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Well, not exactly prime materials are they? I guess Kamalanathan earned the wrath of the Indian community (and probably the Chinese as well), when he reasoned PERKASA’s antics.
“Perkasa has its own role. It is strengthening its (Malay) race, its language and its religion, and we (MIC) are also doing the same by strengthening our race, religion and language,” he stressed.
“Is it wrong for me to want to memperkasakan (empower) my race and my language? Is it wrong for me to want to memperkasakan Tamil schools?” he asked.
Helen Ang tries to examine why he did so and offers a rebuttal. I think there’s a big difference in promoting equality and promoting inequality (which is even against the religions). Sad to say, the candidate is playing to the gallery, but hey, that’s politics. You plan your strategies, and hopefully you get the votes than you need. Obviously you can’t win over all of them. I managed to catch Kamalanathan shedding few tears while talking to an elderly lady, probably touched by her words (aired on Tamil News and TV3 Buletin Utama). Good PR indeed.
And DPM Muhyiddin made some joke above Kamal, Alan and Nathan. Less said the better.
As for Zaid Ibrahim, well he admits to drinking, and really, one can’t be so naive to think that Malays don’t berkhalwat, consume alcohol or gamble. They are also human beings, subject to same temptation as other Malaysians. And he said that he won’t squeal on his ex-party member (he mentioned about ministers in Cabinet, so I wonder who else were his drinking buddies, so to speak). And let’s not go into royal issues.
The Pakatan also seemed to made a gaffe by comparing Muslims in Kota Bahru (Zaid was an MP there) and Muslims in “open-minded” Hulu Selangor:
Asked about Opposition claims that the PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim would be accepted by Muslims in Hulu Selangor as compared to Muslims in Kota Baharu because the former are more open minded, Muhyiddin said Muslims are the same anywhere.
“Their expectations are the same. I leave it to the (Muslim) voters to make their own judgement,” he said.
We can see BN digging more dirt on Zaid, while Kamalanathan is the squeaky clean candidate with a charming smile, bountiful energy, and the single finger (1Malaysia) trademark. How about the two independents? I wonder if they will spill some beans on MIC and UMNO respectively. Chandran who is ex-MIC from tomorrow onwards already fired salvo against Samy Vellu and Palanivel.
One analysis says if MIC lose this campaign, UMNO will have strong case to take back the seat in GE13. Well, I doubt that because if you take something, you have to give up something elsewhere.
The fiasco and subsequent humiliation of MIC by UMNO is still a talking point (and most likely for years to come). In rejecting the initial candidate, and creating headache for MIC, BN has been able to cover itself. If Kamalanathan wins, it will increase the image of PM Najib. If he loses, well MIC will take the fall.
I still say the seat is BN’s to loose, just a gut feeling.
BTW, I heard recently that delineation of electoral seats are made in such way that the Malays are in the majority as much as possible. Its part of the requirements. Any way to verify this? Is it a policy, rule or stated in the laws?
