My Nine Election-related Articles in Nanyang Siang Pau (March - April, 2013)

The blogger has since the beginning of March this year started writing Chinese articles related to the Malaysian 13th General Election and contributed to the vernacular newspaper Nanyang Siang Pau for publication once a week. There are altogether nine (9) articles before the polling day on May 5, 2013. It is the fervent hope of the blogger that the main purpose of all these articles, i.e. urging to vote for the CHANGE of government, can be appreciated and accepted by as many readers as possible.

Posted below are the newspaper-cuttings of these nine (9) articles published in the daily followed by a brief write-up of the gist of each article.

March 5, 2013 (Tue) “Should Ong Tee Keat Contest or Not?”

Gist of the article:

1. Should OTK defend and retain his Pandan parliamentary seat, he might help BN to continue to rule this country after 56 years and his own return to MCA’s leadership. But if Rafizi Ramli (of PKR) succeeds in challenging him, he might assist PR in changing the government and bring about immense hope of change to the country and people. It goes without saying whose victory is more meaningful.

2. Taiwan Buddhist Master Hsing Yun once advised Ong to “move forward when it is time to move forward, back off when it is time to back off. But Ong misread his message and eventually lost his battle of the MCA presidency in the 2010 party election. Has he learned his lesson?

March 16, 2013 (Sat) “The Dawn of World with the Cry of UBAH”

Gist of the article:

1. The entire country awaits the dissolution of the 12th parliament by the Prime Minister as if waiting for the rooster crows at day break.

2. The number of parliamentary seats totaling 57 contributed by Sabah and Sarawak is crucial for Pakatan Rakyat to seize Putrajaya in the coming General Election.

3. DAP’s popular mascot for the election ‘Ubah’ hornbill is meaningful in bringing hope of change to the people as ‘ubah’ means ‘change’ in Malay.

  

March 20, 2013 (Wed) “Lim Kit Siang Taking On Gelang Patah”

Gist of the article:

1. That Lim Kit Siang decided to leave his safe seat in Ipoh Timur and contest in Gelang Patah, Johor is best described by the Chinese idiom of “how does one catch the tiger cub without entering its lair (meaning “nothing ventured, nothing gained”). This is a clever tactic to enable PR to achieve a breakthrough in capturing more seats in Johor and thus enhancing the chance of taking over Putrajaya.

2. This might be the last battle for the 72-year old Lim Kit Siang and there is a possibility of his becoming the first Chinese Deputy Prime Minister in the history of the country, should PR form the country’s next government after the General Election. This is a position that UMNO has never been willing to share with MCA throughout the ruling coalition’s 56 years of administration, hence one of the reasons why the Chinese community should vote for DAP instead of MCA.

  

March 26, 2013 (Tue) “The Blowing of Winds and Flying of Clouds”

Gist of the article:

1. It is an uphill task for Lim Kit Siang to win at Gelang Patah parliamentary constituency because of the racial composition with 54% Chinese, 34% Malay and 12% Indians. He requires the support of the Malay and Indian voters besides the traditional Chinese support for victory. If he manages to do so, it will be a breakthrough for DAP which has long been demonized by UMNO as an anti-Malay party.

2. The Chinese name of Gelang Patah being “zhèn lín shān” has an interesting connotation. It has the meaning of the ‘rise’ (zhèn) of the Lim (lin)’s. That could be a prophetic sign for the victory of Kit Siang with the surname of Lim.

April 3, 2013 (Wed) “Whither Democracy Succeeds In Completion?”

Gist of the article: 

1. The worsening problems of unfairness in policies, corruption and abuse of power, education, law and order indulged by a long-term ruling government can only be resolved by a new government with the hope of change.

2. It will be a win-win situation to vote for PR to form a new government without experience in corruptions and scandals and BN to form a strong opposition with more 50 years of experience in corruptions and scandal so as to check the PR government.

3. Democracy is not considered alive and kicking in this country as long as a two-coalition political system is still not in place.

April 9, 2013 (Tue) “Who Shall Take Over Putrajaya?”

Gist of the article: 

1. It is believed that PM Najib may be forced to step down if BN cannot win back the two-third majority parliamentary seats and/or recapture certain states that it lost in the last general election. He may become the country’s shortest-lived PM, with fewer than 5 years in office.

2. The passion and anxiousness of Chinese in wanting a change of government in the current general election are no less than the last one. However, it is not certain whether the Malay and Indian votes are going back to BN this time around. But Raja Petra Kamarudin insisted that the Malays have woken up 25 years ago and the non-Malays only woke up recently.

3. It is very certain that the majority of Chinese would support "Change" in this general election, but whether a two-coalition political system can emerge after the election depends very much on the cooperation of the Malay and Indian voters.

April 16, 2013 (Tue) “Turning the World Upside Down”

Gist of the article: 

1. History is written by people who take action. He who doesn’t take action loses the chance of creating history.

2. It is most heartening to note that there are many Malaysians living, working or studying in overseas are planning to come home to cast their votes in this general election thereby fulfilling their citizen duties.

3. Each of our votes counts in a way to defeat the attempt by the phantom voters created to influence the election process and help prolong the reign of a long-term authoritarian regime.

4. Historically, May 5 marks the anniversary of the death of Napoleon Bonaparte (in 1821), the election of Dr. Sun Yat-sen as the Extraordinary President (in 1921), and the Prague uprising (in 1945). Hence, May 5 denotes the significance of the downfall of a dictator, the victory of a revolutionist, and the struggle against fascism. Will May 5 also mark a memorable event happening in our country soon?

April 25, 2013 (Thu) “Spirit Having Flown”

Gist of the article:

1. That the Registrar of Societies (ROS) issued a letter to DAP just 3 days before the nomination day on April 20, 2013 derecognizing the party’s central executive committee can be considered as a sabotage to prevent DAP from using its own party symbol in the coming general election. This sabotage was subsequently thwarted by a clever counter strike by DAP by planning to use the PAS symbol in peninsula Malaysia and PKR banner in Sabah and Sarawak. It will be spectacular if DAP is disallowed to use its party symbol to contest in this election for the first time in history and the PAS symbol “Moon” is everywhere during the campaign period.

2. It is felt that DAP’s crisis is far from over as it is still under the scrutiny of alleged irregularities in the party's internal election by ROS and the party is still subject to deregistration after the election if ROS refuses to accept the party’s explanation, unless a new government is formed.

3. It is earnestly hoped that a two-coalition system can be achieved after the election for the first time after twelve elections held so far. “May 5, Change Government” is the loudest slogan now and may we all create history soon.

April 30, 2013 (Tue) “Dare Change Sun-Moon Into A New Sky”

Gist of the article:

1. “All the deeds cry to be done. And always urgently. The world rolls on. The time presses. One thousand years are too long. Seize the day! Seize the hour!" So wrote Mao Zedong in a poem. Our country has never experienced any change of government since independence. 55 years are too long, let us seize the day and hour on May 5 to change!

2. It is believed that this election is the closest battle of changing for a new government and there will not be another chance if it fails. It is do-or-die chance of a life time for many of us.

3. Let us create history come May 5 by daring to change the sun and moon into a new sky!