The Election Commission has set March 12 as polling day with early voting on March 8. Nomination day is set for February 26.
Election Commission does it again - a short campaign period of about 14 days. Only after nomination day, can the ballot papers be prepared and posted out, and time is required for the voter to receive and post back. During GE14, there were complaints of late arrival of ballot papers - and, now with Covid-19, the efficiency of postal services is slower. Going to the embassy or Consulate to vote, also have to appreciate the added restrictions due to Covid. For certain, the quarantined will not be able to move around and vote.
Many Johoreans are MIGRANTS in Malaysia - they are in different States within Malaysia, be it for studies, work, family or other reasons. So, did the EC not make arrangement to place ballot boxes in every major towns(or towns) to enable easier voting for these Johor voters - an easy exercise really. Maybe, the voters could vote a day ahead >> to enable sufficient time to tabulate the results. There are 56 seats being contested. This would have protected Malaysians - prevented travel and certainly safer. But, nope the EC despite what happened during Sabah elections has not done this. Postal votes for those who prefer not to return to their constituency to vote. [There is also the problem with workers on shift, how will they be able to vote if they are working during voting hours...will employers allow them to leave to vote]to
Good thing this time is no one seems to be sending the list of candidates to Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission(MACC) to vet and say 'clean from corruption'. That process lost credibility after so many that MACC declared 'clean' are now being investigated and part of the Court cluster. If parties name their potential candidates early, and allow the public to scrutinize these candidates - it would have been so much better, for the public will know the 'hidden' wrongs...
In my opinion, the campaign period for any elections should be 30 days or more - too short a time does not give the voters time to know the different candidates before being forced to vote....more so in Malaysia, when many parties simply do not 'campaign' all the time, and just wait for elections. Incumbent candidates from ruling parties enjoy a great advantage...Prominent Opposition parties are OK - but not newer parties or the independent candidate?
MUDA's mistakes may impact the party badly?
MUDA(Malaysian United Democratic Alliance), a new party that is still 'VERY VAGUE' as we are unclear about its stance on the various issues affecting Malaysians - and MUDA has not been publicly voicing its stance on even current events. What does its constitution say. MUDA website - well, the one found doing internet search is https://muda.my/ - and that does not say much about MUDA, and the public statements issued just 3 - 2 in August, and 1 in September [Is it even MUDA's official website, as it's priority seems to be raising funds]
MUDA may be hoping for young peoples' support - but BEWARE the young in Malaysia are not simply going to support a party called MUDA or YOUTH in Malaysia - the young in Malaysia are much more critical than that. A large membership would not BOOST MUDA's chances of victory - What exactly are the principles/policies they stand for. [Beware for a desperate speedy effort to increase membership means also the higher RISK of people not sharing the values/principles/stance taking it over come next party elections {this happened in PKR, did it not?) - it is always safer to vet members, but then what is MUDA's stance on Death Penalty, Detention Without Trial, Local Government and democratic elections, Democratic elections of kampung, etc leadership, Worker Issues - Employment Security, Short term contract employment, Pension/EPF, etc, Death in Police Custody, Logging and the Environment] - their true stance is revealed on the actions of the past, including media statements, etc...
In the Johor State Elections, MUDA's first MISTAKE is its apparent support of PH - the seat negotiations, waiting for the 'big brother' parties to give them seats to contest in. SADLY, this can lead to the 'misunderstanding' that MUDA is just another 'PH-like' party, with no differences at all. DANGEROUS stance to take because then, people will ask, why vote MUDA at all when we can vote DAP, Amanah and PKR (who have a longer record...) and we really do not even know MUDA well...save maybe its President, who can be seen as also being in that infamous 'court cluster'...
Now, this move of MUDA to get seats from PH is 'killing' them as the seats are not yet determined until this day noting that Johor State Assembly was dissolved on 22/1/2022. Will the PH parties give MUDA seats that they are confident with - probably not. PH Plus is still suffering from 'party hoping' not just of elected reps, but also parties and key leaders, where Syed Saddiq, unfortunately, is one of them...
The recent appointment of MUDA of a former PKR and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) leader in its party as a central executive committee member. Ainie was former PKR Srikandi chief and a Bersatu Srikandi exco member. MUDA would have been wise in delaying her membership, and even if not, admitting her as member only with the position that she will not be placed as a MUDA candidate for the Johor and even GE 15 elections - maybe only after 3 years have been passed, will she be placed as an election candidate of MUDA - but they did not, but they did not and questions linger as to whether her joining was conditional???
Now, this move certainly will affect MUDA's credibility with the Malaysian voters, more since it is a NEW party > and the people who decided were MUDA's appointed leaders, not an elected leadership. SOLUTION: MUDA comes out with a position now that all 'party hopper' members of MUDA will not be able to contest in the Johor Elections, and the upcoming GE or for 3 years since they joined - will MUDA do that, or will they ignore this advice? After all, there must be so many others, with no such history, who can be candidates for elections. Maybe, even Syed Saddiq should not contest and just be a Party President.
This also would put a 'strain' on PH agreeing to 'give' MUDA seats - would it not? Would any PH parties be happy to see their former PH party member contesting in a seat they elected not to contest, and gave to MUDA?
MUDA's negotiations with PH only is of concern, as we know, that this Johor Elections may see 4 or 5 corner fights. Who is out there? Well, we have BN(UMNO,MCA,MIC,...), PN(BERSATU,PAS,...), Pejuang, Parti Kuasa Rakyat, Parti Bangsa Malaysia, Warisan, Parti Kuasa Rakyat, Parti Rakyat Malaysia(PRM), Parti Socialis Malaysia and others - but MUDA has been negotiating only with PH????
PH - well, come the Johor elections, PKR seems to be 'abandoning' the rest of the PH parties - not wanting to use PH logo, and now announcement of PKR candidates - not PH candidates. PKR, at the end of the day may claim a large membership - but then, it has not contested alone. In GE14, and even earlier elections, PKR's victory may simply be due to the fact that people support DAP, Amanah ...and even Mahathir(or then BERSATU). PKR also is the remaining PH party that saw the largest numbers of elected reps quitting the party (a bad sign, as PKR leadership decides on State/Federal candidates - a disturbing 'dictatorship' of Anwar and the elected leaders) = would they fare better alone, one wonders???.
Remember a lot of membership have little loyalty to party or persons in party >> they tend to jump in support of victors of State and Federal elections...UMNO suffers a similar phenomena...once you have no power, and maybe 'monies' - members leave.
Biggest problem amongst many political parties in Malaysia is that they are 'ethnic-based' or 'religious based' - and they lobby support also along ethno-religious lines - there is much uncertainty about their stance on issues - workers/employment/trade union, healthcare for all(government will provide or privatization?), education, housing, >>> rights to food, shelter and clothing and even healthcare is not a guaranteed right even in our Federal Constitution. DAP, PSM, PRM, Warisan and maybe MUDA is different as they are not 'ethnic-based' or 'religious based' - but what are they FIGHTING FOR?
MUDA - what exactly is its basic stance of fundamental issue - or are they simply hoping to be in government...Full Stop > as Sports Minister, Syed Saddiq has little to show > no attempts even to ensure government sport facilities like swimming pools, squash courts, football fields, etc in EVERY major town. What difference did he bring when he was Minister with power?
When Johor State Assembly dissolved, MUDA should have taken off fast - disclosing their stance/policies/position on various issues, setting up their websites and on-line sites, having talks and discussions online live, introducing their various different leaders and potential candidates > they should have had their candidates go to ground, and try to get at least the support of 500 to 1000 each to show that they do have the support of the people before they announce their intention to contest in this or that seat. The missed the opportunity - and still waiting for the seats that PH parties allow them to contest.
MUDA tries to associate with younger voters - but they seems to behave like a 'child' - listening to the adults of other parties, waiting for 'permission' on which seat they can contest in... SAD...SAD...Pejuang, on the other hand, just announced that they will contest 42 seats... MUDA is yet to announce the seats they will contest and their candidates - Are you expecting to try and convince the people in the constituencies within the 2 weeks campaign period?
MUDA should not get distracted with minor issues like a daughter of a rich businessman joining MUDA. Just look around at the politicians in many parties - are they or their family members not super-rich, or even 'corrupt'? A son or daughter is their own person - what their father or mother matters not.
Expecting MEDIA coverage to help a candidate/party is 'old' - today, through social media itself, you can reach out to many. People want to know the candidates, and what they think - emulate Kit Siang, who posts several articles/statement a day, and same too with Dr Mahathir..introducing oneself needs one to continuously communicate with the public, and also act when need be...
Now, the JOHOR State Elections really may not really have much a bearing on the outcome of the next General Elections for MPs. If State falls to one party, come Parliamentary elections, people may vote the other side - a 'check and balance' of sorts. Guess why BN choose to have State and Federal elections at one go. When it comes to Local Government elections, was the reason for abolishing it because the people 'balanced things up' and voted in not the same parties that controlled State and/or Federal? Think about it..
Anwar’s PKR names candidates for Johor poll as talks continue with Muda on seat allocation
KUALA LUMPUR - Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) did not name all of its candidates for the Johor state election as scheduled on Monday (Feb 14), as negotiations with fellow opposition party, the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), over seat allocations dragged on beyond a self-imposed deadline.
Datuk Seri Anwar, on a three-stop tour of Johor, only named 13 PKR candidates instead of the 20 he was supposed to, leaving seven seats still up in the air.
Muda president Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, a former Cabinet minister,
said that the door for negotiations has not closed, despite his party
apparently not being allocated all of the seats it had targeted from
PKR’s 20 among Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition parties. ... - Straits Times, 15/2/2022
- Nation
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Friday, 11 Feb 2022
Parti Pejuang Tanah Air president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir. – Bernama
ISKANDAR PUTERI: Parti Pejuang Tanah Air will be contesting in 42 of the 56 seats in the Johor election on March 12, says party president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
“We will be moving solo under the Pejuang banner and we are hoping to contest around 42 seats,” he told reporters during a press conference after launching the Pejuang election machinery at Taman Universiti in Petaling Jaya on Thursday (Feb 10).
Mukhriz also said Pejuang’s election machinery was ready for the Johor polls and all its 42 candidates would go through a psychometric test on corruption organised by NGO Rasuah Busters.
“This is our commitment to ensure that whoever we put forward, the candidate must be clean, efficient and have integrity.
“It is time for Johor and Malaysia to have a clean government because most of the issues today are caused by corruption and I am confident that Johoreans are aware of this issue.”
Mukhriz also said Pejuang would not have any “poster boy” to represent the party in the upcoming state election.
“The real ‘poster boys’ are Johoreans themselves and they deserve the best for the state. We will place capable leaders who will work for the people,” he added.
Pejuang first announced that it would contest 42 seats in the Johor state election on Jan 22.
Among other Opposition parties expected to join the Johor state election are Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) and Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan).
In a joint statement by DAP and Amanah on Feb 9, it said that the consensus achieved with Muda was that Muda would contest in Tenang, Bukit Kepong, Parit Raja, Machap, Puteri Wangsa and Bukit Permai.
Later that night, PKR issued another statement, saying that they offered three seats to Muda and they were awaiting the party’s response.
Warisan is expected to announce their decision some time next week after a visit by party president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
Nomination day for the Johor state election has been set for Feb 24 and polling is on March 12. - Star, 11/2/2022
News
Divided views over tycoon's daughter's involvement in Muda
Published: Feb 10, 2022 6:05 AM
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Updated: 3:03 PM
Dian Lee, the daughter of property tycoon Lee Kim Yew, has been a recent high-profile addition to Muda, the newly-formed youth-based political party that seeks to be significantly different from the old guards.
This involvement of a member of a well-connected tycoon family has sparked a debate on social media, where Muda has a strong following, on whether it is a boon or bane for a party seeking to break from the past.
Others, however, argued that Lee (above) should be judged by her deeds rather than the family she is born into.
The debate was enough to prompt a response from Muda secretary-general Amira Aisya Abd Aziz, who defended Lee.
"With all due respect, I often praise those who are capable in Muda, regardless of their backgrounds.
"Dian, Dr Thanussha, Afiqah Zulkifli, Beatrice Chin, Cikgu Ayu and so many more capable women are in Muda. I’m proud to stand alongside them," Amira said.
This was after a netizen accused Muda of only highlighting Lee due to her family background.
Lee has been speculated as a potential Muda candidate in the Johor state election.- Malaysiakini, 10/2/2022
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