Former Malaysian leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad is poised to develop into the world’s oldest prime minister after defeating Najib Razak in a hard-fought election that ended six years in power for the ruling coalition.
Mahathir, 92, who was prime minister from 1981 to 2003, led the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition to its first electoral victory since Malaysia gained independence in 1957, winning a transparent parliamentary majority. He will likely be sworn in by the king on Thursday.
After the announcement of this event, which many thought was unimaginable, Malaysia was in a euphoric mood. “We are very blissful, it’s such a proud day for Malaysia,” said David Thaiga, 57, who joined other people on the road to have fun, The Guardian reported.
“We have been waiting for this for the last 60 years. This is a miracle for us. And although I wasn’t a fan of Mahathir, I believe only he could have secured this victory.
Sukumira Sekhar (84), who witnessed the start of Malaysia’s independence and lived through 60 years of rule by the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, said: “I am very happy that I was able to see it. I wish I could jump for joy, but remember my heart is jumping up and down. I am very proud of the people of Malaysia, especially the young people and Malays who waved it off.”
Mahathir’s victory is the primary time that a Malaysian prime minister won’t be from the UMNO party and won’t be a part of the BN coalition, of which UMNO is the primary component.
The victory indicates that the country is in a mood for change after the “Malaya Tsunami”, which saw many ethnic Malays vote for the opposition for the primary time.
Turnout was 76% – lower than within the 2013 elections – however the opposition captured many states considered BN strongholds, comparable to Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Penang.
For the primary time, the campaign also stimulated the voices of young individuals who expressed their support for the opposition on social media.
Congratulations, Malaysia!
Source: Guardian | scmp.com
