YOURSAY ‘Urban Malays can’t live on racism and bigotry alone.’

A bittersweet victory in Kajang?

Quigonbond: I think the bottom line is that 2,400 voters did not return to vote in the Kajang by-election because who will win was already a foregone conclusion. If they did, PKR would have won with a greater majority.

Yet, PKR's campaign is successful in that more Malays voted for them. Even in the time of national crisis, BN has fared so poorly that it elicited no sympathy from the voters. This should be a worrying sign for BN.

MCA can carry their own basket claiming increase in percentage of Chinese voters - that's fine. They can delude themselves.

As long as there is racial and religious extremism and no change to our economic and education structure, in which MCA continues to act in cahoots with Umno, they will simply lose more and more votes in the future.

NoBN4me: MCA celebrated on gaining ground in Chinese areas. They expected the Chinese would vote for MCA and for a Chinese candidate in general, but the most voters knew better and voted for Pakatan.

PKR covered all grounds but MCA concentrated in the Chinese areas and expected Umno to deliver the Malay votes. So it appears Umno's influence has lost ground.

Single Malt: My analysis - Pakatan secured better percentage of votes cast compared with the previous election. This is in spite of the whole might of BN bribing voters with all kinds of goodies.

Whether Pakatan achieved its objective or not is questionable. However, Umno has succeeded by using the judiciary to disable PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim from taking part in the by-election.

Conclusion: Overall, the result doesn't augur well for BN in GE14 unless they strategise to make use of the Attorney-General's Chambers, PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) and judiciary to jail all the prominent opposition politicians to disqualify them in taking part in future elections.

Onyourtoes: Bridget Welsh, as I see it, the struggle between BN and Pakatan is no longer one of “improved strategies of engagement” with voters.

Fortunately, it is also not based on one particular issue like the “Kajang move” or sympathy for Anwar's sodomy conviction.

It is the whole gambit of injustice, corruption, incompetency and stupidity put together that riled the people up, with sodomy and the ‘Kajang Move’ merely serving as “manifestations” of our discontent.

Please bear in mind, Pakatan has grown larger than Anwar, PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim and the hiccup in the Selangor government now.

In the interim, yes, Anwar will probably continue to provide the galvanising force. But let’s face it; why ignore the facts that are staring right on our face now - that Pakatan has potentially more capable and honest people to run this country than BN?

The choice is clear; BN does not have a strategy or policy anymore. It is just bullying, money (bribery), racism and indoctrination.

The ‘Chinese for Chinese’ campaign strategy was simply because BN thought the Malay votes were now with them given the incessant racism being played every day. Despite whatever you and others might say about the Chinese, they are no racists.

What else you want the Chinese to prove - they let a Chinese Adun (state assemblyperson) resign for a Malay candidate and voted for the Malay candidate without any misgivings.

Your analysis of the apparent shift of Chinese votes to BN was to the point - there was no shift. Those who remain MCA supporters are not significant, and they are the old and dying breed.

The shift of Malay votes was expected. Urban Malays can’t live on racism and bigotry (not even the 'Allah' issue) alone. Ultimately it centres on cost of living, governance, education, environment, transportation, etc.

Perhaps the campaigners and the voters are both tired. But I have this inkling that if Pakatan were to stage another by-election in any constituency they have won earlier in the GE, they would still win.

I challenge BN to do the same. To me, it does not matter the voter turnout out was lower. Many could have thought that Pakatan was assured of victory. But as far as the people are concerned, I think they will they will treat all elections seriously, not even the MH370 mystery is going to distract them.

Do you know why BN will eventually lose its moral authority to rule this country even if they have continued enjoying a majority in state assemblies and Parliament? It is your observation of a decisive victory for BN in Balingian, Sarawak.

Yes, eventually BN will be a government based on ignorant nincompoops, not dynamic multiracial Malaysians.

Basically: MCA is predictably saving face for their loss by trumpeting this minor improvement in the Chinese vote. In my view, based purely on the low turnout factor and MCA loyalists remaining with them, the outcome is as expected.

However, if they know the true Chinese sentiment out there, and they probably do but pretend not to, it's an entirely different picture. But then I don't think they care, they just need something to show their Umno masters. Care for the people? Nah.

Patriot1: If given the opportunity, I would grudgingly vote for PKR. They were given a mandate to run Selangor but look the infighting. Now, it's just a case of the lesser of two evils.

But it is also just about the only state in Malaysia that is fairly well run by a MB. If MB Khalid has political shortcomings, sort out that part instead of replacing him with whoever.

I don't think PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has the capability to run the state professionally and I'm also sure he's surrounded by opportunists waiting to rape Selangor at the earliest opportunity.

With regards to MCA, they are forever commenting on other party's shortcomings, but what have they done on their own mileage?

They repeatedly claim they have proven track records - may I ask what records? Talk is cheap.

Did any one of them say anything when former Selangor MB Mohd Khir Toyo was prosecuted for graft? We should publish the Selangor historical accounts for the public's benefit. How did the state fare under BN?

I also think PKR should have a new line of capable leaders instead of relying on the old guard in tough times.

Kit Carson: All things said and done, Selangor Pakatan leaders take heed: We Selangoreans want good governance.

Keep your feuds under wraps. The welfare of the rakyat is the most important. Get your priorities right and get to work. Show the world what you can achieve. No personal, selfish agendas.

Not Anwar, not Azmin, not Khalid, not PAS nor anyone else.

Banzai: Is this a Malay tsunami, now that Umno has lost a number of Malay votes?

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