Kelana Jaya get an MP : Take your chances with Gwo Burne
March 5, 2008
Two days after nomination day, in my post entitled ‘PKR, why, why, why?’ , I alluded to numerous e-mails I had received asking why PKR was offering Loh Gwo Burne for the Kelana Jaya parliamentary seat and asked if PKR would shed some light on this.
This post elicited 34 comments. The discussions that ensued were, in my view, healthy and helped me and many others to come to a settled view on the question ‘Who should Kelana Jaya folk vote for?’.
PKR’s Johnson Chong’s sent in a comment. This is a part of what he said :
‘…I believe that we should be very clear about our main objectives, not only in this general elections, but overall for Malaysia and the future of its Rakyat’
Johnson’s comment helped me to re-focus. In trying to resolve this question for myself, one factor was now clear.
The BN candidate was not to be given the vote, however good we might think he might be.
Because he represented BN, and BN has come to represent oppression of the people and the hijacking of the nation’s wealth, by a sytemic ‘divide and rule’ regime.
The first part of my answer to the question ‘Who for Kelana Jaya’ was simply ‘Not BN’.
Then who?
In the post entitled ‘Loh Gwo Burne : How now, Kelana Jaya voters?’ , I reproduced a comment by Farida which I said resonated with my own thoughts on this question.
I reproduce below excerpts from that comment which I thought were relevant considerations to this question.
‘…not every constituency can have a candidate with established credentials. Don’t forget that even established candidates began as first-timers. And first-timers can find delivering their first speeches formidable, and the first run gruelling. But if they stay the course, over the years, they will mature into credible and even incredible Yang Berkhidmats.
Secondly, we are out to defeat BN. So the focus has to be on Billie or Loh. THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE. You can use this space to argue all you want but it is a done thing - Billie or Loh. If I were a KJaya member, I’d go for Loh for the following reasons:
(a) No matter what the hidden/personal/ self-gratifying reason may be for contesting, he already has a track record, people. He came back to testify, he came back to expose what needed to be exposed. Remember, he could have chosen to stay away from it all.I call that accountability. I call that taking responsibility. I call that stepping up to the demand of the moment.
(b) So he wins and does a disastrous job of being an MP? Take him to task, your yang berkhidmat, put him on the carpet and finally, if he does not learn, sack him at the next elections.
Billie? He garnered less votes in 2004 than in 1999. He is the role model for his failure theory - ‘dare to fail’ We can’t afford that kind of thinking in this round of elections.
Bottomline: Will you give Loh a chance? After all, you gave BN so many chances. Where did that get us?’
Farida’s closing question led me to the question ‘What are the negatives that make Gwo Burne an incurably unacceptable choice?’
For me, those negatives were neutered by the responses I got to my questions during the interview that I had with Gwo Burne day before yesterday, and which I shared with you in a post entitled ‘The People’s Parliament catchs up with Loh Gwo Burne’ together with the impression I formed of him even before nomination day, having had the opportunity to observe him in the witness box during the Commission proceedings.
That impression which I formed of him earlier I will share at the ceramah later tonight.
For now, let me just say that I think Kelana Jaya voters should give this man a chance in Parliament.
March 5, 2008 at 5:17 pm
That’s the spirit! Even if all seems bleak, even if we have to keep crawling in a dark tunnel, we must not lose sight of hope.
We only need to vote 1 at a time. But with everyone chipping in their votes, this nation may change come March the 8th!
Give Gwo Burne a chance. Give PKR a chance. Importantly give Malaysia a chance to rise and stand tall!
March 5, 2008 at 6:31 pm
GIVE GWO BURNE YOUR VOTE.
A very good reason for doing this is that when they need a vote in parliment, you can be sure that he will be there to stand up and be counted. He will definitely fight for your rights.
As for the rest, he got a lot of sifu to guide him along. You have seen him at the RCI, he is not afraid to speak up and speak intelligently too.
HIDUP RAKYAT!
March 5, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I really doubt Gwo Burne is actually contesting for the Parliamentary seat.
Since nomination date, Gwo Burne’s campaigning machinery has been very sluggish. We can hardly see his poster around Bandar Sunway whereas his opponent, Lee Hwa Bin’s poster is flooded . There are also very few Ceramah was organized and his speech is not excited at all.
March 5, 2008 at 6:47 pm
[...] Kelana Jaya get an MP : Take your chances with Gwo Burne [...]
March 5, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I think Gwo has done much more than a lot of us have done in the service of this country. For a young man, he had placed his entire future career in this country at risk by testifying in the Lingam case.
For that, I admire him and he certainly can do no worse than LHB had done so far.
So why not vote for Gwo!
March 5, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Forget Billie! Dia hanya nak publisiti murahan saja. Siapa yang nak undi dia? He is a laughing stock sejak 1999!
March 5, 2008 at 9:59 pm
i heard that the voting age is actually 18.
someone i know recently asked the EC officer what was the minimum age requirement and was told that is is 18 years old. the officer also added that not many people knew about this rule. can someone pls check this out. this might be a ploy for BN to get more votes.
on another note… Gwo Burne must win to end this BN regime. He is the one who would stand up for your right (Lingam clip) Lee hwa beng’s hands are tied. how useless if he is an MP
March 5, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Trust GB is now considered as endorsed by PP/BR after some Democratic debates and exercises.
Hope all visiting here and been participating the debates and exercise will go onto the next stage of supporting this recommendation.
Leaving behind any queries to be under watch list to be worked-out after election (on MP & Parties).
When GB endorsed to work closely with BR
GB should better seek endorsement from PKR that he can!
If GB could pin-point what are the problems in Kelana Jaya to be solved
He should have more saying to get Vote!
SAY NO TO BN!
SAY NO TO LEE HWA BENG!
March 6, 2008 at 12:12 am
Yes, Haris, no matter what, we can’t vote BN. Remember, their candidates do not represent us, eventhough we are the ones who voted them in. They represent BN ie they represent UMNO.
March 6, 2008 at 1:33 am
In the state we’re in now, anyone is a better choice than any BN candidate.
Even as a Christian, I will gladfully vote PAS over UMNO.
Time for a change, a change for the better.
http://unwantedcitizen.blogspot.com/2008/03/are-you-pas-phobic.html
March 6, 2008 at 2:26 am
Haris,
I have an opinion. We should give PKR the vote as in my opinion, he is not going to do his job ALONE probably upon 8th March. By then, we should have a substantial number of PKR and DAP and even PAS MPs that will be his counterparts. There is no problem at all for him to learn and i think all of them are willing to teach him and he is willing to learn from them. Everything has a first time. And more so, he has the ultimate guru, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as his mentor, why this has become an issue?
Simon
March 6, 2008 at 2:33 am
Loh Burne is one million times better than MCA running dogs who will not speak for Chinese, Malays or Indians but UMNO warlords. UMNO in return doesn’t represent Malays. Unfortunately, MCA bolsters UMNO, otherwise we have revolted as Malays in 1999. If the Chinese could see further and step ouf of the fear and character assasination cocoon of the Star and NST, Malaysia would have been better. In 1999, more 66% of Malays rejected UMNO. We will try now again.Pliz Chinese, it is your turn. Reject the running dogs.
March 6, 2008 at 10:48 am
Glad to see you come around Haris.
After the elections, bring Guo Burne into the circle! We’ll work on him and make him a propah activist!!
March 6, 2008 at 1:13 pm
The Loh Gwo Burne interview is instrumental in helping 3 of 4 voters in my family decide who to vote for in P:104 Kelana Jaya. I printed out the interview (and Hannah’s as well)so they will read it and discuss over dinner.
Results are mixed. And it’s gonna be Lee Hwa Beng! They hope he’ll turn over a new leaf. I told them he does not seem to know how to say ‘NO’ to his UMNO master and has been behind some dubious projects in Subang Jaya but they they are unable to get over the fact that Gwo Burne can hardly speak Malay. They see him as an opportunist as well.
But they are okay with Hannah Yeoh whom they think is smart and could definitely debate in Malay.
April 2, 2008 at 5:26 pm
idup gwo burne…