UMNO to win back Selangor and Penang

On Saturday, Najib Razak has expressed confidence that “the BN will rise again” in Penang and that the Penang state government’s style of oppressive governance could be heard all over – implying that this points to a political shift in favor of BN (New Sunday Times, April 03, 2011, p 4). BN newspapers (e.g. New Sunday Times & Sunday Star in pages 4 and N6 respectively) even gave credence to his feel-good assessment when they reported that some 20,000 people came to hear him speak in Kampung Permatang Pasir in Balik Pulau, Penang.

On Tuesday, The Malaysian Insider had trumpeted Muhyiddin Yassin’s conviction that BN can secure at least 30 seats and thereby win back Selangor.

Of course, we know that should these predictions come true, then this will spell the end of the Opposition front as we know it. BN is waging psywar – to break the will of the PR membership and their supporters and make them disillusioned. One common tactic is to field regular reports in the mainstream press of mass desertions by PR rank-and-file leaders and members. E.g. Najib graced a cultural carnival organized by the Penang Indian Development Organization (PIDO) on this same Saturday and their chairperson M Ngnana Segaran – who was recently suspended as a Bayan Baru PKR division committee member – had announced at the said event that he was quitting the party and was bringing along with him 3,225 disgruntled members (Sunday Star, April 03, 2011, p N6).

Another objective is to persuade the middle-ground voters to be favorably disposed to the BN. Najib is BN’s one-man propaganda machine designed to win over these Malaysians. And his more than 590,000 fans on Facebook and over 90,000 on Twitter plus his meet-the-people sessions organized throughout the country allow him to promote himself and his UMNO (usually camouflaged to portray a moderate BN). Of course, he has added motivation – he is likely to lose his job unless he can win the next general election convincingly. Don’t forget that when the electioneering starts, he will again take out his treasure chest of goodies for the rakyat – it is a sad reflection of our citizens that they can be so easily bought over!

This being the case, Penang and Selangor voters must come out in droves to make sure they cast their ballot to ensure their beloved states are not recaptured at PRU13 by UMNO and their desperate allies! Malaysians have a duty to defend their country from mismanagement, corruption, cronyism, injustice and intolerance.