to DAP’s central executive committee.
He added that legal recourse was difficult due to time constraints.
Lim, who is also the Penang caretaker chief minister, questioned how the RoS could punish the DAP when it was still in the process of investigating the opposition party’s election process.
He pointed out that the RoS had, on the same day, issued another letter requesting two DAP members to attend an inquiry on May 9.
PAS and PKR secretaries-general Datuk Mustafa Ali and Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who were also at the press conference, said that their party leaders approved the use of their party logos by DAP candidates.
The 13th general election is touted to be the keenest election race in recent history after BN lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority in Election 2008.
The RoS ruling will likely affect DAP candidates’ chances in the 49 federal seats and slightly more than 100 state seats in the May 5 polls, as most of the contests are in Chinese-majority areas where the Rocket is popular but not the other logos.
The MCA has also frequently warned Chinese voters against supporting Pakatan Rakyat (PR), claiming that PAS would implement hudud law in the multi-racial country.
The DAP’s rocket logo was ubiquitous in Election 2008, where it contested in 149 constituencies, including 47 parliamentary seats and won 28 parliamentary seats and 63 state seats.
Nineteen of the state seats was in Penang, where it formed the PR government with PKR and PAS.
The three parties have yet to formalise the pact and are using their respective logos in the coming polls.
BN component party MCA is the immediate beneficiary of the RoS move as it has been struggling to counter DAP’s influence since Election 2008.
The Chinese party has “loaned” three federal seats to Umno to prevent a further loss of support from the Chinese community that swung against the ruling coalition in the last election.
A true reflection of what the present regime is !
Be as it may, the hatred for the BN and especially MCA, runs so deep in the Chinese that many would not mind putting a cross next to the ‘Moon’. In my area, where it is a straight fight between UMNO and PAS, the Chinese electorates here are already voting for PAS. The problematic situation would be the fence-sitters. Nonetheless, we will give them a good fight. On my part, I have already circulated emails to all my friends and relatives to continue supporting DAP even though the party maybe contesting under the PAS and PKR symbols. As a fellow Catholic, I feel God is on our side, and with His Grace, he will see us through to finally take over the reins of the nation.
JUST REJECT HIM!
He was in the government for seventeen long years
But can anyone remember any contribution he made of significance?
Try hard as you may with all your blood sweat and tears
None, coz he spend his office time not to work but for political machination
First he became Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture
Malaysian youth were none the better under his management
Our sports was at its lowest ebb and our football lost its lustre
We didn’t win any gold in regional or international event
Then he became Minister of Agriculture for sometime
The only monument to his name is Pasar Tani
The National Agric Policy was not even made during his time
Alas the farmers life does not improve much under his ministry
For a full five years he was education minister
The only act he did was abolish history lesson
Thus he laid the ground for many unpatriotic youngster
Whom he thinks will vote for him in coming elections
As Finance Minister his grasp of economics is pathetically brittle
So when the country face severe financial crisis
He swallowed IMF prescription lock stock and barrel
He almost bankrupt the country and threw it into economic abyss
His political machination did work smoothly for a time
Quite a number of big wigs he managed to topple
But his waterloo came when he tried big-time
His attempt to oust the PM became a deadly stumble
Now I don’t even talk of his moral character
That’s up to you folks to use your judgement
But just think of his ability as a worker
Would you hire him to look after your father’s clothing department?
So by now you should know who is this jerk
The guy whose name goes by Anwar Bin Ibrahim
This Malay Studies graduate can only talk but cannot work
You know what to do in the coming election? Just reject him!
IBD
Kuala Lumpur
Hi Theresa,
In the next few days leading to GE13, it is important to inform the people about the changes and answer all the questions they pose to DAP on the implications of contesting under the alliance logos. Explain to the people why it is alright to vote for PAS or PKR. Many Chinese will have doubts in their mind and need to be reassured on the safety aspects of supporting the alliance. I explained exactly that to my elderly parents earlier on. They have no problems on understanding and will continue to support DAP. You know, God works in many mysterious ways. DAP has always advocate a multi racial party but somehow unsuccessful due to the absence of opportunities to prove so. Now the Lord has thrown your party a challenge and you will have to preach what you said and meant by showing all races that PAS and PKR and DAP are indeed one big family. Now go ahead and prove to the people of Malaysia that Pakatan Rakyat is absolutely the right party to vote for. This is the time. Ini kali lah! Go throw your fishing net to get more fishes. Have strong faith and He will make you win all the way to Putrajaya. Love you all. Godspeed.