Malaysian spoke out through Permatang Pauh's by-election

If we take a closer look at the results of the by-election, then we will be able to attribute the landslide victory of Anwar to the following factors:

1)Fuel prices hike -the mother of all evils on the inflation spiral is the key to the cause of frustrations among all the Malaysian. The Malaysian economy is under serious stress with the June and July inflation recorded historic height at 11% and 7.5% respectively. The fuel prices hike sparked off all rounded inflation that became insurmountable for the poor and middle class.


2)Food prices hike-the high food prices (30-70%) hike experienced in the past 9 months have made many housewives angry over the BN inability to provide for the basic needs of the people. In many Malays heartland areas, the farmers were angry over the high price of fertilisers that is making farming impractical at all. Many padi farmers complained that the rice mills pay them only 65sen per kg of padi grain while the supermarket charged them some RM 3.50 per kg of rice in the first 5 months of the year.


3)All rounded inflation-the government says inflation was only 7.5% as recorded through the July CPI. The rakyat feel that the basket used to determine the CPI are out of date as they feel that they are facing an actual inflation rate of not less than 15%. Look at the bread and butter and the canned food and the everyday food that we put on the table, they are simply too expensive for the middle class. Even a family of 4 can hardly survive with a family hold hold income of RM3000 per month.


4)Non-Bumi "fear factor"-before or prior to the 308, the so called minorities such as the Chinese and Indian have been intimated by the BN, especially the UMNO with the assistant of the MCA and MIC. The bloodshed May 13 incident had been repeated used to bring fear to them. But with the formation of the Pekatan Rakyat, the fear factor has been minimised with an all out assault on the BN and there wasn't any racial tension among the Malaysian.


5)Bumi self confidence-PKR and the PAS have been urging the Malay to accept that the special privileges accorded to them under the so call NEP had benefited only the UMNO leaders. The poor and middle class Bumi are no better off than their non-bumi counterparts. The AP issue highlighted the failure of the NEP as many well connected were given the "jackpot". A good example is the Selangor Menteri Besar who urged the MARA to open up 10% of its enrollment to the non-bumi and the UMNO came out in force to protest the taking away of the "privilege" of the bumi, but isn't Datuk Khalid a bumi as well? The BN used this issue to attack the PKR and Anwar in the by-election but i guess the result of the by-election speaks for itself.


6)Non-Bumi long-term "marginalization"-the Hindraff spearheaded the attack on the BN's policies of marginalisation when the government tears down a hundred years old temple without consultation. That could very well be the last straw on the camel's back so to speak but it was caused by decades of marginalisation and not by a single event. With that the Hindraff was born and went on to the streets to protest their grievances. The Chinese was inspired as well and sent a very clear message to the BN in the 308 general election and i would have to give credit to an over sea Chinese student for his song "Negarakuku" which have captured the imagination of many Chinese youth as well.


7)The sodomy-the general public feel that the country have been "sodomised" by the BN for 51 years with widespread corruption, mismanagement, abuse of power and outright arrogance. The same conspiracy should not be use to neutralise the opposition leader as it was used 10 years ago. People are fed up that while the country has been robbed of, according to the an investment bank, some USD 100 billion since the privatisation, the BN is still using the sodomy charge to silence the opposition leader.


8) The Internet connection-thanks to the IT connection, the news of the oppositions and the NGOs were able to reach the voters for them to make a well informed decision. The major print and electronic medias were controlled by the BN and with the Press Printing and Publication Act in force, who would dares to give the opposition the space to air their view freely. I guess we have to thank the Internet and many blogger who have contributed well to make sure that news reached the rakyat.

9)BN is beyond redemption-it is simply too arrogance and beyond redemption even after the 308 general election. They are good at issuing threats against the rakyat and using the "agencies" under its control to neutralise any threat against its strangle hold on to power.

10)Change-this is the theme of politics from America to Australia and to Asia in 2008. It is like a tsunami that sweeps across the globe and the old establishments are all under threat as youth takes to the centre stage to demand for change.

David Wong
28-08-2008