FREE DAY 4 What's happening in the by-election campaign s in the state constituencies of Kerdau and Merlimau? Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidents as they take place.

 

 

---

8am Merlimau: A resident's car rear windscreen has been broken. It's suspected as an act of sabotage.

The car was parked in front of the DAP election operation centre in Merlimau town.

DAP's Ayer Keroh assemblyperson Khoo Poay Tiong believes the incident happened between 1am to 5am this morning.

He advises the resident, who is not a party member, to lodge a police report.

8.30am Merlimau: PAS candidate Yuhaizad Abdullah visits Merlimau town market to greet the constituents.

With a bunch of red and white roses in hand, he gives out the flowers to the voters just as he did yesterday .

The female constituents are especially charmed by his gesture.

Coming across a traditional medicine seller who displays a snake, a playful Yuhaizad cannot help but touch it.

The PAS candidate later bumps into BN candidate Roslan Ahmad, and, with armour shed, both men enjoy a brief friendly chat, smiling.

9am Kerdau: BN candidate Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad starts his walkabout at Kg Kerai. Later at 10am, he visits Kg Sendayan and Kg Paya Perak before going to Kg Batu Sawar at noon.

10am Merlimau: Chinese press interviews PAS candidate Yuhaizad Abdullah.

10.40 Merlimau: BN candidate Roslan Ahmad visits the media centre to express his thanks.

When asked about the lewd leaflets ( right ) of doctored photographs of opposition leaders distributed in villages in Merlimau, Roslan says he has not seen them, but feels that it is an unhealthy development.

"By right, these things should not be encouraged. We shouldn't do things to affect someone's maruah (dignity).

"The competition should be healthy and we should talk about what we have done as a government. What is BN's contribution? I think the people will be able to judge on this," he says.

He adds that he will try to reach out to voters who live outside of Merlimau through "SMS blasting" as he believes many are still deciding and will only make up their minds on polling day.

11am Merlimau: PAS holds its daily press conference.

11.15am Merlimau: PAS information chief Idris Ahmad reports more campaign shenanigans, where fake party banners that aim to discredit the party have been put up. Four were found in Permatang Serai and in front of Politeknik Merlimau.

The bogus PAS banners read "Undi PAS masuk syurga" (Vote for PAS to enter heaven) and "PAS Melaka menyokong penuh fahaman agama pluralisme Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim" (Malacca PAS fully supports Anwar Ibrahim's pluralist religious beliefs), were spotted and removed this morning.

He adds that seven youths disrupted a PAS ceramah in Chinchin last night by chanting "Allahuakbar, Hidup Islam, Hidup Umno" (God is great, long live Islam, long live Umno) several times before running away.

12.20pm Merlimau: Anwar Ibrahim says he will sing the popular Saloma hit ‘Tiru Macam Saya’ tonight, in mockery of prime minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor’s statement yesterday. 

The de facto opposition leader ( right ) tells this to reporters after his court proceeding this morning.

He adds that he had rehearsed the number last night. “Normally, I would read a book at night, but I am trying to memorise the lyrics after my daughter printed it for tonight's talk."

"Rosmah said if the Kerdau BN candidate does not perform, tell her straight,” says Anwar, adding that it was Rosmah’s call for the people to follow her and support BN that inspired the idea for the Saloma song.

12pm Kerdau: Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Minister Noh Omar launches a course on Burung Walit at Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Temerloh.

12.30pm Merlimau: Pollster Zentrum Future Studies Malaysia predicts that BN has a 65 percent chance of winning, based on studies up till today.

1.30pm Kerdau: Women, Family and Community Welfare Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to lead a Singgah Ziarah programme, visiting senior citizens and the disabled in Kg Sri Ketumbit. She will then host a 'Moh Gegarkan Kebajikan' programme at the Kerdau children's activity centre at 2.30pm.

2pm Merlimau: Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam attends a Sirim Pintar program at SK Merlimau.

2.45pm Kerdau: At SMK Kerdau Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin meets parent-teacher association representatives from schools in the Kuala Krau parliamentary and Kerdau state constituencies.

3pm Kerdau: Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Noh Omar will launch a Tekun Nasional entrepreneurship seminar at Felda Jengka 23.

3.30pm Merlimau: CM Mohd Ali and Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong attend a seminar at SRJK(C) Merlimau.

Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Heng Sai Kee is also there, and urges the public to support Prime Minister Najib's 1Malaysia concept.

Heng says the people should be thankful and support BN's efforts to promote a harmonious society and take care of people irrespective of ethnicity.

The function also sees cash rewards ranging from RM30 to RM50 given to UPSR students who scored 3As to 7As, as well as around twenty prizes given out to teachers and pupils.

Heng, later in a press conference, denies that the function is an effort to campaign for the BN government, arguing that 1Malaysia concept is not a party slogan, but rather a national policy.

3.45pm Kerdau: Still at SMK Kerdau, Muhyiddin approves the request for the expansion of the school's classrooms, saying it will be included under the 10th Malaysia Plan's second rolling plan.

Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, adds that the government is willing to help relocate the school to larger premises, provided there is suitable land.

4pm Kerdau: Shahrizat hosts a Maulidur Rasul event at Dataran Desa Murni.

4.30pm Kerdau: Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim launches a Kampung WiFi dan Kenduri Rakyat event at Kg Desa Murni, where they will give out laptops, wheelchairs and daily necessities to the villagers.

At the same time, Muhyiddin will meet and greet Malay, Chinese and Indian voters at Kerdau town.

5.30pm Merlimau: Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop, who is also Masjid Tanah MP, launches the closing ceremony of a football competition in Jasin Lalang.

6pm Kerdau: Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai meets Kerdau voters living in Mentakab at Bukit Bendera Resorts, Mentakab.

7pm Kerdau: Muhyiddin Yassin perform Maghrib and Tahlil prayers at the Kg Kuala Tekal mosque.

8pm Merlimau: PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim attends a PKR dinner at Ayer Merbau.

8.30pm Merlimau: CM Mohd Ali to meet the rakyat at Kolej Komuniti Merlimau.

9pm Merlimau: Anwar speaks at Kampung Chinchin.

BN youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin to speak with other BN youth leaders at Merlimau Pasir.

9pm Kerdau: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang will attend a ceramah at Felda Jengka 25. PAS officials are claiming it will be a big event, during which a group of religious leaders officially joining the Islamist party.

  9.00pm Merlimau: DAP puts up ten giant banners conveying the message that voting is secret, in various locations.

This is in response to widespread threats to the locals that the ballots they cast would be known, says DAP Ayer Keroh assemblyman Khoo Poay Tiong.

"The people fear losing scholarships, as well as Socso and welfare allocations," he says, adding that those who attended the 1Malaysia dinner, were advised not to support the PAS candidate as their votes could be trailed.

The 10 x7 ft banner is printed in both Chinese and Malay . Khoo says DAP also printed over 2000 leaflets to disseminate to voters.

9.24 pm Merlimau: At Ayer Merbau, referring to the lewd leaflets, Anwar says, "Saya, Nik Aziz dan Eli Wong banyak keluar, macam superstar! "

9.30pm Merlimau: A banner accusing Anwar of being a traitor to the nation is spotted, hanging along the Merlimau/Malacca road.

"Anwar al-jub, pengkhianat agama, bangsa, negara. (Anwar sodomised, traitor to religion, race, nation)", is written on it.

Meanwhile, 50 metres from the banner, Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin will deliver a speech at a ceramah organised by BN National Youth, which attracts about 300 people.

9.30pm Kerdau: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang receives 12 application forms from Umno members in Felda Jengka 25 to join the Islamist party.

The defections are led by Muzamil Mualip, formerly the head of Felda Jengka 25 Umno division.

9.50 pm Merlimau: PAS' Yuhaizad Abdullah vows to open a service centre in Merlimau in 40 days if elected on Mar 6.

There is about 300 people here at Kg Chinchin, at Anwar's event.

Anwar appears rather tired.

9.59 pm

: Merlimau: At Kg Chinchin, Anwar asks if TV3 here to record his speech and someone yells out "tiga suku!"

10pm Merlimau: PAS will hold a ceramah at Jalan Pahlawan.

10.10pm Merlimau: Anwar sings a snippet of Saloma's ‘Tiru Macam Saya' after mentioning "someone" who in another campaign asked if she looked like a liar.

10.18pm Merlimau: Anwar tells the crowd in Kg Chinchin that has grown to 1000 people, that when Pakatan is in Putrajaya, petrol prices will be reduced.

He tells the mostly Malay kampung folk that we should help all who are poor regardless of race because we should be humane and fair.

"MB Nizar beri tanah kepada pekebun sayur Cina miskin diserang, Umno beri subsidi pada Cina kaya takpa sebab boleh masuk 15 percent.

"Kita gaduh kat bawah, Cina tak guna, India balik India, dia kat atas rompak," he says to nods from the audience.

10.30pm Kerdau : DAP youth chief Anthony Loke gets the crowd in stitches when speaking at a ceramah in Desa Murni, claiming that the 1Malaysia sign that BN leaders use is copied from DAP's "silent signal".

He explains that the Chinese had in the past used the sign of their index finger pointing up to show support for DAP, as they were afraid of doing it openly.

"That is the sign of the rocket, calling for the vote, the rocket going up to the moon," he says, in reference to PAS, which uses the moon logo on its flag.

"Umno is being so "bangang" (addled) listening to Apco. We don't really mind. Go ahead lah," he says to laughter from some 300 people assembled for the ceramah.

10.37 pm Merlimau: Anwar throws the Global Financial Institute illicit funds report on the floor and says, "Kata Anwar cakap burukkan orang, apa burukkan orang? Ambil, baca! Mana TV3? SB?"

The crowd applauds when the Malaysiakini videographer comes closer to take a shot of the report.

Anwar urges voters to have faith.

"They say this is an Umno stronghold but if it is going to happen it's going to happen. Who would've thought we could have taken Selangor? But we did."

He leaves at 10.40pm, and is mobbed by the crowd who wants to shake his hand but is 'rescued' by his bodyguards.

10.45pm Kerdau: A convoy of eight to nine police outriders enter the housing area of Felda Jengka 25 while PAS vice-president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man is speaking at a ceramah there.

The officers stop short of reaching the ceramah site, and start revving their engines. One of them is seen speaking to an individual waiting near a car for a few minutes, before the convoy turns around and leaves the area.

The individual then enters his car, a Proton Wira hatchback, and also leaves not long after that.

11pm Kerdau: DAP's campaign for PAS' Kerdau candidate Hassanuddin Salim looks to be going full swing tonight, with Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu taking to the podium after Youth chief Anthony Loke, at Desa Murni, Kerdau.

Liu claims that Umno and its cronies have looted the nation's riches through various means, from government linked companies to toll concessions, to the extent that even BN partners MCA and MIC are left out.

"Who gets the 30 percent bumiputera shares of companies listed on Bursa Saham? Does Mat Sabu have (shares)? (It's) all Umno," he says.

11.15pm Kerdau: Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu gets the crowd to put their hands together for Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Idris Jala.

Ending his ceramah in an unusual way, he commends Idris for being an honest man in admitting that the country could potentially go bankrupt.

"If we give (support) to Umno again, Malaysia will go bankrupt, just like how our most honest minister, Idris Jala, said," Liu proclaims, coaxing the crowd to applause.

11.20pm

Merlimau : Still at Kampung Pasir, BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin claims Pakatan is dreaming to think that the Jasmine Revolution will land on Merlimau, let alone Malaysia.

"This is because the middle east countries where the people rose to change their leaders, have a much higher incidence of poverty (compared to Malaysia)," he says.

11.34 Merlimau: At Permatang Pasir, there are long lines of cars parked on the roadside, about two kilometres, outside Anwar's ceramah.

It is hard to estimate how many are here to listen to Anwar talk but the crowd is spilling out onto the streets, and more are arriving.

There are about a thousand just standing outside the venue on the roadside.

At the venue, the PKR de-facto leader compares fourth prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's children to troubled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's children.

"Duit berbillion dollar!" he says to an enthralled audience.

Meanwhile Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, speaking at a venue about three kilometres away says the reason PKR has lost so many prominent members is because something is amiss in the party.

11.55pm Kerdau: Popular PAS leader Muhamad Sabu pokes fun at BN's record of governance, using the auditor-general's report to whack the Pahang state government.

Commanding the attention of the 300-strong crowd assembled at Desa Murni, he points out that the best-managed states in 2009 were Penang and Selangor.

"But the worst managed state is... Pahang! Paling buruk! (The worst!)," he says.