Wheels of fortune turn: GE-13 now for Pakatan to lose, may win 120-140 seats

Anwar Ibrahim stands now, like a latter-day Rhodian Colossus, with one foot in the Peninsular and one in East Malaysia. He has stood against all comers, faced up to every challenge, and remains standing, spectacularly unbowed. He will not be defeated, not by violence nor by the many attempts by the BN’s apparatchilks to strip him of his dignity. They have yet to learn that true strength and dignity comes from within and cannot be so stripped.

In India after his acquittal, Mr.Anwar offered to forgive his tormentors, though many Malaysians do not want him to, and want instead to see the guilty suitably punished. Few will be impressed by Ambiga Sreenivasan’s call to forgive wrongdoers after Pakatan comes to power. They will want to see justice served. It serves, however, to illustrate Mr.Anwar’s almost Gandhian inner peace and strength that he contemplates forgiving the unthinkable wrongs that have been committed against him and his family.

Anwar the only credible Malay leader

Anwar has indeed become a colossus, morally and politically, and there is none in the ranks of the Barisan Nasional who can hope to match him. Compared to him, they are little men, scrabbling and fighting in the dirt for contracts and positions or rolling in the sewers concocting poisonous little conspiracies.

Certainly Najib Razak, whose term in office is an illustration of mediocrity in action, is reduced to a dull shadow when compared with Anwar. Najib has wisely refrained from taking Anwar on in debate, despite being repeatedly challenged. He would have little chance against Anwar’s knowledge or debating ability. Najib prefers to lurk in the shadows and throw verbal stones at Anwar which usually consist of nasty little sexual jibes (based on a poorly fabricated BN conspiracy) which make most Malaysians cringe.

Najib has also failed in his promise to enact reforms as his reforms usually appear to consist of taking one step forward and two steps back. Certainly this was the case with his ill-named ‘Peaceful Assembly Act’, which in truth is a draconian piece of legislation which drastically curbs the freedom of assembly and expression granted Malaysians under the constitution.

Najib will regret his lack of attention to the economy

Najib has similarly mishandled the economy which is already starting to slow down in complete contrast to his promise that it will grow at 5% pace throughout 2012. Inflation is rampant in Malaysia and few believe Bank Negara’s official 3% inflation figures. The reality on the ground is entirely different. The global slowdown will also affect Malaysia drastically, even though Najib tries to pretend that Malaysia operates in a vacuum.

Japan, Malaysia’s largest export market is losing its European customers and it will have an immediate impact. Singapore is Malaysia’s largest export market in South-East Asia and it has already contracted in the 4th Quarter and headed steadily into recession. Clearly, Najib is deliberately attempting to mislead less-informed Malaysians that the economy will grow at 5% in 2012 for the purpose of winning the next General Election.

Anwar, however, is the one man who will be able to pull the economy out of its doldrums and ensure steady, strong growth in the years to come. The relief that Malaysians will feel to be freed of the repressive yoke of the BN will translate into consumer and business confidence that will drive domestic growth.

Anwar will also enjoy the trust and goodwill of the external world which will be more inclined to invest in a nation that genuinely embraces democratic norms and freedoms. The fact that the malevolent influence of Mahathir Mohamad which still influences Malaysia’s civil and economic life today will be banished for good with a Pakatan win will further encourage foreign investment.

Any reader of Mahathir’s lunatic article in the Financial Times on January 11th is unlikely to want to invest in Malaysia as they will be well aware that many ministers in the current BN cabinet are Mahathir’s ‘men’, who will carry out his wishes regardless of consequences.

GE-13 is now for Pakatan to lose

There is little doubt that Pakatan will win the next election based on the current sentiment on the ground. This is not just in the Peninsular but also in Sabah and Sarawak. There also many within BN who have already read the writing on the wall and are ready to move their loyalties to Pakatan even before the elections.

Informed estimates of Pakatan’s probable share of parliament seats now range from 120 to 140 seats; which will be quite enough to oust the BN from power. And we will finally have a competent Prime Minister in Anwar Ibrahim, backed by an honest cabinet, which will actually have the interests of Malaysians at heart.

Malaysia Chronicle