The opposition won the two "Bukits" but lost the "Batang," as predicted by most pundits. Pakatan Rakyat won by 2,789 majority votes in Bukit Gantang, thus casting a serious doubt on the BN's illegal takeover of the Perak's state government, and by extension, the new PM Najib Tun Razak's administration since he was the mastermind behind the coup. Pakatan also won handily in Bukit Selambau, Kedah with a comfortable vote margin of 2,396 despite the crowded field (15 candidates contesting). I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised that Pakatan got thumped in Batang Ai; it was a wishful thinking on my part to hope for a BN loss there. Pakatan candidate in Batang Ai, Jewah Gerang, lost by 1,854 votes where 5,960 people showed up to vote (over 75 percent turnout). It was quite a resounding victory for BN for sure.
What do these elections mean for Malaysia right now? The trend is clear: The tide is turning against BN and its component parties, especially UMNO. Time and again BN is saved by its component parties in Borneo; it has been losing ground rapidly in the Semenanjung since the March 2008 general elections. The Malays are switching to the Opposition in droves, especially for the Islamic party PAS. My parents and close relatives are the perfect example of this defection. In fact PAS has gained more non-Malay votes in the Bukit Gantang by-election than it did in the previous election. The writings are on the wall for BN, and especially so for UMNO: Radically change your raison d'etre to conform to the fast-changing Malaysian socio-political landscape or risk being irrelevant and banished into oblivion. To appropriate Louis XIV's infamous dictum, the country is no longer UMNO's l'etat c'est moi. Change or perish!
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