I’ve just had confirmed that the Glad Tidings Church and St. Francis Xavier Church are both organising debates / forums where all 4 ADUN candidates and the 3 MP candidates would be on hand to interact with voters.
I understand that the one at Glad Tidings will be on Sunday, 28th April, whilst SFX will host the event on Tuesday, 30th April.
My reasons in mooting the debate for this Saturday were many.
One was to give the voters a chance to get up close and personal with the non-BN candidates.
Another, and the more important, was to enable those who shared my concerns that, the three non-BN candidates, each having their own respective strengths and their own following, might each draw upon and split the opposition vote bank, thus allowing the BN candidate to get in by default, to urge the three to sit down and work it out amongst themselves so that only one would face BN on polling day.
As I told one of them, even if they needed to settle it over a game of poker, the losers throwing their support behind the winner, do it for the sake of the people of Bukit Gasing.
Mak, Rajiv and Simon, if you are reading this, then this is my appeal, as a voter and on behalf of other like-minded voters in Bukit Gasing, to the three of you.
I do not want to be represented by Gerakan post the 13th GE.
Yet, this might happen by default simply because the three of you split the votes and let him in through the back door.
Let this GE13 be a time when we sacrifice for the greater good of the people.
If you are in this contest because you have the best interest of the people of Bukit Gasing at heart, as I am sure you do, then understand that our best interest lies in not having Bukit Gasing go back to BN.
Please meet, discuss and emerge with just one of you to face BN on polling day.
To the others reading this, I will share my other reasons for wanting to initiate this debate after we have taken Putrajaya.
For now, please be informed that the same is cancelled.
Both Mak and Simon have been informed.
The People's Parliament 
tebing tinggi
April 25, 2013
It has been said by everybody especially by Pakatan leaders as well as supporters that Malaysia does not run a fair and clean election ,so why waste time ?, BN is sure to win.
Ok, so you dont waste time. Go home, mummy is waiting to breast feed you
Paul Warren
April 25, 2013
In this battle of battles, I cannot in all honestly support any of the Independent candidates. At this point in time there must only be two….One representing Pakatan and the other BN. Not that I think Pakatan is any God sent. Entertaining independents in any kind of debates only legitimises their candidacy. And dilutes the chances of a BN defeat. Its too late in the day now to looking back into rights and wrongs, fair and unfair. The fighters are already in the ring and the starting bell is about to be chimed. The independents offer nuisance value.
eric
April 25, 2013
My humble request for the 2 indies to pull out. Reason being you dont stand a chance and you would only be aiding and abeting bn to win ge13 at bkt.gasing.
Be a sport .
Kenny
April 25, 2013
So someone else has organized the debate/ forum with the 2 main candidates and the 2 Indies. I wouldn’t worry at all if I were Rajiv and I don’t think he would.
As said earlier, it is more an academic issue than a threat, especially when Indies are against the trusted DAP brand. Most likely, all Independents will be thrashed in this GE13.
Somehow I feel very glad that this matter is not in the hands of ABU now.
ablogsmith
April 25, 2013
To the Independents, please withdraw and throw your support behind the Pakatan candidate. This election we cannot afford to let the corrupt UMNO/BN win by default and that is what you would be doing by taking away votes from the Pakatan candidate.
concerned
April 25, 2013
Apart from splitting votes, the other crucial issue re. the unprecedented number of independents standing is that of being bought over if they win. I am NOT casting aspersions on their integrity, but let’s get real. BN’s modus operandi with its bottomless war chest of money is to buy over ELECTED candidates. Remember Perak? It wasn’t all about the Sultan of Perak… first step was DAP and PAS winners changing into “BN friendly independents” AFTER THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR DAP AND PAS… and we know why! $$$$
Bigger Picture
April 25, 2013
Simon & Mak – it is still not too late for you to put the nation and rakyat before yourself. Withdraw from contesting. You will gain more respect then. Do the right thing!
Taipan
April 26, 2013
Both Simon and Mak served under the late Edward Lee. Both have their own personal interests and feel it right to even contest against one another. I am given this impression that this is more of a personality contest and the voters are tasked with the choice of who is better between the two. This is where commonsense did not come into play.
Third Force
April 26, 2013
So, it’s for the 2 Indies to back down. DAP wld never back down.
malchindian
April 26, 2013
If any of the well-meaning independents can convince the Gasing folk that they can better serve them versus the DAP offering who happens to have delivered to his previous constituents, fine, go ahead. But convince each other to back 1 opposition.
But if these independents can see the bigger picture, their gracious exit will not be viewed as cowardly. Placing their support behind DAP and the bigger enemy will earn them respect and standing amongst their own.
Come on Simon, Mak, Rajiv, sort out quickly and start your engines!