I don't think Lim Kit Siang is afraid of Umno but the fact that his opponent Gelang Patah parliamentary seat is the outgoing Johor Mentri Besar Ghani Othman, makes him 'regrets it' as he was hoping a showdown with a MCA candidate.
His intention to wipe off Johor MCA now hinges on his performance. If he wins against heavyweight Ghani, he will be seen as a mentor to DAP followers and members; but if he loses, that will spell disaster as it marks the end of his political career.
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He was disappointed that both former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and MCA president Chua Soi Lek did not entertain his 'school-like' challenge to take him on in Gelang Patah. That explains why he lambasted MCA for 'running away' from Gelang Patah.
And he was expecting MCA would field its candidate because he was confidence of winning.
However, Barisan Nasional is not Pakatan Rakyat. BN allocates the seats by consensus while Pakatan's components namely DAP, PKR and PAS scramble for it, putting individual interest above the coalition.
Lim may feel that he has been played out by BN... but yes, I believe MCA and Umno agreed to pin him down.
The DAP stalwart is now calculating the risk he has to take should he fails to win but what choice has he got except to accept Ghani, the most successful Johor mentri besar to date. Any miscalculation on Ghani's strength will see Lim end up in the ditch.
Pakatan ran in Gelang Patah in the past two general elections, but lost both times to Johor Wanita MCA chief Tan Ah Eng.
Tan kept the seat in Election 2008 with a majority of 8,851 votes, a smaller majority than the overwhelming 31,666-vote majority in 2004.
Chinese voters make up 54 per cent in the constituency, while Malays and Indians make up 34 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.
If 50 per cent of the Chinese votes, 70 per cent Malays and 70 per cent Indians go for BN, Lim will have to bid farewell to politics... forever!
His intention to wipe off Johor MCA now hinges on his performance. If he wins against heavyweight Ghani, he will be seen as a mentor to DAP followers and members; but if he loses, that will spell disaster as it marks the end of his political career.
And he was expecting MCA would field its candidate because he was confidence of winning.
However, Barisan Nasional is not Pakatan Rakyat. BN allocates the seats by consensus while Pakatan's components namely DAP, PKR and PAS scramble for it, putting individual interest above the coalition.
Lim may feel that he has been played out by BN... but yes, I believe MCA and Umno agreed to pin him down.
The DAP stalwart is now calculating the risk he has to take should he fails to win but what choice has he got except to accept Ghani, the most successful Johor mentri besar to date. Any miscalculation on Ghani's strength will see Lim end up in the ditch.
Pakatan ran in Gelang Patah in the past two general elections, but lost both times to Johor Wanita MCA chief Tan Ah Eng.
Tan kept the seat in Election 2008 with a majority of 8,851 votes, a smaller majority than the overwhelming 31,666-vote majority in 2004.
Chinese voters make up 54 per cent in the constituency, while Malays and Indians make up 34 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.
If 50 per cent of the Chinese votes, 70 per cent Malays and 70 per cent Indians go for BN, Lim will have to bid farewell to politics... forever!