Malaysiakini publishes two news items on the launch of manifesto by BN and DAP.

BN’s manifesto carries the theme ‘Security, Peace, Prosperity’ while DAP’s manifesto carries the theme ‘Just Change It’.

A 13-page document which includes a report card of achievements since the 2004 elections and the plan for the next 5 years if given a new mandate are among the contents of the BN’s manifesto launched by the BN chairman, Abdullah Badawi.

Launched by DAP Secretary-General, Lim Guan Eng, who is also the parliamentary candidate for Bagan, the ‘Just Change It’ manifesto outlines 8 points:

1. ensure safer streets and establish an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC)
2. provide better living standard
3. establish a Malaysian-first economic policy
4. provide quality education
5. provide a healthy environment for the future generation
6. provide gender equality and youth empowerment
7. establish a clean government
8. democracy and freedom

The choice is yours, come 8 March.

A news item in Malaysiakini highlights the DAP ceramah held in Ipoh last night where the DAP candidate of Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan, often known as cili padi hit out at the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi for being incompetent in his job. She took the Prime Minister to task for the rising crime rate in the country and his poor attendance in the Dewan Rakyat as well as his frequent travel abroad had affected his performance as Prime Minister.

With the conclusion of the nomination process for the 12th General Election, candidates are officially allowed to campaign and of course, one of the features of election campaigns is the poster wars. Election candidates will put up posters, banners and buntings at strategic locations to made themselves known to the mass.

Over in PJ Utara and PJ Selatan parliamentary constituencies, many posters of election candidates were put up overnight. Posters of Tony Pua Kiam Wee, the DAP candidate for PJ Utara are seen in many parts of the north of SS2 and Section 19 in Petaling Jaya when I was driving around earlier this morning.

In Section 17 Petaling Jaya, posters of BN’s Donald Lim Siang Chai, candidate for PJ Selatan and Dr. Lim Thuang Seng, the Bukit Gasing state seat candidate, dominate the scene. Also noticable are posters of DAP’s Bukit Gasing state seat candidate Edward Lim Poh Lin. A catchy banner is at the traffic lights junction of Jalan 17/21 for Edward Lim. The catchy phrase says “Even Dr M says we need opposition”.

Well, this is only the beginning of the poster war. With another 12 days to go before campaigning ends, many more posters and buntings will dominate the entire Malaysia.