Inter-Research And Studies (IRAS)

In this upcoming 13th general elections (GE13), we will see most top leaders of the Barisan Nasional (BN) major component parties will not be contesting. Their only excuse is to give way to the younger ones to contest. BN component parties leaders who will not be contesting are MCA president Chua Soi Lek, MIC president G.Palanivel, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon and PPP president M.Kayveas. All of them are either keeping very quiet about their status or had announced that they would not seek for any candidacy in this GE13. Of the MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP party presidents, only the Umno president, of course the prime minister as well, Najib Razak announced his own candidacy by saying that he would defend his Pekan parliamentary seat in this GE13. MCA president Chua Soi Lek did not contest in the previous general elections (GE12) and he us currently the Selangor BN chief coordinator while his only government position is as chairman of the Penang Port Commission (PPC) which over...

Well the Penang Barisan Nasional Chinese New Year open house is now over. However, most of us are still talking about this because of the refusal of Korean k-pop singer Psy to go up to the stage for the Chinese "yee sang" tossing ceremony. Are are people continuing to talk and argue about is the threat on Psy's life as claimed by Penang BN chairman and Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow. After that, Teng came out with yet another claim saying that the crowd who shouted "No" down there were in fact sabotage carried out by some quarters from the opposition parties. Now, talking about the threat on Psy's life by Teng, how come Najib was allowed to be continue standing on the stage and yet he has the time to take some pictures of the crowd in front of him. He was standing up there quite long just to wait for Psy to come up for the BN's "yee sang". If there's really a threat on Psy, why didn't the police act on the claim? Why did...

To our very surprise, the Gerakan Youth had sprung up in public last week to voice their displeasure over the current Gerakan's branches and divisional leaderships which its party youth chief Lim Si Pin claimed that they are still being dominated by local party warlords and these local leaders had refused to make way for younger leaders within the party to take helm the branches and divisional leadership. Just like their larger BN colleagues, Umno, MCA and MIC, it seems Gerakan is also suffering from the same kind of situation from within its ranks. Yes, factionalism and warlordism in the party is very strong when the party has been in power for decades long. During Gerakan's years in Penang (as the state government and the party's power base) until 2008, factional feuds and warlords within the party's ranks in branches and divisions are widely known. It is believed that until today, there are about 6 factions still active in Penang Gerakan with each of these fac...

By Soong Phui Jee Is the BN well prepared for the 13th general election? I don't think so. At least it still has to deliberate in fielding candidates. Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak called for an alternative development and leadership plan during the opening of the 40th Gerakan national delegates conference. However, Penang Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan expressed difficulties in rearranging the line-up, implicating that he did not think BN could regain Penang. Najib wants the Penang Gerakan to make a painful decision but the Gerakan has no idea how to make it, showing a communication problem and differences in strategy. It is indeed a great taboo in politics. If the so-called "sacrifice" means party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Teng Hock Nan and Penang Gerakan vice-president Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye will not be contesting in the next general election and let secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow and Penang Gerakan vice-chairman Ong Thean ...