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Sunday, March 9, 2008

ANWAR CAUSES OPPOSITION BIG VICTORY?

The 12th Malaysia General Election result caught Malaysia's ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, political analysis, even the opposition a great surprise as no one expected the opposition to do so well across the board.

In the 12th Malaysia parliamentary poll, Malaysia's ruling coalition National Front –“Barisan Nasional” win a simple majority, taking 140 out of 222 seats, with one seats in Sarawak yet to be declared.

However, it also lost control of 5 assembly states of Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor for the first time in the history. Apart from these four states, the opposition PAS maintain the power in Kelantan.

The result not only caught ruling coalition Barisan Nasional and political analysis by a great surprise, but the opposition too. The lost of two-thirds majority means Barisan Nasional can’t make any constitutional changes, as claimed by the opposition during the poll. It is the biggest setback in history for Barisan Nasional in Malaysia history since 1957 independence.

Analysts termed the lost as “Malaysia Political Tsunami.” But the reality is, it is the “racial swing” which set by the opposition by exploiting non-racial issues especially price hike and inflation. More precisely, it is the issues of the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and bread and butter factor, which successfully exploited by opposition especially De facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The new political landscape a day after voters delivered a blow to the country's half-century-old ruling coalition seem to be well planned. The strategy of “agenda setting” set to damage the image of the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi-led government seem to be planned long time ago though Internet, blog as well as political talk by posting negative articles and photograph portray him as the head of Islam Hadhari, but fall asleep and attending functions with beautify ladies.

Being former deputy Prime Minister Finance Minister and former Islamic Youth leader, Anwar adopted non-Muslim society as a platform that seeks to abolish the New Economic Policy and replace it with a policy that emphasizes on a non-ethnic approach in poverty eradication and correcting economic imbalances. He focused on promoting social justice, economic justice, political corruption and human rights issues within a non-ethnic framework.

He highlighted the price hike issue of petrol and urged to Vote Keadilan for Petrol Price Cut, TOL, electricity bill, telephone bill and daily goods cut seem buying as public are facing the pressure of increasing cost of living and inflation.

Beside, Tun Mahathir admit what he did last time to Anwar is the crude use of the police and the courts to jail Anwar is being upload in Youtube as well as widely distributed through VCD and SMS, and VK Lingam and Altantuya case, seem to increase the credibility and public image of Anwar Ibrahim.

Additionally, Tun Mahathir admitting the important of opposition also much aid to opposition. The HINDRAF factor appealed to be one of the most destructive factors toward the victory of MIC candidates. It amid complaints of racial inequality by ethnic Indians and rise in crime and corruption and caused Malaysia's lone ethnic Tamil Minister Samy Vellu, President of Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component of ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, lost his Sungei Siput parliamentary seat in Perak state. The entire MIC candidate was defeated badly except parliamentary Cameron Highlands.

Portraying growing tensions between minority communities and the Malay majority were the issues exploited by DAP through time for change and PAS welfare state. In Penang, DAP specially targeted at the issue of Chief Minister in which the leader of Gerakan can’t even made a decision, the lame economy, the Motorola issue and the UMNO bodyguard issue seem to exploit the sentiment of the voters.

The strategy of character assassination use by PAS beside religious issue as well as welfare state through Internet, Youtube, articles, party Radio and TV seem to be buying. The strategy breaking the own taboo by fielding the first non-Muslim candidate Kumutha Rahman, the 29-year-old laws graduate, seem to be effective of getting support from non-Malay beside getting the Muslim support.

On the other hand, the credibility of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Abdulah Ahmad Badawi seem to be question by some of its UMNO members as the candidates to be fill in the general election is claimed to be unjustified. The anti sentiment toward his son-in law, Khairy Jamaluddin also widely exploited by Internet.

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