We now have the final results of the Malaysian 12th General Election. A total of five States are now controlled by the Alternative National Coalition. Some people call it “Barisan Alternatif” or “Barisan Rakyat”. This Coalition comprises the DAP [Democratic Action Party], PKR [Parti KeADILan Rakyat / People's Justice Party] and PAS [Parti Islam SeMalaysia / Islamic Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party].
The five States in question are Penang Island, Perak, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan. When Raja Petra Kamarudin [RPK] who runs Malaysia Today mentions that he received news that five States will fall way before counting of ballots began, many people brushed off this “rumour”. Looks like RPK is more powerful and informed than we already know he is!
Actually, based on the monetary support that the people have given to the DAP throughout their political campaign since Nomination Day to the eve of Polling Day, I am not surprised that they were given full support in terms of votes in almost all the State and Parliamentary Seats that they contested in, in Peninsular Malaysia. As for Sabah and Sarawak in the East, they are always a little slow to catch the change of political wind, in any change in fact, because they are separated from Peninsular Malaysia by the South China Sea.
For Kelantan, not only did Barisan Nasional failed to wrest control of the State from PAS, PAS even strengthened its hold on the State by winning more Seats. This happened after PAS exposed the motive of Barisan Nasional to control the oil and gas resources of the State.
The overwhelming support of the people was so great this Elections that it has been said that even if DAP fielded a dog to contest, people would have voted for the dog. Now that the power has been vested upon this opposition coalition, they have to work towards their manifesto and promises. They wanted to rule and we have granted this wish to them. If they are unable to perform within these few years before the next General Elections in 4 – 5 years’ time, we, the voters, will know what to do.
The Opposition leader is now Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the head of PKR, [unless she declines] by virtue of the fact that PKR won the most Parliamentary Seats at 31, hedging DAP’s 28 and PAS’ 23), taking over from Lim Kit Siang of DAP, or more popularly known as Uncle Kit.
The win by Opposition this time is so great that not only were politicians in the National Coalition stunned, so were those in the opposition front. Living in Ipoh Timur which is an Opposition hot seat, on Polling Day, I noticed that many outstation cars came back just to VOTE.
The biggest winners, in my opinion, are of course the DAP and PKR, who literary swept almost all Seats that they contested in as well, a far cry from the previous election where they only managed to win ONE miserable Parliamentary Seat by the head of the party, Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah, and by a slim majority too.
“Winners” of the National Front, in my opinion, are Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Ong brothers of MCA [Malaysian Chinese Association], although MCA is half gone. We shall see.
On the other hand, the biggest losers are the MIC [Malaysian Indian Congress] whose President, Deputy President, Wanita Chief [women’s wing], Youth Chief and Deputy Youth Chief all lost. Gerakan [Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia], who held on to Penang Island for forty long years and lost control of the Island State this 12th Malaysian General Election, can close shop already with DAP’s onslaught.
Although Barisan Nasional is denied its two thirds majority, they can still form the Federal Government with a simple majority. The voice of the Opposition, the people, is louder than ever before.
Like I mentioned in my previous post, a change is always hard to accept but it will be good for the people in the long run. Remember that Parliamentarians and State Assembly men [or women] are there because WE put them there. And our chance to seek a change is during elections where we get to voice our dissatisfaction via ONE vote.
I am sympathetic of the losers, especially outgoing MIC President, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, whose 72nd birthday was yesterday but then politicians come and go. The problem starts when they refuse to “GO”.
