Time Is Running Out
Masterwordsmith
It is quite evident that BN has the upper hand in the race to the next GE. Support for Pakatan Rakyat is waning due to many reasons including the fast imploding PKR, the implications of the verdict in Anwar’s Sodomy II Trial on Anwar and PKR and other factors.
Most of us seem to be either in political fatigue, or going about with a newly-acquired apolitical stance or filled with skepticism. Yet, the fact remains that the next GE is fast approaching, probably sooner than we think.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
1. The Decline in Malay support
The Malaysian Insider featured an article HERE on PAS spells out guarantees in battle for Malay votes which said:
PR has seen a decline in Malay support since July 2009 where a by-election in the 99 per cent Malay seat of Manek Urai, Kelantan saw a 1,352-vote majority for PAS in their stronghold cut to a wafer-thin 65.
Malays continued to swing towards Barisan Nasional (BN) in subsequent polls from about seven to 10 per cent, allowing the ruling coalition to grab Hulu Selangor and Galas from PR.
The most recent by-election in Tenang, Johor, saw PR fail to make any headway among the mainly Felda Malays as BN swept over 83 per cent of Malay votes to increase its majority by over 1,200 votes.
2. The Public Relations Campaign to boost support in Sarawak
It seems that BN is in overdrive to preserve their fixed deposit in Sarawak. Take a look at the following news items that were aired today.
a) Sarawak’s Tutoh Apoh School to Get Muhyiddin’s Special Attention
A rural secondary school which is the most flood-prone in the country will get special attention from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when the deputy prime minister begins a two-day visit to Sarawak on Thursday.
Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, is scheduled to attend a briefing at and tour Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tutoh Apoh in Long Panai, Baram, for which the federal government had allocated RM50 million for a new building in view of its dilapidated and flood-prone condition.
b) Sabah native court gets RM60 million from federal government
The federal government has agreed to provide a RM60-million allocation to enhance the institution of the Sabah native court, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said today.
c) Bible knowledge can now be taught to Christian students in schools: Dompok
Bible knowledge can now be taught to Christian students in government secondary and mission schools in the country after regular school hours, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said Saturday.
d) Putrajaya doles out RM2.5b to schools as polls loom
The Najib administration allocated RM2.492 billion for schools and education departments throughout the country, in what is seen as a move to woo over civil servants and parents nationwide ahead of a general election expected to be called this year.
The RM2.492 billion in financial aid will be given to 16 state education departments (JPN) and seven education ministry divisions (KPM), which include the Islamic department as well as the Malaysian Teacher’s Education Institute.
It appears that BN is dishing out goodies in its usual pre-election strategies to woo constituents over to their side. They are using their well-tested and tried methods, go the same road and do the same thing because there are those who are happy with whatever they receive sans the bigger picture. Will it work? It really depends on the rakyat! The State elections must be held by July this year according to this report.
3. By-elections a Morale Booster
Note the following trend in the 14 by-elections that have been held since March 2008.
