Threats, gratitude and goodies in Merlimau
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Malacca CM Mohd Ali Rustam's message to the Kampung Lipat Kajang residents is, 'vote for BN or life could be difficult'.
He may have said it with a smile on his face but Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam's message to the residents of Kampung Lipat Kajang could hardly be interpreted in any other way - vote for BN or life could be difficult.
"If you vote for PAS you're throwing your vote away. What have they done to help (you)?
threats, gratitude and goodies in Merlimau"(In 2008 this polling district) gave (about) 190 votes to PAS and now you are asking me for help, so I can't work as hard for you. I'd be better off watching movies with my wife," he said.
Jokingly, he added that if the polling district is found to have given more than 100 votes to PAS again, he will trace those who did so.
This was not the first time Mohd Ali, who is also BN Merlimau by-election director posed a veiled threat to the constituents, as the 'I help you, you help me' approach infiltrates BN's campaign.
The infamous line was uttered by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in the Sibu by-election last year, when he promised to fund flood mitigation if BN wins Sibu.
DAP won that contest by a close margin.
CM: 'Thank me'
Similarly, the all-too-familiar theme of gratitude is cropping up too in Merlimau.
threats, gratitude and goodies in MerlimauWhile the billboards with traditional Malay pantun on debts of gratitude seen before in Felda settlements are missing in Merlimau, the gratitude card was still played by BN particularly in the more rural areas of semi-urban Merlimau.
At the same event last night, Mohd Ali went as far as getting the audience of about 100 Chinese and Indian voters to say their thanks to him for putting a gazette on a parcel of land on which their 40 year-old temple stands.
"The land has been (gazetted) in 2004. Who converted the land (to temple land)? (The crowd replies, "government").
"Which government? (The crowd replies, "BN") Who was the chief minister? I was, so say thank you. We have to remember this," he said.
Even questions on price hikes and subsidy cuts by elderly participants were answered with the same sentiments.
"We give the poor aid. If gas prices increase by 30 sen, you still get RM300 to RM400. Are any of you so hard up that you can't eat because of the price hikes? We even pay for you to fix your leaking roofs. We give you lots of things," Mohd Ali said.
Pakatan forced to 'import' issues
On this matter, the chief minister is not off the mark. Hands on and keen to shine in Malacca's first by-election, Mohd Ali has gone to the ground to solve many pending issues even before the campaigning period official began.
And if any issues are raised now, the residents involved can be sure to get a visit from the chief minister and have their problems solved pronto.
This clever strategy appears to win over voters and leaves the opposition no option but to 'import' issues from outside the constituency.
rosmah mansor singingNational issues like the Eye on Malaysia which closed shop after being moved to Malacca, national issues like petroleum royalty and even the unrest in the Middle East have thus far been staple fodder for the Pakatan Rakyat campaign.
The crowds of a few hundred who turn up at Pakatan events also appear to enjoy having a laugh at the expense of PM's wife Rosmah Mansor, which the coalition compared to the wives of ousted Egyptian and Tunisian leaders.
Jokes about Rosmah's alleged extravagance and the expenditure of the First Lady of Malaysia (Flom) division in the Prime Minister's Department also drives home the message of BN corruption, but whether or not these issues will gain traction at the ballot box remains to be seen.
'Dynasty' offensive hijacked by BN
DAP too started the race on the defensive, and is now spending much of its time explaining its position on the Islamic state and reassuring the Malays that DAP has no intention of taking over the leadership and undermining the community's position.
This does not bode well for the PAS candidate, who is counting on 75 percent Chinese votes to turn the tides his way. In 2008, less than 50 percent of Chinese voters voted for PAS' Jasme Tompang.
threats, gratitude and goodies in MerlimauDespite their early attempts to discredit him by alluding that he was chosen due to pedigree rather than capability, Pakatan has failed to punch real holes in BN candidate Roslan Ahmad.
Roslan's late father was Sungai Rambai (now delineated into Merlimau) assemblyperson while his uncle is former Malacca Chief Minister Abu Zahar Isnin.
And while opinions on the ground seem to be mixed on whether he is a product of a dynasty or not, this campaign point, it appears, has been hijacked by BN who is holding the mirror up to Pakatan.
PKR, they said have Anwar Ibrahim as de-facto leader and his wife and daughter in key party positions.
DAP has two father-and-son combos involving its stalwarts Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang while PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat's immediate family member held key posts in a state corporation.
"These people are still alive while their family members hold positions. Roslan's father died a long time ago," said Mohd Ali.
Malacca CM Mohd Ali Rustam's message to the Kampung Lipat Kajang residents is, 'vote for BN or life could be difficult'.
He may have said it with a smile on his face but Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam's message to the residents of Kampung Lipat Kajang could hardly be interpreted in any other way - vote for BN or life could be difficult.
"If you vote for PAS you're throwing your vote away. What have they done to help (you)?
threats, gratitude and goodies in Merlimau"(In 2008 this polling district) gave (about) 190 votes to PAS and now you are asking me for help, so I can't work as hard for you. I'd be better off watching movies with my wife," he said.
Jokingly, he added that if the polling district is found to have given more than 100 votes to PAS again, he will trace those who did so.
This was not the first time Mohd Ali, who is also BN Merlimau by-election director posed a veiled threat to the constituents, as the 'I help you, you help me' approach infiltrates BN's campaign.
The infamous line was uttered by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in the Sibu by-election last year, when he promised to fund flood mitigation if BN wins Sibu.
DAP won that contest by a close margin.
CM: 'Thank me'
Similarly, the all-too-familiar theme of gratitude is cropping up too in Merlimau.
threats, gratitude and goodies in MerlimauWhile the billboards with traditional Malay pantun on debts of gratitude seen before in Felda settlements are missing in Merlimau, the gratitude card was still played by BN particularly in the more rural areas of semi-urban Merlimau.
At the same event last night, Mohd Ali went as far as getting the audience of about 100 Chinese and Indian voters to say their thanks to him for putting a gazette on a parcel of land on which their 40 year-old temple stands.
"The land has been (gazetted) in 2004. Who converted the land (to temple land)? (The crowd replies, "government").
"Which government? (The crowd replies, "BN") Who was the chief minister? I was, so say thank you. We have to remember this," he said.
Even questions on price hikes and subsidy cuts by elderly participants were answered with the same sentiments.
"We give the poor aid. If gas prices increase by 30 sen, you still get RM300 to RM400. Are any of you so hard up that you can't eat because of the price hikes? We even pay for you to fix your leaking roofs. We give you lots of things," Mohd Ali said.
Pakatan forced to 'import' issues
On this matter, the chief minister is not off the mark. Hands on and keen to shine in Malacca's first by-election, Mohd Ali has gone to the ground to solve many pending issues even before the campaigning period official began.
And if any issues are raised now, the residents involved can be sure to get a visit from the chief minister and have their problems solved pronto.
This clever strategy appears to win over voters and leaves the opposition no option but to 'import' issues from outside the constituency.
rosmah mansor singingNational issues like the Eye on Malaysia which closed shop after being moved to Malacca, national issues like petroleum royalty and even the unrest in the Middle East have thus far been staple fodder for the Pakatan Rakyat campaign.
The crowds of a few hundred who turn up at Pakatan events also appear to enjoy having a laugh at the expense of PM's wife Rosmah Mansor, which the coalition compared to the wives of ousted Egyptian and Tunisian leaders.
Jokes about Rosmah's alleged extravagance and the expenditure of the First Lady of Malaysia (Flom) division in the Prime Minister's Department also drives home the message of BN corruption, but whether or not these issues will gain traction at the ballot box remains to be seen.
'Dynasty' offensive hijacked by BN
DAP too started the race on the defensive, and is now spending much of its time explaining its position on the Islamic state and reassuring the Malays that DAP has no intention of taking over the leadership and undermining the community's position.
This does not bode well for the PAS candidate, who is counting on 75 percent Chinese votes to turn the tides his way. In 2008, less than 50 percent of Chinese voters voted for PAS' Jasme Tompang.
threats, gratitude and goodies in MerlimauDespite their early attempts to discredit him by alluding that he was chosen due to pedigree rather than capability, Pakatan has failed to punch real holes in BN candidate Roslan Ahmad.
Roslan's late father was Sungai Rambai (now delineated into Merlimau) assemblyperson while his uncle is former Malacca Chief Minister Abu Zahar Isnin.
And while opinions on the ground seem to be mixed on whether he is a product of a dynasty or not, this campaign point, it appears, has been hijacked by BN who is holding the mirror up to Pakatan.
PKR, they said have Anwar Ibrahim as de-facto leader and his wife and daughter in key party positions.
DAP has two father-and-son combos involving its stalwarts Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang while PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat's immediate family member held key posts in a state corporation.
"These people are still alive while their family members hold positions. Roslan's father died a long time ago," said Mohd Ali.
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