Is it time for a change of the Selangor Government? If PH does not wake up soon, it may find itself being rejected come GE16...
SELANGOR's BN rule ended in 2008, and thereafter Pakatan Rakyat(PR - PKR,DAP,PAS) and later the Pakatan Harapan have ruled until now. BN returns to ruling Selangor because PH formed an electoral pact to contest the recent State elections. [In my opinio, PH should have contested the State elections as PH alone).
In GE15, when PH contested - in Selangor, they won 16 out of 22 Parliamentary seats - 73% of the seats won by PH.(In GE14, PH won 20 seats) in November 2023
But, when it came to State Elections in Selangor a few months later in August 2024, PH only managed to win 32 seats out of 56 seats - 57% of State seats won by PH. [In comparison, in GE14 PH won 51 seats)
WHY did PH's performance decline during the Selangor State elections compared to the GE15 Parliamentary elections in Selangor?
One reason could be unhappiness of the fact that PH did not contest on its own, but with a PH-BN electoral pact. Unhappiness could also be because of the post GE15 formation of the PH-BN coalition.
The decline in support in GE15 was maybe (a) because PH during its 22 month rule after GE14 failed to bring needed reforms including repeal of bad laws, and also Local Council Elections; (b) unhappiness with the PM Candidate Anwar Ibrahim, whilst in GE14, the PM Candidate was Mahathir...The dreaded 'political appointments continue - when will the people be able to vote in their Local Government representative, and their own community leadership?
SELANGOR PR/PH rule - what were the changes or significant changes that PH brought? Many did not see any REAL changes - political appointment of ketua kampung and community leaders continued, the promise of abolition of tol highways did not materialize - in fact, more tols came into the picture, ... The governance style did not really differ much when under the BN rule.. Some joked - nothing changed but faces in government, and maybe emergence of 'new cronies'. Worst, after GE14, when PH could have speedily amended them Federal Laws that prevented local council elections, they did not - MIND you, that Local Council elections was key item before the 1MDB issue... Local Council - PR/PH introduced a certain percentage to be filled by civil society(HR Defenders) but as time passed it returned to political appointees from the various political parties of PH - same old same old.
Will PR allow people to elect their own Local Councillors? Civil Society Deadline for Local Council Elections:- '..by or before 2010..'
Selangor not keen on Local Councilors chosen by the people - they prefer to appoint. A new attempt to pacify LC Elections advocates..
People vote for civil society representatives to Local Councils in Penang - Will Selangor follow?
No Local Council elections and shrinking NGO or non-political party appointees
Local government elections are constitutionally permissible - What will Pakatan do now?
Azmin Ali and PKR-DAP-PAS(Amanah?) in Selangor reduces NGO/Professionals in Local Council to less than 2% from once about 25%?
Vote for them who will restore Local Government Elections immediately . Nga Kor Ming, when will the Federal law be amended to allow States to decide whether to have Local Council elections or not?
Post GE14, after PH was ousted at the Federal level, BERSATU-PAS led coalition managed to govern - and there was little difference when PH ruled.
Now, the fact that PAS was part of Pakatan Rakyat with PKR and DAP also diminished the old prejudice that many had about PAS.
BERSATU was part of PH before - so criticism about BERSATU by PH now does not have much effect.
So, after Sheraton Move, the ability of PAS-BERSATU plus the added ex-PKR MPs to govern became a non issue, hence GE15 results shows this growing support.
The 1MDB issue, the disappointment and anger against BN's Najib, Zahid Hamidi and other ex-BN politicians who abused their powers in office and 'stole' from the people and committed crimes is still a major issue - and the people want these people tried, convicted and sentenced.
Hence, the January 2024 Pardon of Najib that halfed his prison sentence, and quartered his fine ... did anger Malaysians, and many see the PH-BN government being responsible, The role/influence of the government of the day in pardons emerged post GE14 when Anwar was pardoned.
Zahid Hamidi's discontinuance of criminal trial is something that happen after the Selangor State Elections in August.
The court also recently acquitted and discharged Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad. The trial court, being the Sessions Court ordered them to enter their Defence, meaning that the Judge found that prosecution had established a prima facie case against them. Rather than entering defence, they filed a REVISION application to High Court who overturned the Sessions Judge's decision, and acquitted both of them. The Prosecution has appealed
After GE-14, the peoples' support for Pakatan Harapan has been declining as reflected in the results of GE15 Parliamentary election results. WHY is something that the Pakatan Harapan and its member parties DAP, Amanah, PKR and UPKO needs to evaluate.
What changed? In GE14, the PM Candidate was Mahathir, and in GE15, the PM candidate was Anwar Ibrahim. Was the naming of Anwar a reason for the decline in support?
Stop/Postpone PD Elections? Start again - this time make it CLEAN AND FAIR?
Mat Sabu salahgunakan kuasa untuk bantu Anwar? Anwar bikin bukan saperti cakap? EC diam?
Azhar Harun, EC Chairman - Election 'offences' in PD? Acting 'without fear or favour'..or 'sweep under the carpet'?
Of course, the decline in speedy REFORMS, especially the repeal of bad laws, and a reform in governance was a factor - the culture of political appointment continued, even the Ketua Kampung and community leaders did not move a democratic elections where community leaders are chosen by the people, not appointed by the government who usually chooses one of their political parties minor leaders.
REMEMBER Local Council Elections was a MAJOR Issue - both Selangor and Penang were barred by reason of certain Federal Laws - but when PH came into power, they could have but didn't amend those Federal Laws to facilitate local council(government) elections.
Some Media and even some in the international community believed that Anwar Ibrahim had popular support of the people - but the reality maybe otherwise. Post pardon, Anwar even failed to get the same or more votes in the Constituency, where the MP had to resign to give way to Anwar.
Anwar wins BUT Fails to demonstrate overwhelming support? Less votes than former MP?
Would PH without Anwar as leader or PM do better? PH's support, in my opinion, really comes from DAP and Amanah - something that became evident when PKR decided to contest on its own in the Johor State elections..It contested 20 seats, and won only one. DAP(under PH Banner) won 10 out of the 14 seats contested, and PH-Amanah won 1 out of the 16 seats contested
Apart from that, seven Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidates in the Sri Medan, Semarang, Tenggeroh, Pasir Raja, Johor Lama, Tanjung Surat and Benut constituencies also lost their deposits after failing to garner one-eighth or 12.5 per cent of the total votes counted.
One must recall that DAP gained popularity because many of its MPs were seen as human rights defenders - bravely highlighting wrongs and calling for reform. PKR and Amanah had very few comparatively.
However, things have changed after GE15, the former 'reformist' seem to have gone silent, and promised reforms are not happening.
The Anwar Ibrahim's PH-led coalition government seems to have adopted the BN's style of governance - no or lesser allocation for Opposition MPs, the continuation of political appointments, and worse the U-turns and justification for keeping of draconian laws like Sedition Act, the 'apartheid' policy, etc
KUALA KUBU BARU BY-ELECTIONS
It was the death of the PH-DAP State Assemblyperson that brought about this elections - the norm has been when it such deaths, the constituents vote back a person from the same party...
As it stands, the loss of the KKB seat will not affect the government, who will still be the same even if PH loses KKB.
The policy of lesser allocation for the Constituency if won by the Opposition compared to if the State Assemblyperson is from PH will also factor in.
The fact that the PH candidate seems to be a 'parachute candidate' is a factor - as people generally prefer MPs or ADUNs that reside in the Constituency who will more easy to meet that a MP/ADUN who drops by once in a while.
PH-DAP majority dropped in GE15 compared to GE14.
As it is, between PN and PH-BN, there really is not much of a difference. Will PRM be able to get the peoples' vote this time?
The use of RELIGION or ETHNICITY is no longer relevant - what people are looking for today is what is the parties position on issues
- Will we move towards greater democracy, where people finally can VOTE their Local Councillors, Ketua Kampungs, Senators - or will it remain 'political appointment'?
- Position on HEALTHCARE and EDUCATION > will they move towards FREE healthcare and education, or will we still have to pay, or pay more?
- Workers - will they move for greater protection of employment rights, minimum wage, Occupational Safety and Health
- Parking rates, public transport, etc..
- Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)
Pakatan Harapan got peoples' support because of the REFORMS promised, and the peoples' rejection of the BN and desire for a NEW government. But with PH forming an electoral pact with BN, it may impact on support.
BN only managed to win 30 seats in Parliament - an indication that they are on the way out.
Now, PH's partnership with BN may also lead to the demise of PH.
High Court acquits Bung Moktar and wife Zizie Izette of all three graft charges
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 ― The High Court here today acquitted and discharged Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad of all three corruption charges.
Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid made the decision after allowing the couple’s applications for a revision against the Sessions Court's decision ordered them to enter their defence on the corruption charges amounting to RM2.8 million involving a RM150 million investment in Public Mutual Berhad unit trust.
Bung, 63, looked calm while Zizie Izette, 44, cried after hearing the decision.
Judge Azhar ruled that it was a fit and proper case to exercise revisionary power under Section 323 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
“After examining the records of proceedings this court finds that there is no evidence that the 24th prosecution witness namely Public Mutual Berhad’s investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid and the 25th prosecution witness Unit Amanah consultant, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar had given money to Bung Mokhtar through his wife.
“So the decision of the Sessions Court to call for defence is a miscarriage of justice. I hereby invoke Section 325 of the CPC to acquit and discharge both of them,” said the judge.
The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Low Chin How while lawyers Datuk K. Kumaraendran and M. Athimulan acted for Bung Mokhtar and Zizie Izette respectively.
The Sessions Court, on September 2 last year, ordered Bung Mokhtar and Zizie Izette to enter their defence on all three corruption charges. This prompted them to file revision applications in the High Court against the Sessions Court’s ruling.
However, the High Court struck out their applications without hearing the merits of the applications after allowing the prosecution preliminary objections against the applications.
The couple subsequently filed the appeal to the Court of Appeal and on July 7, 2023, they won the appeal and the court remitted back the revision applications to the High Court for the merits of the applications to be heard.
On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar who was then the non-executive chairman of Felcra, was charged with two charges of accepting bribes of RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.
He is alleged to have accepted the bribes from Public Mutual Berhad’s investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid through Zizie Izette at Public Bank Taman Melawati Branch here between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015.
Bung Moktar was also charged with receiving RM337,500 in cash from Unit Amanah consultant, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, under the name of Zizie Izette for the same reason and place on June 19, 2015, while Zizie Izette is facing three charges of abetting her husband over the matter at the same place, date and time.
Previously, Sessions Court Judge Rozina Ayob had fixed September 23, 2022, for Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette to enter their defence.
On September 23, 2022, the High Court here allowed their applications to postpone the defence trial pending disposal of their revision applications.
The trial was set on July 20 2023, but it was adjourned again pending the disposal of the revision applications.
The Sessions Court had set September 13 for mention of the case for parties to update the court on the revision applications that had been heard today at the High Court. — Bernama, Malay Mail, 7/9/2023
Zahid confirms Umno rejected local council seats in Selangor
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi insists that there is nothing to be disappointed.
PUTRAJAYA: Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has confirmed that the party rejected local council seats offered by the Selangor state government.
Zahid said he respected the decision conveyed to him by Selangor Umno during a meeting last night, adding that there was nothing to be disappointed about.
The deputy prime minister said one of the reasons for the rejection was that some Umno division leaders could not be appointed as local council members.
“It is not a question of being greedy. We have 22 division chiefs (in Selangor), so if there are some who do not get (appointed), then it is better that none of them are appointed,” he said.
“Even though we (Umno) are not in local councils (in Selangor), we still support the state government,” he said in Putrajaya today.
Last Saturday, Selangor Umno said that it decided to return its quota of 20 local council members to the state government.
In making the announcement, Selangor Umno chief Megat Zulkarnain Omardin said the quota of 20 positions allocated to Umno was just 7% of the 288 positions in Selangor’s 12 local councils.
Umno and PH joined forces in Selangor following the formation of the federal unity government, a cooperation that saw them win 34 out of 56 seats in the state assembly elections last year.
Umno, which won Dusun Tua and Sungai
Tawar, was allocated one executive council seat, returning them to the
state administration for the first time since their defeat in the 2008
general election. - FMT, 22/1/2024
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment