The results are in, Barisan Nasional got slapped on the head. They won 142 out of 222 seats. That works out to 63.96% majority. Much less than 1969 when it secured 69%. That time people died in riots that followed.
From a news web site:
Malaysia’s ruling coalition suffered its biggest electoral upset ever, losing control of four state governments and failing to win the crucial two-thirds majority in parliament.
It is Barisan Nasional (BN)’s worst performance in a general election since independence in 1957.
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s multi-racial coalition won 142 out of the 222-seat Parliament.
The opposition alliance of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and the Islamic Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), won 81 seats. In the outgoing parliament, the opposition had 19 seats.
The only other time the 14-party BN coalition failed to win a two-thirds majority was in 1969 when it secured 66% of the seats. This time, it would have only 63.5% if it wins the remaining two seats.
BN lost control of four states – Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor, while PAS secured two-thirds majority to keep its hold on Kelantan. Get all the results here.
Well IMHO, this is most welcomed. Considering the following:
1. The buildings made by the Transport and Works Ministry, typically have faults after completion and even after repairs. The said minister lost his job.
2. Nobody likes the Islamic Affairs Department. Especially the high handed way they go around repo dead bodies.
3. MPs waving ethnic knives/swords at Party conferences.
4. Indians need to organize a street march to compliant about their rights.
I don’t think the opposition has the calibre to run the country, so this will shake BN out of their complacency (2008 catchword).