'Video stars and the corrupt become BN candidates'

The BN's rejection of of Kamilia Ibrahim and Ong Tee Keat as candidates in the May 5 general election proves that the ruling coalition only wants candidates who are corrupt or are in videos, not outstanding individuals such as the two.

PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli, who is contesting the Pandanparliamentary seat, said he was saddened that Ong, a five-term MP who is popular in this constituency, was not contesting.

"When I was picked as the candidate for Pandan, I thought my work was cut-out. Ong has an outstanding record as a hard-working MP who looks after the welfare of the people here, and most important of all, is free of corruption. 

"The leaders who put me here also wanted me to work extra hard to win the peoples hearts and to be of service to the people.

"However, BN chief and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and MCA president Chua Soi Lek, dropped Ong. I was looking forward to the contest between us. 

"However, Ong's main reason of not being selected to defend his seat is because he is an incorruptible person, who exposed the Port Klang Free Zone scandal," said the 37-year-old.

In MCA, Rafizi said, one must be a star in videos, even in black-and-white ones, to be a candidate, in an apparent hint at Chua's sex video. Or the person must be able to sing like the BN Bukit BintangBN candidate (Frankie Gan).

"No wonder there's been heavy rain and floods in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor since the election campaign started. It is because we have many aspiring singers who performers on video in the contest," he said to the laughter of the mixed crowd of some 1,500 people in Cheras Indah.

'Kamilia's candidacy will benefit Pakatan'

Similarly with Kamilia, the PKR strategy director said, who despite being the number two in the Wanita Umno movement was not selected for a seat.

In fact, Rafizi said, Kamilia (left) was not the number two in Wanita Umno as Najib holds the first post as leader of the movement by virtue of being the Women and Community Development Minister, with Shahrizat Abdul Jalil being the second-in-charge.

"Kamilia was not selected because she is truthful, not corrupt and does not take peoples' money, like the leader who took RM250 million for cows and the former senator Raja Ropiaah (Raja Abdullah) who has obtained 200 acres of land," Rafizi said.

"Kamilia's only problem is that she asked Shahrizat to resign for over the cow project fiasco. Despite being the number two, she did not get to be a candidate. 

"Trust me, her participation in the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary battle will result in Pakatan winning there," he said, adding that this would benefit the opposition

Rafizi then went on to say why Pakatan was the only choice for the people in this election as the BN has put the country into its biggest deficit after 55 years of independence and its rule marred by cronies benefiting at the expense of the people.

Companies such as Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) owned by Rozali Ismail of Umno, who is also the highest paid chief executive officer in the country, as well as independent power producers controlled by Ananda Krishnan, the Genting group, YTL and Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary that sell electricity to Tenaga Nasional Bhd at a very high rate, were causing the sufferings of the citizens.

If Pakatan came to power, it would renegotiate the deals to ensure that the people benefited.

"The country's deficit it has risen to RM500 billion under Najib. When Anwar Ibrahim was finance minister in the 1990s, the deficit was RM93 billion, but it rose to RM200 billion under Dr Mahathir Mohamad and RM300 billion under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"The money for paying back on the RM500 billion deficit within four years of the Najib administration comes from the Employees Provident Fund, the Pensions Fund and also from Tabung Haji. 

"These are all the people's money, yours and mine. If we allow BN to rule again, it will continue to take our money by increasing the deficit," he said, adding that this was why the people must change the government.

Rafizi said BN's fear of losing in this election was manifested by theRM7 billion transfer of funds to Caymans Island by 1Malaysia Development Bhd under surprising circumstances.

Looking at the mixed crowd and the absence of any activity on the part of BN candidate Gary Lim in the constituency last night, Rafizi, who is a qualified accountant and posses a degree in electronics and electrical engineering as well, seems like a shoe-in for the Pandan seat.