Sometimes it can be really scary. When the rakyat is still feeling pissed, one of the MP dies, albeit at the expense of a PAS member.
Just when I thought that politics in Malaysia could not get more exciting, it does. Prime Minister in waiting, Najib Tun Razak, made a bold and successful maneuver to wrest the state of Perak from the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
He knew he would take a short-term hit to his popularity not only in the state of Perak but in other parts of the country as well. His strategy of buying time for now in hope that he can rebuild the support for Barisan Nasional in time for the next general elections, due in 2013, was contingent on exactly that - having time.
He did not count on an ‘act of God’ on the one hand and an ‘act of indiscretion’ on the other to throw two spanners into the works. The surprising death of PAS MP, Roslan Shaharum, in the Bukit Gantang constituency and the unexpected resignation of PKR assemblyperson, V Arumugam in the Bukit Selambau constituency in Kedah, has given voters an unique opportunity to, in effect, have two ‘referendums’ on the recent events in Perak.
It is likely that the BN and Najib will lose these two referendums, with perhaps larger majorities compared to March 2008.
I can certainly say it is more than a mere coincident when another state exco in Kedah resigns. It is even more ironic when one of the appointed state excos of Perak was infamous for her snake killing indian outburst not too long ago. But it is going to provide PR enough ammunition and send loud signal towards the illegal government of BN in the next coming by elections. Now, the only thing they should worry about is the dirty tricks that BN might against PR. That is all they are good at, dirty tricks. Nothing more.
