Malaysia's 12th GE - the aftermath 2

Barely one week post election, Malaysians are thrown into a number of uncertainties.


In Penang, there was the UMNO-led street demonstration against DAP plan to stop the NEP. It was reported that there was about 500 UMNO members including the ex-Deputy Chief Minister of Penang. Strangely this comes barely 2 months after PM Badawi said that street demonstration was not in the Malaysian culture. He was commenting on the Hindraf demonstration then. What was more intriguing is the fact that nobody was arrested despite the fact that no permit was issued for the demonstration. Of course it can be said that it was a peaceful demonstration, and hence no reason to arrest anyone. But then again, the Hindraf demonstration was also peaceful until the police moved in to disperse them.

Another intriguing phenomenon is that even though PKR's Tan Sri Khalid, the newly-appointed Selangor MB also plan to scrap the NEP, the response from the BN was different. PM Badawi did not chastise him for stoking the racial sentiments. But similar proclaimation by DAP had stirred up entirely different response. Now I wonder who is stoking whose sentiments?

The role and power of the Sultan in forming state's government cannot be any clearer. Now we know that the Sultan has the ultimate power to choose the MB. The question now is since he has the authority to appoint MB, does he has the authority to fire him as well? This is pertinent especially in Perak, where the ruling DAP-PKR-PAS coalition seemed very fragile at the moment. It state progress had been stagnant either from the disruptive squabble of the coalition or from the witholding of funds from the federal government, does the Sultan have the power to replace the MB, even if this candidate is from the minority party? If this is so, what implication will it bring regarding the Sultan's status as being above politics? Will it change the whole equation of the party with the majority seats forming the government of the day? Already the Raja of Perlis had scuttled the BN's plan for a MB.

I am sure Malaysians are anxiously waiting to see how PM will name his Cabinet. How will the minority be represented in Cabinet? Will he 'punish' the Chinese and Indians for abandoning MCA and MIC? Or will he try to win back these minorities and behave as a national leader for all Malaysians? His actions will have great implications on how Malaysians will vote in five years' time.