DAY 7 What's happening during the election campaigns around the country today? Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidents as they take place.
9.55pm - Oakland Park, Seremban: Incumbent Mambau rep Wong May May becomes the main attraction at a truck selling DAP merchandise.
Although she is not contesting in the elections this time, party supporters who bought goods from the DAP truck took the opportunity to snap pictures with her and get her autograph as well.
9.50pm - Putrajaya: A mega PAS ceramah behind the Palace of Justice has started with a huge crowd of some 4,000 and is still growing.
There was a slight drizzle which has since stopped.
The star attraction is Kelantan menteri besar and PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
9.30pm - Gelang Patah: Around 800 people has shown up to attend an Ubah concert held at Pulai Utama, which is under the Gelang Patah parliamentary constituency.
A Malay live band performs a song which has been modified from the famous western rock song 'Wind of Change'.
Addressing the Chinese majority crowd, PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub (right) says that May 5 is a day to be remembered as “change”, and that the people should forget about the May 13 incident.
"Let us make Pakatan the winner on May 5," he adds.
9.20pm - Oakland Park, Seremban: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng says that the Pakatan leadership will be issuing a joint statement on Monday condemning the politicallyviolence since campaigning began.
“We will issue a joint statement condemning election violence,” he adds.
He also announces that he will urge the re-opening of investigations into the Maika Holdings shares scandal allegedly involving the former MIC president if Pakatan were to take over Putrajaya.
9.02pm - Penampang: PKR candidate Ignatius Dorell Leiking leads about 150 people to sing a parody of the pop song ‘Anak Kampung’, originally sung by Sabahan singer Jimmy Palikat.
"Bagi tangki biru, tadah air hujan, janji lotirik, hanya pasang tiang, gelombang biru, janji siang-siang, pandai botul tembirang," the first verse goes.
It pokes fun at BN's unfulfilled promises, including basic amenities such as water and electricity.
While some - especially the older people - are very enthusiastic, swaying and pumping their fists in the air, many seem somewhat shy to get into the groove.
Jimmy had also sung the song which was adapted for BN's purposes at the coalition's manifesto launching in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur earlier this month.
8.17pm - Penampang: A commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and her sister are spotted at a PKR rally in Kampung Hungab, along with about 100 others.
It is noted that Jannie Lasimbang (right) had worked on the Suhakam report about native land rights which was allegedly withheld from release due to the upcoming general election.
However, in her speech, Jannie's sister Jennifer Lasimbang - who is also the Penampang PKR division Wanita chief - said that Jannie is off duty today.
8.00pm - Muar: MCA's "Stability Truck" has hit Muar, which is within the parliamentary constituency of Bakri, for a ceramah with more than 1,200 seats.
Its panda mascot "Wen Wen" (Stability) is seen helping to regulate traffic while the crowd flows in, proceeding to register themselves at the counter by providing their names and identity card numbers.
When asked about the registration, organisers said it was merely for tracking purposes and that those present will only be provided with a copy of Johor BN's manifesto.
7.00pm - Taman Universiti, Skudai: In a tag team effort, DAP's Lim Kit Siang and PAS' Salahuddin Ayub go on a visit to a night market at Taman Universiti, which falls under the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat and Nusa Jaya state seat where the duo are contesting respectively.
The multiracial crowd, in particular the Chinese, generally gave a good response when meeting with the Pakatan leaders.
Some are seen happily taking photographs, while others are spotted firmly shaking hands with both of them.
However, the Malay response appears to be mixed. While some of them enthusiastically pose for photographs with the two and have no qualms with loudly chanting "Ubah!", several more seem reluctant to shake hands with Lim and Salahuddin.
6.15pm - Tuaran: Pro-BN speaker Umi Hafilda Ali, the star witness in the Sodomy I trial and infamous for her lewd speeches, is making an appearance in Tuaran tomorrow.
According to a banner seen at a main road here, she will be speaking at the same time that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is due at a rally tomorrow in Kota Kinabalu.
Umi, who was married in January, recently told the media that she is postponing her honeymoon to hit the campaign trail instead.
3.30pm - Johor Bahru: Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan has told the media that political party supporters need to "cool down" even if the political climate is hot.
Ahmad (right) made the comment after a walkabout at Plaza Seni in Johor Bahru, referring to a spate of apparently politically motivated violent incidents that have occurred in the run up to GE13 - including bombings targeting BN operation centres, and most recently, a report that two cars belonging to a PKR candidate's daughter had been set ablaze.
The BN Pontian candidate also told KiniTV that he is not worried about BN support wavering in the Felda estates, although Pakatan Rakyat has been moving into the areas and holding ceramahs there.
"I'm not worried at all, okay?" he said.
3.20pm - Saratok: The arrival of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim in Kabong, a Malay fishery town in Saratok has drawn 1,000 strong crowd of public and supporters.
There a ceramah was held under the hot sun, in which Anwar reminded the voters on issues pertaining to land grab, cronyism and logging licenses in Sarawak, while despite all thies, the caretaker government expects the public to support them by giving out BR1M.
He urged Sarawakians to support Pakatan Rakyat's effort in changing the government for better living condition, by making sure PKR's candidate Ali Biju win big in Saratok.
He jokingly advices the public not to wear BN t-shirts while in broad daylight, as he said it was shameful to wear t-shirt from a collision that cannot defend the rakyat.
The opposition leader added the t-shirts could be as pyjamas and gradually used to wipe pots.
Although she is not contesting in the elections this time, party supporters who bought goods from the DAP truck took the opportunity to snap pictures with her and get her autograph as well.
9.50pm - Putrajaya: A mega PAS ceramah behind the Palace of Justice has started with a huge crowd of some 4,000 and is still growing.
There was a slight drizzle which has since stopped.
The star attraction is Kelantan menteri besar and PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
9.30pm - Gelang Patah: Around 800 people has shown up to attend an Ubah concert held at Pulai Utama, which is under the Gelang Patah parliamentary constituency.
A Malay live band performs a song which has been modified from the famous western rock song 'Wind of Change'.Addressing the Chinese majority crowd, PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub (right) says that May 5 is a day to be remembered as “change”, and that the people should forget about the May 13 incident.
"Let us make Pakatan the winner on May 5," he adds.
9.20pm - Oakland Park, Seremban: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng says that the Pakatan leadership will be issuing a joint statement on Monday condemning the politicallyviolence since campaigning began.
“We will issue a joint statement condemning election violence,” he adds.
He also announces that he will urge the re-opening of investigations into the Maika Holdings shares scandal allegedly involving the former MIC president if Pakatan were to take over Putrajaya.
9.02pm - Penampang: PKR candidate Ignatius Dorell Leiking leads about 150 people to sing a parody of the pop song ‘Anak Kampung’, originally sung by Sabahan singer Jimmy Palikat.
"Bagi tangki biru, tadah air hujan, janji lotirik, hanya pasang tiang, gelombang biru, janji siang-siang, pandai botul tembirang," the first verse goes.
It pokes fun at BN's unfulfilled promises, including basic amenities such as water and electricity.
While some - especially the older people - are very enthusiastic, swaying and pumping their fists in the air, many seem somewhat shy to get into the groove.
Jimmy had also sung the song which was adapted for BN's purposes at the coalition's manifesto launching in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur earlier this month.
8.17pm - Penampang: A commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and her sister are spotted at a PKR rally in Kampung Hungab, along with about 100 others.
It is noted that Jannie Lasimbang (right) had worked on the Suhakam report about native land rights which was allegedly withheld from release due to the upcoming general election.However, in her speech, Jannie's sister Jennifer Lasimbang - who is also the Penampang PKR division Wanita chief - said that Jannie is off duty today.
8.00pm - Muar: MCA's "Stability Truck" has hit Muar, which is within the parliamentary constituency of Bakri, for a ceramah with more than 1,200 seats.
Its panda mascot "Wen Wen" (Stability) is seen helping to regulate traffic while the crowd flows in, proceeding to register themselves at the counter by providing their names and identity card numbers.
When asked about the registration, organisers said it was merely for tracking purposes and that those present will only be provided with a copy of Johor BN's manifesto.
7.00pm - Taman Universiti, Skudai: In a tag team effort, DAP's Lim Kit Siang and PAS' Salahuddin Ayub go on a visit to a night market at Taman Universiti, which falls under the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat and Nusa Jaya state seat where the duo are contesting respectively.
The multiracial crowd, in particular the Chinese, generally gave a good response when meeting with the Pakatan leaders.
Some are seen happily taking photographs, while others are spotted firmly shaking hands with both of them.
However, the Malay response appears to be mixed. While some of them enthusiastically pose for photographs with the two and have no qualms with loudly chanting "Ubah!", several more seem reluctant to shake hands with Lim and Salahuddin.
6.15pm - Tuaran: Pro-BN speaker Umi Hafilda Ali, the star witness in the Sodomy I trial and infamous for her lewd speeches, is making an appearance in Tuaran tomorrow.
According to a banner seen at a main road here, she will be speaking at the same time that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is due at a rally tomorrow in Kota Kinabalu.
Umi, who was married in January, recently told the media that she is postponing her honeymoon to hit the campaign trail instead.
3.30pm - Johor Bahru: Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan has told the media that political party supporters need to "cool down" even if the political climate is hot.
Ahmad (right) made the comment after a walkabout at Plaza Seni in Johor Bahru, referring to a spate of apparently politically motivated violent incidents that have occurred in the run up to GE13 - including bombings targeting BN operation centres, and most recently, a report that two cars belonging to a PKR candidate's daughter had been set ablaze. The BN Pontian candidate also told KiniTV that he is not worried about BN support wavering in the Felda estates, although Pakatan Rakyat has been moving into the areas and holding ceramahs there.
"I'm not worried at all, okay?" he said.
3.20pm - Saratok: The arrival of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim in Kabong, a Malay fishery town in Saratok has drawn 1,000 strong crowd of public and supporters.
There a ceramah was held under the hot sun, in which Anwar reminded the voters on issues pertaining to land grab, cronyism and logging licenses in Sarawak, while despite all thies, the caretaker government expects the public to support them by giving out BR1M.He urged Sarawakians to support Pakatan Rakyat's effort in changing the government for better living condition, by making sure PKR's candidate Ali Biju win big in Saratok.
He jokingly advices the public not to wear BN t-shirts while in broad daylight, as he said it was shameful to wear t-shirt from a collision that cannot defend the rakyat.
The opposition leader added the t-shirts could be as pyjamas and gradually used to wipe pots.
2.00pm - Gelang Patah: Touching down in Johor Bahru after a trip to Sabah, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang says Pakatan is hopeful to win 33 parliamentary seats in Sabah, Sarawak and Johor.
"In the Pakatan scheme of things for the GE13, I envisage each of the three 'fixed deposit' states not only winning at least one-third of the parliamentary seats in their respective states.
"(This means) nine seats each for Sabah and Johor and 11 seats for Sarawak, but collectively achieving a higher goal of 33 parliamentary seats."
When adding 33 parliamentary seats to the 79 seats won by opposition in all other states, Lim says Pakatan will have reached 112 seats to win a simple majority to form government.
Pakatan had won three seats in the three states and 79 seats in other states in the GE12.
However, Lim adds that Pakatan must win another 12 additional seats from the other states to have a total of 125 MPs with a comfortable majority of 28 seats.
Commenting on BN deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin's (left) claim that Gelang Patah would be a “burial ground” for him, Lim reiterates that his battle here is to create a greater political awareness and unity among the Johor voters.
"I have said that I have put my head on the chopping block in contesting Gelang Patah, and I am prepared to have my head chopped," says the veteran politician.
2.00pm - Saratok: It was a new sweat-inducing experience for both PKR leaders and its supporters where the former held its ceramah under the hot sun, which was attended by over 300 locals and supporters.
Most of the crowd took shade under roofs, trees and bus stands while waiting for the arrival of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Party deputy president Azmin Ali says that the party had to organise the ceramah during the day, as both Anwar and himself will be moving to three or four more constituencies to campaign for the PKR candidates there.
Kabong, a Malay fishery village where the ceramah was held at, is a major Malay-concentrated area where PKR candidate Ali Biju will need to penetrate in order to capture the seat previously won by the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party in the 2008 general election.
12.30pm - Felda Sendayan, Labu: Some of the settlers who attended the launching of Negri Sembilan BN's supplementary manifesto were also given electric ovens, fishing tackles, hydroponic agriculture sets and free pineapples.
At the same event, caretaker MB Mohamad Hassan claims that PAS will be the first party to jump ship from Pakatan Rakyat should Pakatan come to power in Putrajaya because of the differences in ideologies among the opposition coalition.
12.30pm - Setiu: PAS president is quoted saying it is not compulsory for DAP to accept hudud as there is no compulsion in Islam in a Sinar Harian report today.
"Islam teaches us that we are all Allah's creatures and that we should be united, and in differences of opinion, we should not fight.
“In politics, we can cooperate with non-Muslims. Similarly with the implementation of hudud, DAP does not agree but it does not object.
“Umno is quiet, but objects to it. This is a difference which we should understand as there is no compulsion to non-Muslims in religion. This is the policy that we adopt in Pakatan Rakyat," says Abdul Hadi (left).
PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man meanwhile says the focus of the elections is not hudud. The hudud issue is being played up by the mainstream media, he says.
11.15am - Pulai: DAP Pengkalan Rinting state seat candidate Cheo Yee How fails to have his debate challenge to his BN opponent Chang Mei Kee delivered.
The BN operations centre refuses to receive the letter from Cheo and his campaigners clad in Ubah headgear.
"They told us to direct everything to Pulai MCA division chief. I'm disappointed. Even government departments would accept documents and reply with an official acknowledgment.
“So why they don't they dare to just accept my invitation?" says the 29-year-old candidate.
Cheo wants to debate Chang on issues of town planning in the constituency.
"In the Pakatan scheme of things for the GE13, I envisage each of the three 'fixed deposit' states not only winning at least one-third of the parliamentary seats in their respective states.
"(This means) nine seats each for Sabah and Johor and 11 seats for Sarawak, but collectively achieving a higher goal of 33 parliamentary seats."
When adding 33 parliamentary seats to the 79 seats won by opposition in all other states, Lim says Pakatan will have reached 112 seats to win a simple majority to form government.
Pakatan had won three seats in the three states and 79 seats in other states in the GE12.
However, Lim adds that Pakatan must win another 12 additional seats from the other states to have a total of 125 MPs with a comfortable majority of 28 seats.Commenting on BN deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin's (left) claim that Gelang Patah would be a “burial ground” for him, Lim reiterates that his battle here is to create a greater political awareness and unity among the Johor voters.
"I have said that I have put my head on the chopping block in contesting Gelang Patah, and I am prepared to have my head chopped," says the veteran politician.
2.00pm - Saratok: It was a new sweat-inducing experience for both PKR leaders and its supporters where the former held its ceramah under the hot sun, which was attended by over 300 locals and supporters.
Most of the crowd took shade under roofs, trees and bus stands while waiting for the arrival of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Party deputy president Azmin Ali says that the party had to organise the ceramah during the day, as both Anwar and himself will be moving to three or four more constituencies to campaign for the PKR candidates there.Kabong, a Malay fishery village where the ceramah was held at, is a major Malay-concentrated area where PKR candidate Ali Biju will need to penetrate in order to capture the seat previously won by the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party in the 2008 general election.
12.30pm - Felda Sendayan, Labu: Some of the settlers who attended the launching of Negri Sembilan BN's supplementary manifesto were also given electric ovens, fishing tackles, hydroponic agriculture sets and free pineapples.
At the same event, caretaker MB Mohamad Hassan claims that PAS will be the first party to jump ship from Pakatan Rakyat should Pakatan come to power in Putrajaya because of the differences in ideologies among the opposition coalition.
12.30pm - Setiu: PAS president is quoted saying it is not compulsory for DAP to accept hudud as there is no compulsion in Islam in a Sinar Harian report today.
"Islam teaches us that we are all Allah's creatures and that we should be united, and in differences of opinion, we should not fight. “In politics, we can cooperate with non-Muslims. Similarly with the implementation of hudud, DAP does not agree but it does not object.
“Umno is quiet, but objects to it. This is a difference which we should understand as there is no compulsion to non-Muslims in religion. This is the policy that we adopt in Pakatan Rakyat," says Abdul Hadi (left).
PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man meanwhile says the focus of the elections is not hudud. The hudud issue is being played up by the mainstream media, he says.
11.15am - Pulai: DAP Pengkalan Rinting state seat candidate Cheo Yee How fails to have his debate challenge to his BN opponent Chang Mei Kee delivered.
The BN operations centre refuses to receive the letter from Cheo and his campaigners clad in Ubah headgear."They told us to direct everything to Pulai MCA division chief. I'm disappointed. Even government departments would accept documents and reply with an official acknowledgment.
“So why they don't they dare to just accept my invitation?" says the 29-year-old candidate.
Cheo wants to debate Chang on issues of town planning in the constituency.
10.30am - Lembah Pantai: New Straits Times photographer Muhammad Affend Mohamed, 39, claims an opposition party member punched him in the face on Tuesday.
According to Umno-linked Berita Harian today, he was taking photographs of roadside campaign materials that are hindering motorists’ view at Lorong Maarof when he was attacked.
"After ten minutes there, an unidentified man shouted at me saying, ‘Hey, are you the police? I did not entertain the person and continued taking photographs.
“He then continue to shout abuses thinking I took his photograph. I tried to explain but he continue attacking," Affendi is reported saying.
According to Umno-linked Berita Harian today, he was taking photographs of roadside campaign materials that are hindering motorists’ view at Lorong Maarof when he was attacked.
"After ten minutes there, an unidentified man shouted at me saying, ‘Hey, are you the police? I did not entertain the person and continued taking photographs.
“He then continue to shout abuses thinking I took his photograph. I tried to explain but he continue attacking," Affendi is reported saying.
9.30am - Seremban: In Mantin, BN deputy chief Muhyiddin Yassin kicks off the day having breakfast with BN’s Lenggeng candidate Ishak Ismail.
When asked of his chances considering the grassroots reportedly objecting to his candidacy, Ishak said he was still confident of winning.
“I am the only Umno chief who, despite not having a post in the government, still opened my own service centre.
“Even Muhyiddin cannot take me on. BN chief Najib Razak too cannot fight me,” joked Ishak.
When asked of his chances considering the grassroots reportedly objecting to his candidacy, Ishak said he was still confident of winning.“I am the only Umno chief who, despite not having a post in the government, still opened my own service centre.
“Even Muhyiddin cannot take me on. BN chief Najib Razak too cannot fight me,” joked Ishak.
11.27am: PAS organ Harakahdaily reports that its website has been attacked. “Our website Harakahdaily is under attack right now. Therefore our readers are asked to be patient until we can overcome this problem,” wrote its editor on Facebook.
[More to follow]
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