With more vigourous campaigning going on for days before elections, one could easily predict that this year's General Elections was going to be a close fight. Oppositions shouted with greater voices in campaigns, while BN stepped up their publicity to (hopefully) raise their popularity.
What was being contested this time, other than the conventional state and parliament seats? It was about hope, promises and, most importantly, a war of words.
I came under a moment of shock when seowqj told me that Malaysia is under dual governance now. Before I even recovered he slammed me with another piece of news - that Perak was amoung the few new states under the Opposition Party. Perak, my state, all along a safe BN territory despite vigourous campaigns by their contenders, has now changed hands.
I'm not exactly a pro-politics person, but neither am I an ignorant. Although I must say there were much disappointment time and time again under BN all these years, I can't imagine exactly what the Oppositions can do for us now that they are our boss. For years we've been progressing, now why shouldn't we just continue developing on the foundations and roads we've built? Why, oh just why, should we turn away from the direction we've been heading, just to answer their call for
'change'?
'We are on the right track. Just keep moving forward.' was BN's slogan this year.
'A call for change' was the Opposition's.
Still, people's lost in faith in BN which led to loss in their loyal voters as shown in the results this year is not unfounded. The oil bubble, inflation and national security issues are amoungst the top concerns for the people. While not much could be done by the government to suppress the expanding oil bubble, little or no improvement in security problems in the country did make many heads shake in disappointment and disapproval. Criminal offences characterised by much brutality increased in their frequency over recent years, yet what has been done to ease our anxiety? What concrete measures were executed to extinguish our fears?
The lack of efficiency amongst the authorities as well as failure to uphold tighter security are the main pitfalls in the BN administration, which happen to directly result in the loss of faith in the people. The Oppositions then target these BN weakspots and 'call for change'. During times like this when party loyalty is already swaying, the 'call for change' proposition does offer some hope.
Yet the abovementioned two paragraphs are not proof of my support of the Opposition. In fact, I regard my beloved Perak under Opposition now as
fallen. Maybe the only consolation from this is that it is now under the governance of DAP and not some extremist-influenced party (you do know which one I'm referring to). And it's undeniable that there are promising figures in the DAP.
Since what's done can never be undone, I just hope BN can learn some valuable lesson from this year's elections, and be more competent in future. I am not exactly in favour of any party in particular, as long as there is more progress and less problems under then new goverment. Of course, I would never want some extremist-ideology-influenced party to take over my beloved country (and I guess you do know which I'm explicitly referring to).
