Campaign for elections kicks off in Malaysia

is this the best way they can think of to win or to get votes?








Sunday, February 24, 2008 (Malaysia)
Malaysia's ruling coalition won six parliamentary seats unopposed on Sunday as it formally began campaigning to clinch a two-thirds majority in next month's general elections.
Hundreds of political heavy-hitters and first-time aspirants filed their nomination papers to contest 222 parliamentary constituencies and 505 state legislature seats.
The process officially marked the start of a 13-day campaigning period ahead of the March 8 ballot.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front coalition got an early boost when no opposition candidates came forward to run for six parliamentary seats.
''I believe the people will be attentive to the National Front, which has brought peace and progress for 50 years,'' Abdullah said. ''I would like this election to be free of troubles.''
More than 1000 government loyalists thronged a nomination center to support Abdullah as he filed his papers against a challenger from the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, in his traditional stronghold of Kepala Batas in northern Penang state.
The National Front won 199 of 219 parliamentary seats in 2004, with only 19 seats taken by the opposition, including six by PAS and 12 by the ethnic Chinese-based Democratic Action Party. Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's wife won the lone seat for her People's Justice Party. One seat went to an independent.
This time, the three parties have made a pact to field only one candidate in each constituency to avoid multi-cornered fights, which in the past benefited the National Front.
The strategy is aimed at preventing the National Front from attaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority, which enables the government to change the constitution easily.
Abdullah dismissed the opposition's effort as ''a pact of convenience, that's all.''
''I want us to win with a very good majority, even more than two-thirds,'' Abdullah said.
The 14-party National Front, which has governed since 1957, has acknowledged it will win fewer seats this time amid public complaints over rising inflation, crime and racial and religious tensions.
In recent months, several high-profile street protests have raised the political consciousness of Malaysians, awakening more people to ask questions about alleged government corruption and policies that some say are tantamount to racial and religious discrimination.
The National Front has the advantage of being backed by the pro-government mainstream media and is more cohesive and better coordinated than the opposition.
Opposition leaders have long complained that polls are also steered against them through the gerrymandering of constituencies, vote-buying and use of bogus voters. The government has repeatedly denied any irregularities.
A poor performance could undercut Abdullah's popularity as he targets a second five-year term as prime minister after succeeding longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.

tunku : it's time for the opposition to show now how well they are accepted.as for BN 2/3 majority seems to be in hand.i sincerely wish the opposition the secure at least 50 seats this time around otherwise they should pack up and forget politics.let there be knew credible opposition political party.