YOURSAY | ‘If this is unjust, isn’t it all the more reason the opposition should put up a fight?’
Constitutional Supremacy: BN says they are boycotting the Port Dickson by-election because it is forced. But of late, the reasons have kept changing. First, it was Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa urging de facto Pakatan Harapan leader Anwar Ibrahim to “save Malaysia” because of his stand on issues of race, religion, and royalty.
Then Padang Rengas MP Nazri Abdul Aziz said he would campaign for Anwar as only he could save Umno. Subsequently, former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein said he had met Prime Minister Dr Mahathir in Putrajaya to hear his plans on the “future of the (Malay) race and Malaysia.”
Then Padang Rengas MP Nazri Abdul Aziz said he would campaign for Anwar as only he could save Umno. Subsequently, former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein said he had met Prime Minister Dr Mahathir in Putrajaya to hear his plans on the “future of the (Malay) race and Malaysia.”
Thus, either a deal has been struck with Umno, or they are hoping that Anwar will look favourably upon them when he assumes power.
Also, those who are saying the seat is a sure win for Anwar do not appear to know the situation on the ground, where many Harapan supporters have an issue with Anwar due to his leanings towards Umno and PAS, and are openly saying they would not vote for him.
To God The Glory: If Anwar, as Zahid says, engineered the by-election for personal reasons, isn’t that all the more reason that the opposition should step into the ring and put up a fight? Your reasoning is kelam kabut (all over the place). In any case, didn’t you and the whole BN lot support Najib for personal reasons?
On the Other Hand: BN and PAS clearly want Anwar to take over the reins of Harapan from Mahathir. Is this so that they can later cut a deal with their buddy, so as to let themselves off scot-free?
A deal, needless to say, that neither Mahathir nor Mohamed Azmin Ali would even stoop to consider? Is a vote for Anwar is going to be a vote for BN and PAS?
Anonymous_1527925538: Boycott? More like giving Anwar a helping hand… for reasons unknown.
Jasmine: This announcement is just part of the larger sandiwara (drama) of Malaysian politics. What better gift to Anwar than abstaining under the pretext of saving public money? This position was well on its way to fruition long before today. It had already been decided when Nazri offered to campaign for Anwar.
As much as it sounds like speculation and foreboding, we can’t rule out that there is much going underground, which is highly worrisome. If only politicians could be trusted.
Vote BN Out: 1) Umno will lose hands down anyway; 2) Zahid will, in all likelihood, claim credit for allowing Anwar easy passage; 3) Zahid may then ask Anwar not to investigate him when he becomes prime minister; 4) Anwar might just accede to this request.
Sleepy: Boycott = NFA.
Anonymous_1527925538: It’s not just Umno, hope a lot of Port Dickson voters will boycott this unnecessary, forced, wasteful and engineered by-election to send a strong message that this is not the democracy we want.
Anon 2000: For once I agree with Umno. This is a pure waste of money and time just to fulfil Anwar’s haste to become prime minister. It is a sham.
Anon.: Wasteful and frivolous. To satisfy one man's impatience and obsession to be prime minister. Hopefully, not a conspiracy to bring down Harapan, as some rumours suggest.
Unspin: Good call by Umno for once. This is how you behave as an effective opposition. From now onwards, can you please offer some resistance of substance instead of the stale, boring ‘race, religion and royalty’ rhetoric.
Anonymous_1419577444: And the conspiracy theory comes one step closer to actually coming true. First, PAS says it wants to give Anwar a walkover, now it is BN. Do we have to get ready for a new government before the year is out?
Anonymous_1423827415: Anwar and Zahid have long been buddies. No need to comment further. Waste of time.
Gotcha: It's not a boycott if you chicken out.
Anonymous_b5f49176: When did BN become so conscious about saving money? Or are they just looking at the results of the past three by-elections?
Rakyatians: Will this actually save the country RM3.6 million, since the election has to go on anyway?
Anonymous_1530630482: For once, Umno is making the right move in not contesting the Port Dickson by-election. It will not only save money for the government, but also save face for the yet another expected loss. It will be very demoralising in the wake of their annual general assembly.
James_3392: I agree this by-election is a waste of people money, but when such a statement come from Umno leaders it sounds weird, for the amount of money Umno squandered from the people is astronomical.
New Horizon: Who besides Umno loyalists are going to buy what BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is saying about the wastage of public funds? Why did he not simply say that Umno is currently rebuilding and is not ready to go up against the de facto Harapan leader? At least the public will give you some respect for being honest.
Sinan Belawan: The Port Dickson by-election was illegitimately conceived by PKR for Anwar. A legitimately elected MP from the minority community had to be the sacrificial lamb. Kudos to BN for not fielding a candidate.
Ferdtan: Both BN and PAS cannot take another defeat in a by-election. That would kill the party both in image and support from its depleting membership. Just say “We cannot win.” Saving money? Zahid says, “We realise the government is faced with financial problems.” Who dug this hole in the first place?
Anonymous #59082512: If Anwar chooses to get in bed with Umno, then he is not fit to be called the PM of reformation. He and his crew should then be voted out in the 15th general election.
Anonymous_1527925538: This is good for Parti Rakyat Malaysia. They can now field a credible candidate who will have a fighting chance to win, as people want to send a strong message against greedily engineered by-elections.
Anonymous_1527925538: Stupid decision when they have a chance to pull Anwar down for his unpopular engineered by-election. Now PRM has a fighting chance if they can put up a credible candidate.
Roger 5201: Since no one seems to be interested in Port Dickson, former MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah should consider re-contesting.
Happy Hamster: Umno whinging about the wastage of public funds is like the Cookie Monster complaining about calories in cookies.
New Horizon: The second and third reasons given by Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan have some validity: that the Port Dickson by-election would get in the way of the party instituting internal reforms, and that Umno should first gauge its level of support throughout the country before jumping into another by-election.
The first reason – not wanting to legitimise Anwar's effort to return to Parliament by means of a forced by-election – is unacceptable.
Before GE14, the voters were already told that once Harapan takes over Putrajaya, it will seek a royal pardon for Anwar and then a by-election will be held for him to contest and then to become the prime minister after Mahathir. The voters have accepted that.
Quigonbond: Umno and PAS strategists who are planning to watch Harapan government implode by giving Anwar a walkover will regret their decision in no time.
The message to the public is that Anwar is so potent that there's no point contesting against him. That makes him even more so eligible to be the next Malaysian prime minister.
If Umno and PAS have cojones at all, they should be contesting so that they can go out all to criticise Anwar. Trying to justify with some rhetoric about the spirit of democracy just belies the real reason that they are assured to be beaten.
Ib: Instituting internal reforms? How is that possible with clueless president silent like a mouse and with the kleptomaniac still being the voice of the party? And the next loudest voice being the new loud-mouthed successor to the towel-donning Jamal Md Yunos?
Fairplayer: Someone must face off with Anwar, to prove the ‘PD move’ is a farce. No walkover for Anwar, please. Offered PKR presidency without a fight, and now Port Dickson without a fight. Give Anwar a free win, and live to regret it in the future. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
Perak Boleh: The actual three reasons Umno is boycotting the Port Dickson by-election are: Umno would lose; Umno would lose big; Umno would lose its deposit. - Mkini
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