Round 2 in courtrooms will be more exciting

For the past 14 days and more, if the pre-election rhetoric is included, Malaysians have been inundated with messages aimed at persuading how they should vote.

From threats to sweeteners and promises of money and a place in paradise hereafter, they were all summed up as “campaigning”.

Even minions in the party had their five minutes of fame threatening to vote for the other side if former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak was not released.

Fortunately, the “justice for Najib” catchphrase which featured prominently in the November hustings, has been conveniently sent into oblivion because of political expediency.

But instead emerged far more damaging issues - race and religion which were exploited by many candidates.

Attacks became personal including fat shaming and one incumbent was singled out for his appearance ignoring his track record.

Foes have become friends and vice versa. Politicians - past and present - have all rallied to cause crossing party lines because of friendship.

Then, there are those who have been dropped as candidates have turned tables on their comrades calling them despicable names, forgetting that they were thick as thieves in the past.

There is no such thing as party loyalty in the belief that they ought to have been nominated as a matter of right or entitlement. In short, loyalty to self comes first.

No-holds-barred

Last night, the campaigning was supposed to end - officially - but the video clips are still circulating and are being forwarded.

When someone puts his foot in the mouth, there are bountiful explanations like misquoted, misconstrued and miscomprehended.

Today’s state elections have turned out to be a no-holds-barred contest where decency, propriety, respectability and decorum saw no takers. Instead, it looked like a brawl except that no violence was involved.

No one cared if their words and deeds would lead to something more serious and the police were in control of the law-and-order situation.

We had elections since 1955 and this was the worst election campaign. Even with so much at stake, the national elections in 2018 and in November last year did not see the spewing and disgorging of hatred and animosity.

Legal letters of demand, police reports and million-ringgit civil suits made headlines almost every day. The only consolation we can take is that there was no need to resort to duels and thus, no cudgels were drawn.

Even the names of the rulers were drawn and only a royal rebuke prevented their names from being drawn into the fight.

‘Foreign interference’

And the issue of “foreign interference” which has been a feature in past elections came to the fore.

Foreign agencies are funding Pakatan Harapan and BN parties campaigning in the six state elections to ensure they will win, thundered Perikatan Nasional election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

Without offering any evidence and as if from a shot in the dark, he claimed that he only knows the money keeping the “unity government” parties running come from overseas, but not which country.

Perikatan Nasional election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor

But such accusations have become part and parcel of Malaysian elections where serious allegations are made but disappear in a whimper days later.

Similar accusations were made by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of gambling money used by PN eight months ago, we have yet to see any evidence.

The bruising and the wounds may heal but the scars of the battle-hardy will remain – to fight another day.

But there’s something different - the defamation suits filed by various parties will reveal much more than what has been said. Get the popcorn, sit back and prepare for another battle in the courtrooms. - Mkini

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R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who writes on bread-and-butter issues. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.