Permatang Pauh.
I must apologise for neglecting this blog of late. Work and other stuff has been keeping me extremely busy and after a long day staring into a computer, the last thing I want to do is to stare at it more really. Perhaps one day, somebody will invent technology where I can dictate into a blog machine and my posts will appear automatically online. lol. Sounds like a plan, yo.
On Wednesday, the Election Commission will announce the nomination and by-election dates for the Permatang Pauh seat. So lots of excitement. It appears PKR will definitely go all out defend their seat and the Anwar factor of course. Since March 8, I am not surprised that PKR has new funders and resources to churn up a by-election to remember.
But what about BN? There have been calls for boycott from Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairman Annuar Musa and Deputy Health Minister Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad. Is that a sign that they are already conceding? Hardly. They just want to save their sorry asses from a heavy thumping. Odds in this Penang mainland seat weighs heavily in PKR’s favour. Umno most probably needs more time to think on how to stop Anwar from winning. If they were to contest in Permatang Pauh, it will only waste time and resources. Technically they can afford to blow their money since their cronies need contracts to supply election paraphernalia, mineral water and entertainment. Who knows, maybe they’ll throw in an independent candidate just for kicks?
However, there is the Ezam factor. Sad to say, it is going to be a lose-lose situation for him. Should he contest, he will lose to Anwar. There is no doubt about that. He will also invite much criticism and displeasure from Umno members who still distrust him - and there are lots of Umno folks who consider him a mole. I guess Ezam can try his best to be a ‘hero’ and prove himself to the party, but public perception of him is still very weak. So I lied. Ezam is hardly a factor.
Which leaves a very predictable ending to a very hotly contested seat. lol. Quite potong steam right?
But the thing to look forward to is actually to see if Anwar will be arrested or charged. How much more bashing can the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers take on this matter? Are they going to go ahead with this in a haphazard, high handed, balaclava manner? There is also the possibility of extremely dirty tricks to prevent Anwar from winning in the elections and I don’t mean just vote rigging or bribing (this won’t be easy anyway because PKR and their agents will be on their toes where this is concerned). I suspect it will be something more sinister, extreme and “accidental”. If May 13 riots in 1969 can be alleged to have been a plot and was staged, I think any possibilities - no matter how crazy - needs to be considered.
Also, EC has a reputation to maintain. I don’t think EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman will bite anymore bullets from Umno - but is he still around? Has he retired? Anyway, so EC will not take in anymore crap from Barisan and will likely go about their business fairly. After all, if a change in government should happen, you will not want to anger the by-election that the self-proclaimed PM in-waiting is running in himself.
:)
When I think of Permatang Pauh, the first thing that crosses my mind is going over the Penang bridge, head to Kek Lok Si temple and eat the asam laksa nearby :) Sorry, I digress!
Exciting and super busy days ahead!!
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Ya damn off topic, but I miss the laksa.
Last time around, I made my friends endure a 30minute detour so I could tapau.
Sadly, it was only about 6 packets.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Dear LT, you do not need to cross penang bridge to permatang pauh. lol
August 4th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
‘I must apologise for neglecting this blog of late.’
I’ll forgive you if you forgive me for neglecting to read what you neglected to write. :-)
’somebody will invent technology where I can dictate into a blog machine’
It’s called voice recognition software. Takes a while to train it [hours] but does save a lot of time in typing. :-) Remind me to use it some time, I used it for a while when I first got it, then when I upgraded to a newer version I got tired of having to retrain the thing.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
vamsel: i know. i have to cross the bridge for the asam laksa though :)
dabido: hello! i was thinking along the line of something that does not require a pc :)
dr tan: you know that only reminds me of your bro and the trip we had in penang where we bungkus shitloads of asam laksa back to KL :)
August 5th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Very nice post… especially the asam laksa part :)
Is it ok to feature your post and link our readers to your blog ?
mylivingwall.com
August 5th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
AL: sure man, go ahead.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I like your predictions on Ezam as a BN candidate. I can see the beginning of an analyst here.
August 5th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I agree with Pragalath- you seem to function well as a political analyst. Maybe you can move towards having your own column at the newspaper *wink*
Yeah that’s the thing i thought of too- shitloads of asam laksa. I still have that photo somewhere, where we posed outside your house with all the bags of laksa.