Malaysian oppn stunned as key member quits polls

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's weak opposition received a jolt when a prominent member decided not to contest the upcoming general election, but her party urged her Monday to reconsider and defend her parliamentary seat.
The Democratic Action Party, the main opposition party in Malaysia, was banking on Fong Po Kuan to retain her seat, one of the 12 that the party holds in the 219-member Parliament, in the March 8 elections. But Fong, 34, a firebrand politician who has held the seat in northern Perak state since 1999, announced Sunday she was pulling out of the race because of ''internal party events.''
DAP chief Lim Kit Siang said the party needs Fong, who has been nicknamed ''hot pepper'' for her fiery speeches. ''We are asking her to come back,'' Lim told The Associated Press.
On his blog, Lim wrote that Fong's decision ''was a shock to the overwhelming majority of DAP leaders, members and supporters.''
In an e-mail to the party leadership, Fong said it had become ''impossible for me to continue serving effectively, efficiently and wholeheartedly as a party leader as well as an elected representative of the people.''
Besides the Democratic Action Party's 12 seats, the Islamic opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, holds six seats. Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's party has one seat, held by his wife. One lawmaker in Parliament is independent.
The remaining 199 are held by the ruling National Front coalition, which is expected to win the election easily but with a reduced majority.
The opposition is hoping the National Front, which has governed since 1957, will be hurt by public anger over rising prices, crime and racial and religious tensions.

Meanwhile, PAS leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat said in a speech in northern Kedah state Saturday that members of the United Malays National Organization, the dominant party in the National Front, were like orangutans.
''PAS is not facing a political party in the coming general election but orangutans who do not know religion or the law ... orangutans don't know anything but lust,'' the New Straits Times quoted him as saying.
PAS spokesman Anual Bakri Haron confirmed the comments.
PAS, known for its strict Islamic policies, often accuses the ruling government of using Islam, the religion of 60 percent of Malaysians, for political gains. It says even though UMNO, which is headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, claims to represent Malaysia's majority Muslim Malays it has no Islamic credentials.
PAS is the only opposition party to rule a state, Kelantan in north Malaysia, where it has advocated bans on alcohol and concerts, and separate check-out lines at supermarkets for men and women.
Source: AP

tunku : maybe this is one stage show(sandiwara) by dap to gain support??? or they are really in deep trouble.
nik aziz recently advice pas member not to hurl abusive word but he is the one who is saying it right now.what good example he is showing.sad to say, malaysian opposition will not achieve anything for a very long long time to come.they badly need reforms in their party and win the hearts of malaysian.