Day 2 | Debate on flood on the cards

GE15 LIVE DAY 2 | It's Day 2 of the 15th general election campaign period, and there are 12 days to go before polling day.

Follow our live blog as the Malaysiakini team brings you the news as it takes place.

Debate on flood on the cards

8.30pm: Nibong Tebal, Penang - PKR candidate Fadhlina Sidek through a Facebook video is challenging incumbent MP Othman Sidek, who runs under the PN banner, to a debate on flood issue on Tuesday,

She also asks Othman what he has done to handle flood if it occurs in the constituency.

The time and venue of the debate are yet to be decided.

Fadhlina also urges related authorities, especially Nadma, to elevate their preparations against flood, in order to ensure the safety of the people.

Incumbent MP identifies 7 flood-prone areas in Pasir Gudang

7.45pm: Pasir Gudang, Johor - Incumbent MP Hassan Karim identifies seven flood-prone areas in his constituency that requires further mitigation work.

The areas largely comprise pockets of Malay villages along the Tebrau Straits, with a view of Singapore across the causeway - Kampung Plentong Tengah, Kampung Belatik, Kampung Melayu Pandan - among others.

Hassan in Facebook live session says he has gone down to the areas during his first term as MP with state agencies in charge of irrigation and drainage, instructing necessary repairs and mitigation work.

However, he adds more permanent solutions need to be put in place to achieve a "zero flood" goal in Pasir Gudang where areas close to the ocean are prone to the impact of heavy rain and high tide.

"The situation today is made worse by climate change. In the past, we have heavy rain, and high tide, but now it is happening more than ever.

"Climate change is a real issue and parliamentarians must ensure that the government has policies in place to address it," he says.

Karaoke and ceramah in Sibu

7.30pm: Sibu, Sarawak - The Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) hold a karaoke cum ceramah at the swan city tonight.

Before the ceramah starts, the party workers are seen singing Mandarin songs on the stage and the audience is invited to do so.

There is also a dance performance at the event.

The topic of the ceramah is "Restore Sarawak". The first speaker, PBK leader Moh Hiong King says the party's decision to work with PSB in GE15 as a “local opposition bloc” is to block the “Malaya proxy” to represent Sarawak people in the Parliament.

It is believed that Moh is referring to the Gabungan Parti Sarawak, which formed the Sarawak government with a two-thirds majority.

PSB president Wong Soon Koh and PBK secretary-general Priscilla Lau are going to contest in Sibu and Lanang parliamentary seats respectively.

Dr M not disturbed by low turnout in Sabah

7pm: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Pejuang’s Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not disturbed by the low turnout at the launch ceremony of the party’s Sabah chapter earlier this evening.

Less than 200 are present at the event despite organisers preparing for a larger crowd.

However, Mahathir is confident that the party could win over Sabahans in the general election.

“It does not reflect the real support for the party here. Many people are busy campaigning. I am not concerned,” he is quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.

Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) is fielding 14 seats in Sabah.

Perak PAS chief: Don’t give power to DAP, Anwar has LGBT agenda

6.35pm: Gunung Semanggol, Perak - Perak PAS chief Razman Zakaria urges the voters to not vote for Pakatan Harapan and BN as there would be a possible pact between Umno and Harapan after the 15th general election.

“The worst thing is, if we give our votes to BN, they will work together with Anwar Ibrahim and DAP to form a government.

“Please remember if you vote Harapan or BN meaning you are giving power to DAP, to let them do whatever they want,” the Gunong Semanggol PN candidate claims.

Three days ago, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang also made the same accusation against Harapan and BN.

Meanwhile, in a walkabout at Tebuk Pancur night market this evening, Razman repeatedly warns the voters to vote against Harapan and BN.

This is because Anwar, who is leading Harapan, is a person who has LGBT agenda that wants to legalise same-sex marriage, Razman says.

He further accuses the DAP of having a communist agenda and Muslims in the country should not vote for them.

Muda, Pejuang, and PN enliven night market

6.30pm: Tg Karang, Selangor - The mood at the Tg Karang night market turns lively this evening as a team of Muda campaigners accompany its candidate Siti Rahayu Baharin to meet voters here.

Using loudhailers, the team’s ‘DJ’ introduces Rahayu, known as Cikgu Ayu among her supporters, to the marketgoers.

Also at the market are Pejuang and Perikatan Nasional candidates Lando Zawawi and Zulkafperi Hanapi, who are reaching out to the locals thronging the night market.

When the different teams notice each other, those from Muda begin announcing the arrival of their rival candidates and start joking with each other.

“Give your votes (to anyone you wish), as long as not dacing (BN’s scales logo),” says a Muda member on a loudhailer jokingly, to the amusement of all present.

Rahayu meets Lando in person and the Pejuang candidate teases her with a salute and asks the former teacher to salute back. Members of both entourages begin to laugh.

Wee’s temple visit warped by ‘irresponsible quarters’

6.20pm: Ayer Hitam, Johor - BN candidate Wee Ka Siong says a photo of him visiting a temple yesterday was misrepresented online to make it seem he was seeking help from a shaman.

He says he visited a temple in Yong Peng yesterday upon invitation by the temple committee who were celebrating a deity’s birthday.

The pineapples and red coloured eggs in the photograph were offerings made by worshippers to the deity, he explains.

“It is a shame that these tactics are being used by irresponsible quarters. It is dangerous and threatens the country’s racial harmony,” he is quoted by The Star as saying.

I’m still BN’s PM candidate - Ismail Sabri

5.45pm: Bera, Pahang - BN’s prime minister candidate Ismail Sabri Yaakob has rubbished allegations that a vote for BN is a vote for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to become prime minister.

He says there is no change in BN’s stance on who should be prime minister.

“I also heard about (the vote for Zahid claims), but I did correct that perception yesterday... the opposition only want to create a perception while I (already) said the Umno supreme council and general assembly have decided (on me as PM).

“If you want to change the decision, it must be done in the supreme council, it must be changed in the general assembly,” he is quoted as saying by Bernama.

There is persistent speculation that despite backing Ismail Sabri as premier, Zahid is manoeuvring to usurp that position for himself. The Umno president has denied this.

Muda and PN campaign in Muar

5:30pm: Muar, Johor - Spotted at Parit Jawa’s night market tonight is a lorry bearing Muda’s logo and a poster of Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

One side of the lorry displays a video of Syed Saddiq introducing himself to his constituents. Videos of Muar residents from various backgrounds - such as students, fisherfolk and traders - are also being displayed.

Further along the road, sits a truck filled with merchandise, with Syed Saddiq’s machinery handing out T-shirts bearing Muda’s logo and caps that read “Saddiq”.

A Muar voter who declines to be named tells Malaysiakini that he took a T-shirt to “menjaga hati” (give face).

On whether he would vote for the incumbent MP, he replies with “InsyaAllah” (God willing) before walking away.

Meanwhile, PN’s Abdullah Husin braves through the rain to meet with traders and hand out Perikatan Nasional flyers and masks to constituents.

He also approaches a young voter wearing Syed Saddiq’s cap and says “Please vote for Perikatan Nasional.”

During his time here, the Muar local is surprised to bump into his former teacher, with whom he briefly chats and takes pictures.

Bayan Baru candidate upset mentor mocked and cursed

4.50pm: Bayan Baru, Penang - BN candidate for Bayan Baru, Saw Yee Fung is upset that her mentor, Chew Mei Fun, has been mocked and cursed by some netizens on Facebook.

According to Saw, Chew travelled from Kuala Lumpur to Penang just to support her nomination yesterday, despite Chew herself fighting cancer at the moment.

"Unexpectedly, some netizens ridiculed and attacked her on Facebook, accusing her of using sickness to win sympathy votes.

"There is even a post saying rest in peace, which I think has gone overboard," says Saw in a statement issued this afternoon.

Chew was MCA secretary-general from November 2018 to July 2019.

Saw urges the supporters of all sides to have self-restraint and not to “hurt the innocent”.

Saw is contesting in a six-cornered fight in Bayan Baru. Her opponents are PKR’s incumbent MP Sim Tze Tzin from Harapan, Jeff Ooi (Warisan), Ravinder Singh (Parti Rakyat Malaysia), Kan Chee Yuen (independent) and Oh Tong Keong (PN-Gerakan).

Johor Umno chief turns down Maszlee's debate challenge

4pm: Johor Umno chief Hasni Mohamad has turned down Harapan's Simpang Renggam candidate Maszlee Malik's challenge for a debate.

The former menteri besar, who is BN's candidate for the seat, says he prefers to use the campaign period to hold dialogues with local leaders instead.

"I believe the people of Simpang Renggam are not interested (in the debate) either," Hasni says during a walkabout today.

"Debates can happen when there is a need and I believe there is no need for it now," he is quoted by Free Malaysia Today as saying.

Meanwhile, Hasni also says it was unwise for Maszlee to promise to turn Simpang Renggam into an education hub, as the latter had not done so when he was education minister.

Kit Siang: DAP has never been in control of Perak

2.40pm: Ipoh Timor, Perak - Although DAP’s Perak chapter is the largest opposition party in the state, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang stresses that the party has never been in control.

Lim says he is not aware of any issues about a “dominant” DAP calling the shots and reiterates that the party will not be in control if Pakatan Harapan recaptures the silver state after GE15.

On matters pertaining to the coalition’s menteri besar candidate for Perak, the outgoing Iskandar Puteri incumbent says it’s up to the state’s Harapan council.

“I’m not on the frontline anymore, I don’t know what’s happening. It will be the leadership of Harapan to decide, I am just an honorary person,” he says.

Pandan voter ready to cast ballot if court action falls through

2.06pm: Pandan, Selangor - A Pandan constituent is ready to exercise his responsibility to cast his vote on Nov 19 in the event that the Court of Appeal denies his appeal to halt the 15th general elections (GE15).

However, if the court allows the appeal after hearing it on Nov 14 and the polls are ordered to halt on Nov 19, lawyer Syed Iskandar Syed Jaafar is still ready to vote whenever the new polling date is set.

Having become a registered voter in the constituency following his marriage to his Pandan-born wife in 1993, the 55-year-old said it is the duty of Malaysians to vote for the proper candidates to form the next government.

“I will still vote, whenever the polling date is, depending on the decision of the court,” said the father of six when contacted by Malaysiakini.

On Oct 28, the Kuala Lumpur High Court denied leave for Syed Iskandar to proceed with the judicial review against caretaker premier Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the Election Commission (EC), and the government.

Via the judicial review, the applicant is challenging the validity of Ismail Sabri’s decision to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament.

On Nov 4, the Court of Appeal denied Syed Iskandar’s bid for an injunction to bar the EC from conducting the polls, pending the hearing of the appeal scheduled five days before GE15.

PSM stands up for the common folk, says candidate

1.30pm: Seremban, Negeri Sembilan - PSM’s candidate in Rembau, S Tinagaran, will use his experience of 20 years as a tuition teacher and grassroots community activist to help fight for many issues involving the community in this state.

“I am sure that as an activist, many people already know me. Don’t just look at the big parties, but look at the candidates who are running, do they really work for the people?

“We will not join any party but if we win, we will support proposals presented in Parliament that are of interest and benefit to the people,” he says at the PSM manifesto launch at Pasar Pekan Rantau. He will be facing an uphill battle against Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

In GE15, PSM is only running in Rembau and the Ayer Kuning state seat in Perak.

Make elderly care a priority, says Yii

1.25pm: Kuching, Sarawak - DAP’s Bandar Kuching incumbent Kelvin Yii is making a comprehensive elderly care policy to address Malaysia’s ageing society a keystone of his campaign.

Yii says this is something that must be addressed as more than 32 percent of Bandar Kuching’s population is above the age of 60, with the ageing population increasingly living alone and unable to work.

“We must push the government to draft ‘elder-friendly’ policies and table a national care economy and ageing community preparedness plan in Parliament,” says Yii as he visited Kuching voters today.

He says United Nations statistics show that 17 percent of Malaysia’s population will be aged 65 and above by 2045.

“More than 20 percent of the Malaysian population will be older than 65 by 2056, up from 7 percent in 2020, according to the World Bank.

“While a growing metropolitan area, Bandar Kuching is an ageing community and in the past four years serving the Sarawak capital, I often receive calls from elderly constituents who are living alone asking for help as they have no one to go to,” he says.

Faizal continues taunting Anwar with billboard

1.20pm: Tambun, Perak - While contestants elsewhere trade furious verbal blows, the same can’t be said bout contenders in Tambun.

Perak PN chairperson Ahmad Faizal Azumu has relentlessly launched political “ammunition” against his former Pakatan Harapan boss-turned-rival, Anwar Ibrahim, over the past several weeks.

In his latest “attack” in the form of yet another billboard, Faizal hints at Penang-born Anwar that he should take a nearby highway’s northbound exit from Tambun.

The “Dari Tambun susur keluar ke Utara” billboard is understood to have been put up late last night and has replaced the previous “Never Lost in Tambun” slogan.

Faizal’s offensive is a wordplay on Anwar’s recent “Dari Tambun untuk Malaysia” (From Tambun to Malaysia) billboard erected along Jalan Chemur/Jalan Meru Impian here yesterday.

Since the PKR president’s announcement that he will be standing in the Tambun parliamentary seat, Faizal has “charged” at the former in various creative forms. 

Warisan wants flood mitigation in Sabah

1pm: Warisan leaders want flood mitigation in Sabah to be a key condition for the Borneo Bloc to join any coalition government that may form at the federal level.

The Borneo Bloc refers to Warisan and Sarawak’s GPS.

”If Pahang, under Budget 2023, can be allocated almost RM16 billion, of which RM1.8 billion is for flood mitigation, why can’t Sabah be treated the same?” says Warisan’s Sipitang division head Abdul Aziz Taip in a statement.

”Is it fair that Sabah, the fifth largest contributor to the federal GDP, is only given a small allocation for this when we face floods three to four times a year and suffer severe damage each time?” he asks.

Abdul Aziz and several others issue the statement in support of Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking who first came up with this condition.

Sabahans called to help change govt

12pm - Tawau, Sabah: Pakatan Harapan candidate for Tawau, Christina Liew, is urging the people of Sabah and Malaysia to vote for a change of leadership.

Liew, who is the incumbent Tawau MP, is on the campaign trail meeting her constituents and asking them to support and vote for Harapan in the upcoming polls.

"Vote Harapan to change the government and prime minister," says Liew, who is also a three-term assemblyperson for Api-Api.

She hands out material to enlighten the electorate on the infrastructure and public amenities projects that were implemented over the last four years (2018-2022) using her allocation and funding as an MP.

Tanjong Karang floods

11.50am - Tanjong Karang, Selangor: Muda's candidate Siti Rahayu Baharin visits a location near the Tanjong Karang wet market where a flood mitigation barrier gave way and caused floods in the town area early this morning.

According to initial information from the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department, the incident sees the Tanjong Karang town inundated with floods about one-metre deep.

Siti Rahayu tells Malaysiakini she found out during a walkabout at the wet market this morning that the incident had caused many sellers unable to conduct their businesses.

Haniza hangs hopes on housing record

11.40am - Petaling Jaya, Selangor: Parti Bangsa Malaysia candidate for Hulu Selangor Haniza Mohamed Talha is touting her service record as a former Selangor executive councillor and three-term assemblyperson.

She says that during her stint as the state exco for housing and urban living between 2018 and 2020, she came up with plans to provide affordable housing in the state.

"Selangor is a developed state but unfortunately many people still can't afford to own a home there, particularly the urban poor.

"Under the Rumah Selangorku programme when I was the executive councillor, we targeted the construction of 30,000 low-cost houses by 2023. Between 2018 and 2020, over 10,000 Rumah Selangorku were built.

"Many Selangor residents have been able to have a roof over their heads thanks to this initiative," Haniza says in a statement today.

The incumbent Lembah Jaya assemblyperson, who previously won under PKR but is now PBM’s deputy president, adds that during her tenure, she also set up the Selangor Local Government Abandoned Projects Monitoring Committee in 2019.

As a result, she says, several projects were revived and this brought relief to aggrieved parties like house buyers.

Four Kedah Umno women candidates want more representation

11am: Alor Setar, Kedah - Four women candidates fielded by Umno/BN in Kedah talk up their chances and call for more representation.

Pendang parliamentary candidate Suraya Yaacob, who is Kedah Umno information chief and Sungai Tiang state assemblyperson, says she wants to be the voice for the people in the rice bowl state, especially women.

“It is not easy for women to be fielded as candidates. So when BN gets the chance to field its women as candidates to contest in 30 percent of the 15 parliamentary seats in the state, the electors should give it serious thought.

“Look at who the (women) candidates are first, not at the party they represent. Look at their ability and persistent efforts,” she tells Bernama.

Former deputy minister Dr Mashitah Ibrahim, who is running for the Kuala Kedah parliamentary seat, says “I went to meet some of the electorates there and they were very excited to have a woman leader, and to me, that is an early sign of victory for BN.”

Candidates for Sungai Petani Shahanim Mohamad Yusoff and Sik, Maizatulakmam Othman @ Ibrahim, both says more women should be given a chance to become elected representatives.

Harapan’s Rodziah touts government experience

10.25am: Ampang, Selangor - Harapan’s candidate for the Ampang parliamentary constituency, Rodziah Ismail, is relying on her long experience as Selangor state executive councillor of various portfolios since 2008 to appeal to constituents.

The three-term PKR Batu Tiga state assemblyperson also urges voters to remember that incumbent Zuraida Kamaruddin betrayed the people’s mandate when she defected from PKR and Harapan in 2020.

When met during a walkabout at food stalls at Kampung Dato Mufti Shuib, Rodziah dismisses any notion of being intimidated by the nine-cornered fight in Ampang.

The PKR stalwart is not only facing three-term incumbent Zuraida, who joined PBM, Rodziah also faces BN’s Ivone Low, GTA’s Nurul Ashikin Mabahwi, Perikatan Nasional’s Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif, Warisan’s Lai Wai Chong, and three independents - Tan Hua Meng, Shafiq Izwan Yunos, and M Raveendran.

The portfolios that Rodziah managed as part of the Selangor state government include Welfare, Women Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation (2008 to 2014), Rural Development and Traditional Village (2018 to 2019), Entrepreneurial Development (2018 until now), and Housing and Urban Wellbeing (2019 until now).

“I wish to appeal to all voters that we need not only a proper people’s representative but also one who can craft better policies, either to make Ampang more developed and with more infrastructure or as the federal government to come up with encompassing policies, which I as state exco can bring in, especially on housing issues,” Rodziah appeals to the 133,494 registered constituents in Ampang.

Corruption watchdog warns about conflict of interest

10.15am: Petaling Jaya, Selangor - The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) says in a statement that it is alarmed by the nomination of some politicians running for the upcoming 15th general election and their ties to businesses.

Following the release of C4’s report, ‘Business in Politics: Seeking Control of Malaysia’s Political System’ on Wednesday (Nov 2, 2022), it reiterates its concerns over GE15 candidates with business ties and urged political parties to review their choices of nominees thoroughly.

C4 cites that former energy, science, technology, environment, and climate change minister Yeo Bee Yin, who was nominated for Puchong, was the spouse of IOI Properties Group Bhd chief executive officer Lee Yeow Seng. He is the son of IOI Group Berhad founder, the late Lee Shin Cheng.

“The propriety of an active politician being married to a powerful businessperson and the telling ways in which the business-political nexus manifests, Yeo’s nomination for a parliamentary seat in an area where her in-laws possess vast business interests smacks of potential conflict of interest,” it warns.

Ceramah truck doing the rounds in Ampang

10am: Ampang, Selangor - A pickup truck bearing a poster of Harapan’s Ampang candidate Rodziah Ismail is seen blaring out a political ceramah from its speakers.

The vehicle slows down whenever it gets near food eateries at Kg Dato Mufti Shuib.

It makes multiple rounds near the same area while its speakers played an audio recording of a ceramah by party president Anwar Ibrahim.

Kit Siang: M’sians must not fail Tunku’s dream

9.30am: In a statement this morning based on a rally speech he delivered last night, veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang calls on Malaysians to undo the misgovernance of recent years.

“Malaysia failed Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman’s vision to become ‘a beacon of light in a difficult and distracted world’ and has become today a second-rate mediocre country.

“We must march forward to achieve the Malaysian Dream of being among the best countries in the world, whether in politics, economics, a clean and honest government, employment, education, health, housing, culture, and sports,” he says at the Penang Chinese Assembly Hall.

“This will take decades and several general elections, but it must start with GE15 under the premiership of Anwar Ibrahim, who is the only candidate for the premiership who has the vision and commitment to make Malaysia great again,” he says.

Lim claims that other prime ministerial candidates, whether it be Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of the Umno-BN coalition or Muhyiddin Yassin and Abdul Hadi Awang of the Perikatan Nasional coalition, would condemn Malaysia to the route of a failed and rogue state in three or four decades.

Mas Ermieyati hits gotong-royong snag

9.20am: Masjid Tanah, Malacca - Incumbent MP Mas Ermieyati’s campaigning runs into some complications this morning after being prevented from holding a gotong-royong (community cleaning) at the Surau Al-Iman in Taman Indah.

Taking to Twitter, she says the surau’s committee members did not welcome her presence based on “several reasons”.

“It’s okay, I understand. I’ll just watch from afar,” she says, attaching an image of her overlooking the surau from a distance.

The incumbent MP says that she held programmes at the surau during the early days of its inception and had even fulfilled the congregation’s request to build a tarred road leading to the surau.

READ MORE: Once-beloved MP Mas Ermieyati struggles with party-first Umno voters

Syed Saddiq, Tan Hong Pin go paddling

8.30am: Muar, Johor - Pakatan Harapan’s Muar and Bakri candidates, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Tan Hong Pin, are up bright and early at Tanjung Emas for some morning exercise.

Together with the Muar Dragon Boat Association, the duo are spotted paddling along the Muar River for about 15 minutes.

However, upon their return to shore, the boat scraps against a wall, sacrificing part of the dragon’s jaw

Despite that, a happy Syed Saddiq enjoys the fun experience.

“That was great… and exhausting. I learn a new skill every day,” says the incumbent Muar MP.

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