Speculation and Anticipation Unveiled
The Nov 19 date for Malaysia’s 15th general election came after much speculation that lasted months – the authorities kept mum for ages, fueling all kinds of rumours. When the date was announced, concerns about polling efforts being thwarted by the flood turned into reality as the year-end monsoon wreaked havoc across the country, but it took more than bad weather to discourage Malaysians from fulfilling their civic duty.
A Rainy Day Glow at the Polls
The morning showers on voting day may have cast a dull light, but the mood at the polling stations was anything but as citizens queued patiently, some for hours, to cast their ballots. This time, many first-time voters were present as a new generation of youth headed to the polls, especially since all citizens over the age of 18 automatically qualified.
The Unpredictable Twist of GE15 Results
It seemed that the results came in faster than in previous elections but unlikely GE14, where a winner was immediately apparent, and no party achieved the minimum two-thirds majority. While Pakatan Harapan did score a simple majority. Perikatan Nasional did remarkably well, sweeping up almost all available seats in the northern states. PAS emerged as the party with the most seats, and a political tussle of previously unseen intensity lasted for days as Malaysians waited with bated breath to find out in whose hands the fate of the nation lay.
Breaking the Stalemate
It took the intervention of his Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and an emergency assembly to the Conference of Rulers for the stalemate to end, but, five days after Malaysian headed to the polls, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was appointed as the country’s 10th prime minister. The long wait – his and ours – was over. Now, time for the real work (and reforms) to begin.
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