Monday 22 April 2013

Getting Updated

I am back at the office today, after being away for the most part of a week, thereby missing out on a number of events happening back at base such as nomination day, the first round of campaigning and such things.  On my way to the office, I took a detour, just to take a look at what's happening since last week and notice that all the campaigning paraphernalia are up and things look quite festive.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been getting updates purely from online sources, and a few phone calls to friends, and watching TV3 online.  Last night was the first time I managed to catch RTM news for the first time in weeks.  However, I must thank Bee Kim for her updates, along with Annie who has been moving on the ground, for they have given me a good feel for what is going on at home in Gelang Patah, and Johor in general.

Even though it is business as usual at the office, I will attempt to spend a little bit more of my evenings on the ground out there just so that I can have a feel of what is going on.  Not because I am that keen on the politics, but it is because I am invested in the future of Johor as I intended to make this my home and set up roots here.  What happens here in Johor, more specifically in Gelang Patah, will determine whether it will retain the attractive character that made me chose this place as my base two years ago.



When I arrived in Gelang Patah sometime in early 2011, people were still getting used to the changes, and there were many talks about the many infrastructure projects going on in and around the JB area, but had not physically made an impact yet to local residents.

However, knowing what will eventually happen, I decided to go around to have a feel of Gelang Patah as it was before the transformation fully takes place.  Whenever I had the time, I would drive around attempting to get lost so that I had the opportunity to chat people up asking for directions (:D) as well as to gauge how hospitable the place is.  Everyone was so helpful, some going out of their way to make sure I won't get lost again.  Some of the places that I stopped by for directions became my regular haunts.  That was the beginning of my love affair with Johor.

Back then, many were still unsure of what to expect, or how their lives will be affected by the changes that was happening.  The general feeling was mostly positive, there was great anticipation for things to come and many voiced their expectations that the changes would bring greater prosperity.  There were also concerns about cost of living, displacement of local folks, whether they can adapt to the changes taking place and how they can stay relevant.

After going around the state, I began to realise that in Johor, BN is not merely a political party, it is an integral part of the social landscape, most especially in the rural and semi-rural areas.  Even in the largely Chinese areas with non-BN MP or ADUN, you would find BN public service centres (Umno or MCA) that attempt to resolve day to day issues faced by the public, organise events with government agencies and provide BN representatives access to grassroots issues.

For BN in Johor, it has never been about personalities that take up all the limelight in the newspapers and TV, it has always been their service on the ground that matter.  The politicians who became ADUN or MP must always touch base with these guys on the ground to remain relevant.  They expect their representatives to be part of their social fabric, to be accessible 24x7, to attend weddings, to help out financially, etc..

Johor Malays, especially those in the rural and semi-rural areas, such as what Gelang Patah largely is, appreciate leaders who are humble, accessible, reliable and hands-on, regardless of their ethnicity.  Pomposity, confrontational and absenteeism will get nowhere with these folks.  Neither would they give time to those who make promises but do not deliver, and they are fairly vocal, albeit in the usual subtle ways of Johor Malays.  From my observation, Johor Chinese locally, are not that much different from their Malay counterparts.

People would say that Gelang Patah in GE13 is all about the Chinese vote, but what I have seen and from what I have gathered in conversations with the uncles and aunties I have met on my travels around Johor, I have faith in their ability to be discerning when making their choices.

23 comments:

  1. UMNO/BN = Rasuah

    lagi mahu kasi vote sama UMNO/BN lagi ke ??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. so all you can do is this ? making a statement ? if this is all that you can do, then for sure BN will win, and win big. you have ran out of issues and all you can do now is, well well, make baseless accusations.

      Delete
    2. To Anon 12:26 ...

      PKR/PR = Manifesto Bukan Janji

      lagi mahu kasi vote sama PKR/PR lagi ke ??

      Delete
  2. Good one Anon 12:38!

    Anon 12:26 - lagi mahu kasi vote sama PKR/DAP/PAS lagi ke ??

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  3. UMNO/MCA/MIC = rasuah, cronyism, nepotism (difference with PR is the amount is in BILLION not in thousands), murderer, police brutality, gansterism, politcal assaination, inflation, wastage, racism (especially against nin Malay/Muslim), buying frogs with money and sex, the list can go on and on. Still want to vote BN?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is this the line of campaigning employed by the opposition pact?

      You talk about rasuah - please don't tell me that Pakatan politicians in Kelantan, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Selangor are free from corruption and misappropriation of funds? In the billions too, if I am not mistaken.

      You talk about cronyism, please la .. there are so many evidence of cronyism by DAP/PKR/PAS that I find it amazing you even bring it up.

      Nepotism in BN? You accuse BN of this when there are at least 4 family dynasties in DAP/PKR/PAS of fathers and sons, father and daughter that I find it incredible you would use this against BN.

      And racism, that is still on your campaign material despite the fact that there are plenty of evidence that non-Malay businesses are still thriving, non-Malay professionals are controlling the private sector, non-Muslims have plenty of houses of worship to practice their faith.

      After plenty of evidence of how restrained our police is against the vandals and terrorists of Bersih 3.0 and Tausug Filipinos, you are still bringing up the matter of police brutality? Are you even sane?

      Political assassination as per claimed by that Drama Queen Guan Eng you mean? You believe all that self-pitying crap coming from that political bully?

      Gansterism? Who goes around bullying people, claiming that they have the right to decide whether you are eligible to vote or not, regardless whether you have a MyKad or not? Those ABU gangsters are definitely not even pro-BN.

      The list goes on.

      Delete
    2. What is MACC formulated by BN Government being doing living on taxpayers money? BN pay security guard's salary for being inaction? No wonder JB is the crime capital of Malaysia.

      Delete
    3. Considering that the crime rate for every 100,000 resident is higher in Penang by at least 15% compared to Johor, what would that make Penang? Crime Haven?

      Delete
  4. Bigcat,

    I can say from my experience, those with higher than average qualification ( u know where heh) will vote for DAP at Skudai and Gelang Patah. The perception of BN being a corrupted government is hard to change, especially with all the social media prowess that the Pakatan is flexing everyday. Case in point is displayed in comments before me.

    Sometime I wonder if they will only realize when they experienced themselves,what these Pakatan have done at other states to our Johor state...would it be too late by that time?

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Sometimes, when you are too prosperous, you will no longer need the community support that BN excels in, you tend to entertain concepts that you would consider as the domain of "intellectuals" and the "educateds". They think they are better than the rest of us, who prefer a transformation that will not discard all the values that define who we are,loyal Malaysians who are proud of our ethnic identities and accepting of others' identities.

      This is what happened to these "educated" people, BN may have done too good a job in creating opportunities for these types.

      Delete
    2. What opportunities - selling DVD, handphones, lepak, burger king etc. Eevn toilet and check out jobs are taken by bangla, nepalese etc. No wonder the Indians feel very left out.

      Delete
    3. Those are career choices, if the people are willing to work hard at public toilets and check out counters, I am sure they can apply for those jobs. Those Bangla and Nepalese work for their living in menial jobs Malaysians wouldn't even consider as a career option. So don't bring them into the discussion.

      If people decide to sell DVD as opposed to developing creative content for consumers, whose fault is that? If youngsters failed their exams or drop out from school and can only qualify to sell handphones, whose fault is that?

      What are the solutions these educated intellectuals have to offer to them other than creating discontent and disrupting the lives of traders dependent on peaceful streets to peddle their goods?

      Indians have just as many opportunities as the rest of Malaysians. Haven't you noticed the many Indian lawyers, doctors (just go and check at PPUM), accountants, public relations professionals, etc..

      Why is it the educated lot who claim to feeling left out, and yet they have every opportunity to have a career in Malaysia and to help out in positive ways to ensure less fortunate Indians get opportunities from their success.

      Delete
    4. There are many poor housewives and single parents but they have no jobs. There are many students wanted to have part timer job to have some cash or help out the family. But employers just pay few hundred to Bangla, Nepalese, Burmese and they can work whole day. Further, they are not locals and their passport are held ransom.
      The Government should give those drop outs more vocational training and national tests so that they are recognised. But Government give more training to Uni Graduates who are already subsidised and given training wants another training as compare to school dropouts?

      Delete
  5. dont forget "manifesto bukan janji" on your list !

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  6. PAS president Hadi has admitted that there is an 'ecstasy pill pusher' among PR candidate, nominated to contest GE13. That's the reason he sort of acknowledge the need for PAS and DAP/PKR contesting each other.

    Please hear him yourselves at "dinturtle".

    http://dinturtle.blogspot.com/2013/04/panazzzz-bukti-video-ceramah-hadi.html

    RD.

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    1. I am not sure about the truth of this matter, but if it is the truth, then it is a police matter. However, unless there is clear evidence to support the allegation, I tend to think of this as Hadi's attempts to justify PAS' actions more than anything else.

      Delete
    2. The fact is, those leaders in Pakatan seems not intelligent enough. The way they talk without thinking of the consequences, people could configure out what an empty vessel they have in their minds.

      If their leaders is brilliant enough, their Selangor MB wouldn't have said, "Manifesto is not a promise".

      Delete
  7. BigCat, don';t forget to remind people what LGE said about Johor: http://www.rockybru.com.my/2011/09/blogger-dares-guan-eng-to-deny.html

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    1. LOL. That seems like a long time ago, but yes, I remember that posting which was a follow up to a posting here which has stayed in the All Time Top 10 :) Thanks for reminding me Hans.

      Delete
  8. No worries. People need to be reminded. DAP is counting on the fact that people DO forget - which is why they harp on things they want people to remember again and again. THIS little speech apparently - is not one of them - especially not when they're trying to woo the people of Johor.

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  9. DAP/PAS/PKR = rasuah, cronyism, nepotism, bapak/mak/anak control, racism, liars, chameleon saying one thing to a group and another thing to another group, gansterism, politcal assasination, sex not me, buying frogs for power, stupid cannot count votes, manifesto is not a promise and many more. Still want to vote PR? They will screw you front and back.

    Ibrahim.

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  10. Why the BN as led by the UMNO with the 14 component parties has always won is that they delivered the rice and curry to the Rakyat.

    Push hard ! Push hard ! Push and shove hard, all BN supporters ! Let there be a huge landslide victory to seal the uniqueness of our beloved country Malaysia for all time !

    ReplyDelete