Siva Murugan Pandian, a political analyst at Universiti Sains Malaysia, said the result gave the Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance a tremendous boost as it looks ahead to the next general elections.
“If Anwar is able to ensure there are no cracks in Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition can take over in the next polls. But it can only happen if the sway in Malay votes continues,” he said.
Analysts said the result spelt trouble for Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as he prepares to replace Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was forced to agree to stand down in March over the general election debacle.
“This is going to call into question Najib’s rise to the prime minister’s position,” said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert at Johns Hopkins University who observed the election.
Najib personally headed the government’s campaign in Kuala Terengganu, as well as another failed by-election last year which saw Anwar returned to parliament after a decade-long absence.
“Of course, this is a setback for us… We will not be disheartened by the result,” Najib said late yesterday, rejecting the suggestion that the outcome reflected badly on him. “It’s nothing to do with that,” he said.
The Chinese and Indians deserted the government at last year’s national polls, alienated by rising “Islamisation” of multicultural Malaysia and angry over a decades-old system of preferential treatment for Malays.
Pollster Ibrahim Suffian said the by-election showed the government was now also suffering from a “credibility gap” with Malays that is not being addressed as leaders continue to be distracted by infighting.
Young and urban voters in particular are alienated by widespread corruption and cronyism, and Abdullah’s failure to introduce promised reforms including cleaning up the police and judiciary.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim said the opposition alliance has gained much-needed momentum and proved it is working together effectively despite allegations that the fledgling partnership of three very different parties is cracking up.
malaysiakini
19/01/09
“If Anwar is able to ensure there are no cracks in Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition can take over in the next polls. But it can only happen if the sway in Malay votes continues,” he said.
Analysts said the result spelt trouble for Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as he prepares to replace Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was forced to agree to stand down in March over the general election debacle.
“This is going to call into question Najib’s rise to the prime minister’s position,” said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert at Johns Hopkins University who observed the election.
Najib personally headed the government’s campaign in Kuala Terengganu, as well as another failed by-election last year which saw Anwar returned to parliament after a decade-long absence.
“Of course, this is a setback for us… We will not be disheartened by the result,” Najib said late yesterday, rejecting the suggestion that the outcome reflected badly on him. “It’s nothing to do with that,” he said.
The Chinese and Indians deserted the government at last year’s national polls, alienated by rising “Islamisation” of multicultural Malaysia and angry over a decades-old system of preferential treatment for Malays.
Pollster Ibrahim Suffian said the by-election showed the government was now also suffering from a “credibility gap” with Malays that is not being addressed as leaders continue to be distracted by infighting.
Young and urban voters in particular are alienated by widespread corruption and cronyism, and Abdullah’s failure to introduce promised reforms including cleaning up the police and judiciary.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim said the opposition alliance has gained much-needed momentum and proved it is working together effectively despite allegations that the fledgling partnership of three very different parties is cracking up.
malaysiakini
19/01/09
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