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Friday 9 October 2009

BP: Slashings at a police station & increased desperation - signs of a waning majority

by Nathaniel Tan

Looks like that’s what happens to you if you dare challenge Umno >:(

Well, thuggery from those boys ain’t anything new. Still, the degree is quite awful:

Violence has marred the Bagan Pinang by election campaign with PAS party workers allegedly assaulted by Umno members in several incidents yesterday.

PAS security chief Abdul Rashid Hassan Basri said nine people were injured.

He alleged that about a hundred Umno-linked thugs attacked about 14 PAS workers who were putting up party campaign materials such as flags and posters.

According to Abdul Rashid, the victim ran from the mob - who targeted those sporting the PAS logo - and was later slashed at the police station.

Slashed at the police station?!?

And the function of the police is…. what exactly? >:( This degree of complicity is simply unacceptable.

There are also indicators of increasing desperation:

PAS Youth today accused Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan of campaigning in an army camp with offers of a swimming pool and futsal court in exchange for votes in the Bagan Pinang by-election.

To back his claim, Nasrudin played a purported audio recording of speeches by the two during their visit to the camp.

In the audio recording, Mohamad Hassan had allegedly promised to allocate RM100,000 to upgrade a mosque in the camp.

Zahid, on the other hand, allegedly promised to provide a swimming pool, futsal court and wi-fi facility for the soldiers in exchange for their support.

With the ‘evidence’ in hand, Nasrudin said PAS is determined to report the matter to the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Election Commission.

“And this move would allow us to urge EC to nullify the by-election result if it favours BN,” he said, stressing that it is an offense under Section 10 of the Election Offences Act 1954 which forbids any form of bribery.

The good news is - it looks like they’re not taking the army votes for granted, which bodes well for us.

And as we have seen before, statements by BN top guns a few days before voting day tends to be indicative. What’s Najib saying?

Winning in the Bagan Pinang state by-election is more important to the Barisan Nasional than the size of the majority obtained, Najib Abdul Razak said.

“There’s no need to talk about winning big or small, as long as (we) win. Winning is the important thing,” the prime minister told Malaysian journalists after his four-day visit to France.

Remember, any reduction in BN’s majority will mean that there is still a strong pro-Pakatan political trend on the peninsular. In the grander scheme of national politics, it is all about percentage point movements - not merely a simple majority.

If we do we reduce that majority, Insyallah, the maturity shown by the voters will give us plenty to look forward to in the years to come.

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