Thursday, February 12, 2009

All eyes on Pensiangan - another by-election?

Latest: Judgment deferred
The Federal Court today reserved judgment in an appeal by Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup to quash the nullification of his election to the Pensiangan parliamentary seat in the March 8 general election. Full story here.

Another by-election could well be in the offing. The focus is on the Federal Court hearing on the appeal from Pensiangan MP Joseph Kurup, whose parliamentary seat was declared null and void in March last year. He may have won the seat uncontested but his political future is now in the balance. The court has fixed Feb 12 and 13 for the hearing but no immediate decision is expected. Pensiangan is the only seat held by Kurup's PBRS, an interior-based Sabah party. If the decision is upheld by the Federal Court, a by election would have to be called. Yong Teck Lee's SAPP and PKR are said to be keen in contesting the seat. The PBS has also lobbied openly for the seat if a fight is on. Joseph Pairin has claimed that only PBS can win the seat, a remark which Kurup has not taken lightly or kindly. But the question is whether Malaysians can stomach another by-election. There seems to be no end to by-elections in this country.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, this is a great development for democracy. What we cannot stomach is illegal overthrow and takeover of govts like what Najib did in Perak. Mind you, the United States have elections every 2 years (1/3 of their parliament seats. the US Congress, is up for grabs every 2 years, to enlighten you) so that voters can vent their frustration with the govt of the day.

romerz said...

We will have to stomach another by-election so long as the the ruling elite do not recognize democracy and fair play.

WCW, your rice bowl notwithstanding, aren't you sick and tired of the 'brutality' of the ruling elite?

I do not know about you but I think the majority of ordinary fair thinking Malaysian's tolerance had been breached.

Not so much on 8 March 2008 (that was but a mild warning) but in the events that happened subsequent to 8 March!

ChengHo said...

Anwar is a maestro for every by -election he make himself relevant to Malaysia
He is very charming and peoples are mesmerise by his rhetoric
Anwar is using DAP to the fullest
After Pensiangan probably another PKR seat another case of MIA in Selangor
Najib and the government of the day must continue with the economic plan to revive the after effect of world economic slowdown

Anonymous said...

Can M'sian's stomach another by-election?

You gotta be kidding, Chun Wai!

Bring it on! M'sians want change, a another sweep to pick up the dustballs that remained from the last election.

Anonymous said...

Year of Ox year of By-election ! Keep on by-election... One by one UMNO BN will kick out untill we move in to Putrajaya ! ! HIDUP PR !!!

Anonymous said...

Elections are the only way to reflect the people's will in a democracy. So the excuse that they are messy and should be avoided or minimised is a very poor one, reflecting the fear of the BN in losing because of its bad policies and management which have angered the people, especially the illegal power grab in Perak. The mess caused by the BN in 50 years in this beautiful country ought to be cleaned up, and if elections is the only way, then the EC has the responsibility to carry them out.

Anonymous said...

The outcome in East Malaysia will be interesting to watch. Pensiangan will be a bellweather seat to indicate how much Sabahans have changed since the March08 elections. As for Peninsular Malaysia, the two by-elections will be tough for BN. Except for the core UMNO supporters, the public perception of UMNO is very negative. The memory of the Perak coup is still fresh in the memory. The 3 defectors are still in hiding. And even if the state assembly meet, the trio may not even turn up for the meeting. Which leaves the BN side very shaky. Hee can't even feel safe to appear in her constituency and home. As for the other two, the court case will likely drag on for a long time. If they are discharged too quickly, it will confirm allegations that the court is tainted. If they are convicted, by-elections will happen. After a period, the prosecutors and witnesses will likely put up a lousy case, and lose the case so that the duo do not get convicted.
And in the long intervening period, anything could happen.

Anonymous said...

Kurup will lose his deposit. Kurup knows it, PBS knows it, Pairin knows it, Barisan Nasional knows it. Pakatan will win hands down. The sentiment has swung dramatically to Pakatan, thanks to Umno hagemony, treachery, disrespect for minorities, insolence, stupidity, racism, bigotry. Care to add more superlatives? Anyone?

Unknown said...

Dear Wong,

My friends told me not to read newspapers nowadays because all the bad news will make a person depressed, cynical, distrusting of our leaders.

Reading all the news about receession, job loss, allegations of corruption, lies, disappearance of leaders, counter allegations, accusation of treason, etc does affect a person's state of mind, they say.

I am not sure whether this is true or not.

The other day, a friend of mine, Freddie Neo called me to pray and call upon God not to be silent but to intervene and act against evil and cunning people who plot to destroy the nation.

This God-fearing friend of mine seldom call. He apparently must have gotten so fed up with the state of this nation that he took the trouble to call and ask me to read Psalms 83.

Yes. Maybe my friend is right. There is too much nonsense going on in this nation.

I am beginning to think we must stop reading the newspapers.

To be ignorant is bliss, they say.

But one thing is true. As my friend say , may God intervene and heal this land.

Anonymous said...

DS WCW, excuse me for digressing from the topic, but today I drove along the federal highway,and I could not help but slow down and observe the monster-size billboard with Badawi's face on it. What the @#$% is on his mind? Is he learning from Sadam Hussein, or the "dear great leader" of N. Korea??? Hello Badawi!!! Are you out of your mind? Does STAR or DA WCW have anything to say about that monster size billboard of Badawi?
GLORIOUSMELOVEME

K L said...

One by-election after one another ! So when is our national economic issue going to be solved ? Might as well turn the bulk of the so-called stimulus package into buy-elections !

Anonymous said...

When the shoe is on the other foot, i.e. when BN is the minority opposition, you can bet that they will be most welcoming of by elections by any means necessary.