PETALING JAYA: With general election just around the corner, talk is rife whether Malaysia’s opposition is ready to helm the federal government.Certain parties, especially the ruling BN government, have rubbished this notion. Their claim is that of chaos – that the country will fall into disarray if Pakatan Rakyat takes over.
However, several political observers interviewed by FMT, say the opposition, backed by their state government experience, can take Putrajaya, and keep it.
Going by 2008 general election, independent analyst Khoo Kay Peng said that Pakatan had no idea it was going to be in control of several state governments.
“Which alternative government is ready? Were they (Pakatan) ready in Penang and Selangor? I don’t think they were ready, but those places did not collapse,” he told FMT.
Khoo said that despite their inexperience, previous Auditor-General Reports have given Pakatan-run states a good mark.
He disagreed with claims that Pakatan needed to run their individual state governments for another term before going for the federal jugular.
“All the parties have had a hand and experience in running their state governments. You see it with Penang and Selangor,” he said.
Although admitting that Malaysia had a long way to go in terms of governance, Khoo said that Pakatan would succeed if it was “smart” and “got rid of the corrupted people”.
The March 2008 general election saw a major political shift, with many voters backing Pakatan, instead of Barisan.
Four states (Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Perak) fell into the hands of the opposition, in addition to Kelantan which was retained by PAS. BN however won back Perak through a constitutional crisis in 2009.
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