KUALA LUMPUR – With Umno’s insistence on a general election this year, despite monsoon fears, confirmed by all its top leaders last night, many Malaysians on social media are reacting angrily, daring the Barisan Nasional (BN) linchpin party to “bring it on”.
Using the hashtag “#UndiBanjir”, many social media users said they are even more motivated to vote, despite the possibility of floods, in order to teach the party a lesson.
Twitter was inundated with posts on the matter, criticising Umno for its greed at the expense of Malaysians’ welfare. Many netizens are also rallying people to “know who the real enemy is” and vote against Umno.
“No more fighting between parties. Now Umno is fighting with (the) rakyat. We will make you lose!” says Twitter user @/AnyssRoselyne.
No more fighting between parties. Now UMNO is fighting with RAKYAT.
— Si Kecil (@AnyssRoselyne) September 30, 2022
WE will make you lose !#UndiBanjir https://t.co/RPNMAxMAe8
Muda member and entrepreneur Datin Dian Lee urged voters to deny Umno victory.
“GE15 is said to cost RM1 billion. What is the actual cost when homes and lives are lost [in the flood]? This is a heartless government. We cannot let them win,” she tweeted with her handle @/iamdianlee.
GE 15 is said to cost RM1 Billion.
— Dian Lee 李静霖 (@iamdianlee) September 30, 2022
What is the actual cost when homes & lives are lost?
This is a heartless government.
We cannot let them win. #undibanjir https://t.co/lfEbTvNj05
Numerous netizens are also comparing the coming election to #UndiRabu, the movement spearheaded by average Malaysians during the 14th general election in 2018 that helped voters unable to find or afford transportation back to their hometowns as voting then was held on a Wednesday.
If #UndiRabu didn't teach you a lesson....#UndiBanjir will.
— ᴊᴏᴇ ʟᴇᴇ (@iamjoelee) September 30, 2022
Bring. It. On. https://t.co/lOslm4RrML
There are, however, some Twitter users who struck a different tone, and they were swiftly accused of being of being pro-Umno.
One such user was Tajuddin Kamil, who said in a tweet that “if elections can be held during Covid-19, flood is nothing”, referring to state polls that were held in 2020 and 2021 during pandemic. This incited more rage from other Twitter users, who reminded him how the number of virus cases had spiked after the Sabah election.
The #UndiBanjir hashtag was birthed soon after the conclusion of the Umno Supreme Council meeting last night, during which it was agreed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob would advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on a suitable date for Parliament to be dissolved so that GE15 can be held this year.
This was also agreed to by the Umno’s “top five” led by party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has been pressuring Ismail Sabri to do so for some time.
An inter-monsoon season is expected to begin on Monday and the Meteorological Department has said this can bring heavier rainfall and the possibility of floods, which have been a regular occurrence at the end of the year.
Many have spoken out against having the general election this year, warning of the lives lost and damage to properties in previous floods. Only Umno has been vocal about holding GE15 this year. Critics claim that the party’s eagerness for polls is driven by the so-called “court cluster” within the party that includes Zahid, who is facing corruption trials and allegedly sees Umno’s return to federal power as a way to avoid prison. – The Vibes, October 1, 2022
