Najib Shows Anwar The Right Way To Challenge An Election Result

In the weeks since GE13 so much has been written about Anwar the bad loser but what of Najib the gracious victor? Because at every turn Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has openly and honestly admitted his election win was nothing to crow about and the rakyat has given BN a stark wake-up call.

But even more importantly he has sought to move on from GE13; sending out a loud and clear message that his Government is getting back to business and running the country for all Malaysians regardless of their race and for whom they voted.

Saturday he picked up on this theme during his congratulatory speech for Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah's birthday at Istana Negara.

"Your Majesty's government is the umbrella for all Malaysians," he told the monarch.
"The Government urges all Malaysians to consider the togetherness factors that can unify us rather than seeing points that will trap us in nostalgia and past reality."

Despite the diplomatic nature of such a ceremony the occasion wasn't totally apolitical. Najib reminded the King of the ongoing campaign to undermine the GE13 result.

"Certain parties are trying to dispute the results of GE13 which favoured BN by raising issues such as popular vote, use of indelible ink, claims of the presence of 'phantom voters' and the so-called power blackout during vote counting," he said, without naming the agitator-in-chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Najib also offered a lesson in how to go about challenging an election outcome the right way. He said Umno will contest the results of more than 50 parliamentary and state constituencies and it will do so by petitioning the High Court.

This is the absolutely correct as defined by our constitution and is consistent with the rule of law. There will be no noisy rallies involving a crowd cheering on unsubstantiated allegations, nor will there be emotive stories about the "stolen" seats fed to favourable journalists which is also Anwar's modus operandi.

In other words Najib will ensure Umno does everything Anwar isn't doing. It's a reminder that politicians can challenge aspects of the democratic process without undermining the very institution they profess to cherish.

Meantime Najib has announced the Government will set up a special parliamentary committee comprised of BN and Opposition MPs to oversee the Election Commission.

"With this move, it is hoped that the impartiality of the Election Commission is no longer questioned and that the confidence of the people towards the Commission can be strengthened," he said.

Let's hope that Pakatan Rakyat plays a positive role in this bi-partisan body and doesn't try to wreck this initiative with some petty boycott. Our democracy deserves better than that.