Published March 9, 2009

MALAYSIA INSIGHT

Things are different in BN now

One year after elections, most Malaysians seem willing to give PR the benefit of the doubt despite its lack of experience

By PAULINE NG
KL CORRESPONDENT

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YESTERDAY marked the first anniversary of Malaysia's historic 12th general election, when Malaysians voted in the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in five states and denied the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.

The results were hugely unexpected, with many marking PR because they wanted a different government. Others did it because they wanted to register protest votes to teach BN a lesson about what they perceived to be arrogance.

BN obtained 51.5 per cent of the popular vote, but only 49 per cent in the peninsular - a result subsequent surveys revealed voters could live with in spite of having the untested coalition rule in Kedah, Perak, Penang and Selangor, the last two being the jewels in the crown. Kelantan had already been under the opposition control.

A year is too short a time to judge the new state governments, especially when politicking reigned. But in the main, most seem willing to give PR the benefit of the doubt, believing them to be more sincere about good governance despite their lack of experience.

Since then, two by-elections have been held, both won convincingly by PR. Another three next month could prove even more telling.

Indeed, BN's reluctance for fresh elections in Perak - the state it retook on the defection of three assemblymen from PR who turned 'friendly' independents - despite the present constitutional impasse which has crippled the state administration underlines its fear of facing the electorate now.

'The chances are that we (BN) will lose badly in Perak,' was the frank analysis of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a former finance minister and member of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the dominant party within the BN coalition. 'That seems to be why they are reluctant to have the Sultan dissolve the assembly.'

A year down the road, things are very different in BN and Umno in that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak is already in the driver's seat, taking over most of the duties that will be officially handed to him by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi later this month under a transition plan brokered after BN's disastrous showing last year.

It is also very different in that if the economy was slowing last year, it was at least still growing. But a recession now beckons, with last year's 4.6 per cent growth a distant memory, replaced by warnings the current slump will be deep and long.

If Mr Abdullah was largely perceived as an inept finance minister, Mr Najib's turn at handling the portfolio will be closely watched.

That he has to deliver while fighting political fires on so many other fronts is far from reassuring.

After an initial six months in treasury, Mr Najib will now have to demonstrate he has the plans and wherewithal to - if not arrest the decline - at least cushion some of the pain and to galvanise the people. To do this, he needs to inspire confidence.

This he can do by unveiling policies that demonstrate he understands the problems facing the economy along with a blueprint of how he proposes to overcome them.

The second stimulus package to be unveiled tomorrow could offer some clues as to whether he is on the right track.

A year after his coalition's disastrous performance at the polls, BN's popularity hasn't improved.

At the moment, its best bet appears to be blunting simmering resentments by demonstrating it has the ability to make the economic crisis less stressful for all.