‘Rigging’ stopped opposition winning Malaysia vote – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

Malaysian election reform activists are calling for an investigation into the March 8 polls, saying the opposition would have won outright if voting was clean and fair.

The Barisan Nasional coalition’s near-total domination of national and state politics ended in the general elections, with the opposition seizing more than a third of parliamentary seats and four more states.

The unprecedented gains came despite widespread claims of fraud and vote-rigging, and fury over the cancellation of plans to use indelible ink to prevent multiple balloting.

“We are calling for a royal commission to investigate the electoral process,” said Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) leader Sivarasa Rasiah.

“Just because the opposition won big does not mean the election was free and fair.”

Bersih, an alliance of opposition parties and civil society groups, organised several rallies to highlight claims that Malaysia’s electoral process is rigged.

The opposition alliance of the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP), the conservative Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim’s Keadilan won 82 of the 222 seats in parliament.

“We would have had an outright win if this were a free and fair election,” said Keadilan’s Sivarasa, who was elected to parliament.

“To win another 30 seats (to form a majority in parliament) all we needed was just another 56,000 votes.”

New York-based Human Rights Watch said ahead of the polls that Malaysians would be denied a free-and-fair vote, accusing the government of muzzling the opposition and manipulating the electoral process.

‘Rigging’ stopped opposition winning Malaysia vote – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

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Radzi Sheik Ahmad:"When you are not made a minister, you cannot work effectively as a secretary-general for UMNO"

 

“When you are not made a minister, you cannot work effectively as a secretary-general for UMNO,” former home minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said, referring to his post in Abdullah’s party, the United Malays National Organisation.

Asked if he had resigned over not being included in the new cabinet, he replied, “You can take it that way.”

Radzi, 66, said Abdullah had accepted his resignation with immediate effect from the position of secretary-general, both in the premier’s party and in the ruling coalition, but denied that his departure signalled a split in the party.

Javno – World

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Tengku Azlan declines deputy minister’s post because he has not moved up the ladder, happy to venture into business

Tengku Azlan declines deputy minister’s post because he has not moved up the ladder, happy to venture into business

 

Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar and Datuk Anifah Aman met with the Prime Minister at Sri Perdana in Putrajaya to decline their new postings after the Cabinet line-up announcement yesterday. 

Not interested: Tengku Azlan (above) and Anifah both feel it’s time for them to move on.

Tengku Azlan when contacted last night confirmed that he had declined the Deputy Foreign Minister’s post since “I have not moved up the ladder”. 

“I was a deputy minister for two terms and since I cannot go any further, I feel it is time to move on. 

“It is a normal reaction for anybody to look elsewhere when they are not going anywhere,” he said. Tengku Azlan previously served as the Deputy Transport Minister. 

Tengku Azlan also said it was time for him to concentrate on other things, including serving his constituents in Jerantut. 

“I am happy to perhaps venture into business and serve the people in my constituency,” he added. 

Asked what was the Prime Minister’s reaction to his rejection of the post, Tengku Azlan said Abdullah respected his decision. 

“There is no need for me to send any letter. I just have to inform him that I decline the post,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Anifah, who was to be appointed as Deputy Tansport Minister, told Bernama:  

“I have already been a Deputy Minister for two terms and I feel it’s time for me to make way for a younger person to hold this post.” 

Anifah, 54, refused to state other reasons for his decision. 

“I thank the prime minister for appointing me but I have decided not to accept it,” said Anifah, who was previously Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities.

Tengku Azlan and Anifah decline deputy minister’s post

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Malaysia PM shakes up Cabinet – The China Post

 

Asked why Rafidah, reputedly the world’s longest-serving trade minister with 20 years on the job, had been dropped, he said: “I don’t want to discuss this. I don’t need to explain further. Rafidah needs to make way for someone new to take over.”

Party opposition to Rafidah, 64, had been growing silently following a controversy over car import licenses distributed by her ministry, said political analyst Ooi Kee Beng, of the Institute of South East Asian Studies in neighboring Singapore.

Malaysia PM shakes up Cabinet – The China Post

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Najib-led committee issues more APs

Najib, Defence Minister for some 15 years

 

Many are also asking why Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is still handling the defence portfolio which he has held for some 15 years.

Pak Lah whips up surprises

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Najib’s record