Malaysians have begun voting in an election that could weaken or even end the rule of one of the world’s longest-lived coalitions, which faces a stiff challenge from an opposition pledging to clean up politics and end race-based policies.

Led by former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition is aiming to build on startling electoral gains in 2008, when the Barisan Nasional (BN), ruling coalition lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.

The result signaled a breakdown in traditional politics as minority ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indians, as well as many majority Malays, rejected BN’s brand of race-based patronage that has ensured stability in the Southeast Asian nation but led to corruption and widening inequality.

Hundreds of people lined up outside polling stations across the country, many of them first-time voters concerned about the rising living costs, higher crime and corruption in a government that has been in power for 56 years.

“I would like to see some change,” said Wardina Shafie, a 31-year-old computer engineer after she cast her vote on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital. “I think the opposition has a good chance of taking government. I only worry about voter fraud.”

The campaigning had heated up in recent days with Anwar accusing the coalition of flying up to 40,000 “dubious” voters across the country to vote in close races. The government says it was merely helping voters to return to their hometowns.

Polling will end at 5 pm. Officials expect the first results for 222 parliamentary seats and over 500 state seats to start trickling in from 8 pm onwards.

Opinion polls suggest a tight race that could further reduce the coalition majority, lead the opposition to dispute the result over claims of fraud and spill over to street protests.

Under Prime Minister Najib Razak, the blue-blood son of a former leader, the coalition has tried to win over a growing middle class with social reforms and secure traditional voters with a US$2.6 billion deluge of cash handouts to poor families.

He can point to robust growth of 5.6 percent last year as evidence that his Economic Transformation Programme to double incomes by 2020 is bearing fruit, while warning that the untested three-party opposition would spark economic ruin.

“The victor or loser of this 13th general election will not be BN or the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR). It will be Malaysia, its people and our children,” Najib tweeted on Sunday before casting his ballot in central Pahang state.

Najib, who is more popular than his party, has had some success in steadying the ship since he was installed as head of the dominant United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in 2009.

Formidable advantages such as the coalition’s control of mainstream media, its deep pockets and a skewed electoral system make it the clear favorite.

But a failure to improve on 2008’s performance, when BN won 140 seats in the 222-seat parliament, could threaten Najib’s position and his reform program. Conservative forces in UMNO, unhappy with his tentative efforts to roll back affirmative action policies favoring ethnic Malays, are waiting in the wings to challenge his leadership.

LAST CHANCE FOR ANWAR?

The election represents possibly the last chance to lead Malaysia for Anwar, a former rising UMNO star who was sacked and jailed for six years in 1998 following a feud with then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who remains an influential figure.

The 65-year-old former deputy prime minister says his corruption and sodomy convictions were trumped up. He received a new lease on political life last year when a court acquitted him of a second sodomy charge.

His alliance, which includes an awkward partnership between a secular ethnic Chinese party with an Islamist party, can present a viable alternative, given its record of governing in four states it took over in 2008.

It wants to break down a network of patronage that has grown up between UMNO and business tycoons. The alliance also pledges to replace policies favoring ethnic Malays in housing, business and education with needs-based assistance. Anwar has called it a balance of “market economy and Occupy Wall Street”.

The opposition is riding a growing trend of civil-society activism, which has been most evident in a series of big street protests in recent years calling for reform of the electoral system and huge campaign rallies.

Election observers said at least 200,000 people turned up for rallies across the country late on Saturday in a last-minute push to support the opposition.

“One for all, all for one - regardless of color, creed, or religion,” veteran politician Lim Kit Siang told a 6,000-strong crowd in southern Johor state, bordering Singapore. “We are all Malaysians, why let racial sentiments provoke us?”

Most people in the crowd were Chinese, who make up about 25 percent of Malaysians and who abandoned the ruling coalition in 2008.

Maintaining its momentum among ethnic Malay voters may be more difficult amid warnings from BN that they would be at risk from Chinese economic domination if the opposition won.

“I am comfortable with the current situation here,” said a 62-year old Malay housewife after she cast her ballot in Johor. “I can’t trust the opposition. I don’t know them.”

Source: REUTERS

Bersih has condemned efforts to fly in tens of thousands of alleged dubious voters and being transported to key battleground states and constituencies.

In a statement late yesterday, it described such efforts as a blatant move to defy the wishes of genuine voters across Malaysia.

"The most critical elections in Malaysia's history are likely to be stolen from the rakyat with a series of fraudulent moves on the eve of polling day," the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections better known as Bersih said.

"Bersih urges Malaysians in the strongest terms to come out in record numbers to vote tomorrow.

We ask all Malaysian voters to make an informed decision, on your own free will, about the politicians you can trust and those that you cannot believe any longer."

Bersih also urge Malaysians to cast their votes with full awareness of the travesty of democracy going on.

From the number of complaints that Pemantau has received, Bersih said it is now very clear that its claims of predicting this election to be the dirtiest ever is correct.

"We deplore the silence of the caretaker prime minister, Najib Razak and condemn this complete lack of action by the Elections Commission (EC), in the face of these most serious allegations over electoral roll fraud.

"The EC, which denied the postal vote to hundreds of thousands of East Malaysians working in the peninsula, and even more citizens working in Singapore, is now standing mute as planeloads of people are being flown into the peninsula to vote."

The general election tomorrow is likely to be neither free nor fair, it said.

Meanwhile, Bersih co-coordinator Ambiga Sreenevasan called on the EC to explain the allegations.

Ambiga said as the body responsible for managing the election, the EC cannot keep quiet to the allegations on the possibility of foreigners being phantom voters and are voting in tomorrow's pivotal election.

"I am concerned of EC's silence. They cannot reject the allegation by saying that it is without basis. We need to know the foreigners are brought to where. The EC cannot remain quiet," she said at a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

On Thursday night, BN and Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (right) admitted that the flights were in fact organised and paid for by "friends of BN" to send registered voters back to their hometowns to vote.

Tengku Adnan, has however denied PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's claims that these were "dubious" voters from East Malaysia.

Blatant abuse of power

Meanwhile, Bersih special committee on conduct co-chaired by Irene Fernandez and Zaid Kamaruddin are extremely concerned with these revelations that a large number of foreign workers or Malaysians from Sabah and Sarawak are being transported to the peninsula.

It's alleged this is being done through chartered flights by Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia, and the Prime Minister's Office is involved.

If this is true, they said this would not only undermine the country's sovereignty, and the integrity of the election process.

"This is also the most blatant abuse of power and the machinery of caretaker government and the code of conduct on caretaker government in particularly the PMO's office.

"We demand a public explanation from Najib with evidence that will prove the emails from the two airlines companies implicating the PMO is not true.

"A simple denial and silence would not be enough to restore public confidence on the caretaker government," it said in a separate statement.

The committee also deplores the violations by Najib who has made one announcement after another related to budget allocations and policy decisions when he is only a caretaker minister.

This, they said included the upgrade of status for Han Chiang College to a university college, an allocation for a new campus for UiTM, and the approval of a branch campus for Ee Heng High School in Penang.

Others include the approval of one more school for Foon Yew Chinese school in Johor Bahru, the approval of an additional school for Chung Hwa Chinese school in Kuching and the announcement of building 9,999 low and medium cost housing units in three areas in Penang recently.

Additionally it said the caretaker Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said also announced the award of Bukit Besi iron ore mining concessionaire of 230 hectares to Perwaja Holdings Bhd.

"Campaign posters show "Vote for Prime Minister Najib " is also a violation of the guidelines as he is no longer a PM but a caretaker PM. He is leader of the BN and this campaign banner gives a false perception of his leadership."

It reminded that the caretaker government has no right to give out direct allocations or cash promises as it constitutes to vote buying.

"The campaign should focus very much on the manifesto and policies that will bring about a better quality of life for the rakyat and move the nation to a more mature democracy where freedoms and rights are respected and upheld.

"In view of the continued disregard of the code of conduct on caretaker government of Bersih and the repeated violations of this code of conduct by Najib, we decided to place him in the blacklist for breach of code of the conduct of a caretaker government," the committee said in a another statement.

A dubious voter in Pandan, Selangor was turned away from the polling station after PKR polling agents objected, said PKR Pandan candidate Rafizi Ramli (below).

He said one Pandan voter Seok Leong Yew alerted his team of the dubious voter whose registered address was allegedly the same as his.

“We have circulated all of the suspicious IC numbers to our polling agents, so as soon as the polling clerk read out his IC number, our polling agent objected.

“Since our guys objected (to the dubious voter), he left without voting. We didn’t manage to stop him,” said Rafizi at a press conference outside the Ampang Police District Headquarters before going inside to lodge a police report over the matter.

Accompanying him to lodge the report is Seok and another Pandan voter Sivaprakasam Kuruppiah, who also found out today that there are unknown voters registered at his residential address.

Below is a video of 2 Foreign workers being exposed for being a "ghost" voter:

Source: MalaysiaKini.com

Several voters in Kulai and Klang have claimed that they cannot vote as someone has voted in their name.

They will be lodging complaints with the Election Commission (EC).

In Kulai, Chua Siew Pin, 42, arrived at the polling station at SJK(C) Batu about 10am and found that her name had already been used.

“I am waiting for the agents of political parties to help me. I will fight for my rights," she said when contacted.

She claimed that the EC officer then filled a Form10 to ascertain her identity, but that she had insisted on Form 11 - - a declaration form to allow voting in the event of a dispute - being used instead.

“I am still awaiting the outcome,” she said.

Kulai DAP candidate Teo Nie Ching said she has received five to six similar complaints and that the voters are waiting for her at her service centre,

Teo, the Serdang incumbent MP, said Liew Ah Moy went to SMK Kulai Besar at 10.30am, but that EC officers told her that she ‘had already voted’.

“When I check Liew's fingers, there is no indelible ink mark,” Teo tweeted.

In Klang, PKR’s Dr Xavier Jeyakumar tweeted that two voters have protested because someone had voted in their names.

“Use Form 11 and allow the genuine voter to vote,” he tweeted.

*Article first appeared on http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/229181

BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak has branded the election results tonight on a "Chinese tsunami" and warned that such "polarised" voting trends would be "dangerous" to the country.

Speaking during a press conference at Umno headquarters shortly after BN officially won the required 112 parliamentary seats to form a simple majority, Najib admitted that the Chinese community had voted overwhelmingly for the Opposition.

While retaining Kedah, BN had failed to retain Selangor, Kelantan, and Penang, and also lost a number of parliamentary seats to Pakatan in the process.

"The polarisation in this voting trend worries the government. We are afraid that if this is allowed to continue, it will create tensions," he said.

He called for a "national reconciliation process", where he said that "extremist ideologies" will be put aside.

"Racial harmony is imperative for us," he said, before saying that the country must reject "racial politics and extremism", without making reference to any particular party.

Taken in by promises

He said that the Chinese communities were "taken in" by the promises that had been made by the Opposition and that while he expected such politics, he did not think it would be to this extent.

He said that BN will take some time to "absorb the results and its ramifications", while urging all parties to accept the election results which he called free and fair.

He also reiterated that all promises made by BN during the campaign period will be fulfilled, and that a mechanism will be set up to ensure that these promises are seen to.

Najib was flanked by his wife Rosmah Mansor and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin during the press conference.

*Article first appeared on http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/229231

1. There was a strong swing among the Chinese to the Democratic Action Party (DAP), member of Pakatan Rakyat (PR). The urban Malays was more neutral while the rural Malays continued to give strong support to the Barisan National (BN).

2. This polarization along racial lines is not good for Malaysia. It is wise for the caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Razak to call for a period of reconciliation. He is moderate and reform minded and will be able to take Malaysia through a period of change.

3. The call by the former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohd at the last minute to the Malays to reject Party Islam (PAS) probably saved BN. He is clearly strategic in his thinking. This probably contributed to the surge in Malay support for the BN, instead of PAS, in the important rural areas in Perak, Kedah and Johore.

4. It is rather sad that Anwar Ibrahim's party, Partai Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which is multi-racial in its approach, did not fare as well as it should in the rural areas. Several Chinese candidates stood on their platform, perhaps in the urban areas.

5. I am impressed with the performance of Anwar's daughter, Nurrul Izzah. I watched some of the Youtube videos of her speeches. She is truly an inspirational leader with clear ideas of what is good for the future of Malaysia. A commentator said that she is his favorite as a future Prime Minister of Malaysia. I share this view.

6. I am impressed with the campaign speeches of many candidates. They are able to relate well with the public and to mix Malay, English, Mandarin and dialect in the same speech. It goes will with a multi-racial audience.

7. Malaysians are way ahead of Singaporeans in politics and democracy. We have much to learn from them.

Tan Kin Lian

*The author is the former CEO of NTUC income and a presidential candidate for the republic of Singapore.

Singapore Democrats | YourSDP.org

In a dialogue session with Singaporeans, Minister for National Development Mr Khaw Boon Wan said that the HDB lost "hundreds of millions" of dollars every year.

This is counterintuitive to Singaporeans who pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for their flats, many of whom take out huge housing loans which they spend 20 to 30 years to pay off. Much of the mortgage payments are taken from our CPF which deplete our retirement funds.

So how is it possible that while Singaporeans pay such large amounts for our flats, HDB reports such large annual losses?

The reason, as Mr Khaw says, is that HDB spends money on items such as "acquisition costs". However, he doesn't reveal how much these costs are.

What Mr Khaw means is that HDB buys its land from the Government (see HDB statement here). The land is acquired by the Government at little or no cost. It then sets a price for this land and sells it to the HDB.

So this seems to be a case of the HDB losing money paying the Government. In the end, it is still the Government making all the money.

Mr Wong Pak Shong remarked that when it comes to the compulsory acquisition of land, the Government "is a terrific moneymaking machine". Mr Wong is no ordinary Singaporean, he was a former top official at the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Profiting from Singaporeans through public housing is wrong. 

This is why the SDP proposes the Non-Open Market (NOM) scheme for HDB flats in our housing policy paper Housing A Nation: Holistic Policies For Affordable Homes. Under this scheme, Singaporeans can choose to buy flats that are significantly cheaper ranging from $70,000 for 2-room flats to $240,000 for 5-room flats.

Singaporeans who purchase these flats will take an estimated 9 to 15 years to pay off their housing loans (based on an interest rate of 3 percent).

The prices reflect the true cost of building the flats: material, labour and administrative costs. They do not include the "cost" of the land. 

In return, NOM flat owners cannot sell their flats on the open market. They must sell it back to the HDB at a discounted price if they don't want to continue living in it.

The advantage of the NOM scheme is that homeowners do not have to spend all their retirement savings on their flats or taking out huge loans that require a lifetime to pay back. They can use the savings for retirement or other investments such as education, healthcare or starting a business.

Under the SDP's plan, current HDB owners who want to convert their flats to NOM ones can do so and the Government will return the difference of their purchase price and the NOM price to their CPF accounts.

Singaporeans who want to have the option of selling their flats in the open market can continue under the present system or purchase new BTO flats at the prevailing rate that HDB offers which includes the "cost" of the land.

In other words, HDB buyers will have an added NOM option under the SDP's proposal.

Read also SDP proposes non-open market flats in housing policy 

The benefits of the SDP's NOM scheme is obvious as they will make public housing for Singaporeans genuinely affordable and save homeowners much funds.

The HDB will also benefit from the scheme as it will not have to "purchase" land from the Government and report losses of hundreds of millions of dollars every year. 
 

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong congratulated Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak this afternoon on his victory in the General Election. In a telephone call to PM Najib, PM Lee said he looked forward to continue working with Prime Minister Najib to strengthen ties. PM Lee has also written a congratulatory letter to PM Najib, reproduced in full below:

Dear Prime Minister Najib,

Congratulations on leading the Barisan Nasional to a well-deserved victory in the 13th General Election, as well as on your win in Pekan! The Barisan Nasional’s convincing win reflects your people’s confidence in your leadership and the value they placed on continuity and stability.

This was a particularly hard-fought general election, but you ran a strong campaign that focused on your people’s concerns and persuaded them of your vision for Malaysia.

I wish you all the best in your next term of Government. I look forward to continue working with you to deepen our bilateral cooperation. As we discussed at our Leaders’ Retreat in February, our countries have large and growing stakes in each other’s success. Let us strengthen our close partnership for the benefit of both our peoples.

Ho Ching joins me in congratulating you and in wishing you and Datin Sri Rosmah continued good health and success. We hope to see you again before too long.

Lee Hsien Loong
Prime Minister of Singapore

Bersih is not looking at organising a rally now as it wants to concentrate on its fact-finding mission first.

Election watchdog Bersih has decided to withhold recognition of the new government amidst various reports of alleged electoral fraud in the just-concluded 13th general election.

“We have received many reports of electoral fraud in the GE13. Until a fact-finding mission is completed, we are withholding recognition of the new government,” Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga said at a press conference here today.

Ambiga added that a people’s panel for the fact-finding mission will be set up in a week’s time. The panel will consist of election experts.

She also called for the boycott of mainstream media such as the New Straits Times, The Star, Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia.

“We urge people to boycott them as they have lent their hand to the fraudulence that has been perpetrated on the rakyat.

“We also urge the rakyat to wear black in the next one month in protest of the electoral fraud,” said Ambiga.

EC members must resign

Bersih also repeated its call for all the members of the Election Commission (EC) to resign immediately.

“The EC has failed to ensure a clean, free and fair election process. The entire commission should resign unless they can provide evidence to prove otherwise.

“New commissioners who enjoy public confidence should be appointed to replace them,” stressed Ambiga.

She however expressed hope for the courts and legal system to protect and uphold the rights of the rakyat.

“We call for people who have first-hand information of fraud or other irregularities to come forward to make police reports.

“We also encourage all candidates who have suffered as a result of electoral fraud to file election petitions,” said Ambiga.

Ambiga also queried on why so much money, a reported RM10 million, was spent to buy indelible ink that did not even last.

“Because the indelible ink was easily removed by soap and water, it defeated the purpose of using it in the first place,” she said.

No rally planned

Ambiga also expressed her frustrations with the EC as voters were forced to take matters into their own hands for clean and fair election.

“One of the tragic instances that took place was when the rakyat had to take matters into their own hands.

“They had to take matters into their own hands to ensure that the election is not taken away from them when it should have been the EC’s responsibility,” said Ambiga, citing instances of voters preventing busloads of alleged phantom voters from voting.

“Ultimately, it was up to the rakyat to ensure a clean and fair election.

Ambiga also questioned the delays in the announcement of wins for the opposition seats in the mainstream media.

“When they started announcing the results, they only announced the wins of the ruling government. There were delays in the announcement of wins for the opposition and suddenly there was a freezing of results.

“We were told that recountings took place and instances of electricity at various counting centres suddenly going off. The electricity always goes off at the most ‘opportune’ moments; these instances are definitely not unusual as it has happened before in the previous elections,” Ambiga remarked wrily.

“All these show how the election has been far from clean and fair,” she reiterated.

When asked if a possible rally is due to take place soon, she said that there are no plans as of now as they will need to concentrate on the fact-finding mission first.

*The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Malay: Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil) or Bersih (meaning clean in Malay) is a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which seeks to reform the current electoral system in Malaysia to ensure free, clean and fair elections. It was officially formed on 23 November 2006 as a joint communiqué that comprised leaders from political parties, civil society groups and NGOs.

*Article first appeared on https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/05/06/bersih-with...

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong telephoned his counterpart, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, yesterday afternoon to congratulate him on leading the Barisan Nasional (BN) to a “convincing win” in Sunday’s hard-fought general election.

Mr Lee said he looked forward to continuing working with Mr Najib to strengthen ties. Both Prime Ministers agreed to further enhance their close bilateral partnership, according to a Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement yesterday.

Mr Lee also wrote a congratulatory letter to Mr Najib. Mr Lee wrote: “The Barisan Nasional’s convincing win reflects your people’s confidence in your leadership and the value they placed on continuity and stability.”

Mr Lee also noted recent discussions with Mr Najib during February’s Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore, where the two governments announced the construction of a high-speed rail linking Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in 90 minutes — a move both Prime Ministers said will be a “game changer”.

In his letter, Mr Lee added: “I look forward to continue working with you to deepen our bilateral cooperation. As we discussed at our Leaders’ Retreat in February, our countries have large and growing stakes in each other’s success. Let us strengthen our close partnership for the benefit of both our peoples.”

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community event yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam felt Sunday’s election results delivered “a clear, stable government”. “For us, from a Singapore perspective, stability in Malaysia is extremely important, so the result is such that it’s a clear win,” he added.

Mr Shanmugam, however, noted the results also showed “a deep racial polarisation” in Malaysia — with the Democratic Action Party winning in areas with a substantial Chinese population and the BN in those with a substantial Malay population. He felt this has to be worked on, as Mr Najib acknowledged on Sunday, before it becomes “more problematic”.

Asked about state developments and its impact on Johor’s Iskandar region, Mr Shanmugam pointed out that developments in the area were the result of government-to-government interaction.

“Logically, the state-level developments should not impact on Iskandar Malaysia and our agreements. And the progress of Iskandar Malaysia, which is good for Malaysia and is also win-win because of deals in Singapore that were agreed to under the POA (Points of Agreement),” he said.

The two Prime Ministers had in 2010 came to an agreement on Malayan Railway land in Singapore.

Mr Shanmugam added: “At the same time, of course, we’re seeing a lot of allegations of Singapore being used as a bogeyman in these elections, and we must expect that some of that, maybe a lot of that, may continue as a result of state-level developments. We just have to watch the developments.”

Speaking to ChannelNewsAsia, Mr Shanmugam said there are lessons to be learnt from how the elections played out.

He said: “One of the lessons is that thankfully we are not at the same level of racial polarisation and I think we can also learn from the experience to try and make sure that we remain a strongly multi-racial society, multi-racial country.

“So is Malaysia, but as its Prime Minister has noted, it has become somewhat polarised, the elections perhaps have somewhat accentuated it and it is something that we have to try and guard against.” 

Source: TodayOnline

Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim has filed an adjournment motion on the town councils review.

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan is expected to give a ministerial statement on the issue in Parliament next Monday.

In a report last week, a National Development Ministry team called for a strategic review of town councils.

The team had been tasked to review the sale of software in 2010 by town councils to a PAP-owned company, Action Information Management (AIM).

While it gave the all-clear to the transaction, it also said it might be timely now for a review of the role that town councils play.

According to Ms Lim, filing such a motion will allow further discussion on the matter.

She said: "It would give us time to articulate what we think are critical aspects of the review of town councils, and in particular the transactions MND was looking at as well. This would not be conveniently facilitated under the ministerial statement procedure because they just allow MPs to make clarifications, so you can't really in that sense have time to explain the background, the context of the concerns."

Ms Lim said she believes there will be keen interest among MPs on the issue: "Certainly this is a matter of public interest, and it affects all elected MPs because we are all responsible for town council management." 

Actually, back in January 2013, WP had already filed an adjournment motion to discuss the AIM issue. It was filed on 8 January to talk about it further at a 14 January Parliamentary sitting.

Coincidentally or in response to WP’s filing, PM Lee later announced on the same day (8 Jan) that he had asked MND to review the computer system transaction between PAP town councils and AIM [Link].

As such, Ms Lim, who is also the Chairman of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, then decided to withdraw the adjournment motion 2 days later on 10 January. She withdrew in view of PM Lee’s calling for a review.

Ms Lim then said that the goal of protecting the interests of the public and residents would be better served if the Government investigation and review were to first proceed. She added that after the review had been completed and its findings published, the matter could be raised in Parliament again as circumstances required.

Now that the MND review is over, Ms Lim is filing an adjournment motion to discuss the matter at length again.

Singaporeans were outraged that software developed by PAP town councils with public funds had been “transferred” to a PAP-owned company, AIM, a company with a paid-up capital of just $2, notwithstanding AIM paid a consideration of $140,000.

Although MND’s Review Team has found the AIM transaction to be above board, it has not quelled the controversies surrounding the deal. In fact, the report produced by the review team has generated even more questions.

TR Emeritus

*Article first appeared on www.TREmeritus.com

The Chinese Malaysian community "rejected the hand of friendship" extended by the Malays when they voted in large numbers for Pakatan Rakyat in Sunday's general election.

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad said this today at a special press conference in Putrajaya to assess BN's performance in the 13th polls.

Mahathir said the Chinese community has been taken in by DAP's "propaganda" to topple a "corrupt Malay" government.

He also rejected the notion that the voting trend reflects the urban-rural divide in politics.

"Now urban extends to suburban areas as well. As a result, even Selangor has become a Chinese- majority state," he said.

He repeated his stance that the DAP's campaign was to make the Chinese community hate the Malay community.

"I have said this several times in my campaign, even in Johor. Lim Kit Siang brought about the concept of Malaysian Malaysia, with the intention of making the Chinese hate the Malays,” he said. 

“As a result, many Chinese rejected the Malay hand of friendship."

‘Greedy Malays to blame, too’

"These are ones who can sell their own kind for power. There are three Malay-based parties, and there are cracks in every party, even Umno," he said.But Mahathir said he could not discount the "greedy Malays" who are jostling for power.

Mahathir even said that Malays have become "beggars in their own country".

"If Malays are not greedy, there would not be a ‘Chinese tsunami’," he insisted.

He also noted that more Malays had returned to the Umno fold in this election because they realise that it would be a “danger” to them if BN had lost the election.

However, he conceded that there are "sophisticated Malays" who have voted for DAP.

"These are the educated ones," he added.

Guan Eng: How can this be Chinese tsunami?

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has lambasted the attempt to turn the Chinese as “scapegoats” and shape the election results as a “Chinese-versus-Malay” vote.

“Many analysts have disputed this as a gross distortion of data, as this was more a urban-rural divide between Pakatan Rakyat and BN,” Lim said in a statement issued today.

“How can this be a Chinese tsunami in states like Terengganu when PAS won 15 state seats as compared to Umno’s 17, when more than 95 percent of Terengganu voters are Malays?”

He was referring to Utusan Malaysia's inflammatory front page headline today, ‘Apa lagi Cina mahu (What more do the Chinese want?)’.

The Penang chief minister also said PM Najib Abdul Razak, if indeed serious about reconciling all Malaysians, should “should respect the democratic choice of the voters”.

Should Najib fail to reign in the Umno-owned daily and stop it inflaming racist sentiments against the Chinese community, Lim (left, in photo) said the Umno chief would be seen as following in Mahathir’s footsteps.

“If Najib follows what Mahathir has done in blaming the Chinese after elections, then Najib has shown that he just cannot be trusted like Mahathir.”
 

*Article first appeared on http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/229421

PAP Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Zainudin Nordin appears to be using his Facebook page to promote the view that democracy is akin to gang rape. Quote:

“People use democracy as a free-floating abstraction disconnected from reality. Democracy in and of itself is not necessarily good. Gang rape, after all, is democracy in action."

When questioned to rebut the opinion - which is presented as a quote by author Terry Goodkind - the MP clearly declined and deleted the relevant comment.

The Rice Bowl believes strongly in democracy and the rule of law. As such we reject the opinion published in the strongest terms possible. Primarily since rape is obviously illegal in all democratic countries, the stated opinion cannot possibly stand. Furthermore, by the rule of law, a supposedly "democratic" move to violate fundamental personal and human rights could never succeed as a free and independent judiciary would inevitably strike out such an effort. In fact the constitution of Singapore itself states that Singapore is a democracy - in light of this one wonders how the MP reconciles such a negative view of democracy with his own standing as an elected member of parliament. 

Finally, the intent of democracy is such that the result of a free vote in a secret ballot will tend to reflect the opinion of a majority of participants. To us it seems obvious that citizens are wise and compassionate enough to ensure that a free vote to inflict suffering and harm on a minority would be rejected in a landslide. One wonders if Mr Zainudin agrees.

Kenneth Jeyaretnam

*The official Facebook page for the Blog, 'Rethinking the Rice Bowl', www.sonofadud.com.

As a newbie watching Malaysia's general elections, I can't help feeling like learning to trade or invest with a new instrument or asset class. You keep wondering what you have missed and how you might have inadvertently gone wrong. This is getting into the category of the unknown unknowns.

I picked up from the WSJ story something I had felt vicariously but lacks confidence to build on. I reproduce the key paragraph here.

It's also likely that this was the cleanest election in the country's history. Over the last few years, Mr. Najib bowed to demands from the civil society group Bersih for tighter controls and monitoring. Investigations will surely follow this election, and fraud should be severely punished.

Cleanest elections they had ever had? This is probably true.

I never liked Anwar and do not trust him. So when his was the only strident voice among the leaders that the elections had been stolen (probably true) I was suspicious.

In the end Najib's story is a guy who really tried but couldn't go far enough. That's why he was personally far more popular than his party. UMNO best chance is to keep him as PM but would they have the wisdom to do that? Might they decide there is only one last last dance left and go on a final rampage to steal as much from the country as possible before fleeing abroad. That's what happened when low brains and characters are possessed by greed. Ousting Najib would be the early warning sign to this scenario.

Singapore could have made the mistake of wanting too badly to do deals with Malaysia. We have waited so long to restore and rebuild our relationship with them no thanks especially to the crafty and duplicitous  Mahathir. We are at risk of over paying just like on a smaller scale SQ overpaid for Branson's Virgin and Air New Zealand. Doesn't Temasek often make this mistake too? SG government often sell ourselves cheap to outsiders and expensive to us. Truly with our government, familiarity breeds contempt. Should they be surprised that our support for them is eroding?

The issues are different but nevertheless there are parallels between the Malaysian experience and ours. E.g., PM Lee also clearly failed to go far enough with AIMgate and wrestling with the sacred cows. Like Najib today, come 2016 a PAP victory could be as good as a Pyrrhic one. We all lost in 2011. We lost in the Presidential Elections. We could lose even bigger in 2016.

Lesson: The DNA must change. Changing the packaging is not change.

*Article first appeared on http://blogging4myself.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/my-lessons-from-malaysias-ge.html

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob has ruled that an adjournment motion on the town council review, filed by Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim, is inadmissible in Parliament when it sits next Monday.

The reason: The subject of the motion will be fully debated under a ministerial statement to be presented at the same sitting.

Ms Lim had filed the adjournment motion earlier this week, on Monday, following last Friday's announcement that National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan would deliver a ministerial statement on the review in Parliament.

She did so as she wanted more time to discuss the issue, she had said, citing Standing Order 23 of parliamentary rules. It states that MPs may only seek clarification on a ministerial statement, not debate it.

Source: The Straits Times

The 13th Malaysian GE produced a first - the 1st time the ruling Barisan Nasional Alliance (BN) did not garner a majority of the total votes cast. They finished with just 47.38% or slightly more than 5,200,000 votes compared to the combined opposition which polled 50.87% or 5,600,000 + votes.

The manner in which the BN and opposition parties ran their campaigns and the results would have been closely monitored here by both the ruling PAP and the various opposition parties. In fact I know that at least 1 prospective opposition candidate - Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, was there to witness the campaign and polling courtesy of the Pakatan Rakyat Alliance (PR). 

Perhaps then there are some pointers for the opposition to take from this closely fought election and employ them here. Here are some of those which I think are worth considering:

1) Opposition Unity

Although the PR comprised 3 parties - the DAP, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), 2 which of which had ideals that were basically opposed to each other (PAS and DAP), they were able to come together in a grand alliance. Yes, there were some disgruntled members of  all 3 parties, unhappy over being ditched etc, that stood as candidates nonetheless (as a result allowed the BN to sneak in), they were few in number and basically admonished and abandoned by their respective parties. They are likely to face expulsion as well.

This coming together was no fluke, in fact it was already 5 years in the making, the result of the breakthrough 2008 GE. The 3 parties managed to avoid getting in each others' way when contesting and worked together to form the state Govt in 5 states - Penang. Perak, Selangor, Kelantan and Kedah. Except in the case of Kedah and the switching of alliances in Perak, all 3 parties did reasonably well in managing their states in spite of huge odds placed against it by the Federal Govt. As a result the PR retained power with an increased majority of 2/3 in Penang and Selangor, and maintained that figure in Kelantan.

How does this translate to the Singapore Opposition? Let's face it the 3 biggest parties here are the WP, the SDP and the NSP. All 3 managed to avoid multi cornered contests in 2011, but this is also primarily because none were able to put up candidates to contest in more wards, let alone all of them. However this situation might change in 2016.

In the recently concluded Punggol East by-elections, there was talk of a possible contest by the SDP in a seat where the WP had already decided to contest. The WP went on to say that they were prepared to go their own path, despite attempts by the SDP to get them to discuss the matter.

Whilst it's not wrong for any party to try and forge its own identity and not get bogged down by the disputes and differences of an alliance, it's also safe to say that it doesn't seem likely that any party will be able on its own to contest every single ward in 2016. And in the unlikely event that the opposition wins the election, then it must be in a form of an alliance.

Even if outright victory is not achieved, the likelihood is that eventually that more than 1, very possibly 3 (maybe 4 if we consider the SPP) parties will win seats in the House. Thus if the WP (or say the SDP and NSP) wins power on its' own in future elections, they will face an opposition that comprises not only the PAP but other opposition parties as well. For the PAP the matter is straight forward - it's us v them. But it won't be so for the WP.

Therefore as seen in Malaysia, that if 2 different parties (DAP and PAS) can come together or at least not get in each others' way, then it's something the WP must seriously consider. It doesn't have to form an alliance with the SDP or NSP, but it could at least meet informally and secretly without washing dirty linen in public, with them and come to some sort of arrangement not to get in each others way.

And the SDP and NSP must also take a leaf out of the MCA's playbook and allow the WP to contest in seats (which they eyed) if it's shown that the WP alone is best placed to win that seat (s). The WP on it's part must acknowledge the sacrifise made for their benefit by these parties and return the favour in some form. Whether it means letting them contest some other seats or by-elections or giving them some role in administering Town Councils. (At present only the WP and SPP have any experience in running Town Councils in this century).

With only a handful of seats in the House and no likelihood of the WP fielding and winning a plurality of seats, now is not the time to burn it's bridges with the other opposition parties.

2)  Campaigning

The PR ran an efficient campaign - keeping its message simple without getting bogged down in a fight with the BN over facts and figures or statistics. Their message was essentially wealth distribution. The country has grown much in the past 2 decades but only a small % of Malaysians were seen to benefit. And these were basically those with ties to the BN.

They also rallied against corruption and the incompetence of component parties like the MCA, Gerakan and MIC in standing up to UMNO or fighting for their respective base's causes.

This is something the SDP likes to do, get bogged down by facts and figures which the PAP who have all the resources at hand, gleefully enjoy in rebutting. The NSP and WP must also not get carried away, there are only 8 or 9 days of campaigning here. Keep the message simple focus on things that voters identify with like rising HDB prices, transport costs, immigration etc and not start bombarding the voters with big numbers and issues which require in depth analysis and which can be done once elected into Parliament.

But unlike Malaysia, they cannot accuse the PAP of corruption without evidence and should avoid starting issues which they have no ability to back up with facts. Doing so would inevitably attract lawsuits and change the whole focus of the campaign onto themselves rather than the PAP.

Of course with disputes and allegations of fraud made by the PR, it's hard to really tell whether all the voters who voted in the BN did so because they were scared by the possibility of an unproven alliance managing at Federal level and decided to stick with the 'devil they know rather than one they didn't'.

The WP has repeatedly said it's not ready to form a Govt here, something not taken in very kindly by supporters of the SDP, which routinely say they are prepared to take over. I think the former's approach is the safer option, why commit and scare fence sitters with talk of running the country when you haven't proven yourselves fully by getting a credible opposition force into Parliament?

The PAP likes to talk of a 'fluke result' but the opposition parties here must assure voters that such a scenario is unlikely and even if it were to happen they would always place the interests of the country ahead of party interests. They would be prepared to work together for the common good, or even as a last resort work with the PAP to form a national coalition.

3) Alternative Information Sources

Like their counterparts in Singapore, the PR had to face a main stream media decidedly bias against them. I know I have assailed the main stream media here as being decidedly pro-PAP, but the PR had it worse in Malaysia with the media there totally blocking out any comments or ideas by them and focusing entirely in showing the BN in a positive light. 
Watching the RTM news, I was shocked to see that not 1, yes not a single piece of news referred to the PR. It was BN all the way. In the papers it was filled from page to page with glowing tributes to the BN and various speeches and comments by BN leaders. The only opposition news reported were ones that showed them in a bad light.

Yet despite this, the PR won a majority of votes? Why? Perhaps it's because they have set up many smaller media outlets to carry their message and have online websites like http://www.malaysiakini.com/ that are able to take the alternative message online.

This is important because many Singaporeans know of alternative websites like TOC, the Real Singapore and TRE, however perhaps the problem with these sites is, unlike Malaysiakini, they are far too anti-PAP. I accept the argument that with the main stream media being decidedly pro-PAP, it's fair that these sites carry the other side of the coin by being pro-opposition. However if the opposition want to win over fence sitters or the silent majority, it's high time they start a site that gives balanced alternative news and skips the anti-PAP posts, to only when it's needed to be raised. The rest of the time, the arguments should be balanced, fair and give the voters the choice in determining what's right or wrong about PAP policies.

Or opposition parties could work with the TOC, TRE and the Real Singapore and get them to produce articles and highlight issues in a less strident tone. Obviously they must also assist these sites in boosting readership and getting the message across.

4) Working the Ground Early.

The last point I want to raise, is how the PR had since the end of the last GE in 2008 and until this one, worked tirelessly on the ground to remain in the public view. They didn't disappear after the elections, in fact it seems they started campaigning all over again after the results in 2008.

Their leaders and prospective candidates became known to voters early. This is something all opposition parties here must do. There are around 3 years left before the next elections. Get your people out and about all over the island. Like the WP did in knocking every single door in Aljuneid prior to 2011, do something similar, but don't overdo it.

Roughly figure out which seats you intend to contest and get your prospective candidates out there each weekend at least. Attend Parliament, read Hansard, identify the weakness of the PAP candidates you're likely to contest, know your constituency well and its problems, come up with solutions.

The battle starts now, if it hasn't already. The 8 or 9 days you're gonna have for campaigning is not enough.

Well that's it for my views on how the 13th GE can have some impact for the opposition parties. I'll finish off on Monday with one for the voting public perhaps. Enjoy your weekend and do read up a bit on the Malaysian GE - a real colourful contest it was.

Sir Nelspruit

*Article first appeared on http://anyhowhantam.blogspot.sg/2013/05/13th-malaysian-ge-lessons-for-singapore_9.html

What Exactly is The PAP Government Afraid Of In Debating AIM Tender Saga In Parliament?

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob rejects WP Sylvia Lim's motion to delay Khaw Boon Wan's Ministerial statement over the PAP linked $2 AIM company and it’s tender award of Town Council IT Systems – http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/workers-party-motion-town-councils-inadmissible-20130509

Khaw Boon wan announced on Friday that he would be delivering a ministerial statement on the AIM Saga in Parliament when it sits next Monday.

In Response Worker's Party MP Sylvia Lim filed a request to delay the ministerial statement. She had reasoned that according to standing order 23 of parliament rules, MPs can only seek clarification on ministerial statements and are not permitted to debate them.

Ms Lim seeked to delay the ministerial statement so that she could gather more information and discuss the issue to be able to properly debate it rather than be limited to seeking clarification on the ministerial statement.

The AIM Saga has attracted endless attention from the public with many Singaporeans still having questions about the entire Saga. The MND Report on the issue did little to answer their questions and in fact only raised more questions about how unbiased the review committee really was. The whole review has been regarded by Singaporeans as a big WAYANG.

Read on the duties of the Speaker of parliament here:

Under Duties of The Speaker of Parliament (Link: http://www.parliament.gov.sg/speaker-parliament), quote:

“In carrying out the duties in the House, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs. The Speaker regulates and enforces the rules of debate. She decides who has the right to speak and puts the question for the House to debate on and vote. The Speaker does not take part in the debates of the House but can abstain or vote for or against a motion if she has an original vote as an elected Member. As the guardian of parliamentary privileges, MPs look to the Speaker for guidance on procedure and she gives her rulings on any point of order, if necessary.”

Halimah Yacob's had ruled that Ms Lim's submission to delay the statement was inadmissible quoting the reason to be that “The subject of the motion will be fully debated under a ministerial statement to be presented at the same time.”

By her rejection of the motion to delay the debate, Halimah Yacob is essentially limiting the debate. This has raised questions such as whether she was acting "impartial and fair to all MPs" or whether she was making the PAP's job easier by restricting the questions that could be asked about the whole Saga.

PAP frightened, is It?

So why exactly is the PAP Government afraid of discussing the AIM Saga openly and in full in parliament. Do they really believe that the Wayang MND review has satisfactorily addressed all the questions regarding the whole saga?

Maybe they are hoping to sweep everything under the carpet in record time as they did with the White Paper on 6.9M population despite the public openly and clearly objecting to it?

"If we cannot cope with 5 million people, how do we expect our healthcare system to support a population of 6.9 million?"

Professor Paul Tambyah, a member of SDP's Healthcare Advisory Panel, posed this question at a recent public forum organised by Transitioning.sg.

He spoke about the urgent need for healthcare reform in Singapore and how SDP's National Health Plan:Caring for All Singapore can be the alternative.

Our current healthcare system, like other public services, is severely stretched by the huge population influx. The total health expenditure of Singapore is $12 billion in year 2011, whereas the government's health expenditure was only $3.5 billion in the same year.

The present system consists of "3Ms”: (1) Medisave for hospitalisation, (2) Medishield for catastrophic illness, and (3) Medifund as a safety net. But the reality is that 3Ms are only a small part in financing Singapore's healthcare financing:

• Medisave: $761 million
• Medifund: $84 million (Medifund has limitations)
• Medishield $386 million (Medishield has many exclusions and premiums are high)

Deductibles and co-payments are significant and there are limits, Prog Tambyah pointed out, the 3Ms are primarily for "Inpatient care”.

In the case of Minister Kaw Boon Wan who paid only $8 for his by-pass surgery, private insurance which many Singaporeans cannot afford and there are many limitations, paid the expenses.

Prof Tambyah said that although public expenditure is low, out-of-pocket spending is very high. Singapore has highest out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure in East Asia.

The result is that people avoid recommended screenings and treatment because of the high costs. Singapore public hospitals have $110 million in outstanding patient debts as of end 2011.
 

He noted that while some effort is being made to address the costs, the basic problems of the system's inequality and sustainability are not addressed and quoted Harvard's Prof William Hsiao:

Before you can set up a health care system for any country, you have to know that country's basic ethical values. The first question is: Do people in your country have a right to health care? If the people believe that medical careis a basic right, you design a system that means anybody who is sick can see a doctor. If a society considers medical care to be an economic commodity, then you set up a system that distributes healthcare based on the ability to pay. And then the poor, pretty much,are left out

Prof Tambyah says the current approach places a heavy and unfair burden on the sick, and our healthcare workers struggle to cope with a system that is unsustainable. "We urgently need a new healthcare plan," he told the audience. "There is an alternative: The SDP's healthcare plan."

He proceeded to outline the principles of SDP's Plan which is designed to ensure that our healthcare system is universal, sustainable and affordable:

• Universal, affordable healthcare coverage to all Singaporeans

• Increase government spending on infrastructure and human resources.

• A sustainable system to contain rising healthcare costs by tightening medical audit and compliance through a central regulatory bod

A key feature of the alternative plan is that there will be no more 3Ms. Instead, there will be a:

• Larger government contribution – closer to developed East Asian norms and standards

• Single-payer public insurance system

• Evidence-based regulation of insurance payouts

• Co-payment with caps for outpatient and inpatient care

We have proposed a single-payer universal healthcare system in which the government manages a central healthcare fund. This fund will be run along the lines of a government-subsidised public insurance scheme to finance compulsory basic health, accident and pregnancy (for women) coverage for all citizens and permanent residents (PR) residing here for more than 6 months a year.

Under this plan, the poor are highly subsidized, older people who are not have to pay. There is an additional safety net for the poor.

Singaporeans pay an average of $600 per year. In return, they get a Healthcare Benefits Card which may be used at all polyclinics, GP clinics, all private and public specialist clinics and hospitals that participate in the programme. It entitles the holder to a 90% subsidy on the majority of their healthcare spending (excepting acute illnesses).

 

Ms Nicole Seah, one of the youngest candidates in the last general election, has been given a bigger role in the National Solidarty Party’s key decision making body.

Ms Seah was appointed as its second assistant secretary-general, after the party’s newly elected central executive committee met for the first time on Thursday.

She was one of seven council members not holding appointments on the last CEC.

The move comes as the NSP expanded the number of appointment holders in its CEC from eight to ten, creating the new role of second assistant secretary-general as well as second assistant organising secretary, which is filled by CEC newcomer Spencer Ng, a project director.

In other appointments, education entrepreneur Tony Tan was made its organising secretary, lawyer Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss returns as vice president, Mr Reno Fong continues as first assistant secretary general, and Mr Steve Chia remains as assistant treasurer.

The party also co-opted three members into the committee - Mr Tan Chee Kien, Mr James Teo and Mr Praveen Velu.

Last month, the NSP elected a new slate of leaders which is expected to take the party forward to the next general election.

Mr Sebastian Teo, 65, was elected NSP president for a fifth consecutive term, and Ms Hazel Poa, 43, was elected secretary-general for a second term.

NSP's CEC appointment holders:

President - Sebastian Teo
Vice President - Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss
Secretary-General - Hazel Poa
First Assistant Secretary-General - Reno Fong
Second Assistant Secretary-General - Nicole Seah 
Treasurer - Raymond Chua
Assistant Treasurer - Steve Chia
Organsing Secretary - Tony Tan Lay Thiam 
1st Assistant Organising Secretary - Hon Ting Huat
2nd Assistant Organising Secretary - Spencer Ng