Sigma’s Simulacrum of Reality

OMG OMG OMG!

The impossible has happened guys.

BN got whipped. Whipped bad. By the great citizens of Malaysia from all races and religions.

I’m now part of a huge group of sleep-deprived barely functioning Malaysian, due to staying up to follow the MOST EXCITING MALAYSIAN ELECTION IN HISTORY on Malaysiakini. Even though I’m in Sydney and 3 hours behind M’sian time.

For the uninitiated, Malaysia has been ruled by the same party, Barisan Nasional (BN) unbroken for 50 freakin years. Not only that, BN has also never lost their 2/3rd majority in parliament, except for one brief moment in 1969. This majority allowed it to change the Constitution at will. They wanna put a law in saying we all must not wear red underwear? No probs with that 2/3rds. The Opposition, apart from PAS, has also been incapable of winning state governments in the past.

In yesterday’s election, federal as well as state seats kept falling like tenpins to the Opposition. Five states were won by the Opposition:

1. Penang = DAP-PKR: DAP has finally won its long-cherished state, the only state with a Chinese majority from its arch rivals Gerakan. In the process with the help of PKR, it has completely annihilated Gerakan and MCA there. Gerakan is only left with 2 parliament seats and 3 state seats after the mauling. DAP’s Sec-Gen Lim Guan Eng will assume the Chief Minister post in a coalition with PKR.

2. Perak = DAP-PKR-PAS: A shock-win that took even the DAP by suprise. DAP was not expecting to win this state, as evident in its delay in naming its CM candidate till now. DAP will be the senior coalition partner due to its 19 seat haul. I am hoping Lim Kit Siang competed in a state seat as well so that he could assume the CM post. Lord knows he deserves it after all that he’s been through in his political life.

3. Kelantan = PAS: PAS has routed BN in its traditional stronghold and won 38 out of 45 seats, an increase from its 2004 numbers.

4. Kedah = PAS-PKR: A shock-win again, this time for PAS. I was also caught by suprised at this. PAS just sorta crept up stealthily to finally capture this state. I was guessing Terrenganu would have fallen to it before this state.

5. Selangor = PKR-DAP-PAS: A VERY VERY satisfying win by PKR-DAP. I hate Khir Toyo. I suspect this was the second state that DAP was aiming for apart from Penang but it’s an ideal state for PKR to rule. I hope PKR’s Khalid Ibrahim will rehabilitate this badly run premier state and bring it to new heights in his 4 year rule.

On the federal seats, DAP-PKR-PAS has momentously broken BN’s 2/3rd majority hegemony by taking a total of 82 seats out of 222. PKR has won the most parliament seats with 31, followed by DAP with 28 and PAS with 23, completely reversing the fortunes of PKR and making it the senior Opposition party now. It also paves the way for Anwar Ibrahim to assume the Opposition Leader post when he returns to parliament next month.

In-depth analysis on each Opposition party’s performances will be written by yours truly very soon right after I’ve rested by poor eyes a bit first.

Suffice to say, yesterday’s election has completely realigned Malaysia’s political landscape, and definitely for the better.