From Asia Times Online
By Anil Netto
PENANG – A key parliamentary by-election on Saturday that fell to a resurgent opposition alliance has piled more pressure on Malaysia’s premier-in-waiting, Najib Razak.
At issue now is whether the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition Najib will lead beginning in March is capable of pushing through the reforms many believe are vital for the government’s long-term survival.
Najib, who spearheaded the BN’s campaign in Kuala Terengganu, capital of the oil-rich east coast state of Terengganu, was unable to stop another electoral swing to the People’s Alliance, which consists of
the three main opposition parties.
The ruling coalition had won the Terengganu seat by a 628-majority in last March’s watershed general election, which saw the opposition making sharp electoral inroads by taking control of five of the
federation’s 13 states.
This time Kuala Terengganu fell to the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which is represented in the People’s Alliance, by a 2,631 majority. Much of the vote swing came from young Malays, which some believe
spells trouble in the long run for the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the dominant party in the BN coalition.
Although the by-election had no bearing on the parliamentary balance of power – the People’s Alliance increased its share of seats to 83 in the 222-seat parliament – many saw it as an early referendum on Najib.
The deputy premier will soon take the top job from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, following a leadership transition scheme hatched last September by UMNO leaders. During that meeting, they effectively pinned the blame for the BN’s general election setback last year on Abdullah.
This time much of the responsibility for the defeat falls on Najib’s shoulders. ”If Najib thought he was going to have it easy, this by-election has been a rude shock for him,” says opposition activist
Medaline Chang, who helped to campaign for the People’s Alliance in Kuala Terengganu.
It is the second time Najib has led the ruling coalition to defeat in a by-election campaign. Last August, the ruling coalition lost a by-election in Permatang Pauh to the People’s Justice Party, another
member of the People? Alliance. That result saw the Alliance’s de facto leader – and now parliamentary opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim – returning to politics after a 10-year absence.
Even the use of state machinery, including control over the mainstream media, which provided lop-sided coverage in favor of the BN, could not stem the tide. Opposition activists, independent journalists and bloggers provided a counterweight, using the Internet to expose allegations the government used money politics to influence voters.
“The great thing about the results of the Kuala Terengganu by-election is that the old politics of the Barisan Nasional will no longer work,” says P Ramakrishnan, president of the social reform group
Aliran. ”The past winning formula – money, media and machinery – could not woo the voters to throw in their support for the BN,” he said.
Najib, the son of Malaysia’s second premier, Abdul Razak, also holds the key Finance portfolio and faces a huge challenge as Malaysia’s export-oriented economy slows in tandem with the global downturn. (See Malaysia’s ostrich economics, October 30, 2008.)
Weakening global demand for semi-conductors and electronic products and a slump in global petroleum and palm oil prices will make this a difficult year, with extensive job losses expected.
Najib already has political troubles, stemming in part from his implication by association in the murder of a Mongolian female interpreter. He has vehemently denied any links to the case, for which
two special forces operatives are currently on trial. Meanwhile, top UMNO leaders recognize that the party will have to reinvent or reform itself if it wants to check its slide and remain in power after the
next general election.
Najib has asked BN leaders to move out of their comfort zones and build closer rapport with the grassroots population. He has said that development projects must be based on the needs of the people – an admission of sorts that many projects have not been people-oriented in the past. ”The BN government cannot afford a disconnection between the people’s aspirations and the government’s direction,” Najib was reported as saying.
But the big question now is whether, after five decades in power, the UMNO is capable of instituting such reforms, given that corruption, vote-buying and a system of patronage is so deeply entrenched.
UMNO vice president Muhyiddin Yassin said Najib would have to perform “political surgery” on the coalition. ”The people want radical improvements after what happened in the last election,” he was
reported as saying. ”We must be able to do something that would attract the public.” He said the party had to be reinvented and not just re-branded.
But it’s not just the UMNO that needs to be reformed. The credibility of key democratic institutions has suffered under BN rule, with critics claiming their independence has been compromised to ensure
that the BN retains its grip on power.
Reforms to the judiciary, law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, as well as the election commission, are seen as essential to restore the BN government’s credibility.
Outgoing Premier Abdullah says he is determined to push through legal reforms and he has tabled two bills in parliament – the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Bill and the Judicial Appointments Bill – towards that
end.
A third bill concerning police and other law enforcement agencies rounds out his promised reform agenda and Abdullah has vowed to see through the bills’ implementation even after he leaves office in
March.
After failing to push through such reforms at the height of his popularity following a landslide general election win in 2004, it’s unlikely the BN, led by a divided UMNO, will have the political will
to follow through on such meaningful reforms, especially considering their full implementation could end prematurely the careers of many party functionaries and loosen the BN’s stranglehold on power.
”This by-election leaves the BN having to do some deep soul-searching,” says Chang, the opposition activist. ”I think they need to look outwards and get outsiders to provide some frank views,
as the people in the BN seem to be in a state of perpetual denial.” The next electoral test will come in the form of possible by-elections and polls for the state assembly of Sarawak, another resource-rich
state long considered a stronghold of the ruling coalition. But faced with a resurgent opposition, Najib will have to battle hard to restore his and the ruling coalition’s electoral fortunes.
For Pakatan Rakyat strength, Pakatan Rakyat can use one symbol for Pakatan Rakyat for use in anywhere poll.
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UMNO = Unreliable Malays National Organisation.
UMNO = Useless Malays National Organisation.
UMNO = Unwanted Morons National Organisation.
PR = Pasti Reliable.
so PR , please live up to the Rakyat’s expectation.
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UMNO – Useless Man No Otak
PR – Professional Reliable
PR – Pentingkan Rakyat
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Political will to climb this steep hill of corruption, it is near impossible. Once they have tasted power and wealth, it will not be easy to relinquish this position. The old guards with
fixed mindset, will have to be the first to go but, judging from the UMNO coming GE, old boys like Mahathir and Abdullah are working hard to have their nominees climb the ladder of power in UMNO.
This will only continue the ststus quo and nothing will happen, except, corruption and more corruption. Najib at best, will be a bridging PM like his Uncle Hussein Onn.
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fz1303 Reply:
January 25th, 2009 at 10:09 am
altantuya, kapal selam, eurocopter…….
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UMNO peaple all are useless, bunch of Crockss. PR please work hard for malaysian.
DSAI you must lead the way, show the way and make the way so that all of us will go for brighter future.
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Najib pening kepala peruntukan ‘tak turun’
KUALA TERENGGANU, 10 Jan: “Mana peruntukan? Saya tahu duit dah turun (dari Pusat), dah sampai kat Terengganu, tapi orang (jentera BN) bawah merungut duit tak sampai kepada mereka,” begitulah lebih kurang bunyi luahan kecewa Timbalan Pengerusi Barisan Nasional, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak beberapa hari lalu.
Menurut satu sumber yang rapat dengan BN negeri, pertanyaan yang lebih berbentuk sergahan itu ditujukan oleh Najib kepada para pemimpin Umno Bahagian Kuala Terengganu.
Selaku Pengarah Pilihan Raya BN di Kuala Terengganu, Timbalan Presiden Umno itu dikatakan telah dimaklumi bahawa peruntukan sangat besar telah dikeluarkan oleh parti itu di peringkat Pusat.
Duitnya juga telah sampai ke Terengganu dan dipercayai berada dalam simpanan seorang pemimpin kanan Umno bahagian.
Bagaimana pun, jentera BN peringkat bawahan, khususnya peringkat Unit Peti Undi (UPU) dan cawangan-cawangan merungut kerana peruntukan yang mereka tahu sangat banyak itu masih tidak melimpah kepada mereka.
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fz1303 Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 12:41 am
kerja tak IKHLAS!!! padam muka 2-2. Yang atas tetap kalah, Kuli tetap kene buli. Nama pon orang BN, semua hidup untuk duit. Masuk PR lah, kerja iklas baru dapat hasil. Kita kerja bukan untuk hari ini tapi untuk cucu dan cicit kita.
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More setbacks await UMNO/BN in future by-elections. The winds of change are blowing strongly beginning with 8 Mar (gen election), 26 Aug (Permatang Pauh) and the 3rd and latest 17 Jan (Kuala Trengganu. Let’s have more by-elections in BN held seats, parliament or state, and see how the opposition whacks them. UMNO/BN now is just like what communism was in Eastern Europe in 1989 … tottering and shaking, and about to collapse. Just like Communism saw its demise in Eastern Europe, the last regime being the Soviet Union in 1991, UMNO’s racist ketuanan Melayu will collapse…very soon.
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KEPADA MODERATOR/FACILITATOR BLOG INI, TOLONG DENGAN SEGERA BLOCK IBRAHIM ABDUL RAHMAN,TULIS MERAPU, MACAM PERKARA DIATAS>>>DIA INI UMNO CYBER TROOPER<AMBIL TINDAKAN SEGERA
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NAJIB – REJECTED!!!!
Najib has been officially named as the PM-in-waiting. But let’s face the fact. He is not only incapable, a spoil brett & an egoist. Not to mentioned all those criminal activities that he has been linked to. He is a loser and named to be the next PM by another loser. In a span of 1 year, he has brought nothing but shame to himself, nation and even UMNO.
Enough is enough!
Najib, you have been rejected by the rakyat. Gracefully step aside or you will be put aside.
Paklah, your decision to quit is the best decision you’ve ever made. You have failed in every aspect of your administration. Mistakes after mistakes – unacceptable! But you still have time to un-do your final mistake, that is by not letting Najib take the helm. Name someone else please.
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angkasawan nasa Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Pada kita lagi baik Pak Lah terus jadi PM , dari serah pada Najib pada bulan tiga nanti, sebab jelas Rakyat tolak Najib pada pilihan Raya KT yang lepas najib berkampung di KT tetapi tak laku dan rakyak jelas Tolak Najib bukan tolak Badawi.dari situ jelas Najib tiada Krisma sebagai seorang PM dan Presiden UMNO, Kerismanya telah malap angkara dia sendiri. rakyat mungkin buta hati tapi tak buta blog.Rakyat muak setiap kali Pilihan Raya berbagai jentra kerajaan di kayoh dari jentera buat tar jalan, jentera water conon, jentera semai padi , jentera potong padi, Jentera traktor, Jentera Kubota, sampai jentera potong rumput.segala jentera turun padang demi untuk rasuah rakyat, kita percaya jentera terakhir UMNO adalah Jentera tentera.kita dah pahan sangat!! mana boleh terima kekalahan pada Pru 13 nanti, mana UMNO nak letak muka?? jadi tentera pilihan terakhir selain jentera. kita kenal UMNO ni dah lama dah.
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Should there be more bye-elections, more PR members are going to win and from five to six or more states will be under PR! PR has the Public Relations and BN will have the Bad News. What a sorry state the BeNd KINGS who ruled for 51 years plus with corruption, arrogance, vengence etc. Please remember that “Every dog has a day”!
Why don’t they (BN) ACCEPT Hudut Laws?; its because they cannot carry on with their (BN) brand of politics. If the Bn guys are HONEST, TRUTHFUL, RELIGIOUS, HELPFUL, KIND, treat humans as HUMANS, only preach wisdom and goodness,SINCERELY eradicate poverty, more MALAYSIAN and not racial…. and the line goes on….on… then, BN should ACCEPT HUDUT LAWS.
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Najib!!! you are not capable to be PM,to be PM must high integrity. Your ADC engage with Azilah & Sirul And Altantuya.
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Some problems with Malaysia.
Police corruption and unprofessionalism – Corruption at all levels.. settling speeding fines, settling driving offences, settling parking offences… murder of indians under police custody, incompetence in police investigation to find the muderer of that infant found in a dead gym bag.
Incompetence of crowd control, resorting in ineffective crowd management, and escalation of violence.
– Boleh? Take a good hard look and ask yourselves what good is an Angkasawan when the protectors of society are responsible for the above? Its a disgrace… a third world disgrace.
Malaysian Military
The Malaysian military and all their subordinates are responsible for the deaths of over 21 children due to their negligence and incompetence at effectively handling sick/unwell children whilst in their custody during National Service.
Bravo to the Malaysian Military… you are responsible for the murder of your own people.
Boleh? —
It’s hard to find the root of Malaysia’s arrogance sometimes when you step back and look at the state of Malaysia’s third world leadership, and thrid world mentality.
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