'HE GOT IT WRONG'

PM miscalculates, setting BN on road to shock losses
newpaper

It came away with only 63 per cent of parliamentary seats and 61 per cent of state seats.

It is BN's biggest loss since Malaysia's independence.

Mr Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, 38, a human rights lawyer and political commentator, told The New Paper last night: 'There will be definitely a post-mortem on why BN lost so badly.

'People will be looking to pin responsibility on someone, and in that scenario, the prime minister is the obvious candidate.'
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Mr Malik felt that the poll results are an indication of a massive protest against the BN for not having listened to Malaysians.

There is a host of complaints.

PM Abdullah earlier made very big election promises to Malaysia, such as a more equitable distribution of wealth, the curbing of inflation and improved security.

His promise to crack down on corruption won him an overwhelming mandate at the previous election.

'But there was very little in delivery,' Mr Malik felt.

'Promises were made but in the four years that has passed, there was very little reform.

Mr Malik cited a widening poverty gap instead.

'Little has been done to shore up the social security net. That is a problem running across racial boundaries.'

This became the opposition's platform.

When the southern state of Johor was struggling after floods in late 2006, MrAbdullah was in Perth to inaugurate his brother's curry restaurant, bemoaned critics.

Mr Malik said: 'People were not seeing firm leadership in difficult times. He was not involved in key things that were happening. He was travelling a lot. more...