TENANG - CIKGU MALA BEEN 'BULLIED' BY UMNO/MCA/BN

Since nomination day, Cikgu Mala or Normala Sudirman, the PAS candidate for the Tenang state by-election had being in the lime-light, most often been ridiculed for having stood as a candidate against the BN.

It started with her husband given a 24 hours transfer to a school in Johor Bahru about over a hundred miles away and the reason given was ' he was unable to control his wife'. After much protest, the transfer was duly cancelled.

Then, the issue of her not shaking hands or using gloves to shake hands with menfolks in the Tenang area. MCA used all kinds of tactics to tarnish her name but since she had been observing the Islamic faith and culture that females can only bare hand touch their male family members only. Since many religious groups had voices her concern, UMNO, the silent hidden culprit finally spoke against MCA before UMNO realised that they could itself will lose its position with the Malay population. MCA did not heel the advice and continued their attacks.

Then the issue of alcohol was raised. It was reported that Cikgu Mala had told a Chinese shopkeeper that they are not allowed to sell or consume alcohol. When PAS gave an ultimatum to MCA president's son, a MP to disclose the person and shop, which MCA refuse to disclose, the matter died of natural death.

Then the issue of KFC and Cikgu Mala was quoted as saying she does not eat KFC chicken and it was not halal. This brought about the issue of her first marriage with someone who is working in KFC cropped out, while UMNO/BN bloggers took opportunity to tarnish her reputation. Even this did not work.

The news that her husband, the teacher has been on medical leave fot this current month for depression was brought out. There have been claims that Cikgu Mala should withdraw and concentrate on looking after her husband's health cropped-out.

Since it has been raining heavy in the Tenang area with certain parts of Tenang getting flooded, the BN brought about a claim that Cikgu Mala will resolve the flood problem once if she is elected. UMNO elected representatives who were elected for the past 53 years had fail or were unable to resolve this matter, although during each election period the voters and residents in Tenang were promised. Maybe Cikgu Mala may have indicated that she will try her best to look into this problem.

Last night a shocking revelation was exposed by UMNO that a purported letter from the local council sent to certain Tenang Felda settlers claiming that they could claim their RM300 cash gift today. UMNO claims that this has been done by PAS. It was reported that PAS was unable to convince the Felda settlers to vote for their candidate although Cikgu Mala is well known to the settlers.

Looking at the scenario of events, it seems that UMNO/BN who were having a upper-hand after nomination are getting worried that they will lose this Tenang state seat to the PAS (Opposition) although UMNO/BN had bragged that they will win with a bigger majority of 5,000 votes.

The Chinese votes seems to be with the opposition even after MCA offering RM100 for wearing 1Malaysia t-shirts for 2 hours and even after creating the issue of the controversial glove handshake and alcohol issues.

It is feared that Felda settlers, the fixed-deposit of UMNO are also having second thoughts and would vote for the opposition.

UMNO/BN is now in a dilemma and is using all its tricks to hoodwink the Tenang voters to win this by-elections at any cost.

Another setback that UMNO is facing is that an outsider is a candidate although the UMNO Tenang division had proposed several division leaders as their ideal choice of candidate. Even UMNOputras may go against UMNO/BN to show their anger for not selecting their choice. The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Johor Mentri Besar have been pacifying their members that the chosen candidate is a 'winnable' choice. Even after these claims the BN candidate is reported having a on-going civil action for 'manipulating and cheating' a landowner over his property by auctioning his property to a third party while he was still in the civil service in charge of these matters. The BN candidate had earlier lied claiming that this matter has been disposed off in his favour.

Another factor is that UMNO had expressed that they DO NOT need Chinese and Indian votes to win. This will backfire against them.

Now the ground feeling is 50:50 with the Opposition having an ace. Only on this Sunday we will know who was elected and who the Tenang voters have chosen to represent them in the State Legislative Assembly?