Sarawak,Malaysia: sunday.
The National Front, a coalition of fourteen political parties that has ruled Malaysia non-stop since it’s independence fifty years ago was denied a two-third majority today.
To add salt to their wound, five states in the peninsular also fall to the opposition. The Alternative Front as the opposition called themself is made up of three parties namely PAS or The Islamic Party, PKR or People’s Justice Party dan the DAP or the Democratic Action Party.
This was Malaysia’s Twelfth General Election. It achieved independence from the British in 1957. Since then, General Elections are held every four or five years.
Apart from the election held in 1969, this was regarded as the worst showing by the ruling coalition. This result was a complete surprise even to the opposition.
Just a few days before polling, the prediction by our many political pundits are that the National Front will make a clean sweep. As the news trickled last night, somber faces were seen at the National Front’s Operation Centre which was situated at the Putra World Trade Center.
As the clocked ticked passed midnight, it was clear to the election workers that disaster is indeed descending upon them. Only by two in the morning was the simple majority of 110 seats reached.
As leader of the coalition that has never experience such devastating defeat, Abdullah Badawi who is also the care-taker Prime Minister, was visibly sad at the press conference called hastily to announced the formation of a National Front government.
Twleve hours after, many experts expressed their surprise at the result. Just what was it that caused such horrible happening. while agrreing to the idea that there was no one clear reason for such a bad defeat. Many political analysts belived that there is not one, two or three causes.
The causes for such a killing result can be as long as the essay itself. Let us see a few of them:
1. The high price of fuel.
2. Inflation.
3. Personality.
4. Corruption in high places.
5. Prejudicial services rendered by the former elected representatives.
6. A new generation of voters.
7. Poor quality of candidates from the National Front.
8. Too few woman candidates and alot more.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister cited the fact that the voters are actually running away from the National Front. He maintained,however, that the oppositions are actually not strong enough to woo the voters away from the ruling party.
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