Why BN Lost - No need post mortem or soul searching!!!

Issues and public sentiments

There was a series of issues raised by all sides in the run up to the election. Among the issues are:-

• inflation
• shortage of goods
• fuel subsidies
• rising crime
• majority government
• mismanagement
• corruption,
• the demand for free and fair elections by a group of NGOs and political parties under the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH)
• racial equality especially as highlighted by HINDRAF
• Internal Security Act detainees
• the case surrounding the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Video Clip
• and the eligibility of former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
  

Anger among ethnic Indians regarding issues such as restrictions on jobs, education, freedom of religion, right and a widespread feeling of loss of dignity have played a part during the 2008 parliamentary elections in Malaysia.

One of the other main issues brought up has been whether the election would be conducted fairly. The opposition has pointed out these issues are gerrymandering of electoral districts, uneven media access, outdated electoral systems, election fraud and vote buying.

Besides, it was also alleged that the anti-Khairy Jamaluddin sentiment became another main factor of Barisan Nasional's heavy losses, as stated by Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad. Khairy Jamaluddin is the son-in-law of the current Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and was alleged of influencing the Prime Minister when making critical decisions.

Simple reason why BN lost was because Umno became so arrogant that they forgot that they were serving a multi-racial and multi-religious nation.

The brandishing of the keris by Umno Youth leader Hishamuddin Hussein Onn was but one example of them glorifying their superiority over the other races.

Holding the Umno assembly during Deepavalli was a latent action of displaying their superiority over the other races.

Umno Vice President Mohd Ali Rustam’s statement at the PPP 2007 Assembly that the PPP could leave BN if it didn’t toe the line and that the BN didn’t need the Indian votes to win the election were a brazen example of the arrogance and superiority displayed by Umno over their so-called BN partners. This was no longer a partnership; it was a master-slave relationship.

Other blatant examples was the series destruction of Hindu temples in Selangor which the glorified leader of the Indians, S Samy Vellu, could not even stop.

MIC leaders like Sothinathan and Devamani spoke up for Indian rights they were immediately reprimanded and in Sothinathan’s case suspended.

The absolute power given to Umno by Barisan component parties created this arrogant attitude in Umno.