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Malayia's ruling coalition dumps dozens of MPs
Sydney Morning Herald - April 21, 2013
Among those excluded from nomination papers were Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen and former Women's Affairs Minister Shahrizat Jalil who have been accused of corruption. Former prime minister Abdullah Badawi and former Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz are also stepping aside to make way for new talent.
More than 570 candidates submitted nominations on Saturday to contest 222 seats in the federal parliament and choose representatives for 12 state legislatures, formally kicking off campaigning that will determine if prime minister Najib Razak's governing coalition can extend almost 56 years of unbroken rule.
"I am confident that the... team contesting will transform Malaysia to greater heights," Mr Najib said.
Charismatic opposition Anwar Ibrahim, leading a resurgent three-party alliance, said "increasingly louder calls for change towards a new and better Malaysia represent the people's awakening with a regime change that will take place via the ballot box."
Mr Anwar has promised to end graft and crony capitalism linked to decades-old affirmative action policies for majority ethnic Malays.
About 13.3 million Malaysians are eligible to cast ballots in the election that pits the Barisan Nasional coalition controlled by the powerful United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) against the Pakatan Rakyat (People's Pact) opposition.
Under the Barisan Nasional, which has ruled since independence from Britain in 1957, resource-rich Malaysia has developed a prosperous South-East Asian economy which grew 5-6 per cent annually in the last three years.
But the government has become embroiled in a number of corruption scandals and faces dissatisfaction with rising crime and living costs and the use of authoritarian tactics and divisive racial politics.
It suffered a surprise set-back at the last election in 2008, losing its two thirds majority of seats in parliament for the first time.
However Mr Najib has portrayed himself as a reformer, implementing economic programs to attract investment and boost public welfare while abolishing repressive security laws. Saturday's nominations showed that politics in Malaysia can be a family affair.
Mr Anwar's eldest 32 year-old daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar will contest the parliamentary seat in Kuala Lumpur she won in 2008 as a first time candidate. Mr Najib's cousin Hishammuddin Hussein, the 51 year-old Home Minister, is defending his Johor seat.
Deputy Trade Minister Mukhriz Mahathir, 48, the youngest son of outspoken former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, 87, will contest a seat in Kedah. The elder Mahathir, still a central figure in UMNO, is expected to be a formidable campaigner for his son.
Voting is not compulsory in Malaysia but there is expected to be a huge turn-out on May 5.
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