Indelible Ink

Only Malaysians would camwhore their indelible-inked fingers.

But on the serious side, there have been numerous reports that the ink could be easily washed off with soap and water.

This is by far the dirtiest election ever.

Idiot Foreigner Blunders Into Angry Constituency

To be fair, the Malaysians are merely telling him off but I like the fear in his eyes -- knowing he's doing something wrong.

Voting Tips

1. Vote early, defend your polling stations and also, if you can, test out the indelible ink on your finger with different solutions - bring along small quantities of soap, nail polish remover, alcohol swab etc.o use after voting -but away from prying eyes. And if the stain comes off, let the relevant NGO know right away.

2. You may also want to follow the suggestion regarding smudges. Take note too that if SPR Kerani 3 tries to fold your ballot paper before giving it to you, you have every right to tell him/her politely not to do that.

Malaysia Election Is Too Close to Call

From New York Times:

Analysts say that Malaysia's 13.3 million registered voters have been given a stark choice: the continuation of a political and economic system based largely on race, by a group that has firmly held power since the country's independence in 1957, or a completely new direction with a combative but untested opposition promising dramatic changes.

"It's either to accept that we need to mature as a country and support reform, or be stuck in the old ways of semi-authoritarianism, controlled media, an economic policy lacking in transparency and using the old race-based economic policies," Mr. Anwar said in an interview.

Mr. Najib has countered with a "stay the course" argument, touting political, social and economic changes and saying that the government's policies have maintained Malaysia's status as a stable, modern emerging country with Southeast Asia's third-largest economy.

"That is why the opposition's call for reform has had a poor response from the people," Mr. Najib said during a campaign rally this week in the northern state of Terengganu. "Which is better: street demonstrations or respecting the law? Which is better: sowing discord in the community or inculcating good moral values?"

Read the rest: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/04/world/asia/04iht-malaysia04.html?_r=0

Violence, 'faulty ink' mar Malaysian vote

Hong Kong (CNN) - Malaysia's closest-ever election is also fast becoming what some have described as its most violent amid reports of petrol bombs, texted death threats and beatings in the weeks leading up to Sunday's poll.

Just days before polling booths opened, the potential for voter fraud was also being alleged after reports that indelible ink used to mark the fingers of advance voters was washing off with water.

"The whole purpose of introducing indelible ink is to cut off multiple voters -- that is now being compromised by low quality ink," said Maria Chin Abdullah from BERSIH 2.0, which campaigns for electoral reform.

More: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/02/world/asia/malaysia-election-preview/?hpt=hp_inthenews

The black eye of Malaysian scandal politics - Al Jazeera

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Most countries, if not all, have had a dose of political intrigue, a few lofty falls from grace, or the embarrassing blunders of elected officials.

Yet even by this measure, the recent history of Malaysia has been utterly over the top.

The tight general elections set for Sunday have undoubtedly been influenced by the culture of scandal that has permeated domestic politics, but the outcome could determine if Malaysia is past all that or if it will sink deeper into the cross-fire of tabloid-style sleaze.

The two main players heading into the polls, one of whom will surely be the next leader of Malaysia, have hardly been immune, or averse, to political hardball.

Najib Razak, the prime minister, has vehemently denied links to the 2006 murder of a female Mongolian translator who was shot twice before her corpse was obliterated with C4 explosives in an abandoned field outside Kuala Lumpur.

Bone fragments linked the killing to two members of an elite police squad who have been described as Najib's former bodyguards. Both were sentenced to death by hanging.

The incident has been back in public re-play mode since March when a private investigator, who gave sworn testimony that placed Najib with the woman at a café in France, died of a heart attack. Najib took a public oath at a mosque to declare that he never met her.

His opponents, as could be expected, made public calls to re-open the case.

Read the rest: http://aljazeera.com/story/201352145851553210

Hotly Contested Elections -- Can You Be Bought?

Najib now needs to win this election in order to rule Malaysia under his own mandate – but analysts conjecture that if the BN were to lose any more seats on Sunday, Najib could easily be replaced as leader of the country.

That may explain why Najib's party, Umno, has invested heavily in this election, says Malaysia expert Bridget Welsh at Singapore Management University. According to Welsh's research, Najib's administration has spent nearly 60bn ringgit (£13bn) on "election-related incentives" in the past four years, making this the most costly runup to any election in Malaysia's history.

Billboards around the country allude to the incumbent coalition as aproduk, or product, that lasts. Voters have been offered food coupons and cash for attending Umno meetings, while Najib himself has handed out thousands of cash bonuses to state-linked corporate employees.

"There is a clear orientation to find potential groups of voters, identify their immediate needs, and provide it," Welsh recently wrote in online news portal Malaysiakini. "The bottom line in the BN's strategy is that it assumes Malaysians can be bought."

Read the rest: http://guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/01/malaysia-hotly-contested-elections

Rapp KL reputedly behind controversial Malaysian political ads - Campaign Asia

Underhanded tactics by the ruling coalition will only result in a vote for the Opposition.

Read the article:
http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/341008,rapp-kl-reputedly-behind-controversial-malaysian-political-ads.aspx

What About The Election?

After 5 years and 2 months, a decent proportion of Malaysians are anxious to return to the ballot boxes with greater urgency than even the previous elections.

The fever is international. Malaysians from every corner of the world are either excitedly following the progress of the upcoming days or even flying the thousand miles to come home and vote.

This time, an international audience is also watching. Not content with the ruling coalition's morality (or lack thereof), Bersih has beseeched Australia to get involved.

“Australia can and must play a critical role in ensuring a close UN member, Commonwealth friend and long-standing ally like Malaysia heeds its democratic obligations and respects the rights of its citizens without resorting to widespread violence, intimidation and electoral fraud,” said Global Bersih.

Malaysians have had enough. In the last 5 years, the crime rate has increased drastically. So has national debt. Meanwhile, the quality of life has steadily declined.

When things were going well, people turned a blind eye to corruption, racist practices, cronyism and nepotism. But life has stepped up the pace (all over the world, not just in Malaysia) and people are just not willing to accept old practices anymore.

So what are Malaysians voting for? Is it a certain political party? Or a particular personality? Or is there more to it?

Perhaps virtue may have a hand in it?

Like maybe, Empathy? Accountability. Transparency. Integrity. Stewardship.

Do those still matter?

Fly Home To Vote!

A while back, I posted about Malaysians working abroad who will be returning home to vote.

Interestingly, the airlines appear to be cooperating with those returning around the 5th of May.

Extracts:

Airlines are hoping to cash in on the huge interest in Malaysia’s upcoming May 5 elections by offering discounts and promotions to entice Malaysians living abroad to come home to vote.

“Fly Home to Vote” kicked it off, with cheap tickets offered by discount carrier AirAsia Bhd.

There are over one million Malaysians living and working outside Malaysia, according to MyOverseasVote, a group set up to campaign for the right of Malaysians abroad to vote. Roughly 40% work in Singapore and 20% in other Asian countries, the group said.

“We’re urging people to come back to vote and be sure that their votes will go to their preferred party because we’re gravely concerned about the possibility of fraud,” Bersih co-chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan told The Wall Street Journal.

National flag carrier Malaysian Airlines System Bhd isn’t offering any special fares, but it will allow Malaysians to change their flight schedules to around the election period free of charge, a company spokesperson said.

The elections were exciting the last time round. This time it's going to be riveting.