Bagan Pinang by-election is another ï¿½no-winnerï¿½ for Barisan Nasional for second consecutive day

Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Sunday, 11^th October 2009:

Bagan Pinang by-election is another ï¿½no-winnerï¿½ for Barisan Nasional for second consecutive day

The Bagan Pinang by-election is another ï¿½no winnerï¿½ for Barisan Nasional (BN) for the second consecutive day after the MCA Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) yesterday which booted out the two MCA contenders, MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and the MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek.

If the BN candidate Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad loses in the Bagan Pinang by-election or is returned with a smaller majority than the 2,333-vote won by the previous BN incumbent in the general elections last year, it is a clear defeat for Umno and BN as the by-election will be a mini-political tsunami by itself.

But even if Isa wins the Bagan Pinang by-election with a bigger majority than last year (and Isa is boasting about a 5,000-6,000 majority), it is an even bigger defeat for Umno and Barisan Nasional for it will be a loud, clear and unmistakable message to all Malaysians that Umno and BN are totally irredeemable and incapable of internal change and reform and there is choice or alternative whatsoever for Malaysians in the next general elections to sweep Umno and BN out of power in Putrajaya.

I cannot agree more with Tun Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in their public objections to Isaï¿½s candidature.

Mahathir said Umno and BN can win the battle in Bagan Pinang but they will lose the war in the next general elections.

Tengku Razaleigh has been more direct when he said today that it is better if Umno lost today in the Bagan Pinang by-election as Isaï¿½s victory would translate into an endorsement for corruption-as-usual in UMNO and the Barisan Nasional government.

Razaleigh said: "For the good of the party, the dignity of the Malay community it claims to represent and for the sake of the nationwide reform in governance and politics that we must undergo, it would be better if Umno lost today, and used the loss to begin internal reform.

"Corruption is the scourge of the country. Umno is a step away from being identified with that scourge."

This is why the Bagan Pinang by-election is aï¿½no winnerï¿½ for Umno/BN as it is a Umno/BN defeat if Isa wins with a smaller majority but an even bigger defeat with a bigger Isa majority!

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor