And the nominees are ...

This is going to be updated as and when the latest information becomes available.

P140    SEGAMAT

47,115 (44.3% Malay, 45.6% Chinese, 9.9% Indian, 0.3% Others)

Subramaniam a/l K.V. Sathasivam (BN)

Chua Jui Meng (PKR)

N01     BULOH KASAP

18,816 (55.9% Malay, 32.2% Chinese, 11.6% Indian, 0.3% Others)

Norshida binti Ibrahim (BN)

Firdaus bin Masod (PAS)

N02     JEMENTAH

28,299 (36.6% Malay, 54.5% Chinese, 8.7% Indian, 0.2% Others)

Lee Hong Tee (BN)

Tan Chen Choon (DAP)

P141    SEKIJANG

43,129 (56.1% Malay, 39.0% Chinese, 4.5% Indian, 0.3% Others)

Anuar bin Abd. Manap (BN)

Julailey bin Jemadi (PKR)

N03     PEMANIS

22,658 (56.9% Malay, 39.3% Chinese, 3.5% Indian, 0.3% Others)

Lau Chin Hoon (BN)

Normala binti Sudirman (PAS)

N04     KEMELAH

20,471 (55.2% Malay, 38.6% Chinese, 5.7% Indian, 0.5% Others)

Ayub bin Rahmat (BN)

Natrah binti Ismail (PKR)

P142    LABIS

43,129 (36.5% Malay, 46.5% Chinese, 15.1% Indian, 1.9% Others)

Chua Tee Yong (BN)

Ramakrishnan a/l Suppiah (DAP)

N05     TENANG

16,974 (49.6% Malay, 37.6% Chinese, 11.3% Indian, 1.5% Others)

Mohd Azahar bin Ibrahim (BN)

Md Zin bin Johar (PAS)

N06     BEKOK

20,813 (25.9% Malay, 53.6% Chinese, 18.1% Indian, 2.4% Others)

Tan Chong (BN)

Lim Eng Guan (DAP)

P143    PAGOH

            46,880 (64.8% Malay, 30.8% Chinese, 3.9% Indian, 0.5% Others)

            Mahiaddin bin Md Yasin (BN)

            Mohamad Rozali bin Jamil (PAS)

           

            N07     BUKIT SERAMPANG

                        21,480 (70.9% Malay, 26.1% Chinese, 2.1% Indian, 0.9% Others)

                        Ismail bin Mohamed (BN)

                        Saadon bin Abdullah (PKR)

            N08     JORAK

                        25,400 (59.6% Malay, 34.8% Chinese, 5.4% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Sharuddin bin Md Salleh (BN)

                        Nor Hayati binti Bachok (PAS)

P144    LEDANG

            69,453 (53.6% Malay, 41.1% Chinese, 4.8% Indian, 0.3% Others)

            Hamim bin Samuri (BN)

            Hassan bin Abdul Karim (PKR)

           

            N09     GAMBIR

                        21,427 (56.3% Malay, 39.7% Chinese, 3.8% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        M Asojan a/l Muniyandy (BN)

                        Mahfodz Mohamed (PAS)
                        Yunus bin Mustakim (Bebas)
                        Mohd Zan bin Abu (Bebas)

            N10     TANGKAK

                        23,434 (38.0% Malay, 51.2% Chinese, 9.7% Indian, 1.1% Others)

                        Goh Tee Tee (BN)

                        Ee Chin Li (DAP)

           

            N11     SEROM

                        24,592 (66.2% Malay, 32.8% Chinese, 0.8% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Abd. Razak bin Minhat (BN)

                        Azmi bin Ahmad (PAS)

P145    BAKRI

            67,329 (44.1% Malay, 53.2% Chinese, 2.2% Indian, 0.5% Others)

            Lee Chin Yong (BN)

            Er Teck Hwa (DAP)

           

            N12     BENTAYAN

                        23,490 (24.8% Malay, 72.5% Chinese, 2.2% Indian, 0.5% Others)

                        Fong Soh Lan (BN)

                        Chua Wee Beng (DAP)

                                   

            N13     SUNGAI ABONG

                        28,304 (51.3% Malay, 45.2% Chinese, 3.0% Indian, 0.5% Others)

                        Haris bin Salleh (BN)

                        Sheikh Ibrahim bin Salleh (PAS)

                                   

            N14     BUKIT NANING

                        15,535 (60.0% Malay, 38.4% Chinese, 1.0% Indian, 0.6% Others)

                        Saipolbahari bin Suib (BN)

                        Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad (PKR)
                        Md Ghazali bin Salamun (Bebas)

P146    MUAR

            48,334 (62.8% Malay, 35.4% Chinese, 1.5% Indian, 0.3% Others)

            Razali bin Ibrahim (BN)

            Nor Hizwan bin Ahmad (PKR)

            N15     MAHARANI

                        27,161 (55.0% Malay, 42.0% Chinese, 2.5% Indian, 0.5% Others)

                        Zulkhairi bin Ahmad (BN)

                        Mohammad bin Taslim (PAS)

                          

            N16     SUNGAI BALANG

                        21,173 (72.8% Malay, 26.9% Chinese, 0.2% Indian, 0.1% Others)

                        Zaiton binti Ismail (BN)

                        Malik bin Mohamad Diah (PAS)

P147    PARIT SULONG

            57,030 (76.8% Malay, 22.5% Chinese, 0.5% Indian, 0.2% Others)

            Noraini binti Ahmad (BN)

            Khairuddin bin A Rahim (PAS)

            N17     SEMERAH

                        31,123 (65.6% Malay, 33.6% Chinese, 0.6% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Mohd Ismail bin Roslan (BN)

                        Md Ysahrudin bin Kusni (PKR)

                          

            N18     SRI MEDAN

                        25,907 (90.4% Malay, 9.1% Chinese, 0.3% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Zulkarnain bin Kamisan (BN)

                        Ahmad Rosdi bin Bahari (PAS)

P148    AYER HITAM

            42,991 (57.9% Malay, 38.0% Chinese, 3.9% Indian, 0.2% Others)

            Wee Ka Siong (BN)

            Hu Pang Chaw (PAS)

            N19     YONG PENG

                        22,521 (32.6% Malay, 60.4% Chinese, 6.8% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Lim Kee Moi (BN)

                        Chew Peck Choo (DAP)

                       

            N20     SEMARANG

                        20,470 (85.7% Malay, 13.3% Chinese, 0.8% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Samsolbari bin Jamali (BN)

                        Alliar @ Ilyas bin A Bakar (PAS)

P149    SRI GADING

            44,821 (64.7% Malay, 33.6% Chinese, 1.4% Indian, 0.3% Others)

            Ab. Aziz bin Kaprawi (BN)

Mohd Khuzzan bin Abu Bakar (PKR)

            N21     PARIT YAANI

                        24,668 (55.6% Malay, 43.1% Chinese, 1.1% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Teo Yew Chuan (BN)

                        Aminolhuda bin Hassan (PAS)

                       

            N22     PARIT RAJA

                        20,253 (75.8% Malay, 22.2% Chinese, 1.8% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Azizah binti Zakaria (BN)

                        Noor Khalim bin Sakib (PAS)

P150    BATU PAHAT

            88,461 (52.7% Malay, 45.6% Chinese, 1.4% Indian, 0.3% Others)

            Mohd Puad bin Zarkashi (BN)

            Mohd Idris bin Jusi (PKR)

           

            N23     PENGGARAM

                        45,259 (35.8% Malay, 61.5% Chinese, 2.3% Indian, 0.4% Others)

                        King Ban Siang (BN)

                        Gan Peck Cheng (DAP)

                          

            N24     SENGGARANG

                        24,090 (61.8% Malay, 37.4% Chinese, 0.6% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        A Aziz bin Ismail (BN)

                        Mohd Ramli bin Md Kari (PAS)

                          

            N25     RENGIT

                        19,112 (81.2% Malay, 18.2% Chinese, 0.3% Indian, 0.3% Others)

                        Ayub bin Jamil (BN)

                        Ahmad Kailani bin Kosnin (PAS)

P151    SIMPANG RENGGAM

            40,217 (56.8% Malay, 33.1% Chinese, 9.7% Indian, 0.4% Others)

            Liang Teck Meng (BN)

            Suhaizan bin Kaiat (PAS)

           

            N26     MACHAP

                        22,267 (62.8% Malay, 31.7% Chinese, 5.2% Indian, 0.3% Others)

                        Abd. Taib bin Abu Bakar (BN)

                        Mohd Khalid bin Salekan (PAS)

                          

            N27     LAYANG-LAYANG

                        17,950 (49.3% Malay, 34.9% Chinese, 15.1% Indian, 0.6% Others)

                        Abd  Mutalip bin Abd Rahim (BN)

                        Mohd Ishak bin Shir Mohd (PKR)

P152    KLUANG

            86,914 (39.6% Malay, 49.3% Chinese, 9.8% Indian, 1.3% Others)

Hou Kok Chung (BN)

Liew Chin Tong (DAP)

           

            N28     MENGKIBOL

                        42,458 (27.6% Malay, 58.3% Chinese, 13.8% Indian, 0.3% Others)

                        Chye Kwee Yeow (BN)

                        Tan Hong Pin (DAP)
                        Ng Lam Hua (Bebas)

                       

            N29     MAHKOTA

                        44,456 (51.0% Malay, 40.6% Chinese, 6.0% Indian, 2.4% Others)

                        Md Jais bin Sarday (BN)

                        Khairul Faizi bin Ahmad Kamil (PAS)

P153    SEMBRONG

            41,681 (58.7% Malay, 30.9% Chinese, 9.0% Indian, 1.4% Others)

            Hishammuddin bin Datuk Hussein (BN)

            Onn bin Abu Bakar (PKR)

           

            N30     PALOH

                        18,274 (38.0% Malay, 43.6% Chinese, 17.1% Indian, 1.3% Others)

                        Teoh Yap Kun (BN)

                        Shanker a/l Rengganathan (DAP)

                       

            N31     KAHANG

                        23,407 (74.8% Malay, 21.0% Chinese, 2.6% Indian, 1.6% Others)

                        Vidyananthan a/ Ramanadhan (BN)

                        Hamdan bin Basiran (PKR)

P154    MERSING

            44,579 (79.8% Malay, 15.8% Chinese, 1.3% Indian, 3.1% Others)

            Abd. Latiff bin Ahmad (BN)

            Roslan bin Nikmat (PAS)

           

            N32     ENDAU

                        19,080 (76.6% Malay, 18.9% Chinese, 0.7% Indian, 3.8% Others)

                        Abd. Latif bin Bandi @ Nor Sebandi (BN)

                        Mohd Azam bin Abdul Razak (PAS)

                       

            N33     TENGGAROH

                        23,407 (82.3% Malay, 13.4% Chinese, 1.7% Indian, 2.6% Others)

                        Raven Kumar a/l Krishnasamy (BN)

                        Murugan a/l Muthusamy (PKR)

P155    TENGGARA

            39,775 (73.0% Malay, 17.5% Chinese, 7.0% Indian, 2.5% Others)

            Halimah binti Mohd Sadique (BN)

            Muhamad Said bin Jonit (PAS)

           

            N34     PANTI

                        17,395 (87.3% Malay, 7.2% Chinese, 4.0% Indian, 1.5% Others)

                        Baderi bin Dasuki (BN)

                        Mohd Annuar bin Mohd Salleh (PKR)
                        Azlisham bin Azahar (PAS)

                       

            N35     PASIR RAJA

                        22,380 (62.1% Malay, 25.5% Chinese, 9.2% Indian, 3.2% Others)

                        Adham bin Baba (BN)

                        Nazari bin Mokhtar (PAS)

P156    KOTA TINGGI

            41,961 (87.0% Malay, 10.5% Chinese, 2.1% Indian, 0.4% Others)

            Noor Ehsanuddin bin Mohd Harun Narrashid (BN)

            Onn bin Jaafar (PAS)

           

            N36     SEDILI

                        24,750 (96.8% Malay, 2.1% Chinese, 0.9% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Rasman bin Ithnain (BN)

                        Abd Kadir bin Sainudin (PKR)

                       

            N37     JOHOR LAMA

                        17,211 (72.9% Malay, 22.7% Chinese, 4.0% Indian, 0.4% Others)

                        Asiah binti Md Ariff (BN)

                        Kamaldin bin Tahir (PAS)

P157    PENGERANG

            38,071 (88.4% Malay, 10.0% Chinese, 0.9% Indian, 0.7% Others)

            Azalina binti Othman (BN)

            Tengku Intan binti Tengku Abdul Hamid (PKR)
            Mohd Azaman bin Johari (Bebas)

           

            N38     PENAWAR

                        19,914 (98.4% Malay, 0.3% Chinese, 0.8% Indian, 0.5% Others)

                        Hamimah binti Mansor (BN)

                        Anis Afida binti Mohd Azli (PAS)

                       

            N39     TANJONG SURAT

                        18,157 (77.5% Malay, 20.7% Chinese, 0.9% Indian, 0.8% Others)

                        Syed Sis bin A Rahman (BN)

                        Hasnul bin Ahmad (PKR)

P158    TEBRAU

            90,601 (47.4% Malay, 38.2% Chinese, 13.3% Indian, 1.1% Others)

            Khoo Soo Seang (BN)

            Choong Shiau Yoon (PKR)

           

            N40     TIRAM

                        46,724 (54.2% Malay, 29.7% Chinese, 14.6% Indian, 1.5% Others)

                        Maulizan bin Bujang (BN)

                        Kumutha a/p Raman (PAS)

                       

            N41     PUTERI WANGSA

                        43,877 (40.3% Malay, 47.2% Chinese, 11.8% Indian, 0.7% Others)

                        Soorianarayanan a/l Muniandy (BN)

                        Abdullah bin Husin (PAS)

                        Ravindaran a/l Doraisamy (Bebas)

P159    PASIR GUDANG

            101,121 (47.8% Malay, 38.4% Chinese, 11.1% Indian, 2.7% Others)

            Normala binti Abdul Samad (BN)

            Ahmad Faidhi bin Saidi (PKR)

           

            N42     JOHOR JAYA

                        51,698 (43.4% Malay, 47.1% Chinese, 7.5% Indian, 2.1% Others)

                        Tan Cher Puk (BN)

                        Liow Cai Tung (DAP)
                        Hong Eng Wah (Bebas)

                       

            N43     PERMAS

                        49,423 (52.4% Malay, 29.4% Chinese, 14.8% Indian, 3.4% Others)

                        Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin (BN)

                        Syed Othman bin Abdullah (PAS)

P160    JOHOR BAHRU

            96,515 (51.6% Malay, 42.6% Chinese, 5.0% Indian, 0.8% Others)

            Sharil @ Shahrir bin Ab Samad (BN)

            Md Hashim bin Md Hussein (PKR)

           

            N44     TANJONG PUTERI

                        51,545 (62.3% Malay, 31.6% Chinese, 5.4% Indian, 0.7% Others)

                        Adam bin Sumiru (BN)

                        Mohd Salleh bin Ahmad (PKR)

                       

            N45     STULANG

                        44,970 (39.3% Malay, 55.1% Chinese, 4.6% Indian, 1.0% Others)

                        Chong Chee Siong (BN)

                        Chen Kah Eng (DAP)

P161    PULAI

            100,695 (47.9% Malay, 41.0% Chinese, 10.0% Indian, 1.1% Others)

            Nur Jazlan bin Mohamed (BN)

            Salahuddin bin Ayub (PAS)

           

            N46     PENGKALAN RINTING

                        61,316 (43.2% Malay, 44.7% Chinese, 10.7% Indian, 1.4% Others)

                        Chang Mei Kee (BN)

                        Cheo Yew How (DAP)

                       

            N47     KEMPAS

                        39,379 (55.1% Malay, 35.2% Chinese, 9.0% Indian, 0.7% Others)

                        Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid bin Tan Sri Tengku Hamid Jumat (BN)

                        Suhaizan bin Kaiat (PAS)

P162    GELANG PATAH

            106,864 (34.2% Malay, 52.4% Chinese, 12.5% Indian, 0.8% Others)

            A. Ghani bin Othman (BN)

            Lim Kit Siang (DAP)

           

            N48     SKUDAI

                        56,633 (22.3% Malay, 64.9% Chinese, 12.2% Indian, 0.6% Others)

                        Liang Ah Chy (BN)

                        Boo Cheng Hau (DAP)

                          

            N49     NUSA JAYA

                        50,231 (47.8% Malay, 38.4% Chinese, 12.8% Indian, 1.0% Others)

                        Zaini bin Abu Bakar (BN)

                        Salahuddin bin Ayub (PAS)

P163    KULAI

            84,149 (33.1% Malay, 56.1% Chinese, 10.3% Indian, 0.5% Others)

            Tay Chin Hein (BN)

            Teo Nie Ching (DAP)
            Surendiran a/l Kuppayah (Bebas)

           

            N50     BUKIT PERMAI

                        21,663 (53.7% Malay, 33.9% Chinese, 12.0% Indian, 0.4% Others)

                        Ali Mazat bin Salleh (BN)

                        Mazlan bin Aliman (PAS)

                          

            N51     BUKIT BATU

                        22,304 (30.8% Malay, 61.6% Chinese, 7.2% Indian, 0.4% Others)

                        Cheong Chin Liang (BN)

                        Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (PKR)
                        Sirendiran a/l Kuppayah (Bebas)

            N52     SENAI

                        40,182 (23.3% Malay, 65.0% Chinese, 11.1% Indian, 0.6% Others)

                        Tang Nai Soon (BN)

                        Wong Shu Qi (DAP)

P164    PONTIAN

            49,753 (71.4% Malay, 27.5% Chinese, 0.9% Indian, 0.2% Others)

            Ahmad bin Maslan (BN)

            Haniff @ Ghazali bin Hosman (PKR)

           

            N53     BENUT

                        21,521 (81.4% Malay, 18.2% Chinese, 0.2% Indian, 0.2% Others)

                        Hasni bin Mohamad (BN)

                        Sorobo bin Ponoh (PAS)

                          

            N54     PULAI SEBATANG

                        28,232 (63.8% Malay, 34.5% Chinese, 1.4% Indian, 0.3% Others)

                        Tee Siew Kiong (BN)

                        Ungku Mohd Nor bin Ungku Mahmood (PAS)

P165  TANJONG PIAI

          52,000 (52.1% Malay, 46.5% Chinese, 1.1% Indian, 0.3% Others)

          Wee Jeck Seng (BN)

          Mahadzir bin Ibrahim (DAP)

         

          N55   PEKAN NENAS

                    32,562 (40.7% Malay, 57.8% Chinese, 1.2% Indian, 0.3% Others)

                    Wong You Fong (BN)

                    Yeo Tung Siong (DAP)

                     

          N56   KUKUP

                    19,438 (71.3% Malay, 27.6% Chinese, 0.8% Indian, 0.3% Others)

                    Suhaimi bin Salleh (BN)

                    Ghazaley bin Ayiub (PAS)

Nothing Important

Despite the text reminders, I missed the EC announcement just now.  I was stuck in traffic and couldn't make it on time to reach the office where we have a television set in the pantry.  As for the radio, I got so used to radio silence while driving, I forgot that I can listen in on the radio too for the announcement.

Besides, it is no fun listening to the announcement all by yourself in the solitude of your car.  You should be sitting around with friends, waiting in full anticipation of the actual announcement, even though you knew what is going to be announced, and that everyone will know of it within all of 2 minutes after it was announced.

It's like watching a football game on TV, knowing there is no way your team could possibly win against a much better team, but you sit through the game anyway, groaning in collective agony as your team struggle with the inevitable, hoping for miracles.  It's a social thing.

Anyways, I haven't had the chance to go around my usual haunts to pick up the mood on the ground, but I have been in contact with a number of my acquaintances for updates.

Apparently now that it is more or less certain that Dato Ghani will be retiring, some people are already celebrating their expected ascendancy, already salivating at the prospect of inhabiting Kota Iskandar for whatever reasons, without even caring that the hungry pack are yapping at their heels, ready to break them at their own power base.  Pathetic really ..

Ah well, I have never understood the hunger for power above all else.

The opposition trinity had more or less firmed up on their candidates, and DAP has started campaigning in earnest too.  With the Lim father and son show in town last week, I am going to do a bit of prowling on the ground to see what those two has been up to.

Other than that, I plan to lie low and watch how things unfold towards the nomination day.

In any case, I shall refrain from speculating about the possible match-ups until everything is announced on nomination day.  Nothing is certain until then.  Everything else would be pure speculation.  Not that I haven't indulged in some speculative reasoning before, but when dealing with humans, you can't be too sure of anything.

Culling in Progress

When I made the prediction of the culling process being used extensively with some efficiency by DAP in preparation for GE13 as explained in Battlefield Johor, I wasn't expecting that it would be done in such a ruthless manner.  But in retrospect, it isn't really that much of a surprise, just that I wasn't expecting to be proven right so soon.

After dismissing PAS into the largely unwinnable Malay-majority rural domains, and taking over the urban Chinese-majority and marginal territories from PKR, the central executive committee are now effectively muscling their way into Johor by displacing the majority of local DAP leaders.


The latest news being talked about is the retreat of Boo Cheng Hau, Norman Fernandez and Tan Chen Choon from centre-front positions in DAP Johor decision-making.

What is happening in Johor at the moment is large-scale displacement of local leaders to make way for centrally selected personalities that will be DAP's frontliners in Johor.

The DAP CEC operates the way a politburo does - the CEC decide everything, everyone else must toe the party line and carry out whatever has been decreed by the politburo, no dissension allowed.  If you are not CEC-approved leadership material, you don't stand a chance to be part of the top tier elite, and you must make way if you are instructed to do so.

You are not leadership track if the CEC say you are not.

Should you aim to ensconce yourself, and maybe your family, into the DAP political traditions, your faction must have strong representation in the CEC, while tacit support of the Secretary General would further strengthen your position.  Once you have established your dynastic credence, you and your children would be set for life.

In Johor's case, Dr Boo is the only Johor representation, which means he doesn't have a strong factional backing; it is known he is not on good terms with the Secretary General hence no backing from the top; and he does not fit in with the young, christian, Anglophile imagery of DAP's current power structure.  It's triple whammy - so into the wilderness you go.

Another thing, with the recent emphasis on youth, if you are not in line for central leadership position once you reach 40 years of age, you should be content to stay in the wilderness of state politics, don't even dream of making it further than tier-3, i.e. you have been marked as a provincial leadership material and should make way for the elites should that be required of you.

So what is happening in Johor is totally expected.

Back to Base (Updated)

Update:

The announcement was finally made last night, and I missed it as usual as I was stuck somewhere finishing up on some stuff that was leftover from last week.  Darn!

But that is OK, so at least we have confirmed PKR as contesting Segamat, Pasir Gudang, Ledang, Sri Gading and Sembrong in addition to Johor Bahru, Muar, Batu Pahat and Tebrau.

However Dr Boo had demanded a replacement for Segamat, so we shall just wait and see which one PKR will hand over to its pack leader.

My assessment is, DAP will accept Pasir Gudang or Tebrau as replacement for Segamat, but we shall see.

Original:

I just got back to the office today and spent most of the morning clearing stuff that has been piling on my to-do-list, and prowling for the latest news.

Other than the BN Akujanji, nothing new can be discerned as yet.  There is nothing that I can add to the many opinions out there about the BN Akujanji, at least nothing that I feel strongly enough to write about.  What I read of the statements of their leaders, the opposition pact are still "negotiating" their seat allocations.  Nothing new there either.

My earlier predictions of PKR contesting Segamat was made on the premise that DAP Johor would be fair to their partners.  I guess I gave DAP Johor and Dr Boo too much credit, because I thought as a Johorean, he would at least be fair-minded.  I should not have put too much trust in human nature.

DAP guys must think that the much hyped "chinese revolution (revolt)" is real and they feel confident that Johorean Chinese are harboring a deep hatred for anything Umno and BN.  The way Lim Kit Siang simply instructed DAP Johor to set up their election machinery in Johor Jaya, as if it is theirs for the taking with no consideration at all for PKR, is a measure of their utter contempt for PKR Johor.

PKR Johor, on the other hand, are just so desperate, that they simply swallow whatever being directed their way, pretending everything is hunky dory.  All indications seems to be they are willing to just pick up whatever allocated them by DAP and are still hoping that DAP will charitably give them Bakri, for Chua Jui Meng presumably, and maybe Kulai.  Totally dependent on DAP for whatever crumbs they might throw your way, huh? You people do not have much self-respect, do you?  I am upset on your behalf ...

PAS, being the obedient pets that they are, happily skipped along, placing their candidates in the sure-to-die Malay-majority seats of Johor, at a time when their Malay support is at its lowest.  Just too pathetic for words ...

At the moment, BN are most vulnerable in Kluang, Gelang Patah, Bakri, Kulai and Segamat, from the most vulnerable to the least.  Since DAP had already indicated Segamat as theirs, it is unlikely they will give away Kulai or Bakri to PKR, unless they are willing to give away their most promising parliamentary representation.

State-wise, Bentayan, Skudai, Senai, Puteri Wangsa and Yong Peng are BN's most vulnerable state seats, and even then I included Yong Peng to make up the numbers.  With that, it is very difficult for me to see the unholy trinity making an impact this time around in Johor, unless BN really mess-up with the candidates they field.

Whatever the situation is, I am sure that BN Johor will do their utmost to achieve their 100% win target by fielding their most winnable candidates in places where they are most vulnerable.

Political Thuggery Goes International

I think the ABU and their Tahan activities have gone too far.  You can read about them at Helen Ang's here and here.

Preventing foreigners from voting?  How do you define someone with MyKad as a foreigner?  You are that pure are you?  You ABU Tahan people are all 100% Temiar or something?

Hello, uncle .. you don't have enough audience in Malaysia for your vitriol ke, that you have to start spreading and exporting your venom beyond the borders?  Why just the Indonesians?  Why not include the Chinese and Indians?  Aren't their "motherland" farther away than Indonesia?  Come to think of it, why not include those from the Netherlands too?

I really cannot understand these supremacist types who think they have the right to decide who deserves to be a Malaysian and who doesn't, according to their own narrow definitions.

I chose to be Malaysian, live in Malaysia, be loyal to Malaysia, just like those formerly undocumented Indonesians and Filipinos whom I bet value their MyKads far more than these Tahan lot ever do.  I think we have the right to vote for whomever we believe should lead this country because we are invested in its future.

Will I be stopped at the polling station by these belligerent hooligans then?  It isn't enough to incite the Chinese to "Revolt", you have to start bullying those you deemed as foreigners (because you think they don't share your point of view) from voting too?  Desperate much?

Hey, I can play the game too.  I decree that all those not born in Malaysia should not be allowed to become an MP or ADUN, they are not even allowed to vote.  How's that?

We are only deserving to be Malaysians if we vote for anything but Umno?  Woi, Umno does not contest in the elections la ... BN does.  Where I am, the fight is between DAP Lim against BN, and DAP Boo against BN.  Not a single Umno candidate.  You think I am going to vote for some backstabbing duo?  You never know whom they will betray next, most probably the rakyat.  If they can betray their own partner, they can betray anyone because only their interests are of priority one.

Sometimes I wonder whether these ABU types even care to see and understand anything beyond their own self-interests, collective insecurities, and narrow world-view.  Next they will be encouraging some idiots to take up arms to make sure that they get what they wanted, the way they wanted it.  Their way at all costs, to hell with everyone else.  Banyak cantik punya muka.

Do we really want to accede to these belligerent ABU bullies by voting the way they want us to vote?

Campaign Fever

The campaigning in Malaysia seems to have gone full blast.  I was on Skype with my 7 year-old nephew a while ago and our conversation went along this line:

Me: So, how's things at home?  How's school today?
Al: Al tak pergi school hari ni.
Me: Kenapa?
Al: Sebab Al demam.  Auntie, I have a new friend.  Dia dah hantar 2 sms.
Me: Oh?  Kawan sekolah ke?
Al: Bukan.
Me: Siapa?
Al: Entah. Tak kenal.
Me: Dia kata apa?
Al: Tadi dia kata nak bagi air bersih percuma.  Before that, dia kata ada skim padi.
Me: Skim padi?
My Sis: Skim perlindungan untuk pesawah.  Kempen pilihanraya.
Me: Oooo ..

LOL.  I can't get that off my mind.  How did these people know my nephew aspires to be a farmer and spends an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom and in the pool?  Yes, the little tyke wants to be a farmer when he grows up so he can produce lots of food because his 6 year-old brother likes to eat.  Water and paddy?  I think the message didn't quite reach the target audience the sender intended.  If they were meant for the parents, though, how would "Skim Padi" have any meaning to neurosurgeons and dermatologists?

Away From Base

I am away from base at the moment attending to personal matters.  I received text messages from friends to watch the 11:30 announcement but I was already on my way, so I missed that.  By the time I managed to get access to the latest from Malaysia, the news is all over the net.  At last.  Now we only have to wait for EC to set the date for the 13th General Election.  I like the piece by Azmi Anshar on NST today though.  Heh .. rather harsh, but fitting.

I have spent the last two years getting immersed in the Johor political scene, but unlike Ai, my knowledge has always been closer to the ground than hers.  Ai's work allowed her a closer look at the leadership and political strategists, whereas I am more inclined to lepak at the grassroots programmes and community gatherings engaging the JKKK, community leader or the Kemas teacher.  The dissolution of the parliament and state assemblies have long been awaited by everyone, and the speculations will start heating up.

Before I left, I heard from a very reliable source that Dato Abdul Ghani Othman will not be defending his Serom state seat, just as reported by Annie.  I don't claim to know the man, but from what I have seen of him, I like Dato Ghani.  Despite what people say about him, I found him to be mentally sharp, very analytical, has a charming personality, and such a cultured gentleman.  He has a swoon-worthy smile too.

Most of the people I met on the ground have deep respect for the man, maybe because he has been Menteri Besar for more than 15 years, but I can actually detect the awe in the way they address him or how they talk about their encounters with him.  There were some snide remarks, of course, but mostly were from people who never really worked with him or have grudges against him for one reason or another.

Regardless of what people say about him, the good and the bad, I wish he'd stay on as the Menteri Besar of Johor because I think he is good for the state.  For his detractors, let us just say that nobody is perfect, and Dato Ghani is far from perfection, but I can't imagine anyone else in the present leadership line-up being able to balance all the Johor variables with equal diplomacy, firmness and sensitivity.

However, I will be looking at the present Johor leadership to see who has what it takes to manage the situation in Johor after the General Election.  As for Pakatan's claim that BN Johor will fall this time around with the onslaught of Uncle Kit and gang, guys, wake up will ya?  DAP might win some state seats, but it is unlikely they'll do much better than the last GE, and all that "Chinese Revolt" hype, is just that, hype.  Johoreans have better sense than you think.

What being a Chinese is All About According to Shuzheng

I was prowling the www again when I was supposed to be working .. (hee hee .. I tend to do this to get inspiration in my line of work, so it is part of working too - hope the Boss understands when he finds out) but I found something that I want to share with readers of BigCat, something I found here.

In Johor, I prefer taking the taxi to go places because I get the chance to talk to the taxi drivers - and most of them are very down-to-earth, perceptive and have very practical approaches to life.  Whether they are Malays, Chinese or Indians, they all have something to add to my info-base of what it is to be Malaysian.

Just so that you know, I also love conversing with the Chinese uncles I meet during my "get-to-know-Johor" run-arounds, because they give me a different view of who and what the Chinese people are.  Very different from the ones I used to hang out with in Bangsar and Damansara Utama.  Just as different as the original Kluang Station Coffee in Kluang from the ones you find in KL.

I admit though, I find the Bangsar lifestyle is not for me, and the super glitz of Bangsar Shopping Centre puts me off.  I am not saying the Curve in Mutiara Damansara is better, but at least there are other things to "cuci mata" at the Curve, with a more bohemian feel to it and practical shopping to be done, like IKEA and Ace Hardware.  Oh OK, that is Ikano, but that's just like across the street from the Curve.  But that's a couple of years ago, so maybe things are different now, though I still drop by IKEA for small stuff whenever I'm in town.  Parking is horrendous there, though.

Anyway, I digress, as usual.  I just think that Shuzheng's piece there is worth reading to understand why I feel the way I do about people who tend to generalise and paint all Chinese with the same brush.

Boo: Johor PKR should stop targeting DAP but BN instead

Press statement by Johor DAP State Chairman Dr. Boo Cheng Hau on 31 March 2013 in Johor Bahru regarding seats distribution among Johor Pakatan Rakyat to forge a winning line-up in Johor.

	2008 12th General Elections Parliamentary  seat allocation	Proposed 2013 13thGE Parliamentary seat allocation	2008 12th GE state seat allocation  in 2008	Proposed 2013 13thGE  state seat allocation
PKR	10	11 (Let go Gelang Patah Parliament  to the DAP but gain Tebrau Parliament from PAS and Johor Bahru parliament from PRM)	10	13
PAS	9	8	33	28
DAP	6	7 including Gelang Patah	12	15
PRM	1 (Johor Bahru)	0	2 (3-cornered fight with the DAP in Stulang)	0
Total	26	26	56	56

I deeply regret that the PKR Johor has insensibly targeted at the DAP seats while fact is that PKR will contest one more parliament seat in Johor in the upcoming 13th General Elections.
Despite giving way for the DAP in Gelang Patah parliament, PKR has been given the right to contest in both additional Tebrau and Johor Bahru parliament seats.  Tebrau and Johor Bahru parliament seats were previously contested by PAS and PRM respectively.  PAS has agreed to swop with PKR the Tebrau parliament while giving DAP the Gelang Patah seat to contest in addition to the new Johor Bahru parliament seat.
As a matter of fact, PKR Johor has gained one more parliament seat to contest in Johor under its ticket as compared to 2008 General Elections.  Even though the DAP contests 6 parliament seats in 2008 but 7 parliament seats in 2013 General Elections, we still have the least number of parliament seats to contest in Johor as compared to PKR and PAS.
For Johor PKR to insist on getting additional parliament seats such as Bakri or Segamat parliament seats from the DAP, it is no only deemed unreasonable but Johor PKR shows a lack of fraternity.
When PAS is willing to give up one parliament seat in 2013 as compared to 2008, it has been willing to give up more state seats for both the DAP and PKR.  I would like to urge the Johor PKR to look at the bigger political scenarios and respect the goodwill of both the Johor PAS and DAP to accept the proposed allocation of parliament seats and be willing to accept more state seats than targeting the DAP seats only.
The DAP has proposed the PAS and PKR to swop more state states for Johor PKR as it is what Johor PKR needs to strike a balance in seats allocation.  Johor PKR needs more state seats than parliament seats.  As most Johor state seats are in the PAS' domain, PAS is willing to give in more seats to Johor PKR for the sake of Pakatan unity.  PKR Johor should try to be reasonable and concentrate on efforts as to how PR can defeat the BN as a whole.

Dr. Boo Cheng Hau, 69 Jalan Kebudayaan 16, Taman Universiti, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia.  Tel and Fax: 60-7-521 1670


Tinsel says:
You see, you see .. that's how generous DAP is to PKR.  In GE13 PKR gets to contest in more seats courtesy of PAS and PRM, you see .. how generous DAP has been to PKR.  Err ... that's all PAS generosity, but same thing la, PAS is just an extension of DAP too what ...

So PKR should take advantage of PAS generosity la, and give all those seats that PKR has been working on back to DAP, because we must have a balanced allocation.  What do you mean you have been working on those seats for a long time? sap sap sui la .. you are all partners what ...

Besides Najib is too scared to dissolve the parliament you know, so there is plenty of time for PKR to build their support from zero and there are those green Pastors around to help PKR make noise in those seats.  Work a bit harder la .. don't expect everything handed to you on a plate.

See, DAP is contesting in the least number of seats as compared to PKR and PAS.  See how generous DAP are?   Even if PKR and PAS don't win, it is OK what.  In a competition, it is not the winning that matters, it is the participation that counts.  Besides if DAP wins all these Chinese-majority seats, it is like we all win, right pardners?

What do you mean PAS is not in the equation?  They give away their marginal seats like Tebrau and Johor Bahru to DAP to allocate to PKR what .. those are winnable seats for PKR, that is being an important part of the equation.  What?  Shahrir Samad in Johor Bahru?  He is kacang putih la, no problem for PKR.