Democracy in Malaysia Still Under Siege

If there was ever a day to remember, it would be Saturday, 8 March 2008. Malaysia saw its 12th General Election, and on that day, over 7 million Malaysians turned out to collectively thumb our noses at the ruling coalition with a smile on our faces.

For the opposition, this was the mandate that they were waiting for, a mandate that they had worked so hard for, and a mandate that they had deserved. Nothing anyone can say or do can change that. Because of this, the mainstream media, the election council and the ruling coalition would have the people of Malaysia think that for once, our votes counted.

Well, to some extent it did, but it was only because the ruling coalition wasn’t organized enough to defraud us all.

While many of us as sitting back right now, satisfied with the results of 12th General Election, I for one, am less than pleased. Sure, the opposition demonstrated their strongest showing ever. Sure, the opposition managed to deny the ruling coalition its two thirds majority in the Parliament. Sure, the opposition was able to wrest five states away from the ruling coalition.

But if our votes really counted, the ruling coalition would now be shattered, their ranks scattered.

By now, you are sure to have read KLConfidential’s piece titled ‘Son-In-Law’s Shit Don’t Float’ that narrates the harsh campaigning conditions that Chegubard had to face in Rembau. Is this what the mainstream media, the election council and the ruling coalition would pass off as a democratic election?

Yet even in the face of adversity, Chegubard managed to garner an impressive voter base in what the ruling coalition calls a BN stronghold -- an otherwise ‘safe seat’ for the individual that KLConfidential now fondly terms as ‘Chicken Shit’.

Furthermore, the blatant, brazen and unashamed actions of - sorry to steal your thunder here, KLC - ‘Chicken Shit’ is further supplemented in the election results for Rembau itself, as shown below (results from StarSpecial, Monday, 10 March 2008):

Turnout 48,390
Majority 5,746
Spoilt 1,089
Total voters 62,896

Wonderful, isn’t it, that the results for the constituency of Rembau - and worst yet, all of Malaysia - isn’t just based on the total turnout of voters, but is actually based on the ‘total number of voters’, whatever that means. Ahh...postal voters, the true way of democracy.

Isn’t it nice to know that there were 14,506 additional voters who actually care enough to say that they are from Rembau, even though these voters actually weren't even there, and even though Rembau by itself isn’t all that large a constituency to begin with.

No wonder it took the mainstream media so long to report the final results for the 12th General Election, even though voting stopped at 5:00pm, and counting usually stops at 8:00pm.

Touché, Election Council?

Personally, I think 'Chicken Shit' should be embarrassed to say that he won by a majority vote of only 9.1% in a 'safe seat' with all of the odds stack against Chegubard, especially with all of the ‘protection’ conferred to him by his father-in-law. But then again, 'Chicken Shit' was never one to ever show grace in the face of adversity, though honestly he wouldn’t know adversity if it slapped him upside his face.

Perhaps we shouldn't work ourselves up too much. Perchance this is only an isolated instance, after all. But then again, perhaps it is not. If you’re curious, then you should wait for KLConfidential to finish up her next post which will show you that this isn’t merely an isolated instance.

Sure we won, but democracy in Malaysia is still under siege.