KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysians reacted with their thumbs to Prime Minister Najib Razak’s announcement today that he will dissolve Parliament, banging out their feelings in real time on Twitter Facebook and blogs.
“Finally. It feels like Malaysian history can start again. It stopped for a few years,” Malaysian writer and director Karim Raslan tweeted to his 11,890 followers.
Well-known radio personality and actor Patrick Teoh took a stab at Mr Najib.
“The best thing (Prime Minister Najib has said) in four years. Thank you,” Mr Teoh wrote on Facebook, referring to the televised announcement that paves the way to elections in coming weeks.
Others cheered Mr Najib for calling the polls, which political opponents have charged should have come earlier and signal his fear of the opposition, the confident troika-party alliance led by former deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Many analysts predict the election will be the closest in Malaysian history.
Blogger Nathaniel Tan wrote, “Two minor credits (to Mr. Najib). First – that he bubar (dissolves parliament) at all, not some crazed Emergency attempt (yet). Secondly, the PM’s mention of peaceful transition (of power).”
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, a member of Parliament for the Kota Belud constituency in Sabah state, wrote, “The PM’s dissolution speech was solemn and dignified. (It is) time for us to let the people decide who will build a better Malaysia for them.”
The announcement also launched chatter on a new move to expand the group of Malaysian registered voters overseas who can cast their ballots through the mail. Earlier, such voting by mail was restricted to military personnel, civil servants and full-time students studying abroad.
Mr Ong Kian Ming, the election strategist for the Democratic Action Party used his Facebook page to point out that registered voters living and working outside Malaysia have until midnight to submit applications at Malaysia’s Election/folbuzz.com/
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