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Last week the Penanti state assembly seat in Penang was declared vacant by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) through a faxed statement to the media. The statement said that the incumbent to the seat Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin has resigned as ADUN. The statement was actually a letter by Fairus himself declaring the seat vacant. The Election Commission had also come out to say that by-election date for the seat would be announced on Friday.
However, there was a sudden announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak stating that the BN might not contest the seat. While I have to accept the Barisan Nasional top leadership's decision on the matter, I personally feel that the seat should be contested by the ruling coalition.
Although it could be a waste of public funds and playing into the hands of the political shadow play of the PKR, the BN should and must not forsake the thousands of voters in the constituency, who had faithfully voted the BN in the past.
In the five by-elections we have seen so far, the BN cannot be pushed aside as it too had garnered a good number of voters. The contest has always been close, with the opposition not winning more than 3,000 votes.
Although the opposition won four of the five by-elections, the BN too had shown it still had support of the people although it was not the majority. The traditional BN voters should not be let down. In the by-elections so far, none of BN candidates lost their deposits or fared really bad. This shows that the BN is in the hearts and mind of many people, though they are not the majority. So, why let these people down by not contesting? I feel, apart from this reason, there was many other reasons why the BN should contest the seat.
We should also respect the democratic process, which the BN had propounded again and again in the past. What the ruling coalition should do is to amend the current election laws, so that political parties do not abuse democracy through resignation of elected representatives. This would be better than snubbing any by-election.
Thank you for your attention.
p/s: Many will say no need to contest because BN is going to lose anyway. For me that's a lame excuse. Nothing is certain until you go to the ballots!
My family and I would like to wish all Tamils a very Happy Tamil New Year. I sincerely hope and pray that this new year would bring loads of happiness and wealth to all. My new year wish would be for all Malaysians, especially Malaysian Indians, to prosper and enjoy a peaceful life.
Meanwhile today is Vaisakhi, the New Year for Sikhs. I take this opportunity to wish all Sikhs a very happy new year celebration.
Below I have attached an introduction to the origins and significance of the New Year picked up from Wikipedia. Please feel free to read through for knowledge. Thank You. The Tamil New Year follows the Nirayanam vernal equinox and generally falls on April 14 of the Gregorian year. April 14th marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and this remains a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Tropical vernal equinox fall around 22 March, and adding 23 degrees of trepidation or oscillation to it, we get the Hindu sidereal or Nirayana Mesha Sankranti (Sun's transition into Nirayana Aries). Hence, the Tamil calendar begins with the same date which is observed by most traditional calendars of the rest of India as in Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab etc not to mention Nepal, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The 60-year cycle is also ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China, and is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter according to popular belief, or to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras (stars) as mentioned in Surya Siddhanta.
The traditional Tamil year is (from April 14, 2009), Kaliyuga 5111. Vikrama and Shalivahana Saka eras are also used. But in Tamilnadu, from the year 2009 the tamil new year was celebrated on the first day of Thai (usually January 14) by supporters of the DMK and affiliated political parties.
Tamil people celebrate Tamil new year on April 14. There are several references in early Tamil literature to the April new year. Nakkirar, the author of the Nedunalvaadai mentions in the 3rd century that the Sun travels from Mesha/Chitterai through 11 successive Raasis or signs of the Zodiac. Koodaloor Kizhaar in the 3rd century refers to Mesha Raasi/Chitterai as the commencement of the year in the Puranaanooru.
The 8th century Silappadikaaram describes the 12 Raasis/zodiac signs starting with Mesha/Chitterai. The Manimekalai alludes to the Hindu solar calendar as we know it today.
This afternoon Prime Minister Datuk Najib Tun Razak named his cabinet line-up. It was a trimmer cabinet, where he dropped two ministries, with a total 28 ministers and 40 deputy ministers. I have been retained as Federal Territories deputy minister. Below is the list of the new cabinet.
PRIME MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER:
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT:
1. Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Unity and Performance Management)
2. Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Legal and Parliamentary Affairs)
3. Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Economic Planning Unit)
4. Mej-Jen (B) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom (Islamic Religious Affairs)
Deputy Minister:
1. Datuk Liew Vui Keong
2. Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim
3. Datuk S.K. Devamany
4. Ahmad Maslan
5. T.Murugiah
FINANCE MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
SECOND FINANCE MINISTER:
DATUK AHMAD HUSNI MOHAMAD HANADZLAH
Deputy:
1. Datuk Chor Chee Heung
2. Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin
EDUCATION MINISTER:
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputy:
1. Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong
2. Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi
TRANSPORT MINISTER:
Datuk Ong Tee Keat
Deputy:
1. Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri
2. Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew
PLANTATION INDUSTRIES AND COMMODITIES MINISTER:
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Deputy:
1. Datuk Hamzah Zainudin
HOME MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Deputy:
1. Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop
2. Jelaing anak Mersat
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS, ARTS AND CULTURE MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim
Deputy:
1. Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum
2. Senator Heng Seai Kie
ENERGY, GREEN TECHNOLOGY AND WATER MINISTER:
Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy:
Noriah Kasnon
RURAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
Deputy:
1. Datuk Hassan Malek
2. Datuk Joseph Entulu anak Belaun
HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin
Deputy:
1. Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung
2. Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER:
Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Deputy:
1. Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir
2. Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION MINISTER:
Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy:
Fadillah Yusof
NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
Deputy:
Tan Sri Joseph Kurup
TOURISM MINISTER:
Datuk Ng Yen Yen
Deputy:
Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib
AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-BASED INDUSTRY MINISTER :
Datuk Noh Omar
Deputy:
1. Datuk Johari Baharum
2. Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim
DEFENCE MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Deputy:
Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad
WORKS MINISTER:
Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Deputy:
Datuk Yong Khoon Seng
HEALTH MINISTER:
Datuk Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy:
Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shirlin
YOUTH AND SPORTS MINISTER:
Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Deputy:
1. Datuk Razali Ibrahim
2. Wee Jeck Seng
HUMAN RESOURCES MINISTRY:
Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam
Deputy:
Datuk Maznah Mazlan
DOMESTIC TRADE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS MINISTER:
Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Deputy:
Datuk Tan Lian Hoe
HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Kong Cho Ha
Deputy:
Datuk Lajim Ukin
WOMEN, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MINISTER:
Datuk Seri Sharizat Jalil
Deputy:
Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun
FOREIGN MINISTER:
Datuk Anifah Aman
Deputy:
1. A.Kohilan Pillay
2. Datuk Lee Chee Leong
FEDERAL TERRITORIES MINISTER:
Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin
Deputy :
Datuk M.Saravanan
The by-election results of the three constituencies were known yesterday. The people i.e voters had made their choice. In Bukit Selambau, S. Manikumar of the PKR won beating MIC's Datuk S. Ganeson. Failure to win back the Kedah state assembly seat is another setback for the MIC, which is trying very hard to win back Indians votes.
At Bukit Gantang, former Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin beat Ismail Safian of the BN to retain the parliamentary seat.
At Batang Ai, BN managed to make a comeback and win the seat convincingly, after its candidate Malcom Mussen Lamoh beat PKR's Jawah Gerang.
This trend of result in by-elections which favours the opposition, except in Sarawak, needs to be reversed. The BN has to undertake massive restructuring to win back the hearts and minds of the people. The ruling coalition should connect with the people and not expect the people to connect with it. The BN must also undertake several measures to show that it is sincere and serious about bringing change.
An opportunity to do this should start with the new cabinet, which is expected to be announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in a day or two. There had been various speculation of the cabinet. I personally believe that the cabinet would be shrunk with merger of several ministries. Several big names in the political landscape of the nation are also expected to face the axe in a bid to convince the people that the ruling BN government is serious on bringing about change. The cabinet is also expected to mirror Najib's 1Malaysia motto. Lets hope for the best.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has officially taken over as the country's sixth Prime Minister. The handing over ceremony was held at the Prime Minister's office a few minutes ago. This morning Najib took oath as Prime Minister as Istana Negara. Also present were former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. My heartiest congratulations to the incoming Prime Minister. It is sincerely hoped that Datuk Najib would continue his one Malaysia policy, thereby uniting all races in this blessed nation. I also hope the nation's various race related problems would see light, especially that effecting the Indian community. We are still awaiting for various mechanisms to be put in place for Indians to catch up with other main races in terms of economy. Increased participation of Indians in the government also remains an unfulfilled promised. The increase of Indian equity participation is also yet to be resolved. Training of our youth and job opportunities for them also seem to have yet to be answered.
These are only part of Indian problems, Datuk Najib needs to address to attract Indian voters into the Barisan Nasional.
All the best to you sir.
