Do not be surprised by the title. Hear me out for just a couple of paragraphs...
Before Perak 2009
Here's the common scenario in any election in Malaysia, be it general, state or by-elections. - BN announces candidates, opposition announces candidates and you may have the occasional independent or 'back up' also-rans. - In the run up to the elections, usually within 7 days but the current trend suggest 10 or so, said constituency will see millions upon millions being poured in - roads, schools, temples, suraus, grants, projects, anything you else you can think of. Granted, if it's a by-election, the said area shall see 50 years of development overnight. - The usual opposition ceramahs, BN's free food and/or mini-concert events - Handouts and 'Ang pows' of all kind to all kinds of 'needy' folk - The usual accusations and counter accusations of fraud, vote buying, vote rigging, gerrymandering et al
So why do I say that Bukits Gantang and Selambau will have the CLEANEST elections ever?
Ok. If one were to use Permatang Pauh and KT or even a large chunk of the areas that fell to PR in March 08, as a yardstick, one does not need Khairy's Oxbridge credentials to come to a conclusion that all the above does not guarantee success at the ballot boxes. After all, in countless ceramahs, opposition leaders will tell you something along the lines of, "if they give you take. But still vote Rocket (Pas or PKR)!". Furthermore, handling out cash and/or freebies to the masses is always a logistical and public relations nightmare! So most of BN would by now have realised that they need another, more effective or shall we say 'sure fire' solution. And by God! Najis seems to have found one. Or three!
Which brings us to the re-emergence of commodity that is proving itself to be recession proof, worldwide financial meltdown proof! - The Malaysian Politician
Like all other commodities and equities, we can generally classify this 'product' into a few categories and sub-categories, each with different values (monetary ) and grades. Here are a few examples
A - Elected Reps (ER)
The elected representative, is usually worth the most and in light of the current stalemate in national politics, the most sought after -Some say some would pay tens of millions to get hold of one - as in a hung parliament or legislature, having procured one from the other side may well win you the right to form the government of the day. (Read up on the current Perak fiasco)
Within the 'Elected Reps' category, we will generally find a few other sub-categories, namely Opposition Rep in legislatures with small majorities - 'ORSM' ( e.g. Negri Sembilan)
Opposition Reps in legislatures with large majorities - 'ORLM' (e.g. Johore, Sarawak, Sabah)
Government Reps in legislature where BN is in the opposition - 'GRBNO' (e.g. Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Kelantan, Perak)
You don't need a degree and quantum physics to know that GRBNOs are the costliest, as happened in the Silver State recently. They will literally cost you a 'King's Ransom' plus a Camry or two. And lastly there's the Independents - "Ind", who by and large come at fairly economical rates.
On occasions ( pre Sept 16 2008, Bota, every time Anwar threatens to have the numbers), a rarer sub - category of this item will also be put on the market and it is termed the Soon to turn Opposition BN MP or Adun or in short, STOPBNMADs.
Due to the set up of the current Parliament ( no more 2/3 majority, 30 MPs to shift the power of balance), they are "HOT" commodities. Think fortune 500, Think Bluechips! (Well at least before the financial meltdown).
These, when they appear on the shelves will be snapped up by the highest bidder within a flash. Quite often, bidders have to throw in 'agriculture themed Holidays to Taiwan' and other add-ons like ' The disappearing act' and 'high-tea @ Kamunting'. Thus far, we have not seen the STOPBNMADs from morphing into SNAFUs (Stop Najis, F@ck Umnooo) so perhaps the trip to Taiwan worked. Or maybe, the Transfer Window for Parliament hasn't opened yet. That we leave to the players and dealers in this new and highly entertaining trade.
B - Non Elected Personalities (NEP)
These, compared to the ERs come fairly cheap, and are usually procured for added effect (Ezam*, Nalla). However, as cheaply as they maybe, certain NEPs, when procured and utilized at the right and opportune time in the hands of a shrewd political chess player can have election winning effects - i.e the case of Ramlang Porigi in Permatang Pauh last year.
So let us go back to 'Why the coming by-elections will be the 'cleanest ever'
Let me perhaps try to answer this question in the form of the following question - Why would anyone invest tens or hundreds of millions of Ringgit and move phantoms and uniformed personnel to try and win an election where the odds are so highly staked against you, when you can 'procure' the allegiance of the elected rep afterwards? Makes more economical sense to me.
*in Ezam's case, his procurement resulted in the exact opposite of what his new owners desired. A Political 'FUBAR' (F*cked Up Beyond Any Repair) - contributing to the loses in the PP and KT by-elections.
author's note: photo's of politicians and personalities above are posted for the convenience of readers to identify the type of politicians (by virtue of the state of the legislature that they are a member of i.e. small majority, large majority, hung parliament etc) that can be classified under the respective categories. There is no intention implied or otherwise to paint any of them as having put themselves on the market.
Here's the common scenario in any election in Malaysia, be it general, state or by-elections. - BN announces candidates, opposition announces candidates and you may have the occasional independent or 'back up' also-rans. - In the run up to the elections, usually within 7 days but the current trend suggest 10 or so, said constituency will see millions upon millions being poured in - roads, schools, temples, suraus, grants, projects, anything you else you can think of. Granted, if it's a by-election, the said area shall see 50 years of development overnight. - The usual opposition ceramahs, BN's free food and/or mini-concert events - Handouts and 'Ang pows' of all kind to all kinds of 'needy' folk - The usual accusations and counter accusations of fraud, vote buying, vote rigging, gerrymandering et al
So why do I say that Bukits Gantang and Selambau will have the CLEANEST elections ever?
Ok. If one were to use Permatang Pauh and KT or even a large chunk of the areas that fell to PR in March 08, as a yardstick, one does not need Khairy's Oxbridge credentials to come to a conclusion that all the above does not guarantee success at the ballot boxes. After all, in countless ceramahs, opposition leaders will tell you something along the lines of, "if they give you take. But still vote Rocket (Pas or PKR)!". Furthermore, handling out cash and/or freebies to the masses is always a logistical and public relations nightmare! So most of BN would by now have realised that they need another, more effective or shall we say 'sure fire' solution. And by God! Najis seems to have found one. Or three!
Which brings us to the re-emergence of commodity that is proving itself to be recession proof, worldwide financial meltdown proof! - The Malaysian Politician
Like all other commodities and equities, we can generally classify this 'product' into a few categories and sub-categories, each with different values (monetary ) and grades. Here are a few examples
A - Elected Reps (ER)
The elected representative, is usually worth the most and in light of the current stalemate in national politics, the most sought after -Some say some would pay tens of millions to get hold of one - as in a hung parliament or legislature, having procured one from the other side may well win you the right to form the government of the day. (Read up on the current Perak fiasco)
Within the 'Elected Reps' category, we will generally find a few other sub-categories, namely Opposition Rep in legislatures with small majorities - 'ORSM' ( e.g. Negri Sembilan)
Opposition Reps in legislatures with large majorities - 'ORLM' (e.g. Johore, Sarawak, Sabah)
Government Reps in legislature where BN is in the opposition - 'GRBNO' (e.g. Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Kelantan, Perak)
You don't need a degree and quantum physics to know that GRBNOs are the costliest, as happened in the Silver State recently. They will literally cost you a 'King's Ransom' plus a Camry or two. And lastly there's the Independents - "Ind", who by and large come at fairly economical rates.
On occasions ( pre Sept 16 2008, Bota, every time Anwar threatens to have the numbers), a rarer sub - category of this item will also be put on the market and it is termed the Soon to turn Opposition BN MP or Adun or in short, STOPBNMADs.
Due to the set up of the current Parliament ( no more 2/3 majority, 30 MPs to shift the power of balance), they are "HOT" commodities. Think fortune 500, Think Bluechips! (Well at least before the financial meltdown).
These, when they appear on the shelves will be snapped up by the highest bidder within a flash. Quite often, bidders have to throw in 'agriculture themed Holidays to Taiwan' and other add-ons like ' The disappearing act' and 'high-tea @ Kamunting'. Thus far, we have not seen the STOPBNMADs from morphing into SNAFUs (Stop Najis, F@ck Umnooo) so perhaps the trip to Taiwan worked. Or maybe, the Transfer Window for Parliament hasn't opened yet. That we leave to the players and dealers in this new and highly entertaining trade.
B - Non Elected Personalities (NEP)
These, compared to the ERs come fairly cheap, and are usually procured for added effect (Ezam*, Nalla). However, as cheaply as they maybe, certain NEPs, when procured and utilized at the right and opportune time in the hands of a shrewd political chess player can have election winning effects - i.e the case of Ramlang Porigi in Permatang Pauh last year.
So let us go back to 'Why the coming by-elections will be the 'cleanest ever'
Let me perhaps try to answer this question in the form of the following question - Why would anyone invest tens or hundreds of millions of Ringgit and move phantoms and uniformed personnel to try and win an election where the odds are so highly staked against you, when you can 'procure' the allegiance of the elected rep afterwards? Makes more economical sense to me.
*in Ezam's case, his procurement resulted in the exact opposite of what his new owners desired. A Political 'FUBAR' (F*cked Up Beyond Any Repair) - contributing to the loses in the PP and KT by-elections.
author's note: photo's of politicians and personalities above are posted for the convenience of readers to identify the type of politicians (by virtue of the state of the legislature that they are a member of i.e. small majority, large majority, hung parliament etc) that can be classified under the respective categories. There is no intention implied or otherwise to paint any of them as having put themselves on the market.
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