Non Secular Govt. Malaysia

[Boon Mee]

This will give you a "Warm/Fuzzy" Gent!

The Islamofascists might not be swarming over the border...

March 21, 2004 | KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- (AP) -- Malaysia's secular government routed the fundamentalist Islamic opposition in Sunday's elections, helped by sweeping victories in two Muslim-dominated states.

The surprise wins in northern Terrenganu and Kelantan states indicated Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had succeeded in rolling back Islamist influence amid fears that religious fundamentalism was on the rise.

Abdullah took over from longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad in a pre-arranged power transfer five months ago. The vote appeared to give him a strong mandate to pursue his anti-corruption, pro-development agenda.

Seven hours after polls closed, Abdullah's National Front had won 110 of federal Parliament's 219 seats -- a simple majority that ensured its return to power, according to Electoral Commission figures. The opposition had won five seats with counting still under way.

Abdullah's National Front coalition won 30 of 32 seats in Terrengganu's state assembly and 26 of 45 seats in Kelantan, privately-owned TV3 reported -- huge swings against the fundamentalist Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party. The election ended the Muslim party's 14-year hold on Kelantan and saw its leader voted out of office.

"The loss is unexpected," said Zaihan Mohamed Daud, a senior official of the Islamic party who faced reporters and a stunned crowd of supporters at party leader Abdul Hadi Awang's house in Marang, Terengganu. "It was all up to God. But it doesn't matter. Our reward is in heaven."

In another surprise, the People's Justice Party of jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim lost all of its five seats -- disappearing as fast as it burst onto Malaysia's political scene five years ago, when Anwar was dumped as Mahahir's anointed successor.

Even Azizah Ismail, Anwar's wife, lost to a ruling party candidate. The party was not expected to pick up any new seats.

The result reflected how much support for Anwar has faded since he was sentenced to 15 years in prison on sodomy and corruption. Anwar claims the charges were fabricated to prevent him from challenging Mahathir, who denies it.

Officials reported high turnout among the country's 10.3 million registered voters, who are choosing federal Parliament candidates and 505 local assembly members in 12 of Malaysia's 13 states.

Voting went smoothly at most of about 7,300 polling centers, but problems with electoral rolls and ballot papers forced officials to extend voting for two hours in central Selangor state and abandon it altogether in one assembly district in eastern Pahang state.

Election Commission Chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said he would "analyze all aspects" of the irregularities that surfaced.

Abdullah had sought support in ending years of Mahathir-era cronyism and promoting a moderate, progressive version of Islam.

The opposition claimed it was an election ploy, and that Abdullah's United Malays National Organization -- which has been the core of every governing coalition since independence from Britain in 1957 -- is rotten with greed and is leading Malaysia's Muslims down an immoral path.

Islam dominated the campaign, largely sidelining the big non-Muslim ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities, which are expected to vote for Abdullah or his allies because of worries about the Islamic parties' hardline policies.

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party wants to turn Malaysia into a strict Islamic state with laws sanctioning stoning and amputation. It tripled its parliamentary seats, retained Kelantan and won power in Terengganu in 1999, amid a wave of Malay anger at Mahathir for his treatment of former deputy Anwar Ibrahim, who was jailed amid a power struggle.

The Islamic party's president, Abdul Hadi Awang, had predicted the party would do even better this time and take control of a third northern state, Mahathir's home of Kedah.

Instead, Hadi lost his seat to Abdullah's party.

In Kuala Lumpur, schoolteacher Cheah Meng Tze said he voted for the government because he feared the Islamic party's hardline rhetoric. "I want my children to live in a country that is free of instability, terrorism and religious extremism," he said.

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