MORE PICS – BN Circus –BATU TALAM Nomination Jan 16 2007; Surprise INDEPENDENT Candidate, 21 s/o DAP Treasurer; NAJIB: PLOY to Test Malay Support

Wining is not important Ng Chee Pang, participating is. You are given the gift of the Gods to create your experience and there is NO Limits to the Self.

Now which ploy do you believe?
Just a ploy to "stimulate business"
Najib: "A ploy to test Malay support for Chinese Candidate"
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ABOVE & BELOW: The Circus leader (Najib) with others marching thru Raub town before arriving at the nomination centre
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ABOVE & BELOW: A claim was made "10,000 BN supporters" marched around the town. Can you count ot not, perhaps only a few hundreds?

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ABOVE & BELOW: Even the FRU personnel were at hand to ensure the BN Supporters toe the line in their march around Raub Town; wonder if a permit was granted?

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ABOVE: BN supporters lined up and BELOW: Listening to the announcement by the returning officier on the candidates for the by-election

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ABOVE & BELOW: the circus flags of BN can be seen; wonder what is the symbol assigned to the independant candidate, Ng Chee Pang, 21?
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January 16, 2007 12:19 PM

BN vs Independent In Batu Talam By-election

ABOVE: BN candidate, Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram, 47, (left) with an independent candidate Ng Chee Pang, 22, after handing their nomination paper for the Batu Talam state by-election at Raub. Pix: Mohd Faizol

RAUB, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The Batu Talam state by-election is a straight fight between the Barisan Nasional (BN) and an independent, a young businessman who turns 22 on Monday. BN's 47-year-old Abdul Aziz Kiram is facing Ng Chee Pang, the son of a former Pahang DAP leader. Returning officer Abdul Kadir Abu Bakar made the announcement at 11.15am after the objection period ended at 11am. The rural seat under the Raub parliamentary constituency fell vacant following the death of the incumbent BN assemblyman Datuk Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan, 66, on Dec 27. A total of 10,525 voters, majority of whom are Malays, are eligible to vote in the Jan 28 polls.

In its bid to retain the Umno stronghold seat, the BN is fielding a local, the Raub Umno division secretary Abdul Aziz. In a show of solid support, about 10,000 BN supporters accompanied him to the nomination centre at the Raub district office. The supporters, led by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, walked in a two-kilometre procession through Raub town to the nomination centre. In a stark contrast, only three people followed Ng to the nomination centre. They were his father, Ng Kwi Ling, a proposer and seconder. Meanwhile, the situation outside the district office turned noisy when Abdul Kadir confirmed Abdul Aziz's candidacy for the Malay-majority seat.

In his announcement, Abdul Kadir said he received one objection against Ng during the objection period. However, it was overruled. Ng, who handed his nomination paper at 9.05am, was proposed by Lee Tong Heng, while Wan Siew Chang seconded.Mustafa Kamal Abdul Hamid signed as proposer and Mohd Razali Hamzah inked as seconder for Abdul Aziz who submitted his nomination paper at 9.23am. In the 2004 general election, Tengku Paris defeated Pas' Dr Mohamed Nilam Abdul Manaf by a comfortable 2,761-vote majority. Also present to provide moral support were MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, Wanita Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid. Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat had said they were boycotting the by-election in protest against the discrepancies in the election laws which the Election Commission had failed to rectify. The DAP had said it would stay away from the polls.
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Wednesday January 17, 2007;

No serial numbers on ballot papers in Batu Talam by-election;

By SIMON KHOO; STAR

RAUB: Voters should not be afraid to vote for a candidate of their choice in the coming Batu Talam by-election, Election Commission (EC) secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor said. He said the EC had received queries from numerous quarters expressing their concern that the ballot papers could be traced. "Due to this, we have decided to do away with the printing of serial numbers on the ballot papers. "We hope this will give the voters a better sense of security and hopefully, encourage a higher voters turnout," he said when met at the district and land office here on Tuesday. The Batu Talam by-election will see a straight fight between Barisan Nasional and an independent candidate.

Raub Umno secretary Aziz Kiram, 47, has been named the Barisan candidate while a 22-year-old businessman Ng Chee Pang will contest as an independent. Polling has fixed for Jan 28 from 8am to 5pm. Kamaruzaman said the electoral process had been very transparent and the EC would continue to make adjustments to maintain public confidence. He said for the coming by-election, a total of 12 polling stations and 23 polling booths had been set up. "Our priority is to ensure the senior citizens numbering some 700 will be able to cast their votes. "We expect polling would be conducted smoothly and the results announced much earlier than expected," he said. Kamaruzaman said during this campaigning period, his officers and other ground personnel would be given comprehensive training on all aspects pertaining to the elections process. He expressed the hope that both contesting parties would adhere to the rules and guidelines stipulated under the law.

"We have formed an elections campaign monitoring squad to ensure all parties stick to the rules," he said, adding that the squad comprised representatives of the police, local authority and both contesting parties. Kamaruzaman said only the symbol of Barisan Nasional and "a bus" would be allowed as campaign materials. "All other posters or symbols depicting political parties such as PAS, DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat will not be allowed. "Our squad members will be on their rounds and remove these items if spotted," he said. Kamaruzaman said both contesting parties were also required to hand over RM3,000 as deposit to remove campaign materials, in which the cash would be used for the purpose if they failed to clean up after the by-election. He said both parties were also allowed to spend up to RM100,000 for campaigning purposes and submit the accounts for the EC perusal.

On the total number of voters, he said the EC had released the names of 10,525 people who were eligible to vote, comprising 10,511 ordinary voters and 14 postal voters. These voters can check their status by contacting the EC office in Kuantan (09-516 1900/ 09-516 5025), Raub (09-355 8415/ 09-355 9078), or log on to its website at
www.spr.gov.my

Alternatively, they can utilise the SMS service by typing spr>spacespaceand send to 39988. (each SMS will cost 50 sen).

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January 16, 2007 18:46 PM

I Like To Contest, Says Independent Candidate;By Mohd Shukri Ishak
RAUB, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- What is the rationale behind the decision by a young trader to contest as an Independent in the Batu Talam state by-election while the Opposition parties refused to take part? "I like to contest," said Ng Chee Pang, 21, when the question was posed to him after he handed his nomination papers at the Raub District and Land Office, here Tuesday.

ABOVE: Independant Candidate (Right), His father, Ng Kwi Ling, 55 (Right), who accompanied him, said it had nothing to do with politics. Just a ploy to "stimulate business"
BELOW: Ng submitting his form for verification

Najib: "A ploy to test Malay support for Chinese Candidate"

"I want to stimulate business in Batu Talam. If there is a contest, a lot of people converge here," said Kwi Ling, Pahang DAP treasurer who had contested six times in the general election. Political observers were surprised with the participation of Chee Pang in the by-election after the Opposition parties boycotted it after questioning the Election Commission's credibility. In the 2004 general election, Datuk Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan of BN defeated PAS candidate Dr Mohamed Nilam Abdul Manaf by a majority of 2,761 votes.

BN is fielding Raub Umno division secretary Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram as replacement for Tengku Paris who died of cancer last Dec 27. He was accompanied by more than 10,000 BN supporters headed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to the nomination centre while Chee Pang was escorted by three people. Pahang DAP chairman Lip Tuck Chee denied that the party was sponsoring Chee Pang, saying that he was not a DAP member.

"If he is a DAP member, we will not allow him to contest. But I hope he will be able to reduce BN's majority or at least not lose his deposit," he said. Abdul Aziz, 47, who was a Special Affairs Department field assistant, said although he was facing an Independent and the by-election would not be closely fought, he would work hard to ensure BN win with a larger majority. Puteri Umno information chief Datuk Shahaniza Samsudin is also amazed as to why an Independent is contesting in the BN stronghold, while Pahang Wanita chief Datuk Maznah Mazlan is confident that the voters will reject the Independent. Pahang Puteri Umno chief Nor Azita Abdul Rahman said an Independent candidate would not be able to champion the people in the state assembly. "What can an Independent candidate do?" she asked. From the electoral rolls, Batu Talam has 10,525 voters, with almost 80 per cent of them Malays.

January 16, 2007 15:39 PM

Presence Of Independent Candidate An Opposition Ploy - Najib

ABOVE: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (centre) with Menteri Besar Pahang Datuk Seri Adnan Yaacob (fifth, right), MCA Vice President Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy (third, left), Umno Liaison Chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib (fourth, right), Umno Wanita Deputy Chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (second left) and Umno Wanita Chief Pahang Datuk Maznah Mazlan (left) celebrating the BN candidate Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram, (fourth left) after candidate nomination at the Raub District and Land Office.

BELOW: The BN Candidate

RAUB, 16 Jan (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (AB OVE)today described the fielding of an independent candidate in the Batu Talam by-election as an Opposition strategy to gauge Malay support for a non-Malay candidate in their preparation for the next general election.

"Although on the surface the candidate is an independent, he is supported by the Opposition parties. "They claimed they were boycotting the by-election but on the contrary they had given out instructions (to their members) to support the independent," the Deputy Prime Minister told reporters after the conclusion of nominations for the by-election at the Raub District and Land Office, here today. Najib, who is also Umno deputy president, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders earlier accompanied the BN candidate, Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram, to the nomination centre. Abdul Aziz is facing an independent, Ng Chee Pang, 21, who is the son of a former Pahang DAP leader in a straight fight in the by-election on Jan 28. Najib said he believed the Opposition would be campaigning openly in the by-election by holding talks to entice the people to vote for the independent. "As such, we are not considering the contest as insignificant.

We are mobilising our machinery and working hard to persuade the voters to come out to ensure a thumping victory for the BN. "We don't want BN supporters to take it easy as there is no Opposition party contesting, it's even worse if they do not vote," he said. Najib side-stepped a suggestion that the Chinese would vote for the independent candidate, saying that BN was confident in retaining the majority of Chinese votes with the assistance of its component parties. "Basically, the Opposition hardly has any issue to raise in their campaign. However, we are ready to take on any issue raised by them," he said. On the age of the independent candidate, he said: "It doesn't matter if he's young or old. This is part of the election strategy by the Opposition and we'll take on the challenge." The Batu Talam state seat fell vacant following the death of state assemblyman Datuk Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan on Dec 27 due to cancer. Based on the last electoral rolls, the constituency has 10,525 voters with the majority being Malays.

ABOVE: The "Star" Circus performer, Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram, the candidate

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DAP has no part in the decision by PAS to boycott the Batu Talam by-election
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Media Statement; by Lau Weng San; Political Secretary to DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng___________________
(Petaling Jaya, Friday) : Following various news reports on the PAS boycott of the Batu Talam by-election I have been directed by DAP Secretary-General Sdr Lim Guan Eng to stress these points.
1. Sdr Lim had from the outset emphasized that DAP had no interest in contesting the seat. Neither Pahang DAP or any party leader has communicated with Sdr Lim to express their intentions that DAP should contest the seat. As the CEC and Sdr Lim has to approve the candidates, DAP’s position on not contesting in the by-election remains unchanged.

2. DAP has not played any part in influencing the decision made by PAS to boycott the Batu Talam by-election. No discussions has been held with PAS since there is no formal co-operation between DAP and PAS, after DAP withdrew from the Barisan Alternatif in 2001 because of PAS Islamic state agenda.
DAP regrets any attempt to insinuate that DAP is working in coalition with PAS as a result of good relations between DAP and former deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. This is wrong. In fact PAS has continued its practice of personally attacking DAP leaders and PAS Negeri Sembilan is more hostile towards DAP Negeri Sembilan than BN. Recently PAS leader and Central Executive Committee member Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad even said that, “If PAS has a friend like Guan Eng, we do not need a political adversary like the BN and Umno.” Despite such extreme and irrational provocation from PAS, DAP leaders have refrained from responding in kind.

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