Restore a clean, green, safe and progressive land to Malaysia!

Malaysians at home and overseas have been untiringly telling as many as they can: Come Out to Vote! Come Out to Vote!

Some overseas Malaysians have casted their postal votes yesterday at the Malaysian embassies in the globe.

Some overseas Malaysians, including me, still determine to fly home to vote. Some have put their business on hold and have flown back to volunteer in election campaigns in Malaysia. Some are preparing these few days to fly back long distance for merely few days stay in Malaysia with the sole purpose of casting their votes in Malaysia.

Despite we conduct our life in other lands, Malaysians who live overseas do not shed away our civil duty as Malaysians. Even we live abroad, most of us still care deeply about our home country.

Can you feel how much is our care to our country Malaysia and to our fellow Malaysians?

Can you imagine how much efforts we overseas Malaysians gonna make in order to make that trip flying back to vote in Malaysia?

Besides airfare, it is time and energy to make that journey.

Nevertheless, our hope is pure: Restore a clean, green, safe and progressive land to Malaysia and our fellow Malaysians as we are also Malaysians!

I am heading to airport at Zurich tomorrow at 8 a.m. and to be landing KLIA Thursday´s afternoon.
Even before my return flight to Zurich from Kuala Lumpur three weeks ago, my body felt exhausted thinking of the 16 hours sitting in the plane. I keep on telling myself: It is okay, it is okay. It is for my country Malaysia and my fellow Malaysians including myself.

Everyone of us gonna do our part - Vote!

回家投票吧。你那一票真的能拯救馬來西亞!

In 2008, there were 158 seats where the number of Absent Voters more than the majority votes.

Please come home to vote! Your single vote can really make a difference in saving Malaysia!

 

"几个经典的例子，

P.208 Sarikei，国阵赢 51 票，没有出来投票的人，有 9,429 人。
P.09 Alor Star, 国阵赢 184 票，没有出来投票的人，有 15,751 人。
P.186 Sandakan, 国阵赢 176 票，没有出来投票的人，有 12,799 人。

看着这些被腐败政权赢过去的议席，都只是几千票，而那些地方没有出来投票的人数，却很多超过一万人。"

 

Ah Lye:  回家投票吧。你那一票真的能拯救馬來西亞!

Ah Lye:

"可能大家的身边，还是有很多游子，不想回家投票。

很简单的逻辑：“才那么一票，难道真的会影响大局 meh..? 别夸大了。“

夸大？

历史有时候就是那么地微妙，不看一些小细节，我们还真的以为，历史只是会由大人物来改造。

我特地去了 SPR 网站，把 2008 年大选所有 222 个国会议席的所有成绩抽取出来，做一些排列和加减，把缺席的选民，和候选人胜利的多数票作了个比较，得出了惊人的答案。

我们共有 222 个国会议席，在 2008 年时，有多少个议席是，没有出来投票的人，多过那些 MAJORITI (胜利多数票)的？换句话说，如果这些人有出来投票，会改变那个选区的选举成绩？

答案是 158 席。而在这 158 席里，有几个是我们口中常诅咒的那个，我们很想换掉，却觉得没有可能换掉的腐败政权？

答案是，90 个议席。

90 个议席。

这个腐败残暴的政权，在上一次大选，因为我们觉得它是换不了的而所以没有出来投票，而让它赢多了 90 个议席。这 90 个议席，是没有出来投票的人数 (absent voter)，多过国阵所赢的多数票的。

几个经典的例子，

P.208 Sarikei，国阵赢 51 票，没有出来投票的人，有 9,429 人。
P.09 Alor Star, 国阵赢 184 票，没有出来投票的人，有 15,751 人。
P.186 Sandakan, 国阵赢 176 票，没有出来投票的人，有 12,799 人。

看着这些被腐败政权赢过去的议席，都只是几千票，而那些地方没有出来投票的人数，却很多超过一万人。

所以，到底是这个政府还有很多人支持它而换不下来，还是因为我们自己没有出来投票，放弃了战斗，而一开始就已经，输了？

有没有想过，其实只要你现在放工了去买个巴士票，上网订一张几票，我们就可以把这个魔鬼干掉，还我们干净的河山？

我们就因为那张巴士票，那两天假期，那两天的节目，而断送了这个把魔鬼干掉的机会？知不知道如果这次这魔鬼不被我们干掉，会有多少生灵会被涂炭？

我们上一次只差 30 个议席就能够让这魔鬼倒台，而我们却白白送了 90 个议席给他们。

就只因为一句话：

“才那么一票，难道真的会影响大局 meh..? 别夸大了。“



回家投票吧。你那一票真的能拯救这个国家的，真的。




我附上了这个我从 SPR 网站抽取下来的分析资料 Excel file，大家可以下载下来，作分析作比较，有很多宝贵的我们看漏了的数据。

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Auk0AAp-TPDEdFViTG5ja3BGUEQzaG9YOTdHZW1QOXc&output=xls

如果要直接在网上浏览，用这个：

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Auk0AAp-TPDEdFViTG5ja3BGUEQzaG9YOTdHZW1QOXc&output=html

[这也是为什么游子票一直都是我们能够赢的一个重要关键，我们第一个能够让暴政先输的战役。]"

Steven Teoh: Flying all the way from Los Angeles to vote in Malaysia!!!

Steven Teoh, a Malaysian living in Los Angeles. He has purchased flight ticket to fly back from Los Angeles with the sole purpose of voting in Malaysia!

1.) Age, hometown, profession, yrs of living in LA

Age 36, Hometown Kuala Lumpur, Profession Filmmaker, 15 years living in Los Angeles,

2.) What motivates you to fly back to vote?
There is only one answer, Malaysia is my HOME. We have only ONE CHANCE to give our home a better tomorrow. This is the ONLY CHANCE.

3.) Length of coming stay in Msia?
1 week.

Wong: Flying all the way fm Los Angeles to vote in Malaysia!

Wong, a Malaysian living in Los Angeles. She has purchased her flight ticket to fly all the way from Los Angeles to vote in Malaysia!!!

"Are you ready for 5/5?

I am coming home from Los Angeles to vote & I have also witnessed Malaysians living in the USA traveling all the way from Austin Texas, Denver Colorado, Phoenix Arizona, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, San Diego, Orange County... to Consulate of Malaysia in Los Angeles today (28th April 2013), just to VOTE!

And you, you have no excuse not to VOTE on GE 13!"

"5月5，请回家投票！

我是渼雯，生长于吉隆坡。曾毕业于孟家兰民众华小及吉隆坡中华独中。2001年8月，我只身赴美国肯德基州大学念书；大学毕业后搬迁到洛杉矶寻找就业机会，就这样在美国居住快要12 年了。

这一次，我非常坚定 -- 我一定要投票！感谢有心人士的协助，我成功地成为登记选民；再通过他们给予的资讯，我申请希望成为邮寄选民。当我知道我邮寄选民的申请被拒绝时，我的心已经飞回去马来西亚了。2008年的选举，我的经济还不能允许我任性；5年后的今天，再怎么辛苦，我也必须投下我手中这一票。同时我也要鼓励所有的马来西亚公民，为了我们自己和家人朋友，还有我们的下一代，我们一定要回家投票。

盼呀盼，盼呀盼！国会讲解散，就解散了。我根本没来得及准备，航空公司也没有给我“回家投票”的优惠，相反地机票费用非常昂贵。感谢同事们的体谅，我争取到一个星期的时间回家走一趟。同事朋友们问我，一程20多小时的飞行，就只为了投票？一个星期的逗留足够吗？时差还没来得及调，又要搭20多小时的飞机回来上班，值得吗？这个和值不值得没有关系，我人在国外，心在马来西亚。投票，是我应该做的事。

我的好友只有三天的假期，她远道从英国回家，只为投票；我的另一位同学没有假期，庆幸投票日是星期天，他星期六从澳洲回家，星期天投完票就回澳洲上班。我们不是在炫耀我们在外国工作有能力花钱买机票回家投票；我们希望大家 -- 尤其是现在居住在马来西亚的你们能够体会到在5月5日当天，没有任何事情比投票更重要。即使有重要的事，投完票你还是可以去做你要做的事。为了我们的将来，拜托不要再找借口了。

人生有多少个十年？更何况现在已经55年了？你有时间在看我写这一篇文章，看我如何发牢骚，如何不爽。为了美好的将来，你一定有时间在5月5号到你所分配的投票站投下明智的一票。

我们的未来 -- 掌握在我们的手里！"

 

A Malaysian tendered resignation letter in order to fly back to vote in Malaysia!

A Malaysian tendered resignation letter in order to fly back to vote in Malaysia! "投票選舉真有那麼重要嗎？我說：嗯。關乎人命。"

Yes, it is not merely one life, but lives of millions of Malaysians and the destiny of Malaysia!

Should we see one drowning, we shall help or at least call for help. Now it is the whole country Malaysia with millions of Malaysians drowning, how can we not doing anything!?

Malaysians, please come out to vote! 

一票都不能少!

 

谁说
你的一票不重要？
1964
当年的劳工党领袖（反对党）
陈志勤
曾以两票之差，
赢得了大选议席。
所以，
不要轻视你的选票，
你的一票往往
会成为造王者的一票。

记得，
一票都不能少。

Dr. Vanaja: Malaysians deserve a better homeland!

Dr. Vanaja: "I want to go back to vote because I feel Malaysians deserve a better homeland!". 

Dr Vanaja Panickar, a Malaysian based in Australia and has purchased air ticket to fly back to vote in Malaysia:



1. Have you purchased air ticket to fly fm Australia to vote in Malaysia?

Yes, the JBU tickets were sold out, but I purchased the promotion tickets.


2. The motivation that drives you to do so?

I come from a family of very politically motivated people and I have always voted ever since I returned from my studies in 1975. In those days, the opposition was very weak, but I still voted for them because I believed that no ruling party should have 2/3 majority and the people needed an effective opposition in parliament. It was a forlorn hope then, but we still believed that one day some good will come out of all this. Moreover I was also a victim of racial policies and I believed fervently that every Malaysian should have a place under the Malaysian sun.

With the reformasi movement and the advent of the internet, Malaysians were able to access information of the actual  state of affairs and how much we were losing out because BN became so absolutely corrupt and racist. It was too much for my poor heart to bear. How could any decent government do this to us? We, the people have the power to change this rot and I will be glad to see the scoundrels count the bars in Sungei Buloh.  My daughter too faced this discrimination through BTN.

Now I have hope, not so much for myself, but for all Malaysians that we can finally change evil in its naked form for a government that promises fair play. I believe in basic human rights and we, as Malaysians, should do our bit for the country of our birth.


3. Any difficulty in your daily life to overcome for flying back fm Australia to vote in Malaysia?

My daughter has 2 small kids and I help her to look after them, so when I am gone she will have to do everything herself. Otherwise everything is fine. If I had to fly to the moon to vote in Malaysia, I would gladly do that too!!!!

4. Your message to be included in the article.

I beseech all Malaysians overseas to vote too. As for Malaysians still in Malaysia, please go out in droves to vote. Only then will we be able to overcome the massive vote rigging that BN has planned. Every vote counts. Selamat Malaysia.

Dr. Vanaja

Bloomberg: Malaysia Needs to Get Off the Road to Mediocrity

"In his bid for re-election, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dispensed with all shame. Vote for me, he has essentially declared, or Malaysia will suffer “catastrophic ruin” and an “Arab Winter” of the kind that has undone economies from Egypt to Libya.

Both warnings are ludicrous -- signs of how worried Najib’s National Front coalition is of losing power for the first time since 1957. They speak to the desperation of a government that has come to serve itself, not Malaysia’s 29 million people. And they are emblematic of a leader whose talk of bold change hasn’t been matched by action."

Read more here:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/malaysia-needs-to-get-off-the-road-to-mediocrity.html

*****************

I like in particularly the lines of "Both warnings are ludicrous -- signs of how worried Najib’s National Front coalition is of losing power for the first time since 1957. They speak to the desperation of a government that has come to SERVE ITSELF, NOT Malaysia’s 29 million people. And they are emblematic of a leader whose TALK of bold change HASN´T BEEN MATCHED BY ACTION." These sentences have gone straight to the point!

Also, "Najib is touting Malaysia’s 6.4 percent growth as proof he is a radical-change agent. In fact, much of Southeast Asia also is booming, and the government is helping to artificially fuel growth with populist handouts."

Galvanising the overseas vote

Galvanising the overseas vote

By Jacqueline Ann Surin | 23 April 2013 | 

FOR the first time since our independence, Malaysians living and working in different countries abroad have organised themselves strategically and collectively to return home to vote under the Jom Balik Undi (JBU) initiative. Launched in November 2011 as a social media initiative, the campaign has been encouraging Malaysians to go home and vote. Its purpose is “to help create a cleaner and brighter future for all Malaysians”.

Just who are these Malaysians who are running and participating in JBU? What sacrifices are the Malaysians who are returning home making in order to vote? And what is motivating them to spend money and time to make their choice known during the 13^th general election (GE13) since our independence?

read more here.

URGENT! Double registration at home and abroad detected!

Double registration at home and abroad detected: A Malaysian who is approved as a postal voter in the U.S. found she is still listed as a common voter in Johor, Malaysia. 


According to SPR, those who have registered as postal voters as not allowed to vote at home. Should the mentioned postal voter is still listed as a common voter at home, we know who will be voting for her.

Here, i urge overseas Malaysians who have registered as postal voters, please check out your status of common voter at http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/.

Should you are registered both as an Absentee Voter overseas as well as a Common Voter in Malaysia, please report your case to Bersih 2.0 with submitting your ICs and names to info@bersih.org

Should you detect your double registration, please do not be shy to report your case to Bersih and spread the news. Awareness needed to be created and pressure must be given before the Polling Date. Complains after the election announcement will leave in vain!

Malaysiakini: 900 voters named 'Fatimah Ismail' found

Malaysiakini: 900 voters named 'Fatimah Ismail' found

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/227335

Koh Jun Lin 1:37PM Apr 19, 2013

The states of Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu have a disproportionately high number of voters sharing the same names, including 900 named ‘Fatimah Ismail’.

Of these, there are 14 instances of ‘Fatimah Ismail’ sharing the same birthdays, and 10 of these instances also had their identity cards issued from the same state.

“This (pattern) is found in all the top names that we can find. Imagine two gentlemen named ‘Ismail’ having their daughter born on the same day and naming them ‘Fatimah’, and it is within the same village,” said Malaysian Electoral Roll Analysis Project (Merap) research assistant Lee Wee Tak.
In comparison, he said other states such and Perak and Negri Sembilan have far fewer instances of voters with the same name.


The most popular voter name in Perak is ‘Fatimah Ahmad’ with a mere 55 instances, for example, compared to 412 ‘Fatimah Ismails’ in Kedah.

Even when Merap tried to reduce coincidences by searching for at least three matches in both name and date of birth, Lee said he is still left with 263 voters throughout Malaysia who meet the criteria.

In most cases, these voters appear to live close to each other, but about two-thirds of them have incomplete addresses.

Leading the pack is Terengganu with 50 voters, Perak with 41, Kelantan with 31, and Kedah with 26.

In one example, he said there are three voters named ‘Ab Rapar Awang’ sharing the same birthday on July 15, 1949. Two of them are registered to vote in the Indera Mahkota parliamentary constituency, while another votes in the neighbouring Paya Besar.

Meanwhile, Sabah and Sarawak have the highest number of voters over the age of 100 - 1,062 and 475 persons respectively.

Lee said that in addition to the unusually high number of centenarians, these voters also tend to register at a relatively advanced age. On average, Sabah centenarian voters registered at 84 years of age and Sarawak voters at 65.

“Of course, people might say that Malaysia has a high standard of living and people start to live longer. We present to you these individuals who are born in 1897 (116 years old) and 1898 (115 years old),” he said referring to a voter in Penang and another in Perak.

“It is highly unlikely that they are alive at this time,” he said.

For comparison, the Guinness World Record for the oldest person is 122 years and 164 days, held by a now-deceased French woman.

Why we must vote for change!!!!!!

Why we must vote for change!!!!!!
April 19, 2013

In an open letter, senator Dr Ariffin Omar, a former president of Aliran, lists down the numerous problems plaguing the country and urges Malaysians to vote for change.

By Ariffin Omar

"We are now at the crossroads of our destiny. The 13th general election, slated to be held on May 5, will decide once and for all what future we are going to bequeath to our children and grandchildren.

We have lived for more than half a century under a regime which practices the politics of ethnic discrimination. In its wake this politics of apartheid has brought about corruption, mismanagement, cronyism and nepotism on a scale not seen in many countries. I have been told that as many as three million Malaysians have left this nation for other countries in despair. Can we afford such a loss?
 

The Barisan Nasional, which had its origins as the Alliance Party, which then comprised of the United Malays National Organisation, the Malayan Chinese Association and the Malayan Indian Congress, has brought this country to the brink of disaster.

In playing its racist politics on the false claims that the underdeveloped and underprivileged Malays needed government aid through the New Economic Policy, the BN has misused and abused this policy to enrich certain individuals in Umno including their cronies and hangers-on. The rights and privileges of non-Malays as guaranteed in the Malaysian Constitution have been ignored.
 

The BN has systematically destroyed the institutions of state. The judiciary has been emasculated and rendered subservient to the interests of the BN. Malaysians must know that hardly anyone now believes in the independence of the judiciary. Foreign investors investing in Malaysia have demanded the right to have any legal matters arising from their business disputes to be heard either in Singapore, London or even in Hong Kong. What is the value of our judiciary?

The civil service is nothing but a pliant tool of the BN. The percentage of non-Malays serving in the civil service is negligible. Why? The BN, in particular Umno, has been consistent in making sure that it is monopolised by Malays and thus ensure that the BN’s interests and corruption are protected. Even the police force and the army are not spared from the policy of mainly recruiting Malays into the services at the expense of non-Malays who are more than willing to serve.

This BN government has failed to realise that the non-Malays played a crucial role in the emergency to crush the communist insurrection. Many non-Malays gave their lives to defeat the communists especially those who served in the Special Branch many of whom were Chinese and Indians. Dayak trackers from Sarawak were also used to hunt down the communists. Has the BN forgotten all this?

We must not forget how the institution of the monarchy was distorted and manipulated to suit the interest of the BN. The former PM Mahathir had removed the powers of the rulers which were enshrined in the Constitution and had transferred these powers to the executive. Therefore the rulers consent was no longer necessary for any bill to become law. All that was needed was for parliament to pass the Bill again and after a period of time, the Bill becomes law even without the signature or the consent of the rulers. Thus an important part of the process of checks and balances was removed.
Parliament itself has become a mere debating club without much power to oversee many important agencies and bodies and demand accountability. For example the Election Commission is not responsible to Parliament but to the PM. … Parliament cannot even demand accountability from the SPRM as it is not answerable to Parliament. Even Petronas is not under the purview of Parliament or responsible to Parliament but to the PM.

Outlandish claims:
I am no great admirer of British colonial rule, but we cannot deny that in the field of education we inherited an educational system that was second to none in Asia. What is the standard of our educational system today? The DPM Muhyiddin has come out with an outlandish claim that our educational system is the best in this world. Well if that is the case why are the BN Ministers and Members of Parliament not sending their children to the local universities?

From the very beginning they send their children to international schools and after that off to foreign universities where the language of education is in English. As for us we are forced to send our children to an educational system which has neither value nor merit. Are we surprised that none of our universities is listed in the world rankings while countries like Indonesia and Thailand, which were formerly regarded as below us, are now far ahead of us in educational standards? What has the government got to say about this?

In terms of unity we have never been so divided in our history. There seems to be a deliberate policy to set the Malays against the non-Malays by using almost every conceivable excuse to provoke suspicion and tension among the various ethnic communities in Malaysia. Issues like the ‘Allah issue’ are apparently invented to cause religious disharmony. Worse, there is latitude given to extremists to insult and denigrate other religions in Malaysia.

The dragging-of-the-cow-head incident in KL and the remarks made by racist Malays and some Chinese converts against other religions and beliefs are given prominence. No action is taken against these individuals for making such seditious remarks. The BN claims that is part and parcel of freedom of speech as guaranteed in the Constitution. But the rights of other religions and beliefs that are also guaranteed in the Constitution are conveniently ignored.

The present government does not believe in unity because there has never been a consistent policy that promotes national unity. We have gone through the hollow slogans of ‘Bangsa Malaysia’, ‘Islam Hadhari’ and now ‘1Malaysia’. Every new PM comes with a new slogan that is either devoid of meaning or has no substance. For example what is this 1Malaysia when even in the BN circles the idea of 1Malaysia is not practised? In the BN, Umno reigns supreme; the MCA, the Gerakan and the MIC are handmaidens to Umno.

Now on the eve of this historic general election we can see just how hollow the 1Malaysia concept is. Anyone can see how insignificant the MCA, the Gerakan and the MIC are in helping the BN to regain power. These parties face annihilation at the hands of the voters. Only Umno can still count on some measure of support. Any seat allocated to these parties will be a seat that will be wrested by the opposition. Thus Umno is in a mortal dilemma concerning what seats (if any) to give to these parties. If the 1Malaysia is an abject failure in the BN, how will it succeed in the country?

This government has no respect for law and order or even for basic human rights which we are all entitled to. As an example, when the Bersih rallies took place the BN saw it as a threat to law and order even though the rally was very peaceful. The BN authorised the police to act harshly against those participating in the Bersih rallies. They were beaten and gassed and had water cannons turned on them. Some were arrested and charged in court for attempting to overthrow the government or wage war against the Agong.

These protesters were only armed with mineral water bottles. When Malaysian territory in Sabah was invaded by armed intruders at Lahad Datu, the BN described these invaders as neither terrorists nor militants and attempted to negotiate a settlement. Only after these intruders ambushed and killed Malaysian police personnel did the government classify these intruders as terrorists. Why the discrepancy in the treatment of the Bersih protesters and the armed Filipino intruders?

Custodial deaths:
Even more shocking are the innumerable deaths of those detained in police lock-ups. Many of these happen to be Indians. The causes of their deaths were never satisfactorily explained and calls for inquests and impartial postmortems are dismissed curtly by the authorities. The issue of unexplained deaths as in the case of Teoh Boon Hock and Ahmad Sarbani are also issues that need answers.

Can we continue with the same state of affairs for another 55 years? I doubt we can. Therefore, I appeal to you, my fellow Malaysians, to vote in the Pakatan Rakyat. Given our record in Penang and Selangor, we can take over Putrajaya and bring about much-needed changes for the better. For starters we will reduce the price of essential items that burden the people. We can and will be committed to tackling the issue of corruption. I admit that corruption can never be eliminated but at least we can minimise it as we have done in Penang.

We can improve the quality of education by ensuring that those appointed to work in the universities are suitably qualified and competent to teach. We will seriously take measures to improve the standard of education in Malaysian schools especially in Science and Mathematics. We will seriously look into providing cheap and efficient public transport for all Malaysians. Useless projects or industries will be scrapped. My hope is that we can dismantle Proton, which is a disaster to Malaysia. Even more important, we will dismantle monopolies that are being held by Umno cronies at the expenses of Malaysians. IPPs will be forced to lower rates while more affordable housing will be an important item in government planning.

Poverty, which is a bane in Malaysian society, will be tackled head-on not on the basis of race but on the basis of income levels and disparities. In this respect East Malaysia will be a priority area. At the same time marginalised groups such as the Indians as well as the Orang Asli will have their interests attended to.

Even more important, a sense of belonging to the nation will be inculcated among all Malaysians. We hope that through this we can remove the poison of racism and ethnic hostility fostered by the BN government all these 55 years. Citizens who were not given their legal documents as citizens will have this injustice redressed. At the same time, foreigners who were given citizenships for the sake of political expedience by the BN will have their citizenship revoked and they will be deported to their country of origin. It is important to stress that Malaysia belongs to Malaysians.

Last but not least, leaders of the BN involved in massive corruption and treachery to this nation of ours will be apprehended and put on trial. Those who committed injustices against the people will not be allowed to escape with their ill-gotten gains. We will ensure that corruption is tackled head on. The SPRM will be made to act as strictly as possible within the law and it should be answerable to Parliament. Similarly the Election Commission will be an independent body accountable and answerable to Parliament. It is also vital that Petronas, an important agency, be answerable and accountable to Parliament.

My fellow Malaysians, it is my hope that after reading this short appeal you will take the time to ponder on the all-important choice that you will have to make on May 5, 2013. Please remember, voting for the Pakatan Rakyat is not just merely voting for another party but it is voting for the future well-being of yourselves, your children and your grandchildren. Please do not gamble with the future of the coming generations. Vote wisely."

Malaysians Flying Home to Vote!

The upcoming general election in Malaysia, scheduled to be held on the 5th May 2013, is perceived to be the most challenging battle in between the National Front Coalition (Barisan Nasional/BN) that has been the ruling coalition for 56 years as well as the Peopls´s Pact (Pakatan Rakyat/PR) that has shown her willingness to take over the ruling position. Indeed, the GE13 that may mark a turning point in Malaysia´s history is worth to be witnessed by the world citizens how Malaysians move with their peaceful manner in the democratic process of their country.

I am a Malaysian living in Switzerland since I married to my German husband  2 ½ years ago. Upon the day I moved to Switzerland, I have known that I would certainly fly home to vote whenever the election is called. At that time, I had never thought I would tell the whole world that, I among many overseas Malaysians are flying home to vote, indeed we want to vote for “CHANGE”. 

During many of our discussions, my German husband asked what I hold such strong feeling towards my home country as he thinks my country has not done much to me. I replied: “My country may not have done much for me, but it is my country. Indeed, because I personally experienced discrimination, unfair treatments, bureaucracy and inefficiency, I don’t want others who live in Malaysia, even I may not know them, to experience that.”

I don’t see myself a patriotic. The celebration of National Independent Day on 31 August has been merely any other public national holiday for me. However, casting my vote in person in Malaysia for the upcoming 13^th general election in 2013 is “something” I have never been so persistent to do in my life. To be frank, I even see it even more important than my own life. I flew back from Switzerland and waited two months in Malaysia from 6 February to 3 April on the fact that the Parliament was due to dissolve by 28 May 2013. Parliament was not dissolved during my two-month stay in Malaysia. Indeed, it was dissolved exactly on the day I landed Zurich after waiting two months in Malaysia. I recalled that the moment I switched on my mobile upon landing in Zurich Airport, the first message appeared was “Parliament dissolved!” from a friend in Malaysia.

Later, I waited 6 days for the Election Commission to declare the Polling Date. Soon after I confirmed the Polling Date was firmed, I purchased my flight ticket without any hesitation to land Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia three days before the Polling Date.

I was also asked why I fly from Switzerland with sixteen hours of flight journey just to cast my single vote in Malaysia instead of signing up as a postal voter. I was questioned should I am concerned of the possibility of my vote being manipulated with voting abroad, vote manipulation could happen in Malaysia as well.

Despite the convenience of “postal voters” offered for the first time in Malaysia´s history to overseas Malaysians excepts for Malaysians in Singapore, Brunei, Kalimantan and southern Thailand, to vote at their residing countries, only 6,298 Malaysian voters abroad, or 0.6 per cent, out of about a million Malaysians living overseas have registered as postal voters. On the contrary, thousands of overseas Malaysians rather purchase their air tickets to fly back across the globe to cast their vote in person in Malaysia. 

Some commented that the dismaying registration of postal voters is due to the strict requirements that the number of stays of overseas Malaysians for the last five years must be more than a total of 30 days, indeed actual dates of those 30 days are requested to state in the application form; indeed the applicant must have already been a registered voter in Malaysia. Some commented that the registration was too short as the postal voting was offered in December 2012, five months before the Parliament was due to expire.

In my opinion, the main reason for the poor response of postal voters is the incredibility of Election Commission as well as the process of postal votes counting in doubt.

First, the Chairman as well as the deputy chairman and five members of Election Commission (EC) that is set up to regulate and conduct elections in Malaysia, are selected with the advice of the Prime Minister, who is the Head of the ruling political coalition! By right all members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) after the consultation with the Conference of Rulers that comprises the nine rulers of the Malay states, and the governors of the other four states. Indeed, the Commission must have the confidence of the public. However, although the Constitution does not expressly require consultation with the Prime Minister in this regard, it has been argued that under Article 40 of the Constitution, the King cannot act on his own discretion unless explicitly stated; in all other cases, he must acquiesce to the advice of the Prime Minister, and as such the appointments to the Commission are made with the advice of the Prime Minister.

Second, the public confidence in the EC is eroded. A number of irregularities in postal voter registration mostly Malaysians residing in China, has been detected. It is reported that some have been made postal voters without their consent. For example, a housewife residing in Shanghai for more than 15 years, and not under any of the EC`s eligible postal voter categories, i.e. a public servant, military (personnel) or a full time student, was made a postal voter without application, without consent, without knowledge, in July 2013, before postal voters are open to civilian overseas Malaysians. In another case, a secondary school teacher in Klang was also made a postal voter without her consent, although she is in Malaysia and had studied in Beijing more than 9 years ago. Till date, she is still a postal voter and hence her constitutional right has been unfairly denied as she is unable to vote at her constituency in Seputeh unless she flies to vote at the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing Meanwhile, a businessperson residing in Shanghai for over 9 years found himself registered as a voter in Kelantan, although he has never been to the state. Even stranger, he has never registered as a voter. (Voters are not automatically made in Malaysia. Malaysians age more than 21 years old must submit their application to register as voters.)

On the other hand, while many Malaysians flying home to vote, there are at least two Malaysians known to have to fly out from Malaysia to vote in Taiwan. One is a Malaysian guy who studied in Taiwan in 2004 and stayed in Taiwan for 8 years until 2012 is shocked to find out that he is listed as a postal voter in Taipei without his consent as he has never applied as a postal voter. Another is a graduate student pursuing his doctorate studies in Malaysia who studied in Taiwan in 2003 for 10 years. Although the coming Polling Date will be the first time for them to vote, they joked that perhaps it would not be the first time “they” vote as they believe phantoms have voted for them in the last general election.

Third, the postal votes will not been counted on the same day at the Malaysian embassies, but seven days after the ballot papers being transported back from overseas to a counting center in Malaysia. Due to previous malpractice of EC being reported, overseas Malaysians concern that their votes are exposed under the risk of manipulation during the transportation process.

There are cases of vote manipulations happened even at polling stations in Malaysia as well. The well-spread case comes from my hometown – Lumut, Perak. According to the locals, Kong Cho Ha, a candidate under BN, supposedly should have been lost. The votes were counted two times and he confirmed lost. However, out of a sudden, the counting station went out of electricity supply. When the electricity supply resumed, there was a box of ballot papers sitting in the counting station that apparently had been missed out. In the end, Kong Cho Ha won by the skin of his teeth with the slight majority of 298 votes, indeed through postal votes. Kong Cho Ha later was appointed as the Transport Minister.

Yes, Malaysians who have long learnt with the slogan of “Malaysia Boleh!” (literally “Malaysia Can”) that it turned out to be a national joke that any ridiculous and unreasonable thing can happen in Malaysia, are aware that there is no assurance even voting within Malaysia. However, after experiencing the watershed moment in Malaysian history dubbed “Malaysia´s political tsunami” that shocked the nation that a change of government could nearly been happened, concerned Malaysians who are sick of ruling politicians playing racial cards want to endeavor their very best to kick out corruption as well as to restore damaged systems in Malaysia.

In the last general election in 2008, the ruling National Front Coalition (Barisan Nasional/BN) that is dominated by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) along with the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), as well as ten smaller parties, lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority which is needed to change the constitution and only won 137 of the 222 seats. 4 out of the 13 Malaysian states were lost to the People Coalition (Pakatan Rakyat/PR) formed by the three major opposition parties namely the People’s Justice Party (PKR), the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), and the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Indeed, out of the 222 seats in parliament, 56 (or over 25%) are in Sabah (25) and Sarawak (31), leading some to label these states as “kingmakers” or “fixed deposits of BN”. Had Sabah and Sarawak not brought in their 56 seats in the last elections, there could have been a change of government.

Besides a close chance the federal government would have been changed, the historic Election 2008 has marked four states of Perak, Penang, Kedah and Selangor experienced change of state government for the first time in history, while Kelantan retained by PAS. However a year later, three PR assemblymen in Perak jumped from PR to BN and sparked the collapse of the PR state government in Perak.

Being alert of a real possibility of losing for the first time in history in the upcoming GE13, BN has been utilizing its ruling machineries to win votes. The long list reaches from vote buying, stuffing of ballot boxes, bussing of voters to other constituencies and multiple voting, to granting quick citizenship with voting rights to illegal immigrants (mainly from Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan). Under the 1Malaysia People’s Aid program, vouchers in several amounts of money from RM250 and RM500 have been giving out to the elderly as well as low-income families that followed with the message reminders verbally and in written phone message “Remember to vote for BN”. In addition, two weeks after the Parliament dissolved, the Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Deputy Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong under the “Caretaker Government” summoned 6,000 primary school teachers to meet and reminded that civil servants must vote for the ruling coalition.

Largely due to the concern of deteriorating crimes and environmental issues, Malaysians endeavor to change their destiny with mobilizing each other at home and abroad to vote so that a peaceful transition of ruling power can happen in a democracy way.  

Despite restrictions on freedoms of assembly, speech, and the press, Malaysian civil society has moved even more diverse and vibrant. A few NGOs are formed such as “BERSIH” (literally “CLEAN”) that calls for a clean election, “ABU” (Malay “Asal Bukan UMNO”, literally “As long as it is not UMNO”) that aims to detect phantom voters, as well as “Mamas Bersih” with mothers coming out from houses and going to streets speaking to the Public to create awareness over social issues. Besides that, even few mainstream newspapers that are haunted by media censorship transmit some hidden messages of “Change” in their own creative ways. What is more, based on my personal interaction, they are long-term supporters of BN who will either switch their voting preference or they say they will not come out to vote this time.

The limelight of GE13 in Malaysia has drawn the hearts of millions of Malaysians at home and abroad closer should they know each other in real life or merely in the cyber world. They endeavor their best at their own capacity and demonstrate solidarity in calling for more to come out and fly back to vote in Malaysia.

From a population of 28 million people, about 13.3 million Malaysians are eligible to vote, with about 3 million being first-time voters.

Among more than a million Malaysians living overseas, at least 90% of overseas Malaysians numbering between 300,000 and 500,000 work/reside in Singapore. In conjunction with “Malaysians go home to vote campaign”, easibook.com and catchhatbus.com have jointly launched a promotion bus fare for all Malaysians working in Singapore to go home to vote. In addition, Malaysians working in Singapore have also arranged carpool online. Norman Goh will fly back from Singapore to vote in his origin state – Sarawak. He added that some his fellows who are from the interior part of Borneo Forest not only need to fly two hours from Singapore, but also drive two hours and 3 hours by boat upon their landing.

All bus tickets travelling from Singapore to various parts of Malaysia are sold out within a day on the EC´s announcement of the Polling Date. One of the bus operators, Five Stars Tours is considering expanding its daily operations to 100 coaches daily from the present 50. Besides, there are groups have also approached bus companies to charter entire coaches. In addition, there are individuals offered online through social media sites such as Facebook to cross the border of Singapore and Malaysia multiple times in a day in order to transport Malaysians back home to vote. Later, EC reminded foreigners, projecting Singaporeans, not to drive Malaysian voters to enter Malaysia in their vehicles of foreign-registered car plates.

“Bersih Shanghai” – a branch of the global Bersih campaigns for a clean election in Malaysia, initiated a “Go Back To Vote Campaign” to subsidize RMB500, sponsored by self-initiated individuals, for each Malaysian living in Shanghai who are less capable to purchase air tickets to fly home to vote such as students and young workers, till date there are 200 Malaysians living in Shanghai have applied for the subsidy and so far 141 confirmed to obtain the subsidy. Weng Liew from “Bersih Shanghai” estimates total of 3,000 flying back to Malaysia from China. Johnson Chong, a Malaysian in Shanghai purchased four tickets for him, his wife and two children. He said: “Four people sixteen boarding tickets cost at least RMB10,000! Nevertheless, I go ahead beyond my full strength for the sake of my country!”

“Bersih Hong Kong” has also launched a similar campaign offer HK$500 per person to support Malaysians flying home to vote. According to “Bersih Hong Kong”, there are 50+ Malaysians have applied for the subsidy program of flying back to vote in Malaysia. On top of that, “Bersih Hong Kong” estimates about 800 Malaysians working in South China (Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macau) fly back to vote in Malaysia. Lee Willson, the key person in “Bersih Hong Kong”: “Malaysia is our home, it is our basic duty to safeguard it and see improvements to it. Coupled with cases of phantom voting, a high voting turnout rate will minimize the fraud at the same time offers a better chance of stability in the event there is regime change or hung parliament.”

Talking about the inconvenience of flying home to vote, Lee Willson said: “Yes, there is definitely lots of inconvenience such as meetings will have to be postponed and business trips to be rescheduled, not mentioning family arrangements as children are still schooling.” Nevertheless, he added “Wherever we are, home is a place where we ultimately belong, its well-being being determined by political factors. We shall not let inferiors rule over us without us having a say in how we want our resources managed. The progress of Malaysia should have nothing to do with racial and religious issues, not even political parties.”

In Taiwan, there are about 100 Malaysians fly home to vote. Among those, there are not lacks of university students who have to deal with limited living expenses. Wong Wei Cheng and Sherl Hon are both university students in Taipei. They respectively spent their one-month living expense to purchase air tickets in order to vote in Malaysia! Sherl Hon described herself a lazy and cowardly person who is afraid of hassles, however, this time, she believes flying home to vote is the right thing to do. She is inspired that her single vote is able to contribute to the restoration of a safe land to herself, her family as well as her fellow Malaysians. Besides, there is a Malaysian student in Tokyo has spent his two months of part-time earnings for a flight ticket to vote at home. In corresponding to the shortage of fund for overseas students and young workers wanting to fly home to vote, there are Malaysians at home and abroad try to reach out those needy to sponsor them airfares to fly home to vote. 

Dr Vanaja Panickar, a Malaysian who lives in Gold Coast, Queensland says: "I don´t have any plan to head back to Malaysia, but I will certainly go back to vote because I believe Malaysians deserve a better homeland." Dr Vanaja explained that she and her family grew up with having experienced racial policies in Malaysia, now she hopes, not so much for herself, but for all Malaysians that Malaysians can finally change evil in its naked form for a government that promises fair play. She added: “I believe in basic human rights and we, as Malaysians, should do our bit for the country of our birth land.” With her move of flying back to Malaysia, she will not be able to take care of her two little grandchildren during her absence and thus her daughter will need to do everything by herself. Dr Vanaja revealed: “If I had to fly to the moon to vote in Malaysia, I would gladly do that too!”

Hanim Seymour is a self-funding master student of Counseling at the Curtin University of Perth who is determined to fly back to vote. She explained that her motivation is all about exercising her civil rights as a Malaysian who is very concerned about the negative developments politically, especially in relation to corruption, to growing racism, and to growing poverty. The experience of interacting with women and children from lower income households in Malaysia when Hanim worked as a head of a TV production filming in the slum area of Chowkit in Kuala Lumpur continually reinforces within her, that the country needs to change - to be more just, fairer, and to be corrupt no longer. Hanim elaborated that she overcame tedious process to obtain approval from her university as well as the Australian Immigration Department before she finally be able to purchase her flight. In order not to miss any class, she will spend merely three nights in Malaysia for the sole purpose of casting her vote in person in her home country.

Ammar Khairi, a Malaysian working in Melbourne, has flown back to Malaysia with Air Asia, a Malaysian-originated Asian budget airline that has introduced promotion airfares for Malaysian voters, soon after the Parliament is dissolved to campaign for more Malaysians coming out to vote for change. He is among Malaysians who will not only vote, but have registered as counting agents at the polling stations on the election date. Besides coming come to vote, there is also a drive of urging more to sign up as counting agents to monitor, reduce and report malpractice.

Even though the number is not as large as those flying back from countries in Asia, there are Malaysians living in Europe, North America and Middle East flying home to vote. I am a Malaysian living in Switzerland. I am flying home to vote as I want my fellow Malaysians to have the chance of living with integrity in a safe and clean land even though I do not live in my motherland.

Sim Tze Wei, a Malaysian living in London who has not been back to Malaysia last three years, will head home for three weeks during the election period. Sim said: “It is a good chance to improve the living condition in Malaysia. Every overseas Malaysian should vote by going home or postal vote.”

Francis Dass, a Malaysian working in Kabul, Afghanistan, waits anxiously for the leave approval from his boss. He explained: “Election is announced after I just came back from a three-week home vacation which was one of three annual vacations allowed by my company. However, I insist to fly home to vote rather than voting as a postal voter due to my concern of possible malpractice in the postal voting system.”

A middle-aged Malaysian lady posted her photo online with holding a “Flying Home to Vote” postcard while she was heading back to her hometown Perak at the Los Angeles Airport. She said: “I am flying home from Los Angeles to cast my precious vote! I refuse to be a dumb anymore for my grandchildren and next generations. I love my country. I love the land where I have grown up ~ Malaysia! Change!”

Some overseas Malaysians especially those live in the North America and Europe, although they not be able to fly back to vote due to various reasons, some have registered as postal voters whilst some insist not to register due to the anxiety of their postal votes being manipulated. Nevertheless, they have also joined the force of influencing as many votes as they can from the closest network of family and friends to vote for change.

Thousands of Malaysians overseas spend their own pocket money to purchase air tickets, tolerate the long-haul journeys, overcome the inconvenience caused in their daily life and sacrifice their precious time to fly home to vote. Countless number of Malaysians campaign untiringly in physical life and/or in cyber world. Their hopes are merely: Kick out corruption as well as racism, establish a bi-partisan system that encourages counter-check-and-balance culture as well as to restore a clean, green, safe and progressive country for all Malaysians!  
                                                                       

Without many being aware, Malaysians at home and abroad have demonstrated the spirit of solidarity and they have united across all ethnics. Indeed, the upcoming GE13 may mark the beginning of the end of racial politics which has been a practice for politicians to win votes since Malaysia obtained independence in 1957 by BN coalition that is defined on explicitly racial lines: one for Malays, the country’s largest ethnic group; one for Chinese; and one for Indians. But in recent years, the cohesion of those groups has begun to fray.

Opinion polls suggest a narrow win for the National Front with the head of BN coalition Najib faces pressure to return the party to its two-thirds majority in parliament. According to a survey of 1021 voters in Peninsular Malaysia conducted between 23 January and 6 February 2013 by Merdeka Centre, an opinion research firm, the Prime Minister’s approval rating fell to the lowest in 18 months which slipped even further to 61% from 63% at the end of December 2012 and from 65% in November 2012.

The survey also detected movements in voter sentiments towards the government and the ruling BN whereby 48% said they were “happy with the government” while 45% reported they were “happy with BN”. The survey also found declines from among Malay respondents towards the government and BN. The survey found Chinese voters, who make up about one-quarter of the country’s population of nearly 30 million, have abandoned the BN coalition in large numbers, and the Malays who have dominated the political hierarchy for five decades are divided. According to the survey, while satisfaction among Chinese and Indian voters remained at 34% and 75% respectively, the sentiment among Malay voters had declined 4% from 77% to 73%.

The survey also stated that 20% strong feel and 36% feel the country is moving towards the right direction while 28% strong feel and 9% feel the country is moving towards the wrong direction, with 7% answered unsure and 1% refused to comment.

It is believed that first-time voters, who make up a significant 30% of the total 13.3 million voter population, are seen to be the kingmakers in the GE13. Nevertheless, the number may include 2 millions of foreign workers who have obtained quick Malaysian nationality with voting rights as claimed to have detected by ABU, among Malaysians who have never voted in their whole life but they feel the urge to vote now.