DESAH to ensure straight fights in 10 constituencies
KOTA KINABALU May 7, 2012: Democracy Sabah or DESAH will focus its efforts to ensure straight fights between Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Opposition in ten constituencies in the 13th General Election.
“We will start with the parliamentary constituencies and for now focus on ten constituencies such as Penampang and Sepanggar,” the civil society group’s deputy chairman, Tan Michael Liew, said.
DESAH would like to work in more constituencies but as the polls loom nearer, they will focus on ten areas initially, he said, adding that DESAH would be organising public debates in those constituencies to find out which political party had the strongest support there.
Liew said this when he and several DESAH members were promoting the group and its objectives to the public at Gaya Street here.
DESAH is a civil society group formed recently to campaign for one-to-one contests in the coming general elections. It is headed by former State Secretary Tan Sri Simon Sipaun.
Meanwhile, two opposition parties have confirmed their participation in DESAH’s first debate which will be held in Penampang on May 9, to determine which is more suited to take on the incumbent Barisan
Nasional for the Penampang parliamentary seat in the upcoming polls.
According to him, the State Reform Party (STAR) and DAP have confirmed their participation in the debate which will be held at the Penampang library at 7pm, to be moderated by UiTM lecturer Arnold Puyok.
The inaugural debate in Penampang would include a poll of about 1,000 randomly selected voters to ask them which party should take on the incumbent.
Liew said yesterday that they hoped to stage a similar debate in Sepanggar later this month and STAR had also confirmed its interest to participate in that event.
“Our hope is to hold debates in at least ten parliamentary seats so that voters will have an idea as to who is better suited for a contest against the incumbent in a particular constituency,” he added.
“The theme of the debate is essentially whether a local or a national party is better to contest the seat,” Liew added.
The debates would consist of several stages, beginning with the representatives being given equal time to explain their respective platforms on relevant issues and followed by challenging the other candidates.
“Each candidate will be given time to answer those challenges directed at him or her. The debate will then allow members of the audience to pose questions to the representatives,” he added.
To the question if DESAH would be disappointed if the straight contests do not take place, Liew said that it would not be because “what is important is setting up a platform for the system to be applied in the next election.”
Even to promote a one on one fight, there is a new organization set up. Malaysians really like to set up associations, there is an association for just about everything.
BalasPadamThe only way a one on one fight can be achieved is not through an organization like DESAH. But it depends on the opposition parties capabilities to unite.
BalasPadamTrue, if the opposition parties refused to cooperate on the 1 against 1 fight, there is nothing Desah can do about it.
PadamI think it would be better if the constituency more smaller. The smaller it is, the easier to handle.
BalasPadamI wonder if a debate can help to solve the problem....
BalasPadamNo need to have a debate because if the opposition cannot cooperate, they will doom to fail anyway.
PadamGood to have debate then this will keep the mind think and focus on the issues of the election . Hope there are capable leaders who could deliver the message to the people. Remember the "Rakyat" will decide who win win the election and I hope that it is going to be a fair and just election.
BalasPadamkita lihat bagaimana debat itu akan berlangsung, orang ramai kena bijak dalam menilai isu yang diketengahkan.
PadamDebate will never solve any problems
PadamI believe the people know how to evaluate between the good and bad
BalasPadamTo ensure straight fight is in the opposition hands, not Desah. Only the opposition themselves can decide if there can be a one on one with BN this GE or not.
BalasPadamI don't think they can create a one to one fight.
PadamDebate mencari kesalahan dan bukannya mencari penyelesaian.
BalasPadambaik sipaun jangan terlu fokus dengan Desah.. Suhakam amat memerlukan beliau berbanding dengan Desah yang tujuannya hanya untuk kepentingan politik pembangkang..
BalasPadampatut la Suhakam semakin kurang aktif.. rupanya sipaun sibuk dengan Desah..
BalasPadam