Malaysia 12th election was ended last month. I stayed up until 4am watching the live telecast of the election result.
While BN still remains in control, it suffered the biggest lost ever. UMNO may be surprised at the result but the writing is on the wall many months ago. Pak Lah was a popular PM when he took over Dr. Mahathir in 2003. He led a landslide victory for BN in 2004, 90% seats, the highest ever.
His slow and steady approach handling matters is a refreshing change for Malaysians but after the first two years of “honeymoon”, many Malaysians have called for results. Promises of more developments, opportunities, less red-tapes, and fighting corruptions has nothing to show for. Instead, Malaysians got murder, sex and corruptions scandals.
The V.K Lingam Video is a prime example of what went wrong in Malaysia. When questioned by the Royal Commission, former Chief Justice Eusoff Chin strongly denied that V.K Lingnam and his family arranged the New Zealand vacation together. Even with evidences of receipt and acknowledgment from travel agency, he insist they merely chance upon each another when they are in New Zealand. A while later, the ex-secretary of Lingnam testified “I arranged Kiwi trip”.
Scandals happens. What is more important is how people behave when it happens. Here is a formerly Chief Justice and a top lawyer who potentially lied in front of a Royal Commission and they think can get away with it.
Furthermore, as UMNO fights against PAS, a more radical Islamic party, over support from the Malay/Islam voters, UMNO has taken a more radical stand in many issues, that alienate the non-Malays and more importantly the majority of the moderates Malays. Ironically, PAS become more moderate in the process.
In year 2006, a keris (a Malay sword/dagger) was brandish at a political gathering by Chief of the Youth UMNO,Datuk Hishamuddin yelling “defend Malay rights”. Obviously thats going to make non-Malays uneasy. Many remembered the racial riot and killings in 1969. Maybe you can do these if you are an uneducated street hooligan but not when you are the Chief of the Youth UMNO.
Race is a dangerous card to play. You play with fire, you will lose.
The result of this election is a clear message to the BN, the ruling coalition, that Malaysians have enough!
