From Reuters:
(Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will likely put key economic reforms on ice as he tries to rebuild voter support after his ruling coalition recorded its worst performance in 24 years in a local election in a key stronghold.
Bets are largely off for a snap general election to take place this year, with Najib expected to rethink his strategy of promoting inclusive growth in the Muslim-majority multi-cultural nation to win back the minority vote, analysts said.
In Saturday's state poll, Najib's ruling National Front retained control of its stronghold Sarawak, which accounts for a fifth of its parliamentary seats, but the opposition more than doubled its seat tally as ethnic Chinese mostly voted against the government.
Structural economic changes such as further scaling back fuel subsidies, introducing a goods and services tax and reforming a decades-old race-based policy would be relegated in Najib's list of priorities for now, analysts said.
"After the outcome in Sarawak, Najib will need a general election mandate before making any big moves," said Ibrahim Suffian, director at the independent opinion polling firm Merdeka Center.
"Enacting fuel subsidy cuts and a goods and services tax will just add to the political issues that he will have to deal with ahead of the general election."
1 comment:
Reuters is simply jumping the gun while painting the wrong picture. The majority votes that went to BN this time was much larger than the last time.
BN did really well but off course it was predicted that the Chinese may turn away but they didn't make up the majority of Sarawakians who voted in favour of BN.
Much of the votes that went to the opposition was mainly due to ethnic issues as well as the Al-Kitab. CM won a a much larger majority.
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