I personally hope that he is not the candidate that PKR chooses - Why? Because he is a 'very recent' party hopper from UMNO (and BN), who suddenly seem to have been struck by a 'lightning of conscience' who started 'voicing out' when ISA was used against MP Teresa Kok and some others. I do not think he has much of an history standing up for justice and human rights before this. I do not remember him as being a lawyer that stood for human rights as a member of the Bar. He may have changed - but it is best that we give him some time, at least 5 - 10 years, before we put him up as an MP for PKR - surely there are so many others that are better qualified, and who have a very long history of fighting for change, for human rights, for justice, for the people....
In March 2008 elections, Zaid Ibrahim stood as an UMNO/BN candidate and lost. I wonder whether we have the tapes about what he said about the Opposition during the election campaign.
Now, despite losing, he was chosen by the UMNO Prime Minister to be made a Senator and a Minister - that tells you a lot, does it not.
Zaid Ibrahim, being a Kelantanese UMNO man, really did not have much of a political future within the UMNO/BN if was to contest in Kelantan - hence, not much of a 'sacrifice' to jump over to PKR ...whereby, he really has been 'rewarded' too much - to be sky-rocketed into the position of PR Coordinator, and even there is talk that he may be made the No.2 [3] in PKR after Anwar, Wan Azizah...
There is a lacuna in the PKR leadership because PKR itself has filed to project other leaders - spending too much time and effort promoting just one man, his wife and maybe his 'close associates'. I believe that there are more than sufficient persons within the PKR that can be the current leaders and future leaders. But alas, PKR seems to be 'side-lining' even the former Reformasi leaders, the ex-PRM leaders, civil society leaders - preferring rather to promote the more recent party-hoppers from BN. Look and see who are the speakers at the recent PKR ceramahs - Zaid, Chua....
The people are watching, and we shall see who Pakatan Rakyat fields as its candidate in this upcoming by-elections... Will some UMNO/BN party-hopper be getting their 'reward' for jumping? Or will it be a candidate with a long history of working for 'reformasi' (change), human rights and justice? I do not forsee the Opposition bringing about much changes, if most of their leaders/MPs/ADUNs were really former UMNO/BN persons...all we can then hope, is a mere change of 'faces' but no real changes that will benefit the people.
We shall see...we shall see...
PKR is "most likely" to field supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim in the Apr 25 Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election if the BN names MIC deputy president G Palanivel as its candidate, according to party insiders.
They said PKR may change its candidate at the 11th hour if the BN decides not to field Palanivel.
"As for now, what I heard is that Zaid Ibrahim (right) still tops the list of being the best PKR candidate for the by-election. Zaid still carries 'national weight' despite being an outsider and is seen by PKR as the best candidate to challenge the BN.
"However, there could be a change (in the candidate) if the BN decides not to field Palanivel," one party insider told Bernama.
He felt that Zaid and Palanivel would be the ideal candidates as both had served the federal government administration.Zaid, who was expelled from Umno in December 2008, was a minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform while Palanivel (left) was the deputy minister of Women, Family and Community Development.
"It would be only appropriate if a Datuk fights a Datuk, a heavyweight fights a heavyweight," the insider said.
Another insider said fielding Zaid would be most favourable to PKR in light of the constituency's recent voting pattern.
"Zaid is a recognisable face. Everyone knows him and he is quite popular with the non-Malays as well. Furthermore, Zaid is seen as a principled politician, since he was willing to resign as a minister. People respect him for this,” he said.Meanwhile, sources claimed that PKR's intention to field Zaid reflected the party's anticipation that the BN would field a political heavyweight.
The Hulu Selangor seat fell vacant following the death of the Member of Parliament, Zainal Abidin Ahmad of PKR, on Mar 25.
In the 2008 general election, Zainal Abidin defeated Palanivel by a 198-vote majority. Hulu Selangor has 63,593 voters.
The BN has announced that it would nominate a candidate from the MIC to contest the seat.
The candidate is expected to be identified on Apr 15, two days before nomination for the by-election.
Speculation is rife that Palanivel, 61, who had been Hulu Selangor MP from 1990 to 2008, would be fielded once again as the BN candidate although there is some clamour for a younger candidate.- Bernama - Malaysiakini, 11/4/2010, PKR to field Zaid if BN chose Palanivel
Zaid did not contest in the 2008 election, thus he did not "lose".
ReplyDeleteYou don't seems to do your homework properly don't you?
ReplyDeleteFYI, Zaid Ibrahim was not choosen by UMNO in the March 2008 election. Get your fact right dude, instead of trying to undermine PR all the time. At times, I think PR need to get rid of people like you who don't know how to rally behind the leaders
I have been enlightened that he did not contest in the 2008 elections for the BN. That fact also is indicative of the fact that his political future within UMNO-BN was bleak - when he was not even chosen as a candidate.
ReplyDeleteZaid Ibrahim may have changed - repented, and may be a different person with different beliefs today - but we shall see.
PKR has chosen him to be their candidate, and let us all just wait and see what he does after this...
We should not be blindly rallying behind leaders - we should be quick to be critical when wrong is done, and be open and brave to put forward a different position.
Blind unquestioning loyalty is what UMNO-led BN wants - but that is certainly not what the Pakatan Rakyat (and other Opposition parties) wants. They believe in the freedom of opinion, expression, etc..
You are quick to come down on people who you don't like. Don't you?
ReplyDeleteFYI, Zaid Ibrahim was side line by the KJ group during the decision on who to contest in the 2008 election.
Nobody is asking for you to accept what ever been shoved down our throat by the politician, be it from BN or PR. You are free to give your view but as long as the decision has been made, we all should rally behind the choosen one unless of cause you have other ulterior motive to run down that candidate.
I didn't see your negative comment on BN candidate though. Does it means something fishy there? :)