YB V.Sivakumar: Problems faced by SJK (T) Gunung Rapat

Press Conference by YB V.Sivakumar on 24/8/2011.

To highlight problems/issues faced by SJK (T) Gunung Rapat.

Speech by M Kula at Tapah : Najib should walk the talk and tell Malaysians what electoral reforms will the government bring about before the next general election.

Speech by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat at Bukit Paggar, Tapah on Saturday, August 6, 2011 Najib should walk the talk and tell Malaysians what electoral reforms will the government bring about before the next general election. Six months before the 2008 general election, it was evident that there was the general mood for political change that  was favorable to the Opposition. But despite our optimism of a better performance, we were not really sure how well could the Opposition perform. The political tsunami which took place and caused the BN to suffer its worse electoral debacle was therefore an unexpected shock for the Opposition as well as the BN leaders. The result simply showed what people power could do.   People power made BN lose its traditional two thirds parliamentary majority and power in 5 states. With present  speculation going on that the next general election may be held anytime after Hari Raya Aidil Fitri celebration, the political question that is being asked by many Malaysians is whether there could be a greater political tsunami that will bring about a new federal government. I dare say that the chances of the Opposition taking over Putrajaya are there. It is certainly not a pipe dream. In fact, I believe that the recent internet portal reports that there have been loss of confidence in the prime minister's leadership within Umno is due to dry run results indicating the existence of favorable political mood towards the Opposition. Recently, a  report in the internet  portal " The Malaysian Insider" revealed that BN  could lose Perak and Negri Sembilan in the next general elections, according to results of a recent dry run, unless component parties put popular faces and ensure the grassroots machinery garner support from voters. The report too says that Opposition will make gains in BN traditional fortress state of Johor. Undoubtedly, UMNO  leaders have begun to have daily political nightmare and some have even begun to think of changing the ship.captain They saw how the then prevalent mood of change among voters during the 2008 general election campaigning period translated into a political tsunami against BN.   They also saw how once campaigning period started in the recent Sarawak state election, massive crowds turned up every night at DAP ceramahs. Though they will not publicly admit, the greatest fear that is gripping the BN leaders is that they now cannot say with certainty that Putrajaya will not fall at the next general election. Previously, BN leaders would never ask who would be the Prime Minister if Opposition becomes the federal government, but MCA leaders have over the last few months been asking Pakatan Rakyat this question. This shows that BN does actually think that they can lose federal power. However, we must bear in mind that the next election  is not  going to be an easy battle for PR. In fact, the next general election is going to be the dirtiest in the nation's electoral history. There will be politics of money, threat, blackmails lies and falsehoods. Spectre of May 13 may be raised. There could even be electoral fraud. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has  revealed that Penang state saw a sudden surge of 32000 voters in just 3 months and a staggering 1,400 postal votes were inserted into Batu Maung state constituency, currently held by state Exco member Abdul Malik Kassim from PKR. The Election Commission must explain such strange surge of voter numbers. Last month, the prime minister Dato Sri Najib said that government was all for fair elections. Talk is cheap. Najib should walk the talk and tell Malaysians what electoral reforms will the government bring about before the next general election. http://ipohbaratvoice.blogspot.com http://twitter.com/mkula

DAP Kinta Valley "Yellow Saturday" Campaign Pasar Besar Ipoh, Perak

Press Statement by YB Wong Kah Woh, the State Assemblyman for Canning and DAP Perak Publicity Secretary on 30.07.2011 (Sunday) at the “Yellow Saturday” Campaign Pasar Besar Ipoh, Perak:



It is imminent for the BN Government and the Election Commission to accept and implement the 8 Demands for a Clean and Fair Election as proposed by Bersih with a view to improve and reform the electoral system in the country and to restore the confidence of the People in the democracy system.

The DAP Kinta Valley reps were here in Pasar Besar, Ipoh this morning kicking off the Kinta-Valley wide campaign of a Post-Bersih electoral reform campaign. Those who are presence include YB M Kula (MP for Ipoh Barat), myself (Canning), YB V Sivakumar (Tronoh), YB Shum Cheok Leng (Bercham), YB Lim Pek Har (Menglembu), Human Rights lawyer Sdr. Augustine Anthony, Mulan’s Branch Chairlady Sdr. Wong Chee Yen and the members from various service team in Kinta Valley. It is notable that everyone were presence in yellow shirt in support of a “Yellow Saturday” and this had led to a wave of yellow in the market itself.

As part of the “Yellow Saturday” campaign, the DAP Kinta Valley reps will be having programmes and walkabout every Saturday in the designated areas in every State Seat of Kinta Valley. We hope that we can create more awareness of the people on the importance and Clean and Fair Election and to let the people understand the truth that cannot be covered at the peaceful rally on 9th July 2011.

The Election Commission had presented some proposals for the improvement of the electoral system in the country. However, we can hardly see the proposals such as the biometric identification system and the repositioning of the postal balloting by the name advance voting will carry any weight in the improvement of the electoral system or bring to a total reform of the system.

As far as the biometrical identification is concerned, there are fear of manipulation of the system and it will also involve gigantic cost. The indelible ink system which was supposed to be implemented in the last General Election and as proposed in the 8 Electoral Reform Demands by Bersih will be a better and more practical choice with a much lower cost.

At the same time, the introduction of advance voting system in place of postal balloting provides no difference between the two. The shifting and manipulation of the numbers of arm-forces votes can still be easily done by the authority, with the latest example of the Draft 2011 2nd Quarter Electoral Roll where the there is drastic unjustifiable increase of the postal votes in the past 3 months in Ipoh Timur and Canning. This has further reaffirmed the importance of another demand for a clean and fair electoral system, the reform in the postal votes.

We urge the people to join and support our event of “Yellow Saturday”, by wearing anything in yellow every Saturday.

WONG KAH WOH