加影补选：马华的参选意义和策略

随着前天的提名结束，雪州加影补选竞选正式掀开战幔。来自民联公正党的旺阿兹莎将代夫征战为民联守土，一对一迎战早前来势汹汹的国阵马华候选人副总会长周美芬。马华派出这等重量级候选人，显示该党注重这场补选，以期望能靠这场补选挽回和振兴自308大选至今仍低迷颓丧的全党士气。正如周美芬之前所说的，加影补选是“马华士气之战”。即使早前已知公正党会派出实权领袖安华来参选，知道难有胜望，马华也不假手让出这议席给国阵友党--原因已不在话下，放手等于示弱，日后若再被友党鱼肉剩余的议席就近乎亡党了。

马华哀兵上阵，为争取更多华人选票

上届505大选，雪州公正党临时抽起颇有服务口碑好评的前任加影州议员李成金，改派选前名不经传的李景杰，结果这个阿兹敏派系的麾下大将乘着强劲的乌巴反风以翻倍的多数票击败马华的候选人李万行。所以不难理解在选前呢称‘小芬’的马华候选人表示，她本身将朝着“不会变成炮灰”的方向努力，放眼拿下25-27%的华裔选票。这次师出有名的征战只为华人的四分之一选票？比起上届所获得的区区18%，这算是马华非常踏实的目标，也恰好反映出自称代表华社的马华窘境。由此看来，马华这次锁定输少当赢的目标，华人选票的增加就是他们的精神胜利。

安华案件逆转团结民联

但自从安华肛交案改判有罪后即刻掀起民众尤其是中间选民对国阵的反感，直接冲击选情，马华的如意算盘恐怕更难打响。由于社会兴论皆倾向认为上诉庭的仓促判决不公义且有政治阴谋阻止安华上阵加影补选，无形中增加中间选民对安华与家人的同情，同时也团结了民联各党派。行动党国会领袖林吉祥就上诉庭的裁决，放话要确保民联狂胜让国阵连按柜金也输掉。马华这次直接成为了安华肛交案逆转不公义的箭靶，恐怕连基本的目标都难以寄望达成，没有什么政治筹码哀兵上阵也只是逼不得已的选择。

制衡政府 vs 加影行动

早前周美芬在刚授命代表马华上阵时，就发出宣言希望华社给予马华一个机会回到州议会去代表多元种族的反对声音以制衡和监督民联雪州政府。如此的说法不外是一再提醒加影选民，马华目前在州议会里面一席都没有，国阵反对党议员清一色是巫统代表或许制衡和监督民联政府不力，所以投选她就会有分别。当然，加影选民的记忆力也许不差，谈到制衡民联政府，308大选后马华当时仍有两位州议员代表（即前新古毛州议员黄冠文和前双溪比力区州议员叶怡华）。所以，选民自然对马华两位代表的问政表现和能力心里有数，再考量如今送一位马华代表入议会效益如何。对比公正党命名为“加影行动”的格局之大，马华明显逊色。公正党声称“加影行动”是为民联执政中央铺路，原本属意安华亲自坐镇资源最丰富的雪州来稳定政局整合三党的合作，再从加影迈向布城。由于安华被排除参与这次的补选，代夫上阵的旺阿兹莎如今表明不会接替雪州大臣之位。预料现任雪州民联州务大臣卡立将能继续保住最令人关注的大臣位子，直到今年四月十八日关键的公正党党选。

选后公正党继续内乱还是回稳？

针对公正党的内部矛盾，国阵与马华当然不会放过任何挑破离间炒作的机会。日前槟州民政党主席邓章耀也来插一脚，看准了卡立在州民眼中良好的形象和高企的民望，提醒加影选民投选旺阿兹莎并不能压制有野心贪权的阿兹敏。最后演变成，他呼吁选民投国阵候选人周美芬一票以保卡立的大臣相位。逻辑上来说，这个论点的漏洞是蛮大的：若旺阿兹莎最后输了，难道卡立的位子会更稳固、公正党内斗更有可能被解决吗？除了因为她是安华的妻子，身为党主席的旺阿兹莎若当选了，亲自坐镇雪州调解两大派系冲突的份量还是很大。相信身为署理主席阿兹敏不敢轻举妄动贸然越界逼宫，留待党选一次过解决一切的江湖怨恨。当然公正党不能容许一直被对手放大他们党内的人事矛盾。如果国阵在竞选时要走这一套，给对手增加媒体和兴论压力或许能奏效。这就得看民联能否有周全的人事和媒体策略应对，以避免在竞选期一直被国阵抛出的负面议题牵着鼻子走。

民生亲民牌 vs 司法公正不要政治迫害牌

自从被指责逃离政治，如今在雪州不当权也不当家的马华，最拿手的依然是民生服务牌。周美芬一开始就向加影选民释放‘与他们同在’的意愿，表示她已搬进加影居住，以便中选后可以亲力亲为服务选民。她又派发印有熨斗图案的贺卡给加影妇女们，增添女性选民对她的好感提高她亲民贴近民生的形象。唯一缠绕着她的是，过去她身为八打灵北区国会议员未支持和回避白沙罗原校保校运动的污点又开始在网络上流传。马华同僚们纷纷急着通过发表文告为她澄清和消毒，重复白小未曾关闭只是搬迁的官方说法。

旺阿兹莎和蔼可亲的形象早已深入民间，她的名字更几乎家喻户晓，所以公正党在宣传时不用太着力去介绍候选人。公正党挑选女性上阵，又恰好是安华肛交案的直接受害者，更能突显出旺阿兹莎柔中带刚的坚韧的性格。对于不仁不义的遭遇，旺阿兹莎说过她不要他人的同情票。相信公正党会把这充满政治味道的判罚从安华的个人冤案转化成司法公正和不要政治迫害的议题，以争取选民的认同。与此同时，民联各党必定会落力敦促选民用选票教训那个‘熟悉的魔鬼’，那个开始要清算反对阵线而滥权不择手段的国阵。

看康头，比人头

正当举国上下也正密切关注马航失机事件之际，有人问，这场补选会有什么看头？

这是马华与公正党两个中央重量级领袖之间在一个小小州选区的政治大比拼，意义绝对超过政党的面子和士气问题而已，应该会好戏连场。要看头？就看康头，比人头。油润的国阵竞选机器进驻后，预料会一如往常的使出其杀手铜—派康头来笼络人心制造人气，只是难预料马华国阵这次会把哪个巨星请来做超级助选员。而民联在自己执政的州属占据了主场的优势，竞选方式也一如往常靠政治明星云集的政治座谈会召来越多人头越热闹越好。补选选战才刚开始罢了，双方肯定会很卖力争取选票，选情很快就如加影沙爹般热辣起来。

后言：

由于修改了一遍还是似乎写得不够好，结果没被录用。原本想转投，篇幅又对于一般的报章过长，即时性又开始消失了。为了不让我花了时间和心思写的文章白费掉，特此公开发表。

我从该编辑得到不错的启示，不过架构既然已写得如此了或许难以再作大幅度的更动符合或达到他的‘一针见血’指标。

对于你们这些读者，请多多指教！

New Direction, New Life in Penang

I have been inactive on FB for sometimes, maybe many of you guys are not informed -- I'm back to Malaysia for good, after I obtained my doctorate degree in Infection Biology 2 days prior to the beginning of the recent Chinese new year. And now it is already into the third week of my new job in Penang Institute as a senior analyst in the Economic studies cluster. My move has certainly raised some eyebrows and some might even have questions for me.

The most common one is, why did I choose to come back to Malaysia?  There is already a brain-drain situation happening here in Malaysia where people have the perception that once someone left the country to go overseas to further studies or to develop their career, is bound to stay there and subsequently apply for PR and maybe eventually adopt the citizenship of that nation. For your information, I have spent 4 years in London, UK for my undergraduate and master degree studies, and then another 4 years in Hannover, Germany for my PhD degree studies. In a total span of more than 8 years abroad, it is already kind of a living experience to stay in Europe.  Sure I would miss those wonderful days sometimes. As my age is lapsing into 30 (‘milestone?’), many factors for consideration I have to think about. So to decide where I would want to be for a foreseeable future, I have to ask myself what do I see in myself for career and family.  These two are the main reasons for the homecoming.

Higher paid salary, higher standard of living and more efficient delivery of public service and social system are in place in developed countries such as UK and Germany than in Malaysia , I have no doubt about that. Along with the PR status, these are just externalities to me. What concerns me more is the aspiration for my career, a job which can satisfy my ambition and ideals.  And I have also made a promise (a proposal) to xiao hui to start a family here back in our homeland.

Another question would surface among many is, why switching to another field after graduated as a PhD in biomedical science? Someone who is close to me would probably understand that, although I was a scientifically trained researcher, I have diverse and wide arrays of interests in many areas, in particular in socio-politics. I know where my potential and my strength are, so I do not want to restrict my ability just by doing science in the laboratories. I want to take the path in which fewer people would venture into, to make an impact and contribute to the causes I believe in. It is not like I abandon or do not want to advance my field, I just consider that I can contribute myself better in another track with my potential and special abilities, beyond being just another researcher in a biological laboratory.

On the other hand, maybe some would presume or expect that I would be involved directly in political party politics. Nope, that is not what I intend to pursue. I would never say never, but at best at this moment I do not consider. I would like to continue improving myself in terms of knowledge and skills, as an academician/ academic researcher. At the forefront of ‘Reformasi’ and ‘Ubah’ socio-political movements, our nation does not lack sincere and passionate individuals and active politicians in party politics. I would like to commit myself further to the movements by putting down my action, and transferring my doctorate expertise to policymaking. What is there we call a change of government and then a good hope for future, if we do not have good quality researches on better public policies in all areas affecting our daily life? Politicians definitely need those inputs also, as they have so many activities to attend to and they need to be well informed to carry out their responsibilities (and don’t forget sometimes they are also busy embroiled in party politics and at the same time firefighting for the local issues, too). That is why I join Penang Institute, the think-tank for Penang state government, to communicate intellectually with the general public and interested parties about inspiring ideas which could transform and improve our daily life. “Making ideas work” is the motto for Penang Institute, also what I believe in. For new politics, we need new flourishing ideas to make things work much better in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and the creation of happiness.

Although my principal interests lie in healthcare reform and scientific development, upon joining Penang Institute I first take the position under the Economic studies cluster. Why? This is a golden opportunity for me to learn and acquire one of the most important and powerful tools in policymaking, which is finance and economics. As all public policies would definitely involve cost and benefits analysis, I cannot allow myself to be ignorant in economics if I would like to be effective in formulating better policies in future, especially in my areas of interest. Healthcare improvement and scientific development do require a large sum of budget. The training and the transferable skill sets I acquired from my previous discipline has not gone to waste, they are still very relevant to this very job I just started.

The next possible question is, why Penang, and not KL-Klang valley (my hometown) or Singapore (where my fiancée is currently working and living). The fact is that, just when I saw the job opportunity from Penang Institute came to me, I just could not resist the temptation and let it pass because it is just so close to what I really would like to do. To relocate to Penang is not a problem and I quite like this place.  Right now I stay at the southern part of the island (Relau, Bayan Lepas), where there is still plenty of lush greenery and 3 sides surrounded by hills. The immediate environment is nice and the air is fresher than in KL. Even at the peak of rush hour traffic, a car trip would normally only take about 45 minute, and a (RapidPenang) bus trip takes about the same amount of time plus 12 minute walk to the institute. So it is quite a good place to stay and to work and I might even consider settling down here for longer term if xiao hui and I are happy with the living experience here in Penang.

Being able to relocate here to embark on my new life journey, I would like to dedicate my thanks to my fiancée and my mum for their continuous loving support, and their understanding. I would like to thank Penang Institute also for giving me the opportunity to prove my worth even though I might pose an uncertainty or a risk just because I am from the outside field and untested. Of course I have to thank my dad for the financial supports all these years, enable to free myself from many financial constraints for job consideration, so that I would not have to think about the ‘return’ for his education ‘investment’ in me until master degree (for phd studies, I had a scholarship and was financially self-sufficient when I was in Germany). I consider myself lucky in this, so I have no excuse for not pursuing my ideal career path and realising my potential in making positive changes and contributions for better Malaysia!

People might think that patriotism is the powerful call attracting overseas talents return home to contribute. I beg to differ. While I would not say I am not patriotic or doing this because I am patriotic, I think my decision for homecoming is really beyond patriotic sentiment. It is more towards what I can do and want to do back here in the homeland, and what (legacy) do I want to achieve in the end. If I were a very enthusiastic scientific lab researcher in the previous track, it would serve me better should I stay in Europe for further academic development (the default route: Post-doc, fellow/small group leader, associate professor, and professorship). I would not do the same thing in Malaysia, due to many surrounding negative factors and inferior environment which I do not think I could change as a scientist. But now my current job empowers me to make the necessary changes, so that next time I want to make sure the scientific and academic environment here in Malaysia is more conducive for returning talents.

In addition, I also want to do the right things and fight for what I really believe in, for the love of my family and my future family, my friends, my relatives and larger communities and finally extending to the whole nation. I want to see a significant improvement in our living standard and life quality. I want to see, finally there are reasons for a smile on everyone’s face; until all people reside on this blessed land call this place home and continue living happily ever after (while still actively participating in matters matter to them). Reformasi spirit and the fire still live deep inside of me, I strive for democracy and social justice. I want to make sure our political system is reformed until the currently endemic corruption and the blatantly abused state power are no more there as the source of unhappiness to all of our people.

新方向。新生活

近來似乎在面書上沉寂下來活動不多，也許大家對我的最新動向不清楚。在此報告大家，我已成功畢業回國了，考獲了感染性疾病生物學博士。就在農曆新年大年初一任務達成凱旋而歸。目前我已投入了新工作第三周，在檳州研究所擔任政策分析員，隸屬在經濟研究小組。雖然我還未公開地在面書上解釋我的人生決定，之前身邊好友詢問我都毫無隱瞞地回答告知。

相信很多人頭上掛著不少問號。首先，最讓親朋戚友不解的是，為何要回國？或許我國的人才流失現象實在太嚴重，也或許現今的國情和國家前景仍暗淡，以致大部份的人都有一個印象認為‘流浪’去海外的國民，不管是去深造或開創發展事業，都很有可能一去不返直接在異鄉落地生根，哪怕是成為當地的永久居民或放棄國籍直取當地的公民身份。如果不說我要回國，你們很多人都可能以為我已經是他國的PR（像阿牛的阿花永遠不再回來了啦）-- 沒錯，我在異鄉呆了很久，前前後後差不多九年了：四年在英國修讀學士和碩士學位，然後四年多在德國完成博士學位。我知道有不少人其實很嚮往海外的生活甚至恨不得馬上就去，但對我來說，九年，差不多一個年代了，真的已經很足够。當然偶爾我也還會想念緬懷旅居在英國和德國的日子。現今我的年齡也快進入三十的里程碑，有很多人生決定需要慎重考慮。所以在決定何處方為落腳之地之前，我必須先問自己：我的人生規劃是什麽，要何時何地和怎樣成家立業。就是‘成家立業’這四個字讓我最終成爲了‘海龜’派。

不用問不用說，在英國和德國的薪金、生活水準肯定比我國高；公共服務和社會制度也一定比較優越。當然一些人會眼紅地盯著令人垂涎的外國永久居留證，這些全部對我來說僅僅是身外物或外在因素。我在乎的是事業發展，我要的是一份能滿足我的雄心志願和理想的工作。與此同時，我也已對曉慧我的未婚妻許下承諾，要與她一起回到我們的地方，在不久的將來開始建立屬於我們的幸福小家庭。

肯定也有人心中存有疑惑，為何考到了生物醫學系的博士學位后才‘轉行’？我的知己和身邊的好友們應該明白，雖然我是個在科學研究體系出身培訓出來的研究員，同時我也擁有非常廣泛的興趣，特別是在社會政治學方面。我瞭解自己的潛質和特點在哪裡，所以我不願畫地局限自己呆在科學實驗室做研究。我更想要走出原科系的框框，嘗試貢獻出一己之力量去影響和促進社會改革進步。我沒要遺棄或不發展我原科系的意思，只是覺得我可以在其他管道更有作为，以另一種方式並行回饋本行。

可能當中也有人會誤以為我是政治狂熱份子，回國後就必然會選擇參政（政黨政治）。不，那不是我的意願。雖然我不會放話說我以後絕不從政，但在這個階段我暫不考慮。我會繼續提升自己的知識和各方面的能力，才不會愧對於學術人士和知識份子的身份。我國在‘烈火莫熄’和‘烏巴’政治浪潮運動的衝擊洗禮下，從不乏真誠熱血理想派人士從政。我本身也受到這些政治運動的感召和一系列國內政治事件的影響，毅然付出行動朝著這些運動的目標挺進。我要利用我的學識和專業精神投身在政策改革。改朝換代有何意義，如果我們沒有良好素質的替代公共政策研究，又如何確保日後我們的新政府能有效地改善我們的日常生活呢？有理想的政治人物肯定也會對這類型的研究感興趣和有需求。但現實是，他們本身的職務早已讓他們太忙碌難以分身投入更多的時間與精力在政策研究。忙碌不能成為他們的藉口，制度上同時必須支援和協助他們以確保他們對政策議案有足夠的瞭解和掌握，從而讓他們在議會里充分發揮與執行人民代議士的立法修法角色。這就是為何我加入檳州研究所，檳州州政府的智囊團，以成為州政府和公眾的知識溝通橋樑，希望能貢獻更多有創造性和改革動力的點子。“Making ideas work”（讓點子動起來）是檳州研究所的口號(motto)以及中心思想，我也非常認同它的重要價值。一個新的政治論述終究需要更多的新點子來支撐，以便這些點子能很好地發揮其作用以提升整體社會的效能效率和創造幸福與快樂。到底一些新點子是不是更好的點子呢？我們就得認真地做研究分析這些點子在政策上的利與弊，然後再研究如何落實和貫徹一些好的新點子。

雖然我的主要興趣環繞在醫藥改革和科學發展方面，而甫加入檳州研究所的我卻先待在經濟研究小組里。為何？對我來說，這是一個不容錯過的黃金機會讓我學習極其重要的學識例如財經。這是公共政策研究和擬定過程中不可或缺的知識。正因為公共政策總會牽涉到利與弊、得與失的分析和計算，我更不允許自己在財經方面一竅不通。學不好這門知識以後就難以在我的興趣領域里大展宏圖推出有效可行的政策，尤其是要改善醫療系統和發展科學一般上會牽涉到龐大的預算和複雜的財務結構。當然我也不認為我之前所學到的知識和技能就此浪費了，因為我在大學里學習到的東西遠遠超出專門知識和技能，然而一些專門學識我仍能在不久的將來派上用場。

另一個可能的疑問是：為何選擇檳城，而不是在吉隆坡-巴生谷地帶（我的老家）或新加坡（我未婚妻目前工作和生活的地方）工作？其實，是工作選擇了我。在偶然的機緣下，我從進發那裡探聽到了久聞大名的檳州研究所有職位空缺，我就抓緊機會躍躍欲試推薦自己。因為那是我事業發展的興趣方向，最後我成功被錄取。移居到檳島不是一個大問題，我也不是第一次移居到異鄉了。我其實還蠻喜歡這裡的。目前我住在島上的南端，在一個新興發展的地區叫Relau（中譯：湖內）。這裡環境優美，三面環山仍綠油油，空氣新鮮清爽。這個環境在吉隆坡-巴生谷地帶非常難求。再加上這是個著名的旅遊勝地島嶼，有漂亮的海灘自然景色，食物美味好吃和人文色彩豐富，生活費也比較低，我豈有理由不喜歡這裡呢？

有別於檳城人自己怎麼看待他們的交通狀況，這裡的交通阻塞情況實在比起巴生谷地帶好得太多了。即使在上班下班高峰期，開車從南部到北部都市的工作地點，才只需時45分鐘（只比起順暢時期多了15分鐘）。我乘搭公共巴士RapidPenang也蠻方便，需時差不多45分鐘加上12分鐘步行時間就抵達研究所了。所以，暫時我認為這裡是很不錯的工作與生活地點，甚至可以考慮將來定居在這裡（如果曉慧與我以後都喜歡和享受這裡的生活）。

我之所以能順利地在檳城這裡開始全新的人生旅途，我要感謝曉慧和我母親的鼎力支持和諒解。我也感謝檳州研究所給我這樣的一個機會來證明我自己，即使可能在一些人的眼中我是個未知數或風險（因為我是門外‘翰’）。當然我也要感謝我父親這些年來在財務上的支持，以讓我能自由選擇理想志業而不需考慮他對我付出的教育‘投資’的回報。尤其是在英國倫敦念學士和碩士時期，教育費和生活費是龐大的。而後來我也爭氣，爭取到獎學金，在財務獨立自供自足的情況下在德國修完我的博士學位。因為家境的關係，我知道自己比很多人幸運，所以我更責無旁貸沒有藉口不去追求自己理想與志向，發揮我的最大潛能貢獻回饋社會。

有人以為，是愛國精神感召我回國奉獻。我不認同。我沒說自己不愛國或這樣做是因為我愛國，我的回國決定是經過深思熟慮，遠遠超出了愛國情操範疇。我的考量是，到底我回來實際上能做些什麽和想要做些什麽，將來有什麽理想和成就我想要達成。如果我仍是當初的一個非常熱忱的科學實驗研究員，我想我或許仍會留在最適合事業發展的地方例如歐洲，繼續攀爬學術界的梯階（一般的途徑是：博後，資深研究員/研究小組領頭，助理教授，副教授和最終成為教授。未必每人都可以攀到那麼高，即使可以也要用上10到20年）。我不曾考慮在馬來西亞走入我較熟悉的科學研究學術領域，眾所周知我們的大學學術界出了什麽結構性和政治上的問題。在那種負面的學術環境里，即使我有超凡的能力都難以突破，處處要被現實束縛限制。不過現有的工作卻可以讓我感受到我有改變的能力。我希望可以把握機會將來能打造更健康優良的學術環境，以吸引更多有熱忱有能力旅居海外的大馬人回國貢獻發展事業。

還有，更重要的是，無論是大事小事我都要堅持做對的事。我要繼續為我的理念和原則奮鬥下去，爲了我親愛的家人和未來的家庭，也爲了我的親朋戚友，共同生活在一起的社會各階層各族同胞們，和最後爲了我這個美麗的國家。我期盼看到大家的生活水準和素質都有顯著地提升；每個人臉上終於找到了可以微笑的理由。我由衷地希望所有在這片土地上生活的人們都有個快樂的家園，同時繼續成為優良的公民參與和關心社會和政治。‘烈火莫熄’的精神火種一直深埋在我心裡，我會繼續為民主和社會公義鬥爭。我會盡我能力確保我們的政治系統徹底地改革直到可以剷除根深蒂固的貪污文化和阻止政黨濫用公家權力，直到我國人民免於腐敗無能種族政治的禍害這些幾乎所有不快樂的根源。