KKB polls: Time for BN to return Pakatan's favour, says Ahmad Zahid

KKB polls: Time for BN to return Pakatan's favour, says Ahmad Zahid

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi accompanies Pakatan candidate Pang Sock Tao to submit her nomination papers at the Hulu Selangor Multipurpose Hall and District Sports Complex, April 27, 2024. ― Bernama pic

Saturday, 27 Apr 2024 12:25 PM MYT


HULU SELANGOR, April 27 ― The Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB) state by-election is the time for Barisan Nasional (BN) to return Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) favour in assisting Umno candidates in the previous elections, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.


The BN chairman said PKR, Amanah and DAP had lent their support to Umno candidates in the Tioman, Pelangai and Kemaman by-elections.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, said BN would mobilise its machinery to help PH candidate for the by-election Pang Sock Tao.


“We will deploy our machinery across eight PDM (polling district centres) and approach voters, including those from the Orang Asli community. We will support those who represent the unity government.


“Our principle is clear, if a seat was previously held by one of the component parties within the unity government, we will give it to them unless there are other reasons,” he told reporters after accompanying Pang to submit her nomination papers at the Hulu Selangor Multipurpose Hall and District Sports Complex here today.

Responding to MCA’s stance not to campaign in the KKB by-election unless the candidate is from BN, Ahmad Zahid expressed confidence that the party would mobilise its machinery at the state level to help the unity government candidate.

“We understand their feelings. I believe the situation will change as Umno and MCA have been friends since 1974,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked about an old video of Pang criticising Barisan Nasional that has resurfaced, Ahmad Zahid described it as a malicious act by the Opposition.

“For now, let’s close the old chapter, open a new one, and find the best approach,” he said.

The KKB by-election is being held following the demise of its incumbent, Lee Kee Hiong, 58, on March 21 due to cancer.

Polling day is set for May 11, with early voting scheduled for May 7.

This will be the seventh by-election to be held after the 15th general election in 2022. ― Bernama

TRUE OR FALSE? SAMPUL DUIT RAYA ACTUALLY CAME FROM BUDAYA CINA

TRUE OR FALSE? SAMPUL DUIT RAYA ACTUALLY CAME FROM BUDAYA CINA

ByAmeera Rosli
Posted on 26/04/2024

The Hari Raya Aidilfitri frenzy consists of many small chaoses. For those who celebrate it, we all know that the night before Raya is when everyone is scrambling to cook the rendang, dust off the Corning pots and band-aid the paper cuts one might get from stuffing small banknotes into a sampul duit raya. But did you know that before the 80s, Malaysians didn’t even use duit raya envelopes at all? In fact, duit raya as we know it today wasn’t even a thing… at least not really.

Yes, the biggest pain for working adults and the greatest joy for young kids didn’t come about until the late 80s. So, in a pre-duit raya world, how did Muslims celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri? And where did we get the idea to start using these envelopes anyway? Well, to find out, we gotta look at why we give out money in the first place.

The concept of duit raya existed since the year 1250!

original image source: History Maps


It all started during the Mamluk era in Egypt and Syria during the years 1250-1382. During this era, the Mamluk sultanate paid an extra amount of gold and silver to his soldiers, princes and employees as a gift during Eid – or Hari Raya Aidilfitri as we know it in Malaysia. In time, this became a tradition where people would gift money, sweets or clothes to young children or old citizens as well.


This tradition was called Eidiya, which was derived from the words Eid and Hadiyah – meaning ‘festival’ and ‘gift’ respectively. This term originated from the Fatimid dynasty, where its rulers were descendants of Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, Fatima. But since this only came during the years of Prophet Muhammad’s daughter’s descendants, does that mean that Eidiya was not mentioned in the Quran?


Well, the word itself does not exist in Quranic verses and hadiths, but the act of charity, which is essentially what Eidiya is, had been practiced years prior. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad even encouraged it. And why wouldn’t he when charity is so easy to give?

original image source: Sinar Harian

The thing is, most people would think that charity is just gifts in the form of money and material things. But that’s not the case. Sure we have ‘zakat’ which is obligatory charity for Muslims based on how much they earn, but we also have ‘sedekah’. Sedekah is voluntary charity and it can be anything. Even a smile, some wise advice or a helping hand can be considered sedekah. And as experts on free gifts, all Malaysians should know that smiling is free!


So, while the Eidiya only started in the Fatimid dynasty, charity itself has been written into the Quran in many verses. Most notably, it is written that those who give out charity with sincerity – and not out of pride or a way to boast about wealth – will be rewarded with shade from sweltering heat during Judgment Day. The Prophet Muhammad said,


“The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” – Al-Tirmidhi

While that explains why Muslims give money and gifts during Hari Raya Aidilfitri, we still don’t know how the duit raya ang pows started! And that’s because duit raya ang pows or sampul duit raya were only popularised in Southeast Asian countries in the late 80s.


Before the sampul duit raya, kids were given loose coins

source: News Straits Times, October 15 1974


When you become a working adult, you’re just not as excited about duit raya as you used to be when you were younger. Mainly it’s because most of us become the ones who have to give duit raya. But also, the amount we sometimes receive is much lesser than what it used to be. Well, you should actually count your lucky ang pows cos back then, most kids didn’t even get duit raya! Instead, they mostly got cakes and clothes.

After scouring old newspapers and talking to people who lived during that era (my parents a.k.a the most reliable source of history), there is no mention of giving out money in the form of envelopes. Most people would offer donations to those in need, and that would be sweetened by visits to hospitals and orphanages with sweets and cakes. At most, some kids would be given loose coins that they would store in their bamboo piggy banks. Sure the kids were still excited but it really can’t compare to getting colourful envelopes of money after salam-ing random mak ciks and pak ciks, especially when the amount of money inside remains a fun surprise until you get home.

Click to enlarge (source: News Straits Times, April 1989 and April 1991)


Well thankfully (or tragically for those who hate going to the ATM), duit raya in the form of banknotes stuffed into ang pows became commonplace in the late 80s. While we’d love to pinpoint exactly when in the 80s, our best guess would be 1986. And just like the name suggests, it was inspired by the Chinese ang pows.

Gaining popularity, the duit raya envelopes were mentioned numerous times in newspapers starting from 1986. Some simply called it duit raya while others touted it as duit raya ang pow. And since we borrowed the name, let’s educate ourselves on the history of the ang pow itself.

source: Esplanade


Ang pow was derived from the Mandarin word, ‘hong bau’, which is a gift of money in a red packet. It can be traced all the way back to the Qin dynasty and a demon called Sui. The story goes that this demon would disturb children on the night of Chinese New Year, which would give them nightmares or worse – kill them in their sleep.

To stop this from happening, a couple decided to use blessed coins and wrap them in red paper before placing it under their child’s pillow. When the demon Sui attempted to disturb the child, beams of light appeared and scared it away. From there, all the parents began doing the same and it soon became a symbol of blessings for children.

And those are the origins of the Chinese ang pow. While that was a fun story, you might now be wondering, why did Malays adopt this tradition? We got demon named Sui meh?

Well, not to be a bummer, but there is no set answer to this question. So instead, let’s explore several theories as to why we borrowed the ang pow and Melayu-fied it.


Betul ke sampul duit raya was borrowed from the Chinese?

Several things remain a mystery when it comes to the duit raya ang pow. While this could be used as a PSA to document our culture and history better, we don’t wanna bore you with that. So, we took it upon ourselves to sift through old newspapers in order to find out why we started using duit raya ang pows. Here are our most compelling theories:


Kongsi Raya

Debriefing lepas penat ber-open house

It’s highly likely that the Malay duit raya envelopes were inspired by the Chinese ang pows because of two main factors – timeline and design. When Kongsi Raya (or Gongxi Raya) came around in the year 1996, the idea of the shared envelope design for distributing money was celebrated by both Malays and Chinese. But hey, it’s not like the Malays copy paste the ang pow bulat-bulat.

When it first started, duit raya envelopes were known as ‘green envelopes’. This is because the colour is often associated with Islam since the Arabic word for paradise, ‘Jannah’, also means garden, which is known to be green. Another example would be Surah 55 Verse 76 in the Quran. It reads, ‘They relax on green carpets, in beautiful surroundings.’ Even Indians have their own version of ang pows, but theirs are in the colour purple. It’s only recently that duit raya ang pows come in different colours like gold, blue and black.

While this theory is nice since it highlights the strength and diversity of our nation when we unite, it only shows the popularisation of the duit raya ang pow in the 90s. Since we believe it started in the late 80s, let’s look at our next theory…


Malaysia’s economic growth spurt

source: News Straits Times, October 17 1974


In case you didn’t know, Malaysia was deep in the trenches of a recession during the 70s and all the way through the late 80s. Without getting too deep into it, in the 70s, the effects of the May 13 riots in 1969 forced the nation’s leaders to focus on political and social peace rather than the economy. Further down the line, Malaysia suffered arguably its worst recession in 1985. So naturally, in light of horrible economical times, Malaysians couldn’t afford to be too generous with their cash.

source: OECD Development centre – Poverty and Income Inequality in Developing Countries: A Policy Dialogue on the Effects of Globalisation


Malaysia infamously suffered through this recession for a whole year before finally getting back on our feet. In 1986, we saw a 1.2% growth in our gross domestic product (GDP), which was a cause to celebrate, especially since the recession in 1985 brought it down to negative 1%. It then continued to grow in 1987 with a GDP growth rate of 5.2%.

From then – on top of giving sweets, cakes and clothes – Malaysians started adopting the duit raya ang pow because the economy was on a growth streak and well, now we have money mah! According to sociologist, Abdul Rahman Embong,


“It wasn’t until the 1980s when Malays became urbanised by rapid economic development and modernisation that duit raya evolved into banknotes, and the use of envelopes became mainstream among Muslim communities in Malaysia.” – via Free Malaysia Today

If you noticed, both theories show Malaysia’s resilience when it comes to difficult times. And what better way to celebrate that than to give duit raya after a susah-payah month of fasting! So these are our theories on how the duit raya ang pow started. It has been a long and windy road to get to where we are. But now that we’re here, we gotta ask, do we even use these duit raya ang pows today?


Dowan ang pow, just QR me!

left image source: RHB group @ Facebook / right image source: @adamzainaal on Twitter

Now that most of us are chronically online, it’s not unusual to make some online friends. And since we’re not Taylor Swift, we can’t be boarding private planes to visit all of our friends during Hari Raya just to give physical ang pows. So now the younger generation has evolved to e-duit raya which is just sharing QR codes and bank account details.

Jangan risau, the novelty of duit raya ang pows is still not lost, especially amongst older generations. We still have cerekaramas di pagi raya when we tearfully salam our parents and ask for forgiveness (re: duit raya). And despite all this modern technology, nobody can take away our love for drama.

At the end of the day, Hari Raya Aidilfitri is all about charity and generosity. It doesn’t matter how or how much; it just matters that you were sincere.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all Malaysians!

Don’t be a hypocrite, Fahmi tells Syed Saddiq

Don’t be a hypocrite, Fahmi tells Syed Saddiq

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today reminded Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman not to be hypocritical when claiming that the ruling government is keen to take action against its critics on social media. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Friday, 26 Apr 2024 8:12 PM MYT


PADANG BESAR, April 26 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today reminded Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman not to be hypocritical when claiming that the ruling government is keen to take action against its critics on social media.


Fahmi, who is also the spokesperson for the unity government, said Syed Saddiq may have forgotten that the country had already seen a leader who took various actions against the media and those who disagreed with that leader.

“Perhaps he (Syed Saddiq) had forgotten (the history) that there was a time before he was born, there was a leader and, during his administration, there was no freedom of speech, people who demonstrated were beaten, journalists who reported may get their newspapers banned.


“Those who disagreed were arrested in Ops Lalang. Ask his (Syed Saddiq’s) idol back then. If he wants to compare the past and the present, it’s like heaven and earth, so don’t be a hypocrite!”


Fahmi said this in response to Syed Saddiq’s statement on TikTok yesterday, in which he claimed that today’s government is keen to take action against postings on social media and has even deleted the social media accounts of certain parties who criticised the government.

Fahmi said the government does not prevent the people from criticising, especially regarding policies implemented by the government and said there is a lot of content on social media that criticises the government.

However, he insisted that defamatory matters are prohibited from being disseminated based on existing laws.

“The issue is when it comes to slander. During Ramadan last month, someone made a slanderous statement saying that the Prime Minister is sick, and that the Prime Minister has so many diseases. That is pure slander and such things are prohibited by law,” he said, adding that every action taken by the government is always based on the law.

Fahmi was met after visiting the Northern Zone Fibre Optic Point of Presence (PoP) Network Hub here today. — Bernama

 

al Jazeera:

China and US should be ‘partners, not rivals’, Xi tells Blinken

China says it prefers to bolster its ties with the United States, but considerable challenges remain.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 26, 2024 [Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via Reuters]

Published On 26 Apr 202426 Apr 2024

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has capped a visit to Beijing by meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two countries try to stabilise relations amid disputes over national security, the economy, and geopolitical differences on the Middle East, Ukraine and Southeast Asia.

Xi told the top US diplomat on Friday that the two superpowers “should be partners rather than rivals” and should help each other succeed rather than hurt each other, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

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“I proposed mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation to be the three overarching principles. They are both lessons learned from the past and a guide for the future,” he said.

Xi said China would be happy to see a prosperous US and hopes Washington will share this outlook for Beijing so bilateral ties can “truly stabilise, improve and move forward”.

But as both Xi and Blinken said, there are still major issues that threaten the recent improvement in relations.

Blinken raised the issue of Chinese “support to the Russian defence industrial base” during five and a half hours of talks, according to US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller, who added that the two sides also discussed fractious topics such as Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Video Duration 06 minutes 25 seconds06:25

China has not provided Russia with arms for its war in Ukraine, but the US and other Western nations say Chinese industrial exports like machinery and semiconductors have helped Russia increase its production of weapons.

Beijing has called this normal trade between China and Russia that should not be disrupted or restricted, also pointing out that the war is being prolonged by major Western arms transfers and funding for Ukraine.

Blinken earlier on Friday met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who cautioned that their countries could either “keep to the right direction of moving forward with stability or return to a downward spiral” or even “slide into confrontation”.

Wang said China observes a number of “red lines” that the US must not overstep as their relations are tested by “negative factors”.

“China’s legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed, and our core interests are facing challenges,” he told Blinken.

The US warned China about its assertive moves around the Philippines and promised to defend its ally.

“I made clear that while the US will continue to de-escalate tensions, our defence commitments to the Philippines remain ironclad,” Blinken told reporters, adding that he raised Beijing’s “dangerous actions in the South China Sea” during meetings with top leaders.

In addition to clashing on Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory and the US has been arming, the two nations have seen tensions rising over artificial intelligence, a law that seeks to ban TikTok in the US if its Chinese parent company refuses to sell it and China’s supply of chemicals used to make fentanyl.

Underscoring the fraught nature of their relations, US President Joe Biden signed into law a bipartisan bill that includes $8bn to counter China’s military might along with $61bn for Ukraine and billions in military aid for Taiwan just hours before Blinken arrived in China on Wednesday.

China-US relations have been turbulent in recent years with the situation exacerbated among other things by a trade war, then-House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in 2022 and a row over the US downing of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon last year.

Malicious, act of sabotage, says Johor MB of Forest City casino rumours

Malicious, act of sabotage, says Johor MB of Forest City casino rumours

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said there are no plans to open or operate any casinos in the state. — Bernama pic

Friday, 26 Apr 2024 8:16 PM MYT


JOHOR BARU, April 26 — There are no plans to open or operate any casinos in the state, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said.

He said the news is merely a rumour intended for sabotage and to maliciously tarnish the image of Forest City and the state of Johor as a whole.

He reiterated that the Johor state government is confident that Forest City will be revitalised and economic activities will flourish with the development of the Special Financial Zone (SFZ) and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).

“In addition, with the support of the federal government, the state government is actively working to boost and enhance Johor’s economy to provide positive impacts, such as creating quality and high-skilled job opportunities for the people of Johor.

“From a historical perspective, it is evident that since the reign of the late Sultan Sir Ibrahim, three casinos in Johor have been closed,” he said in a Facebook post today.

Onn Hafiz said that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim King of Malaysia has declared that he does not permit the opening of any casinos in Johor, clearly indicating Johor’s stance on this matter.

He added that the state government has never received any invitations for discussions on this matter, let alone being involved or consulted.

“With this clarification, it is hoped that this issue will no longer be prolonged and sensationalised to the extent that it affects the harmony and reputation of the state, he said. — Bernama

Bloomberg Casino article exposes the intricacies of how business is done by the elite

Murray Hunter


Bloomberg Casino article exposes the intricacies of how business is done by the elite

Bloomberg leak was a test of public opinion

APR 26, 2024





The recent Bloomberg article exposing that informal talks had taken place about granting a casino license at Forest City was very quickly denied by prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The Bloomberg article was most probably an intended leak to gauge public opinion. Prime minister Anwar is in a bind where he must assist the development of Forest City and at the same time maintain his “Islamic credentials” with voters in the Malay heartlands. This is the biggest dilemma in the way of granting such a license.

No to the casino by Anwar Ibrahim

But you cant guess which way this will go

This leak tells us something very important about the Madani government. The Madani government is one of pragmatism, not ideology. This is the biggest take-away from the Bloomberg article. There is some recognition that a casino in Forest City could be a game changer for the southern Johor development.

The second take-away from the Bloomberg article is that it gives a clear to read rare glimpse about how business is really undertaken in Malaysia. Parties or stakeholders mentioned in the article consists of a nexus of government, which has the power to grant a casino license, major corporations, which want to build and operate the casino, and royalty, that already has a major stake in Forest City.

The Bloomberg article is a classic case study of how new projects are created in Malaysia. If one wants to undertake a major project in Malaysia, just follow the model.

The full article is reproduced below:


Malaysia Is Said to Weigh Casino License to Revive Forest City

25.04.24

• Prime Minister Anwar holds talks with tycoons Tan, Lim

• Discussions at early stage, people familiar with matter say


(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia is in early discussions with tycoons on opening a casino in Forest City, people familiar with the matter said, in a bid to revive the beleaguered $100 billion property project that counts the country’s monarch as one of its shareholders.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met Berjaya Corp. founder Vincent Tan and Genting Group’s Lim Kok Thay last week at the development on the southern coast of Malaysia near Singapore, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. King Ibrahim Iskandar was also represented, the people said.

The talks are preliminary and it’s unclear how seriously Anwar is taking the idea, which could cause a backlash in the Muslim-majority nation where gambling is frowned upon.

A casino would be a boost for Forest City, the sprawl of high-rise condominiums built on reclaimed land by the Chinese developer Country Garden Holdings Co. It has struggled to attract residents from China and elsewhere, thwarted by a litany of hurdles including political resistance in Malaysia, a Chinese government crackdown on citizens buying real estate overseas and the Covid-19 pandemic.

It would also be a boon for King Ibrahim, a billionaire businessman himself who controls more than 20% of the joint venture with Country Garden that’s the master developer of Forest City, according to company filings. Members of the royal family or proxies of the king may also be invited to take a stake in any casino, one of the people said.

Anwar, senior government officials and the businessmen had lunch and meetings on the possibility of granting what would only be Malaysia’s second-ever casino license.

Country Garden is keen to have a casino at the development, a person with knowledge of the matter said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

A spokesperson for Berjaya said the company isn’t aware of any conversation between Prime Minister Anwar and Tan on the potential development of any casino in Forest City. The prime minister’s office, the National Palace, Country Garden and Genting didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The two tycoons are among the most prominent businesspeople in Malaysia. Lim is chairman of Genting Bhd. His father, Lim Goh Tong, won approval in 1969 to open Malaysia’s first casino in a hill resort in a central part of the country. Genting also operates casinos in countries including Singapore, the US and the UK.

Tan is involved in businesses ranging from real estate development to operating brands such as 7-Eleven and Starbucks in Malaysia. He has long harbored ambitions of winning a casino license in Malaysia, but has been rejected at least twice, according to local media reports. King Ibrahim directly holds a stake in Berjaya Assets Bhd., while his daughter is the chair of Berjaya Corp. and the rail unit of Berjaya Land Bhd.

King Ibrahim, the sultan of the southernmost state of Johor where Forest City is located, ascended to Malaysia’s throne in January. Malaysia has a unique constitutional monarchy where nine hereditary Malay rulers take turns to serve five-year terms.

Any move to develop another casino in Malaysia could become a challenge for Anwar, who heads a coalition government made up of almost 20 parties. Gambling is prohibited under Islam and Muslims are barred from even entering Malaysia’s casino.

Gaming is one of the most regulated sectors in Malaysia. A casino license has to be renewed every three months at the discretion of the finance minister. Anwar also holds the finance minister post.

But a new gambling hub would bring in revenue for the government. The existing casino contributed as much as 5 billion ringgit ($1 billion) annually before the pandemic, according to a report by UOB Kay Hian, a Singapore-based brokerage.

Should all parties have fielded Malay candidates in KKB? Pundits admit strategy effective in pulling fractured majority vote

Should all parties have fielded Malay candidates in KKB? Pundits admit strategy effective in pulling fractured majority vote

Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election, Khairul Azhari Saut (centre), during the announcement at the PN operations centre in Batang Kali, April 25, 2024. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Saturday, 27 Apr 2024 7:00 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — Several political analysts have conceded that fielding a Malay candidate in Kuala Kubu Baru would be the preferred strategy to garner game-changing votes from the majority bloc that is currently split three-way.

Following insistent calls from all political divides for a Malay candidate ahead of nomination day, the observers said the Malay bloc seems to be still undecided despite the seat in Selangor being traditionally won by DAP.


“Malay votes in general are split right now, among Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN). Some Malays are undecided. Hence, those who want to put up a Malay candidate are trying to ‘chase’ them.

“About 80 per cent of the non-Malay voters in the constituency will vote for DAP. Malay voters are probably more attracted to the PN,” Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan told Malay Mail.


In the weeks before PH and PN announced their candidates this week, the Kuala Kubu Baru state constituency has never been one with Malay candidates contesting the seat.


In the recent state elections last year, the candidates were the late Lee Kee Hiong from DAP, Gerakan’s Teoh Kien Hong, Muda’s Siva Prakash Ramasamy and Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Chng Boon Lai.

Even in the last five state elections, the Kuala Kubu Baru constituency saw only one Malay candidate, which was PAS’ Naharudin Abdul Rashid back in 2018, who gained the least number of votes.

PH has since announced Pang Sock Tao, the press secretary of minister Nga Kor Ming, as its candidate. In response, PN announced a Malay candidate the next day: Hulu Selangor Bersatu acting division chief Khairul Azhari Saut.

The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) and the Malaysian United Democractic Alliance (Muda) announced yesterday they would sit out the by-election.

However, International Islamic University Malaysia’s political analyst Syaza Syukri said that a non-Malay candidate can still win the seat as Kuala Kubu Baru is still a “mixed constituency”.

“I think a Malay candidate could win — not because of their ethnicity but the party that they represent. In other words, I feel Malaysian voters are polarised by parties.

Unity candidate Pang Sock Tao with the leadership during the announcement of her candidacy for the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election at the DAP Operations Centre, Kuala Kubu Baru, April 24, 2024. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin


“But I also see the talk about DAP proposing a Malay candidate as an olive branch to the Malays. But I still think it won’t work. So electorally, it might not mean much, but perception-wise, it might add to something for DAP,” she said.

Meanwhile, Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said that in general, those who vote for DAP or PH are mainly voting based on the party and not candidate preference.

“So it should not make too much of a difference what sort of candidate DAP proposes. Moreover, the chances of DAP winning over more Malay votes by proposing a Malay candidate does not look promising, as most Malays would nevertheless see DAP as a Chinese-controlled party.

“For PN, their chances of getting Chinese votes are next to none, so putting up a Malay candidate can perhaps further increase their already sizeable Malay support,” he said.

The candidates were announced following leaders from both sides of the political divide such as Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PN’s election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor asserting that the constituency had seen an increase in Malay voters in recent times.

Currently, the Malay community in Kuala Kubu Baru makes up 46 per cent of voters, compared to Chinese voters at 30.6 per cent.

This represents a significant shift from 2018 when Malays made up 44 per cent of voters and Chinese 35 per cent.

Even before its candidates were announced, PN had suggested that fielding a Malay candidate would give them a better chance of securing a win, with Gerakan’s Muniraa Abu Bakar — who previously contested the Bukit Lanjan seat in the state election in August — also named as Khairul Azhari’s alternative.

The Kuala Kubu Baru by-election was triggered by the death of DAP’s three-term assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong on March 21 following a battle with cancer.

The Election Commission (EC) set polling day for the 40,226 voters on May 11, while April 27 is nomination day. Early voting takes place on May 7.

The Kuala Kubu Baru by-election is the seventh by-election to be held after the 15th general election in 2022.

Analysts: With Perikatan snapping at its heels, Kuala Kubu Baru by-election no walk in the park for Anwar’s unity govt

Analysts: With Perikatan snapping at its heels, Kuala Kubu Baru by-election no walk in the park for Anwar’s unity govt

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and PN candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election, Khairul Azhari Saut during the announcement at the PN operations centre in Batang Kali, April 25, 2024. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Saturday, 27 Apr 2024 7:00 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — The upcoming Kuala Kubu Baru by-election comes at a pivotal moment for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration, which has pledged significant reforms and progress but has yet to deliver substantial results.

The seat fell vacant following the death of its three-term assemblyman, Lee Kee Hiong, on March 21 due to cancer.


Marking the seventh by-election under the unity government, this electoral contest unfolds against a backdrop of pressing issues and contentious events.

From the “Allah” socks controversy to the prospect of fuel subsidy reductions, public concern looms large.


As the 47,412 voters in Kuala Kubu Baru prepare to cast their ballots on May 11, the by-election stands as a litmus test for the Anwar administration’s ability to translate promises into tangible change, amidst a landscape marked by scepticism and unresolved challenges.


Green shoots, green wave?

Yet, the current landscape does not guarantee success for Perikatan Nasional (PN) in Selangor, which has, in recent weeks, come to be perceived as a relatively pragmatic coalition, particularly in its response to the “Allah” socks controversy, where it backed a “ceasefire” amid escalating racial tensions.

The 15th general election (GE15) in 2022 and ensuing six state elections in August last year saw the “green wave” spearheaded by PN making further inroads into Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, while almost shutting out its rivals entirely in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu with an average voter turnout of 70.4 per cent.

Presently, however, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), the lynchpin party of PN, is putting out fires on the home front as seven of its representatives — six MPs and one Selangor state assemblyman— have thrown their support behind Anwar.

This development has placed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the president of Bersatu and chairman of PN, under scrutiny over his leadership abilities.

In an apparent effort to broaden its appeal among non-Malay voters, PN also recently welcomed the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) into its ranks as its newest component, led by former MIC leader P. Punithan, who was also appointed as a deputy chairman of the PN coalition.

Selangor MB’s appeal

In last year’s state election, Kuala Kubu Baru incumbent, the late Lee Kee Hiong of DAP, successfully defended the seat, defeating Teoh Kien Hong (Gerakan), Siva Prakash Ramasamy (Muda), and Chang Boon Lai (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) with a majority of 4,119 votes.

Senior fellow at Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, Azmi Hassan, said he believes this historical trend could repeat itself this time, attributing it more to the positive appeal of Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari rather than Anwar’s influence.

“Yes, there are several issues that the federal government faces right now. Voters are quite upset, but this is a by-election in Kuala Kubu Baru. I think the state government of Selangor under Amirudin is doing pretty well. The state government’s efforts will basically save the day for Pakatan Harapan (PH) in Kuala Kubu Baru.

“The chances for PH or the unity government — in this case the DAP — to keep their seat is quite high,” Azmi said, noting that despite PN’s significant influence in the last state election, DAP still clinched the seat with a majority of over 4,000 votes.

Voter patterns

Syaza Syukri, political analyst at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), shared Azmi’s perspective but warned against underestimating PN’s prospects too hastily.

“I think DAP’s candidate still has a slight edge over PN’s because of the track record within the constituency itself, instead of looking at wider national politics. But it will be tough, because PN will be gunning for Malay votes.

“I think MIPP joining PN could definitely help PN win slightly more Indian voters, more from the community’s unhappiness with the government,” she told Malay Mail.

This view was echoed by Azmil Tayeb, a political analyst with Universiti Sains Malaysia, who agreed that PN might mount a campaign highlighting the government’s perceived weaknesses.

“The unity government’s chances depend on PH’s ability to fire up its supporters and maximise turnout.

“PN could campaign on corruption issues like it did in GE15, especially Zahid Hamidi’s DNAA and Najib’s pardon and house arrest.

“In last year’s state election, there was a discernible shift of Indian voters going to PN. We might see that trend again,” he said when contacted by Malay Mail.

Regarding the possibility of lower voter turnout due to political fatigue, Syaza stated that such by-elections typically witness a reduced number of voters.

“Because of that, every vote matters. The more politically motivated ones will go out to vote, but to get the others, it requires something major like a blunder by the government or something similar to the ‘Allah’ socks issue to rile up the people,” she added.

PN has named Hulu Selangor Bersatu acting division chief Khairul Azhari Saut as its candidate for Kuala Kubu Baru.

Muhyiddin made the announcement at the coalition’s by-election headquarters on Thursday, saying that the PN supreme council had unanimously agreed that the 54-year-old Hulu Selangor-born businessman was the right candidate to secure a win in the state by-election for the Opposition coalition.

PH, meanwhile, announced Pang Sock Tao as its candidate. Pang, 31, previously served as a news presenter for DAP’s UbahTV and as the press secretary to Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, among other career highlights.

The Election Commission (EC) has fixed April 27 for nominations and May 11 for polling.

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kt comments:

Many supporters of DAP are wondering whether to 'frighten' the DSAI government for its 'reformasi' go-starn behaviour and risk the green wave putting its foot into the door?

MB: Perak to collaborate with rare earth elements firm from S. Korea

MB: Perak to collaborate with rare earth elements firm from S. Korea

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad during a working visit to the Murata Innovation Museum in Kyoto, Japan, April 25, 2024. — Picture from Facebook/Saarani Mohamad

Friday, 26 Apr 2024 10:56 PM MYT


IPOH, April 26 — The Perak state government is expected to establish cooperation with Star Group Industries (SGI), a leading South Korean company with experience in the production of downstream products of rare earth elements (REE).

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the company will visit the state next month and further details regarding the collaboration will be discussed in a meeting involving both parties.


“SGI, which is led by the founder and chief executive officer Kong Kun Seong, has shown interest in working together and expressed his desire to visit Perak next month to discuss further.

“This is a positive development and it is a follow-up to the state government’s work visit there where we were also taken to visit the SGI factory in Daegu, which produces REE downstream products,” he said in a Facebook post today.


Saarani led a state government delegation on a working visit to South Korea and Japan from April 20 to 27, 2024.


The purpose of the visit is to attract companies from both countries to invest in Perak, particularly in the mineral industry, electric vehicles (EV), solid waste management, and green energy.

The menteri besar also noted that the collaboration with SGI also has the potential to complete the supply chain of the automotive industry, particularly in implementing the Automotive Hi-Tech Valley (AHTV) project in Tanjung Malim, Perak, without having to rely on raw materials imported from outside.

“Among the most important components in the automotive industry are permanent magnets that produce magnetic induction motors, hybrid starter generator magnets, integrated electric brakes, electric power steering motors and various other high-tech components,” he said.

Saarani said the cooperation that will be established between the two parties is also seen to provide great benefits to the state, especially in providing job opportunities.

“Imagine how many job opportunities we can create through these new industries. It will certainly be beneficial for the people of Perak, especially the young people,” he said. — Bernama

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kt comments:

Just make sure it won't be another of the old coot & his Jap mateys' A.R.E (Asian Rare Earth) scandal in Bukit Merah

Count me out but time for a change, says Khairy on FAM hot seat

Count me out but time for a change, says Khairy on FAM hot seat

Khairy Jamaluddin said that being the president of FAM required a person to be hands-on, and he currently did not have the time and space to carry out such a duty. — Bernama pic

Friday, 26 Apr 2024 9:28 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Former youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin has admitted that he never harboured any thoughts on returning to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) after his name was linked to the presidency of the governing body.

Khairy, or better known as KJ, who was also former deputy president in FAM, said there were other candidates more qualified than he is to lead the parent body.


He said that being the president of FAM required a person to be hands-on, and he currently did not have the time and space to carry out such a duty.

“Due to the focus given to football, he (the president) needs to be a very ‘hands-on’ person and may have to deal with the daily management at FAM and I may not have the time at the moment to take on that role.


“I like to be hands-on when I work, and I don’t have time, so it’s unfair for FAM if I try my luck in the upcoming FAM election,” he said on the hot seat when met at the Battle of the Reds Motivational Talk event here today.


Prior to this, Khairy’s name cropped up as a possible candidate for the FAM president’s post held by Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin since 2018, following the spread of a poison-pen letter that discredited the parent body’s leadership and management.

The FAM Election is scheduled to take place next year.

At the same time, Khairy, who is a board member of the Johor Darul Ta’zim Football Club (JDT) felt that the time had come for a transformation in FAM.

Without faulting or discrediting the current leadership, he described the change as necessary for the continued progress of national football as a whole for the future.

“This is my personal view, maybe it’s time for a change in FAM, I think the existing management has done its job but since we want to look at the next five to 10 years, I think it’s time for a transition in FAM,” said the former Rembau MP.

Meanwhile, today’s ceremony saw about 200 fans having the opportunity to meet up close and take memorable pictures with the legendary line-up of two English clubs, Manchester United and Liverpool.

The Manchester United legends who were present at the ceremony which lasted about two hours were Wes Brown, Dimitar Berbatov, Danny Webber and Paul Rachubka while the Liverpool legends were John Arne Riise, Luis Garcia, Vladimir Smicer and Steve McManaman.

The ceremony was held in conjunction with the “Battle of the Reds” match between the legends of Manchester United and Liverpool at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow night.

Battle of the Reds is supported by the Malaysian Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) — an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture — the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Stadium Corporation of Malaysia (PSM) and FAM. — Bernama

US embassy refutes American professor Bruce Gilley’s claim, says Malaysia still safe to travel

 

SCMP:

US embassy refutes American professor Bruce Gilley’s claim, says Malaysia still safe to travel

• Gilley said he left the country due to safety concerns caused by an ‘Islamo-fascist mob whipped up by the government’
• The academician was panned for his controversial comments made during a lecture at the University of Malaya

The US embassy in Kuala Lumpur has affirmed that Malaysia is still safe to travel, negating American academician Bruce Gilley’s claim that it is not.

“There is no change to the US travel advisory, which remains at Level 1, the lowest level out of four,” it said in a statement.

According to the United States Bureau of Consular Affairs, Level 1 is the lowest advisory level for safety and security, between Levels 1 to 4, and 4 being “do not travel”.

At Level 1, travellers are to exercise normal precautions in the country, it said.

The US State Department’s website showed that Malaysia has been on Level 1 since its last update on July 24, 2023. Additionally, its country information on Malaysia says that the two sides have healthy bilateral ties.

“Economic ties are robust, and there is a long history of people-to-people exchanges. Malaysia has a diverse democracy and is an important partner in US engagement with Southeast Asia,” it said.

Earlier this week, Gilley claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Malaysia is not safe to travel to.

He said on the social media platform that he had left Malaysia due to safety concerns caused by an “Islamo-fascist mob whipped up by the government there”.

Recently, the University of Malaya (UM) had invited Gilley to speak, which caused controversy.

Gilley purportedly claimed that Malaysia had pushed for a “second Holocaust against the Jewish people” during his talk, and downplayed the country’s ties with the US.

US professor Bruce Gilley delivers a lecture at the Universiti of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: BruceDGilley/X

After the cancellation of all events involving Gilley by Higher Education Minister Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, the academician has since returned to America.

Further sparking outrage, he posted that he will not accept reimbursement for his travels from the university, choosing instead to ask the public to fund his costs via an online platform.

“[Gilley’s] social media post on the safety of travelling in Malaysia is too much. It is irresponsible and can cause anger among all Malaysians,” UM said in a statement.