Post-GE 2008 Quotable Quotes

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"I'm hearing words from old Umno members saying 'Aku meluat', 'Agkuh' and 'Sombong'. These are some of the words being used, so Umno has to change. No more spin. We don't need spin doctors like Zam (Zainudin Maidin) anymore." - Zaid Ibrahim.

"It’s just that when the EC chief (Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman) speaks, he is provocative. He's like a Barisan Nasional fellow.He likes to show that he is so loyal to Umno. He says things like "Nobody else can rule the country" and other ridiculous things like that. So when you talk like that, people don't trust you." - Zaid Ibrahim.

"The BN and Umno suffered because there were too many leaders who were hungry for power. They forgot about service to the people." - Prof Mohd Zainul Fithri, vice-president of the Management and Science University.

"Umno leaders were engrossed with tenders, wealth and corruption issues, cronyism and weak leadership, outdated ideas and implementation of projects that did not have a positive impact on people." -Prof Md Shukri Shuib, a lecturer with the college of law, government and international studies at Universiti Utara Malaysia.

"He remained silent (on many important issues) when people expected him as party president to speak up for the community. All he would say is that he would discuss this behind closed doors. A silent politician is no politician. Silent politics is equivalent to zero politics. We paid for that big mistake he made," - Chua Jui Meng attributed MCA poor election results to Ong Ka Ting.

"Ong Ka Ting has accused DAP’s Lim Kit Siang of being power crazy. But by holding on to MCA presidency now, he is viewed as lacking integrity and credibility himself." An urban voter, TM Lee, 28, remarked.

“When Ong Ka Ting promised the party a new era in 2003 following his first 100 days as president, we did not know it would be the start of the Ong dynasty." - A MCA Penang insider reveals.

"BN had underestimated the political education that voters were receiving through news websites and blogs. In the last few years, the Malaysian public was being educated and informed of happenings and scandals through the Internet, which was blanketed out of the mainstream media. Governments all over the world, including Singapore, will do well to realise the power of the Internet and flow along with it." - Dr Ooi Kee Beng, a Penang-born fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

"People began to think that BN was not serving the interest of the people, be they Malays or non-Malays. The issue of rising prices was very serious but the BN government pretended they did not know about it and kept saying that this is a global trend. Many of the BN leaders are wealthy, so who is suffering? That's why the anger was there." - Associate Prof Dr Ariffin Omar, political science lecturer with UUM.

"There are infighthing in UMNO and BN coalition parties. There were so many factions within UMNO who are juggling for power... It's disunity within UMNO and BN." - Associate Prof Dr Ariffin Omar

"The special Malay rights is just a beautiful word. Who enjoys these previleges? No deserving Malays. I don't think Malays question the policy but how it's implemented."- Associate Prof Dr Ariffin Omar

"They were so taken up with their own newspaper reports that they couldn't hear anything else. They dismissed everything they didn't like... They have been so arrogant that they have suppressed any opinions they don't like and believe in their own reports which are not consistent with what is really happening in the country." - Tun Dr Mahathir commented on BN's poor election results.

"This is a historic crisis, and we must face it without further denial, self-deception or media spin." - Ku Li.

"I think the Japanese would have committed harakiri. But I think the Malays are not up to this yet." - Tun Dr Mahathir.

"The people have observed that this government is run by one family for the family. As long as you have that kind of arrangement where family takes precedence over cabinet, over the government itself, I think the people would want to go against them" - Tun Dr Mahathir.

"Politicians should never believe their own propaganda. Politicians who do are apt to commit political suicide. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi did just that last Saturday. He and others in the ruling coalition believed their own propaganda, they smiled at their own press releases, and they duly submitted their necks to be wrung by an electorate only too anxious to throttle them." - Janadas Devan writing for NST.

"MCA grassroots immediately started 'whispering' their grouses after the president Ka Ting appointed his brother Ka Chuan to replace Dr Ting Chew Peh as secretary-general... Those not in 'good books' of the president got wind that many of their leaders would be dropped as candidates." - Ng Kee Seng and Giam Say Khoon's analysis with TheSun newspaper.

"The main issues were feeling of unfairness and hubris of power.... compounded by raising cost of living and crime rate, the people were in the mood for change or at least show displeasure. Unfortunately, BN leaders and candidates were unable or unwilling to rebut or counter such accusations, hoping for them to disappear as mistakes." - Goh Ban Lee for TheSun newspaper.

"For instance, the mass-media including newspaper failed to highlight the criticism. Worst, they tend to give BN candidates glowing reviews. These lopsided reports and commentaries lulled them in to believing that all went well." - Goh Ban Lee for TheSun newspaper.

"Good thing about election is that they are not permenant. Four to five years later, DAP/PKR/PAS will have to account for their promises."- Goh Ban Lee for TheSun newspaper.

"He won or lost? Oh, he lost. Well, the way he was campaigning was really funny, telling people to look at his face and how it doesn't change. But I think that a face that doesn't change can be very boring. Sometimes you must laugh, sometimes you must cry. He was telling everybody 'Ini muka tak bertukar, tak bertukar'. Who is interested in his ‘wajar’? If he was Britney Spears, then…." - Tun Dr Mahathir commenting on Zam's campaign results.

"They have their constraints. Some of them are my friends and supporters too and they apologise say that they can't help. 'It's all this Kali. This Kali,' they tell me." - Tun Dr Mahathir commenting on press editors to resign following a poor feedback and analysis to the government prior to election day.

"The Indian community is not questioning the special rights and the privileges accorded to the Malays, but just want their due rights and equal opportunities as citizens of this country,"Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar.