In Johor, Jui Meng sees BN and its media's paranoia, meanness of spirit

PKR vice president Chui Jui Meng slammed BN and its media apparatus for trying to malign his party's annual congress slated for this weekend, saying it was another example of the type of bullying and unscrupulous intimidation that Malaysians have become weary of from a weakened and desperate Umno and MCA.

"Umno and MCA seem to be so scared of Pakatan and in particular of Oppostion Leader Anwar Ibrahim. I was told there is even talk they may try to get the Palace to thwart our 3-day summit. But Johoreans - whether Chinese or Malays or other races - are already expecting this sort of drama and news spin from BN. So whichever way, the BN loses and rightly so. Meanness of spirit and suppression of competition will always be rejected," Jui Meng told Malaysia Chronicle.

"For Pakatan, we have already learned to work under such abusive conditions. We will survive. The thing that the BN media has kept under wraps is that their constant use of the police to break up our ceramahs has already created severe backlash, not just in the Chinese towns but in the Malay areas in Kulai and Batu Pahat. BN will only be committing suicide if Soi Lek and Ghani keep behaving in such unprincipled and unscrupulous ways."

Unprecedented fear grips Johor Umno and MCA

Johor - regarded as the birth place of Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party - largely escaped the political 'tsunami' that struck the rest of Peninsular Malaysia in 2008, delivering unprecedented success and control of 5 of the country's 13 states to the opposition .

Johore is also the political bastion of the MCA - the second largest component party in the BN coalition.

According to Jui Meng, this could be why Mentri Besar Ghani Othman was reported to be jittery enough to summon district officers to brief them on “limiting the impact of the ceramahs.”

PKR has organised 24 ceramahs or political lectures, mostly to be held in the southernmost part of the state during its congress, where the top Pakatan leadership including stars such as Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, Hadi Awang and Nik Aziz will attend and take part in.

PKR president Wan Azizah and de-facto head Anwar Ibrahim, who will be playing hosts, are expected to focus on GE-13 during the PKR meeting in Pulai Springs.

“MB is taking PKR’s presence this weekend seriously. He’s been on the ground in all these seats the opposition thinks it can win,” Malaysian Insider quoted a source as saying and referring to Ghani's visits to Gelang Patah, Muar, Kluang, Tebrau, Kulai and Pulai.

MB can only be a Malay and Muslim per state constitution

Hiding their hand behind Umno and Ghani is likely to be MCA president Chua Soi Lek and his son Labis MP Chua Tee Yong. Johor is also their home-state and while it is still unclear whether Pakatan can win the state government, the MCA will likely be decimated in Johor just as it is expected to lose all its seats in the other states.

Indeed, many Johoreans remember Jui Meng's datukship was stripped by the Sultan in a move seen as advised by both Umno and MCA, in a pre-emptive bid to discredit him. Jui Meng, a former Health Minister and MCA vice president, is the senior-most BN leader to have joined the Pakatan. He is the PKR Johor chief.

While Jui Meng's influence amongst the Chinese community in Johor is well-known, the state government cannot be won by just the Chinese seats alone. Nonetheless, Jui Meng is often used as a bogeyman to scare the Malay voters in Johor, with Umno and MCA warning the Mentri Besar's post could go to a Chinese if the Pakatan won.

"This is another piece of nonsense I wish to clear up again. I can see the Umno news portals spinning nonsense about Pakatan parties fighting for the post of the MB and how a Chinese might even be made an MB if Pakatan wins," said Jui Meng.

"Firstly, it is specified in the Johor state constitution that the Mentri Besar must be a Malay and a Muslim. So stop trying to pit DAP's Boo Cheng Hau against me. Also stop trying to scare the Malays with this nonsense. In our ceramahs in the past, PKR has always made it a point to clarify this so that everyone including the Umno members know what liars the Umno elite and the MCA are."

A 'tsunami-come-lately' state

In Johor, there are 56 state seats and 10 parliamentary seats. Jui Meng expects a "fantastic sweep" in the 13th general election, widely expected to be called within the next few months.

"We won't be giving any specific estimates at the state level. That is for the Pakatan national leadership to decide. What they want to disclose, when and why is up to them - we don't see Ghani or Najib rushing to make any predictions so far," said Jui Meng.

"PKR and its allies DAP and PAS - regardless of the media spin against us - are united and jointly prepared for this weekend and for the greater objective which is to win Johor and Putrajaya, and deliver the people from the corrupt and oppressive rule of the Umno-BN. To all Johoreans, this is a golden opportunity to bounce off all your queries and doubts to the Pakatan leaders. They are there for you, so come and grill them until you are satisfied. Then vote wisely for your future and your children's future in GE-13."

Malaysia Chronicle