The defeat of Malaysia’s ruling coalition in two by-elections signals a clear rejection of new Prime Minister Najib Razak, the opposition said yesterday, voicing concern he would resort to repression to cement his power.
The ruling coalition brushed off the losses, saying Najib needed more time to make an impression.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said his People’s Alliance increased the margin of victories in Tuesday’s polls despite Najib’s pledge of wide-ranging reforms after taking office last Friday.
“Clearly, it is a referendum [on Najib] because the entire line of [the government’s] campaign was that: ‘We have a new leader, give him a chance.’ That has crumbled,’’ he told reporters.
IN PURSUIT OF CHANGE
The results “demonstrated that the people of Malaysia remain committed to change,” he said.
The three-member People’s Alliance retained a parliament seat in northern Perak state and a state seat in northern Kedah state.
It lost in the race for a rural state seat in Sarawak on Borneo island, but Anwar said the opposition suspected foul play because vote-counting was not done in the polling booths but at another center in at least 14 areas.
The polls were to fill vacancies caused by two deaths and one resignation. The results do not change the balance of power at the federal or state level.
The National Front coalition has downplayed the loss, saying Najib has yet to make his mark.
“The feel-good factor from the power transition is still too new and has not sunk in,” said Najib’s right-hand man, Muhyiddin Yasin.
“I am confident that when the new leadership begin their duties and when reforms are implemented, it will convince the people,” said Muhyiddin, who is expected to be appointed deputy prime minister in the new Cabinet.
NEW CABINET
Najib is likely to announce his Cabinet today or by next week.
Anwar warned that Najib may resort to draconian measures to seal his rule, especially following the return of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to the ruling party. Mahathir, who ruled for 22 years until 2003, was known for his authoritarian ways.
“We expect more repressive measures by Najib as advised by the old prime minister. There is this strong consternation that the old order, the old regime that is repressive and intolerant, will be back,” he said.
Mahathir quit the party last year after clashing with his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who stepped down as prime minister and party president in favor of Najib.
With Tuesday’s result, the National Front will remain with 137 seats in the 222-member parliament, while the People’s Alliance will have 81 seats. Four other members are independents.
Anwar said Tuesday’s polls had given renewed momentum to his opposition alliance and voiced confidence it could “easily form the next government” in general elections due by 2013.
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war in the latest such swap that saw the release of hundreds of captives and was brokered with the help of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officials said on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that 189 Ukrainian prisoners, including military personnel, border guards and national guards — along with two civilians — were freed. He thanked the UAE for helping negotiate the exchange. The Russian Ministry of Defense said that 150 Russian troops were freed from captivity as part of the exchange in which each side released 150 people. The reason for the discrepancy in numbers
A shark attack off Egypt’s Red Sea coast killed a tourist and injured another, authorities said on Sunday, with an Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs source identifying both as Italian nationals. “Two foreigners were attacked by a shark in the northern Marsa Alam area, which led to the injury of one and the death of the other,” the Egyptian Ministry of Environment said in a statement. A source at the Italian foreign ministry said that the man killed was a 48-year-old resident of Rome. The injured man was 69 years old. They were both taken to hospital in Port Ghalib, about 50km north
The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland on Tuesday expressed concern about “the political crisis” in Georgia, two days after Mikheil Kavelashvili was formally inaugurated as president of the South Caucasus nation, cementing the ruling party’s grip in what the opposition calls a blow to the country’s EU aspirations and a victory for former imperial ruler Russia. “We strongly condemn last week’s violence against peaceful protesters, media and opposition leaders, and recall Georgian authorities’ responsibility to respect human rights and protect fundamental freedoms, including the freedom to assembly and media freedom,” the three ministers wrote in a joint statement. In reaction
BARRIER BLAME: An aviation expert questioned the location of a solid wall past the end of the runway, saying that it was ‘very bad luck for this particular airplane’ A team of US investigators, including representatives from Boeing, on Tuesday examined the site of a plane crash that killed 179 people in South Korea, while authorities were conducting safety inspections on all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country’s airlines. All but two of the 181 people aboard the Boeing 737-800 operated by South Korean budget airline Jeju Air died in Sunday’s crash. Video showed the aircraft, without its landing gear deployed, crash-landed on its belly and overshoot a runaway at Muan International Airport before it slammed into a barrier and burst into flames. The plane was seen having engine trouble.
RSS