RENOWNED American poet and memoirist Maya Angelou (1928-2014) once said “if you’re going to live, leave a legacy”.
But unfortunately, the inability ‘to let it go at the peak of their legacy’ or simply ‘let go and sit back’ to savour a peaceful and restful retirement has proven costly for two old-time politicians in our list of 10 biggest shockers from the 15th General Election (GE15) which came to a conclusion in the wee hours of today (Nov 20).
Shocker #1 (Sun sets on the Mahathir dynasty)
Al Jazeera described the two-two premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s defeat in the Langkawi Parliamentary as “a major surprise that not only has he lost, but he has lost in a spectacular fashion”.
“He has not only lost his seat but has lost his deposit because he has not been able to get more than an eighth of votes cast. His party has also not managed to win a single seat,” reported the international news organisation’s correspondent Florence Looi who was reporting from outside of Kuala Lumpur.
Garnering only 4,566 votes, the Pejuang president and Gerakan Tanah Air chairman who is also the incumbent candidate came in fourth behind Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Zabidi Yahya (5,417 votes) in third, and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Datuk Armishah Siraj (11,945) in second place.
The five -cornered fight which also involved an independent candidate was won by Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah who polled 25,463 votes for a majority of 13,518.
This was the 97-year-old’s first electoral defeat in more than half a century or second throughout his long political career. The first time he lost was in 1969 to former PAS president Yusuf Rawa in the then Kota Setar parliamentary seat.
True to the manner The Star headlined Dr Mahathir’s defeat as “Sun sets on a dynasty”, it must also be shared that even his son Datuk Seri Utama Mukhriz Mahathir who contested under the Pejuang ticket faltered in the latter’s quest to defend his Jerlun Parliamentary seat.
Mukhriz who also lost his deposit polled a mere 3,144 votes in stark contrast to the eventual winner from PN, Dr Abd. Ghani Ahmad who garnered 20,456 votes.
Shocker #2 (Octogenarian Ku Li dealt a blow in ‘close shave’)
Having served the Gua Musang Parliamentary constituency for a dozen terms, UMNO stalwart and former Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has perhaps tasted defeat for the first time in his entire political career spanning 48 years.
PN through Mohd Azizi Abu Naim wrestled the BN stronghold in Kelantan with a razor-thin majority of 163 votes. In the official results, Ku Li as Tengku Razaleigh is popularly known, garnered 21,663 votes while Mohd Azizi won 21,826 votes.
Ku Li – the oldest BN candidate at 85 – had thrice prior voiced his reluctance to contest in the national polls but felt that it was his calling to contest in Gua Musang due to concerns that the seat would no longer be “safe” should it be given to another candidate.
Well, the Gua Musang MP since 1974 has announced that he will be challenging the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to deny him a recount due to the tiny majority.
Shocker #3 (Mentee gives Sheraton Move mastermind a lesson about loyalty)
In this battle hailed as “’David vs Goliath” fight, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (right) showed his former mentor Datuk Seri Azmin Ali the door out of the Gombak parliamentary seat after the latter having defended it for three terms since 2008.
Often described as Azmin’s protégé, Amirudin won the seat with 72,267 votes for a majority of 12,729 against the former International Trade and Industry Minister’s 59,538 votes which was a far cry from the 75,113 votes he polled when he contested under the PKR-PH banner in 2018.
Amirudin who is also the Selangor PKR chief used to be closely linked to Azmin prior to his abandoning PKR. The latter’s defection – coupled with Bersatu’s decision to leave PH led to the Sheraton Move which triggered PH government collapse after 22 months in power.
Shocker #4 (Dr Dzul gives his ‘Tengku’ patient a prescription for life)
Parti Amanah Negara strategic director Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (second from left) did not mince his words when he gestured in the run-up to GE15 that he had decided to postpone his retirement to teach former finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz (far right) a lesson about humility.
Now the incumbent Kuala Selangor MP and former Health Minister who is a renowned global toxicologist has at last five years (God willing) to impart his wisdom to the technocrat-turned-politician who was made to eat humble pie in his maiden election outing.
All-in-all, Dr Dzulkefly, 66, has realised his dream of showing his opponent who is “backed by money” the exit door – albeit in a close fight – with 31,033 votes against Tengku Zafrul’s 30,031 votes for a majority of 1,002 votes.
Shocker #5 (MIC president fails to restore the late Tun S. Samy Vellu’s yesteryears’ glory)
While UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had a narrow escape, thanks to his slim 348-vote majority over his PH giant slayer opponent Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, lady luck was not on the side of MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran.
Vigneswaran failed to seize the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat – the famed stronghold of MIC’s unrivalled leader Tun S. Samy Vellu – with the 19,791 votes he had polled in the GE15, having to concede his defeat to PH’s S. Kesavan who polled 21,637 votes for a majority of 1,846 votes.
The incumbent Sungai Siput candidate also toppled five other rivals in the seven-cornered battle, including Datuk Seri G. Irudianathan (PHl) who obtained 8,190 votes.
Nevertheless, deputy MIC president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan was again the saving grace of the party by successfully defending his Tapah seat over his nearest PH rival K. Saraswathy in a five-cornered fight.
The caretaker human resources minister who has held the seat since 2008 won with a majority of 5,064 votes by garnering 18,398 votes to Sarawaswathy’s 13,334 while PN’s Datuk Muhammad Yadzan Mohammad bagged 12,115 ballots.
MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong also defended his Ayer Hitam constituency with a ‘comfortably” 2,953-vote majority margin (with 18,911 votes) over his closest PH rival Syeikh Omar Bagharib Ali (who polled 15,948 votes) in a three-cornered fight which also featured PN’s Muhammad Syafiq A. Aziz (11,833 votes).
Shocker #6 (Very unlikely casualty from the Anwar clan)
Yesterday (Nov 19) must be a very sad birthday for Nurul Izzah Anwar. While her father and mother won their bids to become MPs for Tambun and Bandar Tun Razak respectively, Permatang Pauh which is synonymous with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s family was finally returned to PAS after a 40-year reign.
Nobody saw it coming that Nurul Izzah has to concede defeat to PN’s candidate Muhammad Fawwaz Muhammad Jan who won the seat with a 5,272-vote majority after polling 37,638 votes against Nurul Izzah’s 32,366.
The 39-year-old ‘giantess’ slayer is currently the CEO of Yayasan Darul Hadis Al Filfilaniyyah as well as a religious preacher who is married with 11 children,
Recall that Anwar first wrestled the Permatang Pauh seat from PAS in 1982 under a BN ticket with his family holding on to the seat for the next 36 years, alternating between him and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail under PKR.
Nurul Izzah came into the picture in 2018 when she vacated her Lembah Pantai seat and contested in Permatang Pauh and won it. PAS’ Zabidi Ali last won the seat in 1978.
Shocker #7 (Bidding farewell to Ku Nan, the third “Tengku’ casualty in GE15)
Remember the former federal territories minister Tengku Datuk Seri Adnan Tengku Mansor of UMNO-BN whose corruption charges of having received a RM2 mil payment from Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd director Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong was overturned by the Court of Appeal on grounds that there was no ample evidence that he had actually received the money or that the payment could have been for political donations instead?
Well, the four-term Putrajaya MP was dealt a cruel blow when the Putrajaya electorate decided to opt for new blood in Bersatu vice-president Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin who contested on the PN ticket in a six-cornered fight.
Radzi, 45, polled 16,002 votes to against Tengku Adnan or Ku Nan who received 13,692 votes for a majority of 2,310 votes. PH’s Dr Noraishah Mydin Abdul Aziz obtained 5,988 votes to come in third while Pejuang’s Datuk Mohd Rosli Ramli garnered 878 votes.
This is the first win for Radzi, 45, in the national poll after he was defeated in the Ketereh parliamentary seat in GE14.
The Putrajaya parliamentary constituency which is the Federal Government Administrative Centre has 42,881 registered voters.
Shocker #8 (From Rembau with high hopes but Sungai Buloh folks has second thoughts
A PM-wannabe with aspiration of giving UMNO a proper cleansing to rid the BN-dominant coalition from ills of sorts, Khairy Jamaluddin was easily the forerunner for the coalition to wrest Sungai Buloh from PH rule ever since nomination day on Nov 5.
All eyes, ears and mouths were chanting the name of the former health minister as a viable MP option after PH decided ‘to permanently retire’ its three-term service-oriented Sungai Buloh incumbent Sivarasa Rasiah on health grounds in favour of former MIC treasurer R. Ramanan whom critics deemed a tad inappropriate due to the latter’s baggage.
But last night’s (Nov 19) election outcome only goes to lend credence that opinions and predictions during the pre-election period don’t matter at all for what matters is what was marked on the ballot paper. Alas, no matter how narrow Khairy lost – a mere 2,693-vote majority – can be traumatising to a distinguished heavyweight.
Ramanan emerged triumphant by polling 50,943 votes as opposed to Khairy’s 48,250 votes in the five-cornered battle to deal the son-in-law of Malaysia’s fifth PM Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi an excruciating first defeat in a national poll since 2008.
Shocker #9 (Please prioritise road safety if you wish to campaign again in GE16)
Incumbent Ampang MP and Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president designate not only failed to retain her MP-ship for the fourth term in a row but she sadly also had her deposit forfeited in this round of national poll.
The former plantation industries and commodities minister who was embroiled in an eight-cornered tussle finished fourth with just 4,589 votes, trailing BN, PN and the triumphant PH candidate Rodziah Ismail who came up top with 56,754 votes despite GE15 being her maiden election.
Even then, the accolade Ibu Bangsa Malaysia (literally “mother of the Malaysian race”) will stick with Zuraida, 64, as she can count on rallying support behind the party’s president Datuk Larry Sng Wei Shien who has kept the PBM flag flying with the party’s maiden parliamentary seat after successfully in defending the Julau constituency in Sarawak.
On the light side, Zuraida would be remembered by Ampang folks for standing in the middle of a busy road symbolising a flashmob as part of her campaign antic for a good half an hour.
Shocker #10 (‘Doraemon’ minister fades into oblivion as Sepang folks deserted her)
Former Titiwangsa MP who was parachuted by her Bersatu-PN coalition to debut in the Sepang constituency for GE15 has tasted her first electoral defeat after having won the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat under the PH ticket in GE14.
The former women, family, and community development minister only managed to secure 47,315 votes, thus enabling the victor from PH Raj Munni @ Aiman Athirah Sabu to defend the PH seat with a majority of 8,949 in an eight-cornered fight by obtaining 56,264 votes
The Amanah Wanita chief also defeated BN candidate Anuar Basiran who polled 31,097 votes while the remaining five candidates are Datin Che Asmah Ibrahim of Pejuang, Datuk Mohd Daud Leong Abdullah (Parti Utama Rakyat), R. Nageswaran (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and two independent candidates Mohd Syahrul Amri Mat Sari and M. Muneswaran lost their deposits.
Recall that on Sept 14, DAP lawmaker Hannah Yeoh who was also a deputy minister in Rina’s ministry during the PH administration had wanted Rina who is most remembered for her “Doraemon voice” antic to “be fired” for her incessant use of cheap publicity that tarnishes the image of Malaysian women.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in late March 2020, Rina’s ministry through two campaign posters shared on its social media platforms had suggested that working mums don their office attire complete with heels, make-up and accessories while working from home.
To avoid conflict with their spouses, the ministry further advised women not to nag but instead imitate the voice of Japanese cartoon character Doraemon, followed by a flirty giggle to convey the message to their spouse on the correct way to hang clothes. – Nov 20, 2022
Main pic credit: Reuters
