`


THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT ALLAH
read:
MALAYSIA Tanah Tumpah Darahku

LOVE MALAYSIA!!!


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Protests mount in Penang by disgruntled BN hopefuls



Following the outburst of three BN leaders dropped from the coalition's candidacy list, more Penang divisions are coming out to protest the candidates picked to contest in the 13th general election to be held on May 5.

Two more BN leaders - BN coordinator for Machang Bubuk Ooi Suan Hoe from Gerakan and Penang MIC Youth chief J Dhinagaran - are said to be thinking of resigning from their respective parties and contesting as Independents.

NONEThree protests in Kepala BatasSeberang Jaya andBagan Dalam were held yesterday by supporters of Umno leaders who were either dropped or not considered as candidates.

It is learnt that 70 percent of Umno's operations centre around Penang were inactive due to the discontent of party workers as their preferred candidates failed to make it tothe list, which was announced in Penang on Tuesday.

According to a highly placed Umno source, the affected centres include those in Balik PulauBayan BaruNibong Tebal,Permatang Pauh and Tasek Gelugor parliamentary constituencies.

Ooi declined to confirm when asked about his decision, but sources close to him said he felt the party leadership had been "unfair" to young politicians in the mainland.

"They ignore our hard work and simply parachute their cronies who do not serve the constituency to contest in the coming election," the source told Malaysiakini.

Teng did his best

When contacted, an upset Dhinagaran said he had been offered by certain parties to contest Perai and was in the midst of considering it.

"I am now being pressured by my Youth members who are disappointed with the BN list.

"Some of the candidates put up by the leadership did not even wear the BN shirt for five years (since the 2008 general election), nor did they do any work on the ground, but today they are candidates," the MIC Youth leader said.

NONEHowever, Dhinagaran (right), a young businessperson, did not blame state BN chief Teng Chow Yeow for the candidacy list "fiasco".

"He did his best, it is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who should listen to the state chairperson but he did not consider his (Teng's) report, he does not practise his 'Janji Ditepati' promise of selecting winnable candidates".

Meanwhile, Bagan Wanita chief Mugaambigai Singaram claimed residents of Bagan Dalam do not want candidate M Karrupanan, who has been fielded by the party leadership, as they felt division chief Henry Benedict was more suited for the seat.

"The candidate is not a local person and we are not familiar with his work. It took time to build up this division and we put in a lot of effort since 2008," she said.

"Suddenly, they sent someone new here, and the residents say they want to protest against his candidacy and I told them go ahead and express how you feel," she said.

However, she denied that the MIC branch had organised the gathering two days ago.

Candidacy 'fated by God'

Also on Tuesday, about 50 supporters of incumbent Arif Shah Omar Shah held a protest in Seberang Jaya to demand their incumbent assemblyperson be retained as the candidate.

NONEProtester Abd Shaari Che Lah said Arif Shah (left) had served the constituents for the last two terms and there was no reason to replace him.

"Why change the candidate when the people are satisfied with an elected representative who has been serving the constituents without any complaints," the Taman Mohd Amin Rumah Pangsa Residents Association chairperson said.

They protesters said they do not want to support candidate Mohammad Nasir Abdullah, who they deem "an unknown person and a stranger" there.

When asked about it, Permatang Pauh Umno division head Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid said Mohammad Nasir's candidacy was "fated by God and all party members should accept it", adding they were all God's servants.

"To me, those who do not cooperate with us are not from the same party. Where is their sense of loyalty to the party, religion, race and nation?" asked Abdul Jalil.

Abdul Jalil himself was dropped as a candidate in Permatang Pauh but said he accepted the party decision.

'No factionalism within BN'


Last night, about 30 people turned up for a rally to reject the Umno candidates for Penaga and Bertam.

They wanted the leadership incumbents state opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim and Zabariah Abdul Wahab be allowed to defend their seats.

NONEHowever the event was cancelled when the protestors, among them NGO members, citing "political interference".

Amidst all these protests, state Gerakan chief Dr Teng Hock Nan (right) said there was no point in arguing the matter when the decision for candidates had already been decided by Najib.

Asked if the state Gerakan list was similar to the one announced, he said "even if different, nothing can be done now as decisions have been made".

soon joon wai"We must look forward and fight the battle. No point to argue who is better and who is not, wait for election result," he said.

Hock Nan denied there was factionalism within the party and that candidates were chosen based on their loyalty to certain leaders.

"I don't know about others but I feel Najib is above that all and has made a wise decision. We have to concur by it.

"We must now support the selected ones. It is unfortunate that seats are limited but hopeful candidates were many."

Similarly, other BN leaders such as Peoples' Progressive Party president M Loga Balan said those who protest the list must refrain from being "self-centred".

"For 18 years I didn't get any seats as PPP state chief, but I did not do anything.

"One must be loyal to the party. For those who say they now want to become independent, are not loyal to the party.

"Whatever excuse their give, they are not loyal to the party. They should not question the process of selection because the state chief recommends and Najib decides."
soon joon wai

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.