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Malaysia government faces by-elections amid anger
Associated Press - February 10, 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia's ruling coalition braced Tuesday for unexpected elections for two legislative seats that could see it chastened by voters following its contentious takeover of an opposition-led state.
The special ballots will be viewed as a public referendum on tactics used by Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak – scheduled to take over as prime minister in March – and his National Front coalition to take over the administration of northern Perak state last week.
The Election Commission has to hold the by-elections within 60 days after an opposition member of Parliament in Perak died of a heart attack Monday and an opposition state lawmaker in neighboring Kedah resigned amid personal problems.
Neither election would cause a shift in power, but the Perak ballot in particular "will be a difficult by-election for (the ruling coalition) to go into in the midst of high emotions and anger running in Perak," political analyst Khoo Kay Peng wrote in a commentary.
Perak was one of five states won by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's three-party alliance in national polls last March, when the National Front suffered its worst electoral losses in more than 51 years of uninterrupted rule.
The National Front recaptured control of Perak after several opposition lawmakers switched allegiances.
Opposition parties decried the takeover as illegal and pledged to challenge it in court after Perak's royal ruler rejected their demand for fresh statewide elections.
Najib will face intense pressure to win the upcoming by-elections to prove he can shore up the National Front's ebbing popularity following two consecutive losses in similar ballots over the past six months.
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