Election victory seen to restore faith in Malaysia: PM

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysia's ruling National Front has won two important parliamentary by-elections, victories political observers saw as a major boost for embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The National Alliance -- Barisan Nasional (BN) -- won handsomely in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar constituencies late Saturday -- seats which became vacant after two elected representatives were killed in an helicopter crash in April.

Political analyst Dr. Bushan Singh told Anadolu Agency in an interview Sunday that the victories could be seen as a testament of confidence in Razak's leadership.

"People are starting to again place their confidence in the current prime minister and ruling coalition," he said.

In both elections, BN were challenged by the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and its splinter group, the National Honest Party.

BN candidate Mastura Yazid won the Kuala Kangsar seat by defeating closest rival PAS' Dr. Najihatussalehah Ahmad with 6,969 votes.

The Sungai Besar constituency was won by Budiman Mohd Zohdi with a thumping 9,191 majority over the closest of the two rival candidates.

Zohdi's predecessor, Noriah Kasnon, won the seat in the last General Election with a mere 399 vote difference.

Singh said that Razak, who had been placed under tremendous pressure to step down by former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad for alleged corruption and power abuse, had benefited from division between the opposition political parties.

"The opposition parties are wrecked. This has benefited the current leadership both politically and in confidence," Singh said in a telephone conversation.

Opposition parties -- namely the PAS and Democratic Action Party (DAP) -- have severed ties after disagreement over implementing Islamic penal code as a law in Malaysia.

PAS is pushing for a bill to allow the enforcement of hudud law in Parliament, while the DAP is entirely against the proposal.

The feud split the then People's Pact, inspired by imprisoned opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, and forced the establishment of a Hope Pact between Ibrahim's People Justice Party, DAP and the Honest Party.

"The public has started to worry about the country's potential wrecked condition if the opposition rule in their current mess," said Singh.

Razak has faced increasing criticism over his handling of his brainchild, state wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which has amassed debts worth 42 billion Ringgit ($11.6 billion) in just six years of operations.

The premier and 1MDB are also being probed in countries worldwide over alleged money laundering and corruption.

Political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan added that under such opposition disarray, Razak could easily win the 14th General Election (due 2018).

"They [the opposition] should unite as soon as possible with an ultimate aim to replace the ruling government," he told Anadolu Agency after the official announcement of the victories late Saturday.

"If they have political differences between them and decide to fight to solve them first I don't think BN has any threat until at least the next general election."

The Razak-led National Front, the sole party to have governed Malaysia since independence in 1957, formed the federal government after the 2013 General Election with 60 percent of parliamentary seats, but only 47.38 percent of the popular vote.

The Ibrahim-led People's Pact won 50.87 percent of the popular vote, but failed to form a federal government as it failed to accomplish a majority in parliament.

The election was the National Front's worst ever showing.