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Two recent articles analysing Prime Minister Najib Razak and UMNO’s GE13 campaign by Clive Kessler published on New Mandala had received more than the usual interesting responses. It must have struck a nerve at the core of the Prime Minister’s office, requiring a response from The Choice, a blog that is supportive of Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The Choice has a two part piece [HERE and HERE] ‘criticising’ Clive’s analysis. Clive has naturally responded in the way that only Clive can — to their two part ‘criticism’ HERE.
New Mandala readers may also want to have a read of Helen Ang’s take of Clive Kessler’s analysis.
I welcome readers opinion on what they think of all these articles.
Now a note from Clive.
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What happened in GE13, and what now? A correction.
Clive Kessler
A correction, if I may now put it on record, to my two-part GE13 retrospective.
Owing to a “glitch” in the GE13 database that I was using, I misstated the numbers of Umno’s overall representation in the Dewan Rakyat and its overwhelming preponderance in BN’s peninsular representation.
Somehow, the seats that Umno won in Labuan and East Malaysia were included with its peninsular successes.
This error should not be allowed to stand uncorrected.
I originally suggested that Umno now holds 88 of 100 peninsular seats that were won by BN.
In fact, Umno now holds 74 of BN’s 86 peninsular seats, plus 14 more in Labuan and Sabah.
Interested readers should note the change in those numbers. I apologise for the error in my original account of the situation.
This change in numbers does not change the nature, or the basic force, of my overall argument about the increased domination of government ranks and parliament that Umno achieved at GE13, despite the decline in BN’s Dewan Rakyat representation from 140 to 133.
I thank Andrew Khoo for calling this error to my attention.
* Clive Kessler is Emeritus Professor of Sociology & Anthropology at the University of New South Wales, Sydney.
Re the imaginative Helen Ang and her amazing “counter-analysis”: Anyone who can suggest that “The Star” was running a pro-DAP campaign has got a serious problem with reality. Am I asked to suppose that Wong Chun Wai got his “shining” datukship and all his other official recognition and government rewards for being just a DAP “flak” and “shill” .. .. Really, this is just too absurd.
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What do you mean when you say that “The Choice” is “a blog that is supportive of Prime Minister Najib Razak”? Have you not noticed their own self-description? They characterize themselves as follows: “‘The Choice’ has been created by a group of concerned writers united by a single vision: To build a dynamic news site that is beholden to no-one.” Do you doubt them? Are you suggesting that they are trying to pass off a partisan stance as unbeholden independence? Surely nobody anywhere near “official circles” would ever dram of doing such a thing! How could such a thing ever be possible? It is simply inconceivable to any ordinarily sound mind. Even to contemplate such a possibility is mind-boggling. If it is not independent and unbeholden, on how many more things would people then have to change their minds? That is just too much to ask, too much change to have to grasp.
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“Dream”, not “dram”. That sentence should read: “Surely nobody anywhere near “official circles” would ever dream of doing such a thing!”.
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Emeritus Professor Clive Kessler elaborates further on Malaysia’s 13th general election.
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/malaysias-13th-national-election-some-further-remarks-clive-kessler
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Kessler’s articles were education for me on the nature and necessity of Perkasa and Utusan albeit theirs contradictory to 1Malaysia. I do not see any merits on Helen Ang’s mocking and ridicule by equating that to the STAR and DAP.
However, BN is perceived to be an one-party coalition and so was its predecessor. Thus Kessler’s claim of UMNO’s dominance in BN after 505, is of no meaningful consequences.
UMNO’s restrains are due to the moderate nature of Malays and their avoidance to confrontation, etc., NOT political objection within or without BN. In fact, it would be more effective doing so in a social context.
That was exactly what happened in the recent “minors conversion” bill. The non-Malay / Muslim within BN was muted and the PR voiced halfhearted opposition. (Five states passed similar bills without much ado.) The vocal NGO and segments of the public saved the day.
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