6
news without borders
by Goh Ban Lee
PENANG: Even the most pessimistic
Barisan Nasional candidates and
leaders did not expect the results of
the election in the state. But this also
applied to the most optimistic DAP
and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
leaders and candidates.
The total wipeout of Gerakan, MCA
and MIC candidates was merciless.
For the 40-seat state assembly,
Gerakan lost all its 13 seats, MCA 10
and MIC two. For the Parliament,
Gerakan and MCA lost four seats
each. The margins of the defeats were
big to huge. The voters could not be
any clearer in their choices.
Only Umno managed to win 11 of
the 15 seats it contested. It won two
of the five seats for Parliament. It was
only a wind of change for Umno in
terms of loss of seats. Nevertheless, the
chance for state executive positions
was destroyed.
For the Gerakan, MCA and MIC,
the wind of change was not only a
typhoon, it also uprooted all the trees!
For the MCA leaders and
It was a typhoon in Penang
candidates, the Saturday night
political massacre was not a new
experience. The party suffered a
total wipeout in 1990. However, it
is doubtful if such experience ever
lessens the pain and frustrations the
second time around. Fortunately,
defeats in political arena are not
permanent. As MCA found out,
it won all the nine state seats it
contested in 1995 and went on to do
very well in 1999 and 2004.
For many Penangites, it is not
possible to remain quiet. Even
normally passive bystanders asked
why. Indeed, even as early as at
7.20pm on Saturday when word
went around that Lee Hack Teik, the
MCA candidate for Pengkalan Kota,
was losing badly despite the popular
perception that he would win
comfortably because of his “service”
theSun
PENANG
PARTIES
SHARE
The verdict ... outgoing chief minister OF VOTES
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon faces reporters
at the Batu Kawan counting centre. DAP Total
32%
record, there
were already
PAS Total
speculations 6% PKR Total
of what 20%
went wrong
for the
BN. Many
were tossed
around. There were stories
of back-stabbing from party
members who did not get to
stand and refusal of candidates
to pay exorbitant sums for
putting up flags and banners.
There was even a story of the
mother of a candidate hurting
the feelings of voters because
she reminded them that they
were getting free services.
Most of the stories and
rumours were probably half-
truths or true but exaggerated.
But these types of stories
are very common during
elections and applicable to all
candidates.
Then there are the local
issues, such as Penang
Global City Centre project,
incongruous development
in Tanjung Bungah, and
frustrations of “Green house
tenants” who have been
promised better quality houses.
These may be true, but their
impacts were likely not
significant.
The main issues were
feeling of unfairness and hubris
of power. The incidents that
gave rise to such feeling might
be committed by BN leaders
or small fry or government
servants; but these are debited
from the government’s account.
Compounded by rising cost
of living and crime rates, the
people were in the mood for
change, or at least to show
displeasure.
Unfortunately, BN leaders
and candidates were unable or
unwilling to rebut or counter
such accusations. Hoping
for them to disappear was a
mistake.
Apparently, the “feedback”
mechanisms of the government
and BN failed or were not
working effectively. For
instance, the mass-media,
including the newspapers
which seemingly operate for
profits, failed to highlight the
criticisms. Worse, they tend to
give the BN candidates glowing
reviews. These might be true,
but they also shied away from
the criticisms of unfairness and
arrogance of power.
These lop-sided reports
and commentaries may be
flattering to the candidates in
the 13 days of campaigning, but
they lulled them into believing
» MakingSens: A victory for the people – pg 16
| MONDAY MARCH 10 2008
that all went well.
While the feedback
mechanisms were silent,
the opposition parties,
particularly the DAP and PKR
were literally going to town
to tell their stories, all not
necessarily correct. Apart from
the speeches, handouts were
distributed. It is a fact that it is
easier and more interesting to
criticise than defend.
The opposition candidates
never failed to include the
racist and sexist remarks of
BN leaders, even if these were
made some time ago. But
because of the
Spoilt Total lack of rebuttal or
2%
explanations and
apologies, such
accusations were
then recorded as
BN Total truths without a
40% sense of shame or
remorse.
At ceramah,
the opposition
leaders were
relentless and
engaging, with Lim
Kit Siang and Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim playing the
main roles. There were few
facts presented, neither were
there serious attempts to
defend the manifestos of the
opposition parties. The leaders
only needed to repeat the
calls for the downfall of the
BN government or individual
leaders and the crowds loved
them. Many followed the
circuits and then repeated the
accusations to their relatives,
colleagues and friends, often
with added dramatisation.
The Opposition also had the
good luck or foresight to have
blogger Jeff Ooi as one of its
candidates. He was part of the
new faces in the DAP line-up
and also had good oral skills
in three languages which he
took pains to demonstrate. Of
course, his use of the electric
guitar and attempt at singing
only made him more likable,
despite the fact that he seemed
arrogant to some.
The advent and popularity
of the Internet, together with
facilities like blogs, YouTube
did immense damage to the
government. The spread of
information, true or false, takes
just a mouse click.
The most destructive
mechanisms to the BN
candidates were the mouths,
hundreds and thousands
of them. Stories of misuse
of power and incidents of
unfairness and statistics of
government officers and
employees of government-
linked companies were
uttered and exchanged in
countless meetings over coffee,
during lunches and friendly
encounters in supermarkets
and in the office. Stories were
told and retold, often with
embellishments. They might
be half-truths, but they fanned
the wind of change.
The good thing about
election results is that they are
not permanent. Four or five
years later, the DAP and PKR
will have to account for their
promises. Next time, they will
have to play defensive position.
Dr Goh Ban Lee writes a
fortnightly column, Local
Counsel in theSun. Comments:
feedback@thesundaily.com.