Followers

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Is BN a validly elected Government - by Art Harun

In 2008, Pakatan Rakyat fought a titanic battle in the GE12. It managed to astound Barisan Nasional by denying the BN, for the very first time in Malaysia's history, a two-third majority. Honestly, I don't think many people gave the PR that fat chance to do so in 2008.

The same system as in GE13 was used. The same delineation of voters and constituencies as in GE13 was used.

I have heard not a single complain about gerrymandering since 2008 until May the 5th 2013. (I could be wrong and I stand to be corrected on this).

In fact, most voters did not even know the word "gerrymandering" before 6th May 2013.

Prior to GE13, noises were made about the electoral roll being dirty. Efforts were put, either by making noises, lodge police reports or by going to Courts (YB Nurul Izzah did this and it was commendable of her I must say) to clean the roll. But to no avail as judicial review was not available.

But gerrymandering WAS NEVER an issue at all. Nobody, as far as I know, within Pakatan had complained about this.

In fact, a cursory reading of the Buku Jingga, Pakatan's political and administration Bible, did not even mention gerrymandering.

Buku Jingga did not even mention Pakatan's aspiration to re-delineate the various constituencies if they had come into power.

The truth is this. It is without doubt that delineation of constituencies have been made and used by the BN to somewhat favour them.

The question is whether that was legal or Constitutional. Why has there been no legal challenge?

But why is it such a huge issue suddenly now? Because Pakatan lost the GE13?

What if Pakatan had won? Would it be an issue? Or would Pakatan be ready to live under the same delineation just because it works for them?

Was Pakatan willing to hedge its position prior to GE13 by NOT making any kind of noise about gerrymandering PRIOR to GE13?

I don't know.

My point is this. You knew it was there all this while. You live with it. You never made an issue out of it. You contested in not one, but TWO GEs with the same system.

You lost this time.

Now you make a hell lot of noise about it.

I say you live to fight for another five years. So let's stop saying the GE is null and void bla bla bla.

Be a responsible opposition just as much as you want the government to be a responsible government.

I personally think that the Barisan is a validly elected government of the day.

A valid government has the right to defend itself, within the confines of the law against illegal acts.


Otherwise, the State would descend into chaos.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

What you say is true.

So now after PRU 13, Pakatan have a right to take the streets now to make sure the bloody EC do its job and make sure we have a one person one vote system isnt it?

Otherwise come PRU 14, Pakatan will be in the same mess again . Going by your logic, we should protest to kingdom come until EC agrees to redelineate fairly. And if the EC chairman says it cant be done, we should ask him step down then and lets appoint somebody from Pakatan to head the EC. Tony Pua will in a second redelineate all constituencies fairly.

So agree? We accept results of PRU 13 fine but we all take to the streets until and unless the EC redelineates such that its one person one votes.

Its beyond belief that a party with 47% of the popular vote can have such a majoirty.

sunwayopal

Unknown said...

You get the hell out of malaysia....
how do u feel if i say that to you???

Just because u are a closet UMNO sucker, that does not mean you can try n influence us...

Unknown said...

i knew about gerrymandering even in 2008... you never read id it???

the issue of kapar 140000 with putrajaya 15000 ppl has been highlighted so many times..

Why was Bersih 1, Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0 held ??

DOD u attend????
You never listen ????

Anonymous said...

It was brought up before. We were made aware but it was not something that could be changed with the stroke of a pen.

Anonymous said...

Sokong 100 %. Tell this to Anwar as I'm worried he will get cuckoo one of this day.. Can he sleep well this day???

Unknown said...

Pakatan Rakyat brought to ECs attention:-(from 2008 to 2013)
1. The multifold increase in the number of voters (padding, phantoms, multiple voters in a single address and voters without complete address) in all seats and states controlled by PR!
2. Instant citizens voters,in Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak;
3. The comparatively low numbers of voters compared to Santiago's Kapar(gerrymandering);
Nurul brought the EC to court but Santiago challenged his padded ER;
Under Sect9 of EC ACT, no Court can hear cases involving Gazetted Electoral Rolls! So the suits were thrown out!
It has since been stated that the BN has been changing the percentage of constituencies from `comparatively equal in size' to 15% to 50% and last silent altogether on the `comparatively equal' leading to the OBVIOUS disparity, 16,000 voters of Putrajaya cannot be equal in size to 150,000 of Kapar size of voters!
But the Jury has been all out on extended Holiday to Hawaii for all the past 30 years!
But FPTP was not heard until 505!
But my cousin was there in the Blackout in Pekan in GE11 of 2004 when Najib won by 241votes when the light came on!
So the 5.6million voters must be given the benefit of the Doubt!
AI is not the issue, please!I am among those who voted for change, not shortchanged!

Colin said...

I agree that we should accept the result and move on. There are larger issues to face now including paring down the Federal Debt and reducing corruption. But I also agree very strongly with Anwar Ibrahim that the Gerry mandering and all the electoral irregularities must be halted. There are huge numbers of unqualified voters on the electoral rolls, 11,335 addresses with multiple voters. Many FIRSt TIME voters registered at non existent address and falsely registered at the addresses of others. Your argument that there were no complaints about electoral irregularities before 08 is not inaccurate as Bersih 07 highlighted all this. We accepted the fraud in 08 but demanded again and again for remedies which were completely ignored. Accept the results, yes. But correct the wrongs too.

Anonymous said...

"Be a responsible opposition just as much as you want the government to be a responsible government."

---how can you advise a bunch of hypocrites to be a responsible opposition. When all they want is to entirely blame and finger pointing others but themselves, no matter how insensible their arguments are.

And Anwar Ibrahim never listen to anyone.

Imagine if it was Najib and Umno who were doing those Black 505 rallies had they lost. Hell broke loose, all guns pointing at Najib Umno as sore-losers, fraudsters, etc.

But to Pakatan, it is only wrong if it is BN. Pakatan can do no wrong. God knows what would have been had these kind of leaders form the government.

Art Harun, no matter how much lies and slanders one make, truth will always prevail.

And the truth is, Chinese Tsunami has failed.

kiasu


sabrinaakamal said...

I believe many knew gerry..is an issue though the term is not widely used. I personally predicted that PR would get majority votes but would still lose because 'of the way the boundaries are drawn'. But you cant make an issue of something that you cant do much about, fornow. You just got to fight and hope that the swing would be large enough to beat their system. The EC will be reviewing the boundaries this year so lets see..anyhow I too agree that the BN govt is valid. To be fair to PR their issues are mainly with electoral procedures that must be seriously addressed.

Ahmad Kamal said...

I believe gerry.. Has always been an issue with many people though the term is not widely used. I personally predicted that PR would get majority votes but would still lose because of 'the way the boundaries are drawn'. The problem is you cannot make an issue of something that you cannot do much about. You just got to fight and hope that the swing would be large enough to beat the system. It nearly did..I however agree that the BN govt is a valid govt. To be fair to PR the issues that they are raising are more on electoral procedures. There are many flaws that need to be seriously addressed. The EC is reviewing the boundaries this year so lets see how it goes.

Anonymous said...

Any act by single MP or group of MPs to takeover the government of the day is a coup-d-tat'.
They should be punished as the traitors of the day. They should be hanged in public.
I do wish our country's highest will order the army to round up traitors ASAP.
I am the rakyat of Malaysia hereby demand my rights under the Constitution of Malaya for a peaceful, harmonious and wealthy country.