The new "Age of Abdullah" has begun
Kuala Lumpur (Asia News) - Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had called Malaysian citizens to unite and trust the government. He urged them to be the wind pushing his administration's anti-corruption sails as the government steers the country toward better economic waters.
Abdullah hoped for a successful terms as chief to carry out important economic and social reforms and to show the rest of the world that Malaysian Islam was a progressive form of religion, a religion tht sought peaceful relations with other faiths. The president had asked citizens help him build a democratic model of government to be emulated by other Islamic countries. And nows his chance, as Abdullah Ahmad Badawi obtained much more than was expected even of rosy predictions.
Malaysians have believed is his calmer, but firmer style of governing. Abdullah has opened up citizens' hearts and his victory in elections is seen as proof of this. While showing great confidence in him, voters allowed his Barisan National (BN) party to take 198 of 219 seats in Parliament and permitted the 14-party UMNO coalition (of which BN is a member) to win 12 of 13 state government elections.
Abdullah's "Pak Lah" victory will foster great benefits, both internally and abroad.
Above all, his party's landslide victory means the chance to carry out those economic reforms which were formerly seen as difficult to enact (partly due to the once little clear if not corrupt relations between major local business tycoons and government exponents.
Voters thus believe the government's commitment to battle corruption is sincere, as seen in recent arrests of a public minister and a power industrialist on charges of corruption. Similar evidence is found in the government's bringing default action against lavish, but no-so-transparent infrastructure projects planned for the capital. The projects would have forced the government to shell out exorbitant amounts of money.
Abdullah has shown greater attention to farmers by reinvesting funds in projects to improve healthcare in rural hospitals and to guarantee new infrastructure in such communities.
The opposition PAS party suffered its most crushing defeats right in its very stronghold, losing the once fundamentalist party dominated states of Kedah and Perlis. Not only did PAS lose power in these two despite its self-confidence in claiming victory the party also suffered defeat in Terengganu which it had won back in the 1999 elections. Such defeat is a proclamation of the anti-fundamentalist tendencies now pervading all over Malaysia.
Only a few years of PAS rule were needed to push voters to hand over 28 of 32 parliamentary seats to Abdullah's moderate government. Fundamentalists were able to hold onto to victory only in the state of Kelanta and only be few votes. In the 1990 elections the same party had claimed a landslide victory in Kelanta.
It is this very clear stance on religious policies that is leading Malaysia to attract new investment and funds from abroad. And sooner than it might think. Hence, Abdullah's government will be easily able to carry out promised economic and social reforms as well as maintain a rising GDP, as seen in 2003 (+ 5.2%).
Economic experts confirm this. Standard & Poor's own analysts say "ever more transparent government decisions and a more efficient distribution of resources will make for a stronger economy and in turn improve Malaysia's image in the eyes in international investors."
The triumph of mainstream and progressive Islam should not only be seen in greater national economic stability, but should also contribute to improving relations between Singapore and Malaysia. It should also bear influence on opponents of Islamic fundamentalism in Indonesia and the Philippines.
A new age has begun in Malaysia. It is now up to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to bring about a future based on peace and prosperity, as he promises to become the enlightened leader of southeast Asia.
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11/08/2017 20:05
