UMNO's confidence in the 3-3-3-1 Formula is based on an obedient tool in the EC, control of mainstream media and complacency amongst PR
Defence Minister and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confidence yesterday of the success of UMNO’s “3-3-3-1” formula to recapture Penang at the next general elections is based on an obedient tool in the EC, control of mainstream media to spread lies against PR and complacency amongst PR parties. UMNO’s formula involved Umno, MCA and Gerakan adding three seats each and MIC one seat to the existing 11 state assembly seats to win by a majority of one in 21 out of the 40 State assembly seats.
The manipulation of the EC for BN’s own political interests is well-recorded until top officials of EC were recently exposed to be UMNO members. BN’s control of the media has resulted not only in a refusal to highlight PR’s successes in governance but also in sustained personal attack against PR Penang leaders recently based on racism, outright lies of corruption and sexual misconduct. Even my own family members such as my underaged son has not been spared from such vicious lies.
Worse is that the mainstream media continues to repeat the lies ad nauseam even when they are made by minor underlings of BN Youth parties that receives even wider coverage than the Chief Minister. Replies by PR are given limited coverage or sometimes not even published at all. Clearly UMNO believes in the black arts of deception because the truth will only be known after the general elections, when it is too late, and the BN liars only need to pay RM 200,000 in defamatory damages in court.
For this reason UMNO is now talking about regaining ground amongst Chinese, Indian and Malay voters because there is now a soft blackout of PR leaders on all mainstream media, which will be totally complete come election time. For instance when I revealed my house tenancy agreement in the interests of transparency, some newspapers refused to publish it nor published our requests that BN leaders reveal their tenancy or purchase of luxury homes.
UMNO is also confident because they sense complacency amongst PR. The time has come for PR to view the UMNO 3-3-3-1 threat seriously. In this respect UMNO may be correct as our PR Penang machinery is not in full election mode. I will request all PR parties to submit a full report on their election preparation by gearing up for polls in November, even though Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is widely expected to call for elections next year.
