Wind of change or typhoon?

The Sun
Goh Ban Lee
(Feb 26, 2008): MALAYSIANS must be very easily excited. How else can one explain the excitement over the coming 12th general election when the Barisan Nasional (BN) will still be the government in Putrajaya on March 9? It cannot be very exciting when one has the same thing for more than half a century.
However, it is understandable if Penangites are excited. There will be a new chief minister as Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is contesting in the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat.
Then there is the possibility of the opposition parties, especially the DAP, winning big. Is there a wind of change? Could it be a typhoon? Penangites did replace the Alliance state government with the Gerakan in 1969 when the latter won 16 out of the 24 state seats.
There is basis for excitement.
Many, particularly those living in urban areas, are frustrated or even angry. The increase in the cost of living and crime rates are compounded by a perception of poor governance. Then there are the demonstrations of hubris of power and racist and sexist remarks.
The frustrations among the Chinese and Indians are further compounded by a feeling of unfairness. Some even use the term marginalisation, although this is disputed by government leaders.
Even normally laid-back observers have turned into ardent activists for change. The advent of the Internet, especially the web-blogs and You Tube videos, has allowed them to amplify their feelings.
If the “marginalisation” feeling is true, the effects are likely to be seen most clearly in Penang on March 8. Based on 2004 statistics, Chinese and Indian voters form the majority in 25 out of the 40 state seats. Of the remaining 15 seats, 10 have at least 30% Chinese and Indian voters.
The fact that Penang is led by the multi-racial Gerakan and the chief minister is a Chinese is not likely to mitigate the intensity of discontent with the BN, even among the Chinese voters.
While Koh is admired for his very good oral skills in three languages and friendly disposition, he is seen to be too accommodating to Umno leaders, including low-ranking ones. For a person who once claimed to be the “conscience of the BN” when he stood against Lim Kit Siang of the DAP in the Tanjung parliamentary seat in 1986, he is perceived to have done nothing to ensure a fairer government.
The recent complaint by Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce president Datuk Khor Teng Tong about non-bumiputra businessmen not being able to do business with government-linked companies “because they favour those with Malay partners” is a case in point.
If the Chinese put into practice what they utter in private gatherings and if the Indians vote with Hindraf in mind, many BN candidates will be in trouble. If the Malay votes are reflective of the mood of the largely Malay crowd in the Bersih rally last Nov 10 in Kuala Lumpur, there will be a change of government on March 9 in Penang.
However, these are big “ifs”.
Although Penangites may be angry with the BN government, they still like the friendly, humble and helpful Barisan state assemblymen, even if their “hard work” is largely limited to municipal matters like clearing clogged drains and fixing street lamps and attending neighbourhood social and religious functions.
Even new BN candidates are not strangers to the electorates as most have been serving as municipal councillors or special assistants to current assemblymen.
Furthermore, while Penangites may be frustrated with the government, they are not inclined to change the state government. This behaviour is a mystery, although the derogatory term “kiasu” (afraid of losing) has been brandied about. As such, splitting one’s votes is common.
For instance, in the last elections both Chow Kon Yeow and Chong Eng of the DAP won handsomely in their parliamentary seats, yet lost in their bids to become state assemblypersons.
After all, for most Penangites, life is relatively good. Indeed, many criticisms of the government are done in comfortable surroundings such as well-equipped living rooms or over sumptuous meals in fine restaurants or at relatively cheap yet tasty hawker centres. Surely they cannot have missed pictures of massive sufferings in many developing countries.
The DAP appears to be aware of the disinclination to change the government. The portrayal of Lim Kit Siang as the “Robocop” in 1995 to clean up Penang fell flat and it suffered an almost total wipe-out in the state assembly.
Today, the DAP has set a modest target – denying the BN a two-third majority. A clever move as it is not possible to keep count until voting is closed.
In 1990, the DAP used a simple slogan of "500 more" votes to get some of their candidates elected. It resulted in the DAP wining 14 out of the 33 seats.
Until March 8, the opposition parties will try to maintain the feeling of discontent by convincing Penangites that it is better to have representatives who can and are willing to oppose any instruments of unfairness and expose incidences of maladministration.
The BN will argue that chest thumping and grand-standing antics may be good for the emotion, but the food on the table and stability are the result of behind closed door bargaining among friendly component members.
As of today, the mood is to teach the BN a lesson about fairness. But nothing is cast in stone as the BN election machinery is very powerful.

tunku : there won't be any typhoon. as long as malaysia having the same bunch of opposition we will never see any wind of changes or typhoon. yet we can still send our message to the government that they can't rule as for granted.so be wise.