Malaysian General Election 2008 Part II

Opposition politics make history when it snatched 5 states in West Malaysia from the ruling coalition. A month later, news media storyline is still reverbrating but along a few redux UMNO/Malay, Sabah/Sarawak, Opposition/States.


The UMNO/Malay redux to their post election blues appear driven by 2 sides: one group remains positive and consider the result, while disappointing, was not as bad as the other group made it out to be. Inevitably, in any robust political structure, the UMNO/Malay redux may eventually see the party reform itself from within - but over a period of time. Non-Malay Malaysian observers will keenly watch and read the internal debate from a distance, and will undoubtedly compare any policy changes to those espouse by the Opposition coalition.

The much-speculated Opposition take-over through parlimentarian defection never occur. The election was a milestone, but it doesn't look likely that the political landscape will ever mature to 2-party system any time soon.

While the ruling coalition may look shaky, it still command much grass-roots support especially in Sarawak and Sabah, which between them - has a sizeable parlimentary seats. The Opposition does not have a coherent platform - aside from presenting an anti-thesis of the ruling coalition : it also remains, a party of middle and upper middle class - for whom big words - justice, democracy, rule of law - means something. The grassroots merely wants the status quo : even if there remains structural/cultural problems - nepotism,corruption and all other intractable evils of an emerging democracy - the grass roots prefer the status quo. A few subsidy and election day government minor rural project - never fail to renew loyalty in the rural populace.

As important a milestone as it was that the Opposition had win, even in metropolitan state as Selangor, its probably more useful for future generations of political pundits and bloggers to study and blog what happen decades and centuries later, than to expect any immediate transition to a 2-party political system.