LAISI

Friday, March 7, 2008

Run Up To GE12 Pasir Mas 6th March 2008

Yesterday 5th March 2008 The Barisan Nasional Party (Read UMNO) had another gathering of youth on motorbikes. The same venue was used as the first time they had this kind of gathering on the 23rd of February to announce their candidate for the election.

The number of attendees today seems to be much bigger. Beside bikers they allow trishaws to join in the gathering too. Since this event was organized by the youth wing, most who attended are also youth. Personally I doubt that they are all UMNO youth as the lure of a free T shirt and RM10 petrol money must have attracted everyone else too be they fence sitters or even opposition inclined youth. All you need to be to qualify is to have a motorbike which are mostly the kapcais. Trishaws will do too. The petrol money is doubled the previous amount of RM5. The T shirt is a white one with the picture of Haji Ahmad Rosdi on the front. That should help Ahmad Rosdi to be recognized beside his posters portraying his face all over Pasir Mas now. I doubt that they would be wearing the T shirt much after today since he doesn't look as pretty as Maya Karin or the now married Datuk Siti.

After some boring speeches by the contestants exhorting the youth to support their candidates in the coming election. The crowd was asked to rev up their engines to make a din as a sign of support. Not much din was created by such small machines.

Most of the candidates were there except for Datuk Rahim.

Immediately after the speeches Ahmad Rosdi left in his gleaming black Sangyong SUV to probably another function. The bikers too started leaving the school compound where they collect their RM10 petrol money at the exit gate. Pillion riders collect the same amout too. From there they were instructed to ride in convoy to Pasir Mas town about 5 km away making a din and a nuisance that may have cost their candidates a few votes as their behaviour is exactly similar to mat rempits. The blue flags with the BN logo draped over their white shirts with AR's face on it easily identified them to the party responsibled for this ruckus. This clearly showed how silly some leaders to be can be sometimes. Instead of endearing people to them, they are doing the direct opposite.

Other functions usually attended by these BN candidates were Parent Teachers Association meetings which seemed to be held around this election period. There was clear instruction that the PTA's are not to be used as a platform for election campaign. But if you are in power, who cares?

Later in the evening PAS had a ceramah about 2 kilometers from my home. A large crowd was anticipated. It turned out to be a tame event as the crowd puller Datuk Ibrahim Ali was not able to attend. Many left immediately when his representative took to the rostrum to make a speech on his behalf. The other candidates couldnt hold the dwindling crowd to remain till the end of the ceramah. Compared to the politicians of old, the present crop of politicians doesn't seem to be able to possess sufficient skill in public speaking.

All the candidates on both sides are moslems but non seems to be using the mosques as a point to meet the voters. Why don't they joing the congregation performing the five daily prayers and at the end of the prayers shake as many hands as possible and plead for their votes. Make it a point to pray at different mosques for each prayer. Thats the best way to reach out to some of the voters.

Here are some pictures of the above events and some banners which was recently put up which I found to be amusing.

All sort of banners were displayed including political ones.

A Post in Pasir Mas town.

An Islamic Pawn shop next to a PAS post

One Chinese village support BN while the other village next to it support PAS

Datuk Rahim's company develop this property

Can you see the armoured vehicle?

Collecting petrol money at the exit of the school compound.

Can you read the message?

Below is the response to TGNA's reference to orang utan

A few surprises maybe in store for Gua Musang. Tengku Razaleigh may just scrape through with a reduced majority. Paloh will be safe in BN's hand but Galas may fall to PAS for the first time. Dabong is suspect. All the teachers sent to Gua Musang as punishment for being suspected as PAS symphatizers had really gone all out to change the mind of the people where they are located. Even the orang asli who were sure votes for BN will be voting opposition for a change. Who says election in Gua Musang is dull?
The prediction for Kuala Krai.
Parliament Kuala Krai - PAS
DUN Mengkebang - BN
DUN Manek Urai - PAS
DUN Guchil - PAS
DUN Dabong 50:50 If the 'cah keting' among BN occurs it will tilt to PAS.

Posted by Pak Zawi at Friday, March 07, 2008 24 comments

Monday, March 3, 2008

Run Up To General Election - Pasir Mas 4 Mac 2008

The BN Story

In the earlier post I wrote about the Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali's side because he is a well known figure. There is no need for me to dig up much or to introduce him anymore because he has been in the news for various reasons. So now I am going to write about his opponent representing the BN side.
Tuan Haji Ahmad Rosdi is from Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat. Somehow he becomes a member of UMNO Pasir Mas and was elected as The UMNO Youth Head. It must have been the crazy redelienation of the constituencies that goes beyond district borders that put people of one district into another constituency. I dont know if this is still maintained.
Ahmad Rosdi being an UMNO District Youth Head is a very powerful position indeed knowing that the Deputy Head at national level is no less than the son in law of The UMNO President himself who happens to be The Prime Minister of Malaysia. Since the UMNO Youth Head himself doesn't seem to wield much power, it can be safely concluded that the connection to the prime minister is the source of power.
Ahmad Rssdi was eyeing the Chetok State seat. Being his debut attempt, I would say the Chetok state seat is more suitable from him. Furthermore his wife's family is in Kampung Kangkong which is within the Chetok contituency. Family ties are important in Kelantan politics as a family member will sometimes try to help.
Parliamentary constituency should be reserved for the Head of Division unless you are slated to be the Menteri Besar designate like Datuk Awang Adek Hussin. The earlier announcement by Datuk Annuar Musa, the State UMNO Liason Chief that Dato' Halim Ahmad would be standing for Parliamentary Pasir Mas seat and no place for Datuk Abdul Rahim did raise some eyebrows. How come? Shouldn't he be contesting? What is politics if you dont aspire to be a Yang Berhormat?
When Dato' Halim Ahmad withdrew from the nomination a void was created which gave a place to Datuk Rahim. By right the Division head should fill up the vacancy meaning Datuk Abdul Rahim Abd. Rahman should take on Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali which was what Ibrahim Ali was eagerly anticipating. It was Datuk Abdul Rahim working in cohort with a few other prominent UMNO state leaders that led to the dethroning of Ibrahim Ali from the Pasir Mas Division Head while he was away overseas at that time. So he has an axe to grind with Datuk Rahim. This is an opportunity to payback to Datuk Rahim. It was not to be as Datuk Rahim quickly place himself in DUN Chetok and let Ahmad Rosdi take on Ibrahim Ali for the parliament seat.
In Pasir Mas Ahmad Rusdi is considered a newbie. Even as a newbie you still have to start somewhere right?. So this is a good start as any. Should Khairy Jamaluddin ascend to the throne of Prime Ministership, people like Ahmad Rusdi will be playing a bigger role in Pasir Mas and Kelantan's politics. Should he wins himself a seat of course.
Actually I have taken a picture of Ahmad Rusdi being shouldered by his supporters immediately after the nomination. Only that I didn't realise it was him until I saw his posters yesterday.
Ahmad Rusdi Mohamad is the BN candidate for Pasir Mas parliamentary seat.

I don't have much back ground info about him. Suffice to say that he looked matured enough. He is a licensced contractor with many projects in hand. His company Kubang Batang Puspasari S/Bhd. and perhaps a few other companies set up to benefit from the many larghese from the government. Among the projects being done are The Sekolah Menenggah Kampong Dangar in Pasir Mas and Customs Complex in Bukit Bunga. Reliable sources told me that another project that was awarded to him in 2007 on a direct negotiated tender basis is the road construction from Paloh 2 to Paloh 3 and Paloh3 to Lebir. These two packages are said to be behind schedule by 30 percent and designated as 'project sakit'. A teacher friend had the misfortune of being posted in Lebir and recently he got stuck on the muddy patch of the uncompleted road when rain felled during the nomination day period. If he were to vote in Pasir Mas, and if he were to know that the contractor for the road is standing for election, he will definitely not vote for the candidate. Hopefully this parliamentary candidate will not spend too much money from the project on this election since it will further delay the completion of the much needed road. With the road in that condition, Kampung Lebir can be considered as the Siberia of Malaysia. I know cos I had been there.

Right from the nomination day on 24th February, we saw the proliferation of flags, posters and and the setting of posts by both parties namely BN and PAS that was contesting. I can understand the need for the posters and flags but I can't understand the need of the greatly decorated posts. A post is just like a shelter and set up some distance from one another. Every night this posts are manned and you can see people hanging around there practically doing nothing other than chatting, smoking and if there is money provided by the parties or contestants themselves, there will be food and drink.
Setting up posts in an area where one party is dominant is no problem but it will become a challenge for the other party to set up one around the same area. It is a victory of sort if one party can put up a post in an area dominated by another party.
Thus far, the posts set up by PAS seems to be merrier especially if it is one that belongs to the parliamentary candidate which is seperate from the one for the DUN. Already there are talks that some of the BN posts are being closed due to the lack of fund to maintain them. Maintaining them is just to provide food and drinks and better still if ciggarettes are also available. A BN supporter friends said that money will only be available from the 5th of March (which is tomorrow) when BN will step up its gear in its campaign. They are going all out from tomorrow onwards.
One stark difference from the BN party workers and PAS party workers is that the PAS party workers are willing to work for free and sometimes even donating their own money. That speaks volumes for their committment for the party. To them it is what you can give to the party and not what the party can give to you. On the other hand the PAS Parliamentary posts seems to be well funded. Food and drink flows freely there much to the frustration of the BN workers. Will the BN workers be able to hold on till the 5th of March when funds are supposed to trickle in?
Here are some pictures to illustrate the poster wars going on in Pasir Mas and some cheeky messages being conveyed via the posters. They are from both sides. The pictures are not in oreder and some are from areas outside of Pasir Mas such as Kota Bharu and Wakaf Baru.