Now that Parliament has finally been dissolved, Malaysians are
off on their next guessing game. When is polling date for the country's
13th General Election?
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Some say it is May 11 because 11 is known to be Prime Minister Najib
Razak's favorite number. And to have the polling date a good 6 weeks
from now would be in keeping with the procrastination and delaying
tactics he has pursued so far. Only this time, he won't be blamed but
the Election Commission - frequently accused of bias towards his Umno-BN
government - will take the rap, so to speak.
However, many of the Opposition politicians in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition believe that Najib will try to go for a "quick kill". They are betting on April 27 as the day that Malaysians will be called upon to decide who is to be their government for the next 5 years.
"As long as Najib ends up shooting Umno-BN in the foot, that's OK with us. Yes, we know he needs more time to prepare. The BN manifesto is not even launched yet. But strategically, the chances are still higher that balloting will be done the soonest possible and with the shortest campaigning period. Najib thinks he is catching us on the hop so he will try to attack," a well-informed source told Malaysia Chronicle.
"But PR is as ready as it can be. We believe most Malaysians have decided to go for change. The longer Najib waits, he thinks the more chances BN has to convince voters they have changed. The problem is they haven't and they can't. Neither do they have any new ideas to offer. That's why it may be better for Najib to try go for a fast ballot."
Heavy heart
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.According
to Umno watchers, Najib made Wednesday's decision to dissolve
Parliament with a "very heavy heart". It "was not what he had wanted".
However, he could no longer keep in abeyance the impatience and even
outright rage shown towards him after he allowed the Negri Sembilan
state assembly to dissolve naturally - the first time ever a Prime
Minister and Umno president had done so.
The delay was seen by Umno elders and grassroots as a sign of weakness and according to the party's grapevine, Najib was practically ordered to dissolve Parliament before the upcoming ASEAN summit began on April 24. If Najib had not done so today, he would have no other window of opportunity and polls could be delayed until as far away as June 2013, or 60 days after the federal Parliament dissolved on its own at the end of April.
Whether he was being meticulous or cowardly, Najib had previously declared that GE13 would be held when everything is "ready". But BN, especially Umno where the infighting has become inflamed, is nowhere near "ready".
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Some say it is May 11 because 11 is known to be Prime Minister Najib
Razak's favorite number. And to have the polling date a good 6 weeks
from now would be in keeping with the procrastination and delaying
tactics he has pursued so far. Only this time, he won't be blamed but
the Election Commission - frequently accused of bias towards his Umno-BN
government - will take the rap, so to speak.However, many of the Opposition politicians in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition believe that Najib will try to go for a "quick kill". They are betting on April 27 as the day that Malaysians will be called upon to decide who is to be their government for the next 5 years.
"As long as Najib ends up shooting Umno-BN in the foot, that's OK with us. Yes, we know he needs more time to prepare. The BN manifesto is not even launched yet. But strategically, the chances are still higher that balloting will be done the soonest possible and with the shortest campaigning period. Najib thinks he is catching us on the hop so he will try to attack," a well-informed source told Malaysia Chronicle.
"But PR is as ready as it can be. We believe most Malaysians have decided to go for change. The longer Najib waits, he thinks the more chances BN has to convince voters they have changed. The problem is they haven't and they can't. Neither do they have any new ideas to offer. That's why it may be better for Najib to try go for a fast ballot."
Heavy heart
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
According
to Umno watchers, Najib made Wednesday's decision to dissolve
Parliament with a "very heavy heart". It "was not what he had wanted".
However, he could no longer keep in abeyance the impatience and even
outright rage shown towards him after he allowed the Negri Sembilan
state assembly to dissolve naturally - the first time ever a Prime
Minister and Umno president had done so.The delay was seen by Umno elders and grassroots as a sign of weakness and according to the party's grapevine, Najib was practically ordered to dissolve Parliament before the upcoming ASEAN summit began on April 24. If Najib had not done so today, he would have no other window of opportunity and polls could be delayed until as far away as June 2013, or 60 days after the federal Parliament dissolved on its own at the end of April.
Whether he was being meticulous or cowardly, Najib had previously declared that GE13 would be held when everything is "ready". But BN, especially Umno where the infighting has become inflamed, is nowhere near "ready".
