The Permatang Pauh by-election and Anwar Ibrahim’s victory is a historic milestone in Malaysian nation-building and political development for three reasons.
It is firstly a ringing endorsement of the March 8 “political tsunami” where Malaysians transcended race, religion and political affiliation to vote as one people to demand an end to the decades of Barisan Nasional misrule, abuses of power, corruption and human rights violations.
It demonstrates that the 12th general election results which saw the establishment of five Pakatan Rakyat state governments and the end of the unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority of the Barisan Nasional represented the deep-seated aspirations of Malaysians and not a fluke shot or fleeting phenomenon.
Secondly, it is an unmistakable verdict on behalf of 27 million Malaysians at their disappointment with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Cabinet and the Barisan Nasional component parties at their failure in the past six months after the March 8 general election to end the deepening crisis of confidence and restore public trust and faith in the government as well as a censure of Abdullah’s failure to honour his renewed pledges to implement wide-ranging reforms, especially the police, the judiciary and on anti-corruption.
Thirdly, the rise of Permatang Pauh voters as the pioneers of the Bangsa Malaysia generation rejecting and putting to shame Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC Ministers and leaders for their dirty, immoral and racist politics in the 10-day by-election campaign.
Until yesterday, there was nothing for Malaysians to celebrate in the forthcoming 51st National Day on August 31.
Now there is cause for the celebration of the 51st National Day as the people of Permatang Pauh have given the nation and the world hope and confidence that there is a future for a united, harmonious, progressive and prosperous Malaysian nation when the majority of the Malay, Chinese and Indians voters in Permatang Pauh united as one people to support Anwar Ibrahim in the cause of a new Malaysia and to reject the racist and communal campaigning of Umno.
In the by-election, Najib had masterminded not only the dirtiest but also the most immoral, divisive and racist election campaign in my personal experience, particularly in the chauvinist and communal Umno line that the Malays would be oppressed by the DAP if Anwar Ibrahim is elected as MP for the constituency.
This is a lie and it is most shameful, dishonest and unMalaysian for any Umno leader to resort to such falsehoods.
But what is equally shocking is the eerie silence and acquiescence of MCA, Gerakan and MIC Ministers and leaders who campaigned in Permatang Pauh but who dared not protest with Najib or Abdullah to demand an immediate end to such racist campaigning – proving right the post-March 8 criticisms of some MCA and Gerakan leaders that the role of MCA and Gerakan were nothing more than being political “serfs” and “beggars” to UMNO.
Abdullah, Najib as well as Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC leaders have not learnt the lessons of the March 8 “political tsunami”.
Will they learn the lessons of the August 26 Permatang Pauh “mini political tsunami” or will they continue to be in terminal denial, aggravating the national political and economic crisis of confidence in Malaysia?