GE13 surprises & disappointments

KUALA LUMPUR— Game on. Malaysians now know who has been dropped and who carry the hopes of their political parties in GE13.

The Malaysian Insider scoured through the lists of candidates and has come up with the early list of surprises and disappointments.

SURPRISES

● Datuk Seri Najib Razak — the sulking has started and threats of sabotage are real and that is why the Umno president must be given credit for fielding some 50 per cent new faces at state level and 30 per cent new candidates at federal level.

● Datuk Seri Mohamed Hassan and Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir — both incumbents face challenges from within rather than the opposition, with warlords in Negri Sembilan and Perak agitating for their removal as mentri besar. But Najib has obviously reasoned that changing horses in the home stretch could be a folly, notwithstanding the internal strife.

● Kudos to PAS. They have made good their promise to field non-Muslims. Did anyone ever believe the day would come that the Islamist party would field a Christian under its colours?

● Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. Even PKR officials felt that its stalwart Rafizi Ramli was facing an uphill task against incumbent Ong, considered a winnable candidate by the Umno war room. But Najib accepted the argument that the MCA could defend the seat with lawyer Garry Lim. Can’t help feel that Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s wishes were met because the party gave up seats to Umno.

● Datuk Seri Ali Rustam (picture). The popular Malacca CM is contesting a parliamentary seat, which suggests that he is going to make a run for a senior position in the party elections, possibly even deputy president.

● Datuk Seri Rais Yatim. He was expected to defend his seat on the back of his close ties to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad but his age and uncanny ability to be a lightning rod for criticism finally worked against the information minister.

● Residents in middle-class Lucky Gardens assert their rights to plant little flags in support of their favourite candidate against the might of Kuala Lumpur City Hall, which is under the supervision of the BN candidate.

● Despite taking leave from his Perkasa presidency to campaign, Datuk Ibrahim Ali did not get picked by BN to run in Pasir Mas. Kudos to BN for not choosing a divisive figure. But he might run as an independent.

DISAPPOINTMENTS

● Datuk Zulkilfi Nordin. Really? An administration and coalition which trumpets 1 Malaysia as its slogan selects a politician who recently labelled Indians “Keling” and is the vice-president of Perkasa as its candidate for Shah Alam. So it is confirmed then that Perkasa is Umno and vice-versa.

● Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Maidin. Yes, PAS finally got the corporate bigwig it wanted but the former MRCB bigwig comes with baggage of his own. Would have been more prudent to accept him as PAS member and field a young professional in Tasik Gelugor.

● Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. The Selangor MB is moving from the Ijok state seat, which has become a marginal seat, to a safer one in Port Klang. Sometimes you wish that there are more politicians like Nurul IzzahAnwar who has decided to slug it out and defend Lembah Pantai rather than move to a safe zone.

● Potential Selangor MB. The BN says that it has shortlisted four men for the top job in Selangor but will keep their identities under wraps to cotton wool them from pressure. Memo to someone in BN: if you can’t handle the pressure and scrutiny, don’t get involved in politics. Selangor voters deserve to know who their future MB is going to be.

● Only six of BN’s 222 federal candidates are under 35. What does that say about youth, new faces, renewal and transformation in an age where 40 per cent are under 40 years of age who are asserting themselves and want a bigger voice.

● The logo war between PR parties and PSM. Isn’t this childish and will threats of three-cornered fights scuttle their carefully cultivated image of a united front?

● The reliance on experienced candidates with three terms or more still running in Election 2013 from both the BN and PR sides. If some can’t make it anywhere after three terms, it is best they give way to younger or more capable candidates.

-themalaysianinsider.com