The Year of the Rakyat takes over from The Year of Reformasi

Zeitgeist is a German word that is translated into English as 'the spirit of the times'. A check with Wikipedia revealed the following explanation of the word:

Zeitgeist is the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and/or political climate within a nation or even specific groups, along with the general ambiance, morals, sociocultural direction, and mood associated with an era.

The term zeitgeist is from German Zeit – "time" (cognate with English "tide" and "time") and Geist – "spirit" (cognate with English "ghost").

This year's recent events may reveal that the Malaysian Zeitgeist is already here. A series of happenings with predictable plots and outcomes that have left Malaysians thoroughly disgusted and disenchanted with Prime Minister Najib Razak's style of government, choice of policies and politicking style.

Never before is the wish amongst the people for reform and change as strong as now. And here's why.

Significant events

It has been a slippery slope for the BN government since the sex video implicating Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim was shown to a group of reporters and journalists on March 21, 2011.

Some 2 weeks after that - on April 6, 2011 - senior Customs officer Ahmad Sarbani was found dead on the 1st Floor of the MACC premises in Jalan Cochrane in Kuala Lumpur. Coming on the heels of another suspicious deathfall, that of Selangor political officer Teoh Beng Hock, this certainly gave the BN government a bad image and reinforced the growing talk around town that the MACC was a 'deadly' interrogator.

Open vote-buying at the 10th Sarawak state elections held on April 16 also added to the negative sentiment for the BN. Although, Chief Minister Taib Mahmud won a massive victory, the people were unhappy and there was no celebration. Voters there felt cheated by the rampant electoral fraud happening right before their eyes.

The BN's version of MCA in Sarawak, SUPP, was also nearly wiped-out by DAP. Thus began the anti-Chinese spin in the mainstream media. Utusan's highly-charged report of 'DAP being in league with Christian pastors to set up a Christian state' escaped with only a reprimand from the Home Ministry. Again, the incident invoked a deep sense of injustice amongst the public, especially the Christian community.

Another prominent event was Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy II trial on May 16, where the Court asked Anwar to enter his defence. It was a decision that everyone expected and it compounded the feeling of helplessness against a judiciary that was clearly no longer independent and fully taking orders from the Najib administration.

When Anwar's PKR party was threatened with de-registration by the Registrar of Societies, the public outcry was so loud that ROS knew better than to proceed. Wisely, it dropped its threat.

In early June, the results of the PAS party polls had UMNO leaders condemning their arch rival for allegedly abandoning its Islamic struggle in favour of a Welfare State. PAS was also accused of pandering to the demands of the DAP. And when a sex CD suddenly emerged threatening to smear the reputation of Mat Sabu, the newly-minted PAS deputy president, it set up the heckles of the Malay community - already fed-up with the gutter politicking going on in the nation.

Also in June, the Prime Minister's visit to Kazakhstan to promote bilateral ties was condemned after MP for Kuala Selangor Dzulkefly Ahmad revealed that Najib had gone there with an a huge 200-member entourage. Najib was accused of timing the official trip to coincide with his daughter's engagement to a Kazakh scion. Cynicism abounded that the 'first' family would stoop to using public money to defray the cost of their personal celebration.

Showstopper

But it is Bersih, which has turned out to be the show-stopper. In a recent poll by Star, 99 per cent of the respondents voted in support of the rally which is scheduled to be held on 9th July. What was the government's response to this?

The Election Commission rushed to say that taking to the streets was not the solution, while Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali was more blunt. He threatened the Chinese by telling them to "stock up" food and stay home that day or risk being killed in racial riots as had happened on May 13, 1969.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein made matters worse by refusing to punish Ibrahim Ali for his seditious comments. To make matters worse, Hisham also refused to grant permits, thereby rendering the Bersih rally illegal in a bid to scare Malaysians from joining in the call for free and fair elections.

Bersih president Ambiga Sreenevasan, who spilled the beans by revealing that the EC had refused to heed Bersih's previous reform proposals, received a death threat. By then, silent fury had overtaken the civil society movement in Malaysia. PAS president Hadi Awang made history when he ordered all 1 million members to take part in the rally.

The spirit of the times is certainly blowing when there is such mass support for Bersih and its 8 demands for free and fair elections. This is especially poignant now, when there are signs that snap polls will be the dirtiest ever in Malaysian history. Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is expected to call for snap polls soon, has already vowed to defend Putrajaya at all costs.

Spirit of the times moving against BN

Yes, the spirit of the times is moving against the BN government. They must listen to the voice of the people who demand electoral reforms but they seem to be turning a deaf ear.

If the government continues to be deaf to the cries of the people, July 9 may just as well go down in history as the day for Malaysians to usher in a new era. This date may be forever etched in Malaysian and world history just as the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989.

The signs of a great catalyst for change is about to begin. The people are restless. But this time it is not the fight of Anwar alone as in 1998 and 2008 which were the Years of Reformasi. This time, it is the Year of the Rakyat.

The Najib Administration including the Election Commission would do well to heed the voices of the rakyat (populace) or else they will surely be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Is the rakyat (populace) ready for the Zeitgeist - The Spirit of the Age?

- Malaysia Chronicle