Gelang Patah: A titanic clash in the making?

Since YB Lim Kit Siang was announced as the candidate for Gelang Patah in Johor, many mixed reactions are seen from the BN camp. It ranges from accusations of LKS running away from Ipoh Timor in Perak because he is scared to lose, or him abandoning his constituents, or he will surely lose in Gelang Patah, etc. 

One observation since the announcement by DSAI is that it seems that its utter panicking on the BN side. How can one person contesting in one seat can trigger such a response? It is known that Johor is the bastion of UMNO and extension BN. One reason BN survived the 308 tsunami is that Johor delivered all but one of the parliament seats alongside Sabah and Sarawak. But with the changing times, including the winds of change in the political arena in Singapore, BN has begun to realize the importance of defending Johor. 

With LKS in the picture, followed by Liew Chin Tong and co, MCA especially is seen to be under pressure to perform. On paper, MCA should be able to defend most of its seats. But due to the upsurge in support for Pakatan down south especially among the Chinese and with PAS and PKR making headways in UMNO strongholds, nothing can be taken for granted. The challenge of LKS to Chua Soi Lek has been turned down for obvious reasons: CSL cannot afford to lose this battle. 

So, he pushed the ball into MB Ghani's court. So will the current MB of Johor face off with one of the wily old fox of politics of Malaysia? We will only know on nomination day. It is a battle of importance not for LKS but for Pakatan. If he loses it is just one potential seat lost. But if he wins, he will not only earn one seat for Pakatan but trigger a domino effect on the surrounding seats. LKS and Pakatan has already started hitting the ground hard campaigning and the early results look promising. 

Now, it is up to BN on how to counter this offensive. They know that they ill-afford to lose but at the same time it seems BN has lost their plot. By deploying old hands such as TDM to condemn such a move by LKS and trying to sound confident in the MSM everyday, it only tell that BN is afraid. Not only in Gelang Patah but in every constituency in this country keen battles will be fought. BN will be stretched even further than 308 as every seat is really up for grabs either way. 

For more news on Gelang Patah:

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/soi-lek-declined-facing-kit-siang-ghani-a-possibility-say-bn-sources/