GE14 likely before Hari Raya Haji

N.37 LET BUKIT LANJAN SOAR WITH SYED ABDUL RAZAK ALSAGOFF

GE14 likely before Hari Raya Haji

Prime Minister Najib Razak sounded the 14th General Election (GE14) war drums in his policy speech at the recently concluded Umno annual general assembly.

The New Straits Times on Dec 1, 2016, reported the party president as telling assembly delegates that tGE14 could be imminent and warned that Umno must prevail in the tough battle ahead.

In a fiery speech to members to rouse their fighting spirit and mentally prepare for the polls, Najib said the Malays and Muslims, led by Umno, cannot afford to allow political power to slip from their hands.

He said Umno must realise the electoral challenges ahead are “unprecedented” and the “demise” of Umno due to the act of the current leadership will be an unforgivable sin.

“God willing, the battle torch is strong and will lead to a strong win for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in GE14 due soon,” he added.

Najib also lambasted former premier and Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Dr M), calling it an “ultimate betrayal” for his unholy alliance with the DAP, PKR, Amanah, Bersih and even foreign enemies such as George Soros, whom Dr M once despised as a “moron”.

“This is one form of ultimate betrayal to Umno, the race and the nation,” he added.

Najib’s remarks have triggered political observers to speculate that GE14 would be held in April or early May, ahead of Hari Raya Haji on May 27, when Muslims leave for their annual pilgrimage.

It is also unlikely to be held in March before the end of the Parliamentary sitting.

As widely speculated, Najib’s Umno-led BN is taking advantage of the critically fractured Opposition to “strike it when it’s hot” in GE14.

At the 45th Gerakan National Delegates Conference (NDC) in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 9, 2016, Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong surprised everyone when he identified and introduced five potential candidates for GE14 in Selangor.

There were also two other surprises!

> The candidates included a Chinese-speaking Malay candidate, the party’s Deputy Speaker Syed Abdul Razak Alsagoff. He will also be the first Malay candidate in party history after Gerakan joined the Alliance/BN; and

> Mah challenged the Opposition to identify and name their potential candidates for the respective state and parliamentary constituencies so as to give voters time to compare and assess the quality and competency of the candidates offered to electorates.

It will be interesting to see how the Bukit Lanjan electorates will vote in GE14 as the incumbent is PKR’s Elizabeth Wong, a state executive councillor.

If Wong is defending her seat in GE14, she will be facing off with Syed Abdul Razak who speaks fluent Chinese dialects, Hokkien and Cantonese.

And this is the Facebook profile of Syed Abdul Razak: EXCO Selangor at Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia; Marketing Rep at IBM; Former Remisier at Mohaiyani Securities; Studied at Universiti Pertaninan Malaysia; Studied at Sophia University; Went to St. John's Institution, KL; Went to SMS Selangor.

And this is what Wikipedia says about the Alsagoff Family: The al-Saggoffs (transliterated elsewhere al-Saqqaf or al-Saqqāf) were spice traders and became influential by marrying into a royal family from the Celebes. They acquired many properties, like the other Arab families, including the "Perseverance Estate" where they grew lemon grass. The estate is now considered to be the heart of the Muslim community in Singapore. As well as being successful merchants and land owners, the family became involved in civic affairs. The family members, at times, held civic office from the 1870s until 1965.

But Syed Abdul Razak’s family remained in Kuala Lumpur and his grandfather, Syed Mohamed Syed Ali Alsagoff, was a lawyer for Selangor’s Sultan Abdul Samad.

How will Wong, who was unfairly photographed by his Malay boyfriend scandal, fare against a learned professional like Syed Abdul Razak in GE14?

And, given the split in Opposition votes, especially the Malay voters, can Wong still retain Bukit Lanjan for PKR?

It will also be Syed Abdul Razak’s maiden foray in a general election.