Gelang Patah battle goes beyond Kit Siang-Ghani

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YOURSAY 'It's about voting to cement the two-party system. It's about voting against racism, cronyism, oppression, repression, suppression and tyranny.'

It's Ghani vs Kit Siang in Gelang Patah

your say Fz2379: I don't think DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang is afraid of Umno but the fact that his opponent for the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat is the outgoing Johor MB and Johor BN head Abdul Ghani Othman, is a regret as he was hoping for a showdown with a MCA candidate.

Ghani is more credible than Kit Siang by choosing to contest in a Chinese-majority seat. But the ultimate goal is to send Kit Siang into oblivion this GE. Good strategy, BN.

Ghkok: This election is not about voting for Kit Siang or voting for Ghani. It is about voting to end 55 years of one-party rule.

It's about voting to cement the two-party system. It's about voting against racism, cronyism, oppression, repression, suppression and tyranny.

It's about voting to end abuse of human rights. It's about voting to prevent the country's federal debt from reaching toxic levels. A vote for Pakatan Rakyat achieves all that. It's not a personal vote against Ghani.

Wira: The purpose of a Ghani candidacy is to draw all Malay votes away from DAP. Umno Johor wants to show Malays elsewhere that despite a multiracial front and in a coalition with PAS and PKR, DAP is still not able to win Malay votes.

Kit Siang is likely to perform better with Malay voters if the candidate is from MCA.

Dont Just Talk: When MCA has to loan to Umno the Gelang Patah ‘safe' seat which has a majority of 53 percent Chinese, it speaks volumes for the party and its lack of confidence in drawing the support of Chinese voters.

Never in the history of MCA under a tainted and thick-skinned president, has the party suffered so much shame and humiliation.

Bury MCA at the 13th general election and save the dignity of the Chinese community, if indeed there is any left.

Quigonbond: I thought Ghani did quite well speaking alone about not burying Kit Siang. Unfortunately, you and I know that's not what former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad, BN chief Najib Razak and Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein have in mind.

In fact, all the goodwill that Ghani generated is quickly washed down the drain when Hishammuddin promises unprecedented support, probably from military postal votes, phantoms and non-citizen voters I suppose.

That by itself is a culture not worth protecting or preserving. Foreigners being able to vote will also take away the voting power of Malays themselves.

The only way to stop this electoral fraud is to kick BN out of the office so that they stop controlling the National Registration Department (NRD), the police, the Customs and the military - parties who have the means to introduce phantom voters and foreigner voters.

That means the takeover of Putrajaya. If BN is not stopped this time, they will have a winning formula to regain two-thirds majority the next round even if three-quarters of real Malaysians vote against them.

AF McLaren: It doesn't matter who is standing. It's about policies and corruption. We Malays are no longer ‘bonsai' plants. We can think for ourselves. Come May 5, you will hear from us.

Ck: Kit Siang will win. Johoreans have learnt a good lesson from Penangites already. Ghani will only get Umno votes.

Fair Play: Win or lose, Kit Siang will have a place in Malaysian history as one of the towering Malaysians fighting for a better Malaysia.

Tehachapi: Don't worry about how this contest will turn out in the end. At least, the rakyat will get a chance to witness how a civilised political debate can be carried out in a peaceful and harmonious fashion.

Both men are proven leaders in their own right and we should recognise their respective contributions to nation building. Political contests should be about ideas and programmes, not about character assassination and name calling.

We have to elevate our society into a civilised and enlightened one. It is coarse to talk down to people who honestly deserve our respect and admiration.

I hope we can respect each other as loyal citizens of this country since we share a common destiny and future.

Iloveallmalaysians: Kit Siang now goes to Gelang Patah to sow more hatred and racial divisiveness, unlike Ghani who has the good work he has done for Johor in his favour. Ghani, you will get the votes in Gelang Patah from Malaysians of every race.

Jeremy Tankh: Dr M wanted this to happen very much as a chance to ‘kill off' Kit Siang. In order for this to happen, MCA need to ‘loan' the Gelang Patah seat to Umno.

MCA president Chua Soi Lek took the opportunity to arm-twist Najib to get rid of Pandan incumbent Ong Tee Keat from Pandan. It's a trade-off. Tee Keat is the sacrificial lamb.

Isana: This is going to be razor-thin winning margin for either party. BN has actually stopped Kit Siang in his tracks by putting up Ghani from Umno. I don't think DAP expected MCA to allow Umno to contest in its seat.

The Gelang Patah seat composition is not conducive for DAP. It looks like PKR Johor chairperson Chua Jui Meng is having the last laugh here. He got a better deal in Segamat, against a weaker MIC candidate.

LJC: Say what you will, but now, the race in Johor is no longer BN vs Pakatan, but Chinese vs Malay - that is how the battle will be fought, and even the most progressive Malay will think twice before casting his/her vote for Kit Siang.

And, I am sure, most Chinese votes will be going for him. Play the race card and the non-Malays will always receive the short end of the stick.

What could have been an election fought on issues/ideas is now fought on race/personality. What a shame. Depending on the Indians and other minority groups, the race can go either way. Good luck to Kit Siang.

Jiminy Qrikert: MCA members in Gelang Patah will now be campaigning for Kit Siang on the sly.

Since MCA has already lost this seat to Umno confirming yet again that MCA cannot withstand the onslaught of DAP without the help of Umno, MCA members will now vote for Kit Siang.

Their race-centric ego will not allow them to vote for an Umno candidate as by doing so, they will be nothing but running dogs for Umno, just like MCA.

Versey: If MCA members wish to get back the Gelang Patah constituency, they should unite together and let Umno experience its Battle of Waterloo there.

Imagine if Umno were to win the constituencies 'borrowed' from MCA, not only Umno but even MIC can lord over MCA in BN.

Indeed, the young and ambitious MCA members should unite together nationwide to let Umno fall and be defeated badly in the coming GE.

They should then take the opportunity to dump the deadwood from MCA - the corrupted lot who only think of means to protect themselves and never have the young and the party's well-being at heart, and reorganise the party.

Until then, MCA will never be able to stand as an equal partner in BN and will gradually die away as time goes by.

Progressive: This will be a watershed moment in Malaysian history - a defining moment. It will personify the start of a turning point in our history, a move away from racial politics.

My prediction: Kit Siang should win by a minimum of 4,000 votes and this could go over the 10,000 mark. Going by the turnout of Malays at Pakatan ceramah, the Malay vote will surprise everyone.

Mohd Khamis Mazlan: Since Ghani is on his way out of power it is easier for us Malays to reject him now. It would have been different if he was still going to be MB of Johor.


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