One day after Malaysia Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi lied denied the Parliament will be dissolved (today) the guessing game came to an end when the PM announced today that he had met the Yang Di Pertuan Agong (King) in the morning and received His Majesty’s consent to dissolve Parliament. The PM apparently made the announcement at a hastily convened press conference at his office Wednesday afternoon making people wonders if he indeed has overslept and thus forgotten today’s schedule. MalaysiaKini reported it earlier than theStar.

Abdullah Badawi however still deny to announce the date Malaysians would cast their ballots, passing the baton to the Election Commission (EC) to which EC said it would announce polling and nomination day on Thursday (tomorrow). Speculation on the street for the Nomination and Election Day are on 21st Feb and 2nd Mar 2008 respectively. Analysts expect Badawi to win this 12th snap general election again but with eroded majority (from his 2004’s 90 percent seats won).

Who said Badawi who is a Muslim himself is not superstitious? Looking at how anxiously he waited for today, 13th – his favorite number, to dissolve the Parliament is enough to prove his belief in the number “13”. He couldn’t wait for the Chinese New Year celebration, which normally takes fifteen nights, to end on Chap Goh Meh before dissolve the Parliament. Nevertheless it was better than before when Badawi ignored the sensitivity of the Indian voters when he held his UMNO’s general assembly during Deepavali, a gazetted public holiday for Hindus.

Voting must be held 60 days after parliament is dissolved, but the government traditionally allows just a two-week campaign period (a strategy to prevent oppositions from gaining more votes via comprehensive campaigning), meaning the ballot in early March. This election will see 222 seats to be contested. Meanwhile DAP parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang condemned the election announcement which falls during celebrations for Chinese New Year as being insensitive to other cultures and religions in the country.

It’s time for the Malaysians to vote (wisely or foolishly?) again. If you’re a registered voter, you can recheck your area of voting to prevent from suddenly transferred hundreds of miles away in order for “phantom voters” to take your place. Check it here.

Other Articles That May Interest You …

• Land of Paradise with Great Leader and Mathematicians
• How you’re being taken for a ride by the Suckers
• Have the Chinese New Year and Election Rally started?
• 2008 Election Polls – USA and Malaysia
• Rally, Racial and the Race towards the Election
• Delayed Toll Hike – bait for voters before election

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February 13th, 2008 by financetwitter

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