Zaid to contest in Kajang if wife says yes

Losing a Selangor by-election in his last foray in electoral politics seems to not have deterred former law minister Zaid Ibrahim from wanting to contest the Kajang by-election as an independent.

Zaid, who contested and lost the Hulu Selangor by-election in 2010 under PKR, said in his blog that he is keen to throw his hat into the ring this time, that is if his wife gives the nod.

Announcing this in his blog today, Zaid, who left PKR in 2010 in the midst of a fractious party polls, said he wants to contest to inform the grassroots of economic and political issues plaguing the nation.

“Writing this blog is fun but it would also be good to talk to real people fact-to-face, listen to what they have to say, and or course, have satay with them.

“Talking to Kajang voters would also test the acceptability of some of my ideas, which in turn could be useful feedback for our policy-makers,” he said.

He said that Malaysia is now “plagued” by “lawlessness” and yet leaders either do not condemn it or say “stupid and dangerous things”.

“If leaders are afraid to deal with these so-called sensitive issues because they fear losing the election, then let me do it,” he said.

Among matters he said he plans to address are:

• The use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims, and his proposal to repeal the Selangor enactment banning non-Muslims from using the word in the state. He also proposes changes to federal law to address the issue of conversion of Muslims;
   
• The enactment of a Race Relations Act to deal with racial polarisation;
   
• The need for a new attorney-general to ensure independence;
   
• How changing of the menteri besar in Selangor could lead to the breakup of Pakatan Rakyat and a lengthier BN hegemony;
   
• Education and economic programmes for the young;
   
• The need to retain Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as Umno president to block extreme politics;
   
• The danger of moving towards theocratic state and how this will lead to authoritarian rule; and
   
• PKR's alleged engineering of the by-election in Anwar's quest for glory in Selangor and the latter's plans on the state water restructure plans. He said that this is vis-a-vis PKR's political funders who may be shareholders in the company.

He added that it would be better for Chinese voters to vote him, rather than backing MCA or DAP via its partner PKR.

He said this is because MCA cannot speak freely and is in the shadows of big brother Umno, while DAP does not have the ear of the BN government.

Zaid also believes that it is “unlikely” that he will lose his deposit.

If he does indeed lose his deposit, however, he said it would be a source of shame as it only means that his ideas are “either not accepted or understood”.

“The leaders who should feel ashamed are those who violate the trust of the people and who use the people’s mandate to further their own dreams. I have no other dream but to see this country thrive in peace.”