GE-14 Enigma: Why it Matters?
[ Just a disclaimer, this is merely an analysis of the GE-14 crisis. It does not include controversial views and biases towards the two political coalitions and the major parties involved. I understand that it is a sensitive issue for most. That is up to your interpretation. This article is just to enlighten the citizens in Malaysia regarding the current political situation in Malaysia, with the GE-14 elections coming right up to the corner. ]
As the 14th General Elections in Malaysia is quickly approaching, we can witness chaos ultimately. Chaos in the parallelity of the major political parties, turmoil in the distinct division between the two political coalitions, Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan, chaos between the differences in the opinions we strive to uphold. Will there be an unanticipated turn of events in the political scene in Malaysia, or will BN continue to sail the flag?
Why should YOU be involved?
We can witness that although some people are striving to reform our government, most remain undisturbed by the magnitude of the situation.
We are often being tied on the one-vote policy. From what I heard swarming around my eardrums, most people are conflicted on voting. Even those who possess the privilege to vote. Your one vote could be a determinant. A determinant of whether a specific political party outweighs the other. Your one vote holds significant power to exercise your political rights. It can make or break.
Being knowledgeable about politics is exceptionally vital. Whichever age, whether you are eligible to vote or otherwise, you should have a bright idea of what is happening around Malaysia. Majority of the citizens enforce so much concern over the political ongoings in other countries, sadly not putting much emphasis on their very own.
Being politically aware- both nationally and on a global scale is undoubtedly crucial. But in a situation as such, reading up on our current news pertaining politics is more needed than ever before. You can stay updated by merely connecting yourself with news portals online, social media platforms to generate appraisals and much more. With one click, you can transport yourself to places efficiently.
Stand up, literally and figuratively. Enforce your rights. Show resilience in what you believe in accomplishing. For the betterment of Malaysia. And for the future generation. Continually degrading Malaysia and not making substantial reformations will not instantly make Malaysia more progressive. Things take time, but it will stay the same until you exercise your rights. In the hopes of materializing a more cohesive Malaysia.
If you can vote, do not dispose of your ability to exercise your power. If you're drowning in the murky situation of the political parties, and you are indecisive, go back to the first step. Be informative on what they've promised earlier. Did they achieve it? Were they putting said efforts into bettering a particular aspect of Malaysia? Did they manage to walk the talk over the years?
GE-13
In the 13th General Election in Malaysia, we testified that BN lost the popular votes. PKR won the popular vote of 50.87% as opposed to BN's 47.38%. However, BN gained victory in more states hence Prime Minister Najib Razak snatching the title for the 2nd term in the political election. Albeit the slim margin, Najib Razak still after that, continued to serve as Malaysia's Prime Minister. Following the Westminster system, his party gets to form a government.
Although Malaysia claims to be following the Westminster system, is the parliamentary system translating the actual system? Or has it strayed far, far away from its roots? In the Westminster system in Malaysia, the disparity between the government and the opposition party remains in a parallel universe. By right, the opposition party should be entitled to allocated funds for its constituency work and programmes that the BN has been enjoying.
Diplomatic ties and conversations are not seen by either of the parties. In Malaysia, it is questionable as to whether the current government acknowledges the opposition bloc and provides an equal-similar playing field to ensure a democratic election?
As PR had a total of more votes compared to BN, BN used the tactic of gerrymandering to skew the attention of smaller constituencies. As the BN withheld 112 seats in total out of the 130 smaller constituencies, it is clear-cut that it was not merely fate that led to their triumph. But instead, the vicious act of gerrymandering.
Former Prime Minister representing the opposition alliance
Former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir instituted a twist and is serving the opposition alliance, Pakatan Harapan. Pakatan Harapan is a direct successor to the three-party Pakatan Rakyat coalition and was form due to the conflicts between DAP and PAS. Due to PAS splitting ties with DAP, the alliance broke off. Pakatan Harapan was formed, and PAS went their own way.
The former UMNO leader transformed Malaysia into one of the fastest growing economies during his time as a government. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Malaysia who served for 22 years as Primer Minister before retiring in 2003. Although he stands firm with an ideology to transform Malaysia again, is it merely a tactic to out-throw Najib Razak out of his current position due to petty disparities and personal disputes between both parties?
During his manifesto speech, he mentions Najib for a couple of hundred times. It felt as if he is isolated from putting full focus into giving his input on ways to potentially alleviate Malaysia from its current standings locally and globally. Additionally, his manifesto was also stated to be unrealistic and unfeasible in the long-run, how should we determine whether to be in alliance with him or otherwise? Is the fight between the lesser of two evils just a tactic for vengeance from the past occurrences?
In the past, when Mahathir was still in UMNO, Najib's political representation arose incrementally. Studies have shown that Mahathir's mentorship for Najib was impelled as he felt as if he had to stitch the relationship between both parties. It was used as a tool to help his son as Razak was in the office.
It was witnessed that their relationship began to deteriorate in 2009 when Mukhriz ran for UMNO Youth chief post and lost an edge against Khairy Jamaluddin. Still, he remained positive. He ran again against Najib's cousin, and once again, fell short.
From there on, their relationship was seen in a ragged end. With the GE-14 in place, do we believe that Pakatan Harapan has a spot in place? Are they set on their principles? Do they really want a change? Are they set on transforming Malaysia towards a better Malaysia? Will they walk the talk?
It was believed that the reason why Pakatan Rakyat remained cohesive in GE-13 was primarily due to PAS. PAS withheld a strong support system that contributed significantly to the popularity votes. Now, with the detachment of PAS, will the new alliance, Pakatan Harapan give off the same/ even more significant competitive edge for GE-14?
The recent turn of events in Malaysia
As Malaysia is said to have been one of the fastest growing economies in 3 years, it is not always rainbows and sunshine for us.
Although the economy is growing at an exponential rate, it is revealed that the growth mirrors a relatively structured growth. While the economy is flourishing, the cost of living for the citizens in Malaysia rises concurrently. The direct impact of this would be the middle-low income groups as this means that their ability to save decreases by a large magnitude. It is worth noting that despite a GDP growth rate of 3%, we have a relatively low level of GDP per capita.
It may well be worth applauding that the growth of Malaysia's economy may have resolute impacts for Malaysia. It may indicate that the Foreign Direct Investment (F.D.I) is outperforming itself as compared to the past years. An increase in domestic demands, boost in wages may be another decisive factor to consider. However, the World Bank claims that the high cost of living is profoundly affecting individuals in the low-income group. The wealth gap between the rich and the poor is expanding. Will it continue to develop as the economy multiplies? That's for us to find out.
Although the current government claims to have been providing subsidies for specific groups and are in the process of delivering necessities, is it merely enough? Or, are their actions and strategies sufficient to alleviate the low-income group to level the playing field with individuals with higher income leverage? Is it just a short-term strategy to present a good outlook with the 14th General Elections coming along? Are leverage given to specific racial groups? What are the allocations based on?
All these factors are things to consider. Yes, the government may be providing subsidies in attempts to alleviate the low-income groups. Still, it is worth doing your research due to the lack of credibility and transparency from the government.
The recent studies on the BR1M (1 Malaysia's People's Aid) reveal that while the purpose of the subsidy was to target low-income groups. They went against the past blanketed subsidy system where all individuals, despite their financial standings are entitled to the same subsidies. The subsidy went against its initial purpose as the higher-earning income group benefited much more compared to the ones with low-income.
The government decided to switch the erroneous blanketed system to a managed fuel system. On its current standing, Malaysia has a dense population of 31 million. The government wishes to retain the managed fuel system for fuel prices to stay.
As it is beyond the government's ability to control to world's crude oil production, monitoring, and implementing quick measures are the only resort that could be done to tackle this issue. The government is still looking into methods to curb any potential hardships and further obstacles for the low-earning income group.
How may the exit of PAS affect Pakatan Harapan?
PAS exited the initial coalition, Pakatan Rakyat and formed a separate alliance altogether. Shedding light on GE-13, PAS, PKR, and DAP generated a popular vote of 50.87%. With the turn of events since PAS is no longer included in their alliance, PKR, DAP, and Amanah only have a 36% chance of the popular vote. This may have weakened the opposition coalition.
PAS announces that individuals should have the ability to vote for a different coalition besides Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan. They also strengthened the point that they are in no way affiliated with both of the alliances, and wishes to remain as a lone wolf. PAS shows its competitive edge as they are driven and resilient to go against BN and Pakatan Harapan in GE-14.
Controversies regarding Pakatan Harapan's Manifesto
As the Pakatan Harapan released its manifesto, most critics claim that there is nothing significantly new. Felda Chairman declares that the Pakatan Harapan's manifesto remains exceptionally outdated and that they are not aware of how the government operates and the mechanisms to implement strategies for a better Malaysia.
Anti-Fake Bill Law
Just recently, current Prime Minister, Najib Razak pledged an anti-fake bill law. This was done in fear. Fear of the resurrection of talks pertaining the 1MDB crisis. The 1MDB financial turmoil still remains as one of the biggest financial crises that have transported its way around the globe. They have stoop so low.
Desperate times call for desperate measures right? With this law in place, is it done with the intention of preventing the discussion regarding the 1MDB scandal between individuals in Malaysia, or just to save one's face internationally?
Despite the criticisms from the opposition parties that it is just a tactic to muffle talks regarding the scandal within the next few weeks in time for the elections, the legislation has been officiated and propelled by the government.
Are they playing a fair game? Or just merely attempting to conceal their flaws for the next few weeks to play the dirty game all over again? The government claims that the purpose of this law is not to void any individual from the freedom of speech but to prevent the propagation of fake news. How can you differentiate between what is fraudulent or otherwise when the government ceases to remain transparent to the general public and credible with their statements regarding their own actions?
You hold power. To initiate an action.
There is so much you could do. So little time. It's time for you to stand up, and initiate. Whether it be engaging in healthy discussions regarding the political enigma in your own country, or merely catching up with the recent news and staying in the loop. You hold the power to do so.
Even if you are not at the age to vote, or may not have been a registered voter for this year's election, fret not. You can still be involved in other ways possible. The first step is to set your mind straight and become politically aware. Never be ignorant regarding the matters occurring in your own home turf. There is so much going on, and most of which, will not be spoon-fed.
If you withhold the power to vote, do not dispose of your ability to exercise your power. Malaysia's faith is in the hands of yours.
Conclusion
This article is sole to shed light on some of the ongoing occurrences in the current political scene in Malaysia. Brief analyses regarding GE-13, the past events, and what the future holds for Malaysia. What does it take for Malaysia from this point on? What are your takes on the upcoming General Elections?
Toodles⇨
Sandra
As the 14th General Elections in Malaysia is quickly approaching, we can witness chaos ultimately. Chaos in the parallelity of the major political parties, turmoil in the distinct division between the two political coalitions, Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan, chaos between the differences in the opinions we strive to uphold. Will there be an unanticipated turn of events in the political scene in Malaysia, or will BN continue to sail the flag?
Why should YOU be involved?
We can witness that although some people are striving to reform our government, most remain undisturbed by the magnitude of the situation.
We are often being tied on the one-vote policy. From what I heard swarming around my eardrums, most people are conflicted on voting. Even those who possess the privilege to vote. Your one vote could be a determinant. A determinant of whether a specific political party outweighs the other. Your one vote holds significant power to exercise your political rights. It can make or break.
Being knowledgeable about politics is exceptionally vital. Whichever age, whether you are eligible to vote or otherwise, you should have a bright idea of what is happening around Malaysia. Majority of the citizens enforce so much concern over the political ongoings in other countries, sadly not putting much emphasis on their very own.
Being politically aware- both nationally and on a global scale is undoubtedly crucial. But in a situation as such, reading up on our current news pertaining politics is more needed than ever before. You can stay updated by merely connecting yourself with news portals online, social media platforms to generate appraisals and much more. With one click, you can transport yourself to places efficiently.
Stand up, literally and figuratively. Enforce your rights. Show resilience in what you believe in accomplishing. For the betterment of Malaysia. And for the future generation. Continually degrading Malaysia and not making substantial reformations will not instantly make Malaysia more progressive. Things take time, but it will stay the same until you exercise your rights. In the hopes of materializing a more cohesive Malaysia.
If you can vote, do not dispose of your ability to exercise your power. If you're drowning in the murky situation of the political parties, and you are indecisive, go back to the first step. Be informative on what they've promised earlier. Did they achieve it? Were they putting said efforts into bettering a particular aspect of Malaysia? Did they manage to walk the talk over the years?
GE-13
In the 13th General Election in Malaysia, we testified that BN lost the popular votes. PKR won the popular vote of 50.87% as opposed to BN's 47.38%. However, BN gained victory in more states hence Prime Minister Najib Razak snatching the title for the 2nd term in the political election. Albeit the slim margin, Najib Razak still after that, continued to serve as Malaysia's Prime Minister. Following the Westminster system, his party gets to form a government.
Although Malaysia claims to be following the Westminster system, is the parliamentary system translating the actual system? Or has it strayed far, far away from its roots? In the Westminster system in Malaysia, the disparity between the government and the opposition party remains in a parallel universe. By right, the opposition party should be entitled to allocated funds for its constituency work and programmes that the BN has been enjoying.
Diplomatic ties and conversations are not seen by either of the parties. In Malaysia, it is questionable as to whether the current government acknowledges the opposition bloc and provides an equal-similar playing field to ensure a democratic election?
Former Prime Minister representing the opposition alliance
Former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir instituted a twist and is serving the opposition alliance, Pakatan Harapan. Pakatan Harapan is a direct successor to the three-party Pakatan Rakyat coalition and was form due to the conflicts between DAP and PAS. Due to PAS splitting ties with DAP, the alliance broke off. Pakatan Harapan was formed, and PAS went their own way.
The former UMNO leader transformed Malaysia into one of the fastest growing economies during his time as a government. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Malaysia who served for 22 years as Primer Minister before retiring in 2003. Although he stands firm with an ideology to transform Malaysia again, is it merely a tactic to out-throw Najib Razak out of his current position due to petty disparities and personal disputes between both parties?
During his manifesto speech, he mentions Najib for a couple of hundred times. It felt as if he is isolated from putting full focus into giving his input on ways to potentially alleviate Malaysia from its current standings locally and globally. Additionally, his manifesto was also stated to be unrealistic and unfeasible in the long-run, how should we determine whether to be in alliance with him or otherwise? Is the fight between the lesser of two evils just a tactic for vengeance from the past occurrences?
In the past, when Mahathir was still in UMNO, Najib's political representation arose incrementally. Studies have shown that Mahathir's mentorship for Najib was impelled as he felt as if he had to stitch the relationship between both parties. It was used as a tool to help his son as Razak was in the office.
It was witnessed that their relationship began to deteriorate in 2009 when Mukhriz ran for UMNO Youth chief post and lost an edge against Khairy Jamaluddin. Still, he remained positive. He ran again against Najib's cousin, and once again, fell short.
From there on, their relationship was seen in a ragged end. With the GE-14 in place, do we believe that Pakatan Harapan has a spot in place? Are they set on their principles? Do they really want a change? Are they set on transforming Malaysia towards a better Malaysia? Will they walk the talk?
It was believed that the reason why Pakatan Rakyat remained cohesive in GE-13 was primarily due to PAS. PAS withheld a strong support system that contributed significantly to the popularity votes. Now, with the detachment of PAS, will the new alliance, Pakatan Harapan give off the same/ even more significant competitive edge for GE-14?
The recent turn of events in Malaysia
As Malaysia is said to have been one of the fastest growing economies in 3 years, it is not always rainbows and sunshine for us.
Although the economy is growing at an exponential rate, it is revealed that the growth mirrors a relatively structured growth. While the economy is flourishing, the cost of living for the citizens in Malaysia rises concurrently. The direct impact of this would be the middle-low income groups as this means that their ability to save decreases by a large magnitude. It is worth noting that despite a GDP growth rate of 3%, we have a relatively low level of GDP per capita.
It may well be worth applauding that the growth of Malaysia's economy may have resolute impacts for Malaysia. It may indicate that the Foreign Direct Investment (F.D.I) is outperforming itself as compared to the past years. An increase in domestic demands, boost in wages may be another decisive factor to consider. However, the World Bank claims that the high cost of living is profoundly affecting individuals in the low-income group. The wealth gap between the rich and the poor is expanding. Will it continue to develop as the economy multiplies? That's for us to find out.
Although the current government claims to have been providing subsidies for specific groups and are in the process of delivering necessities, is it merely enough? Or, are their actions and strategies sufficient to alleviate the low-income group to level the playing field with individuals with higher income leverage? Is it just a short-term strategy to present a good outlook with the 14th General Elections coming along? Are leverage given to specific racial groups? What are the allocations based on?
All these factors are things to consider. Yes, the government may be providing subsidies in attempts to alleviate the low-income groups. Still, it is worth doing your research due to the lack of credibility and transparency from the government.
The recent studies on the BR1M (1 Malaysia's People's Aid) reveal that while the purpose of the subsidy was to target low-income groups. They went against the past blanketed subsidy system where all individuals, despite their financial standings are entitled to the same subsidies. The subsidy went against its initial purpose as the higher-earning income group benefited much more compared to the ones with low-income.
The government decided to switch the erroneous blanketed system to a managed fuel system. On its current standing, Malaysia has a dense population of 31 million. The government wishes to retain the managed fuel system for fuel prices to stay.
As it is beyond the government's ability to control to world's crude oil production, monitoring, and implementing quick measures are the only resort that could be done to tackle this issue. The government is still looking into methods to curb any potential hardships and further obstacles for the low-earning income group.
How may the exit of PAS affect Pakatan Harapan?
PAS exited the initial coalition, Pakatan Rakyat and formed a separate alliance altogether. Shedding light on GE-13, PAS, PKR, and DAP generated a popular vote of 50.87%. With the turn of events since PAS is no longer included in their alliance, PKR, DAP, and Amanah only have a 36% chance of the popular vote. This may have weakened the opposition coalition.
PAS announces that individuals should have the ability to vote for a different coalition besides Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan. They also strengthened the point that they are in no way affiliated with both of the alliances, and wishes to remain as a lone wolf. PAS shows its competitive edge as they are driven and resilient to go against BN and Pakatan Harapan in GE-14.
Controversies regarding Pakatan Harapan's Manifesto
As the Pakatan Harapan released its manifesto, most critics claim that there is nothing significantly new. Felda Chairman declares that the Pakatan Harapan's manifesto remains exceptionally outdated and that they are not aware of how the government operates and the mechanisms to implement strategies for a better Malaysia.
Anti-Fake Bill Law
Just recently, current Prime Minister, Najib Razak pledged an anti-fake bill law. This was done in fear. Fear of the resurrection of talks pertaining the 1MDB crisis. The 1MDB financial turmoil still remains as one of the biggest financial crises that have transported its way around the globe. They have stoop so low.
Desperate times call for desperate measures right? With this law in place, is it done with the intention of preventing the discussion regarding the 1MDB scandal between individuals in Malaysia, or just to save one's face internationally?
Despite the criticisms from the opposition parties that it is just a tactic to muffle talks regarding the scandal within the next few weeks in time for the elections, the legislation has been officiated and propelled by the government.
Are they playing a fair game? Or just merely attempting to conceal their flaws for the next few weeks to play the dirty game all over again? The government claims that the purpose of this law is not to void any individual from the freedom of speech but to prevent the propagation of fake news. How can you differentiate between what is fraudulent or otherwise when the government ceases to remain transparent to the general public and credible with their statements regarding their own actions?
You hold power. To initiate an action.
There is so much you could do. So little time. It's time for you to stand up, and initiate. Whether it be engaging in healthy discussions regarding the political enigma in your own country, or merely catching up with the recent news and staying in the loop. You hold the power to do so.
Even if you are not at the age to vote, or may not have been a registered voter for this year's election, fret not. You can still be involved in other ways possible. The first step is to set your mind straight and become politically aware. Never be ignorant regarding the matters occurring in your own home turf. There is so much going on, and most of which, will not be spoon-fed.
If you withhold the power to vote, do not dispose of your ability to exercise your power. Malaysia's faith is in the hands of yours.
Conclusion
This article is sole to shed light on some of the ongoing occurrences in the current political scene in Malaysia. Brief analyses regarding GE-13, the past events, and what the future holds for Malaysia. What does it take for Malaysia from this point on? What are your takes on the upcoming General Elections?
Toodles⇨
Sandra
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