Malaysia: Saturday.
About two hours ago all polling stations in Malaysia closed down. Now, is the time of reckoning for all candidates contesting in the 12th Malaysian National Elections.
For the past fifty years Malaysia has been ruled by the National Front, a collection of 14 political parties. The biggest is UMNO to which Abdullah Ahmad Badawi belonged to; this party is also contesting in most of the seats.
This election is the most open ever and the thirteen days allocated for campaigning is also the longest ever. What is more interesting is that this time around, the National Front is expected to wrest the state of Kelantan, the only state not ruled by them.
Even before the National Parliament is dissolved the political atmosphere in Malaysia has already reached boiling point. demonstrations were held almost weekly, a situation unheard of before.
This national election is also expected to repeat the situation of yeras before. According to the stereotype, the second election for any Prime Minister in Malaysia is usually a downhill journey. Be that as it may, many political pundits is slow to agree to this assumption.
Well, whether we agree or not, by about ten tonight the final result will be known.