A chicken in every pot

Here in Malaysia the elections are getting close but actually it is just a guess. The Malaysian system works like this: the party in power can call for an election at anytime but they must do so within five years of the last election. The current prime minister, Abdullah Badawi was elected on October 31, 2003.

Why do I think there is an upcoming vote now?

Malaysia does not have freedom of the press. In fact, newspapers are owned by political parties here. This entire week the front page of The Star, the main English daily, has been trumpeting the benefits of the Northern Corridor project and how great a city Penang will be once all the new plans have been implemented. It seems suspicious to me (although not completely out of the ordinary) to have of this publicity of what a great job the government is doing. (Isn't that generally what any government is supposed to do?)

If there is an election, there will be an announcement and then in two weeks the vote. Also, a flag will blossom from every pole, tree and house in the country, flying their party's colors.

My prediction is a vote before Jan 1, 2008.

I wish the USA would adopt some of these political measures. Wouldn't it be great if there were, say, two months of campaigning and then the primaries, then two more months and the general election? I would love to see just two weeks but I'm trying to put forward a feasible plan. The primaries are months off in the States and still candidates are campaigning and have been doing so for months. Don't these people have jobs?

I do appreciate free speech in America when compared with Malaysia. Actually, both can learn from the other. Malaysians should ask a few more hard hitting and piercing questions and Americans should learn to respect a person's position and title just a bit.

Just a last thought here: Yesterday's Star showed the future of Penang, which includes this "global convention centre" with two malls and two five star hotels. Penang's population is about 500,000-600,000 and can't even support the 6 malls that we currently have, why in the world do we need more? Komtar can't even be considered a mall anymore, it is so nasty and vacant since Prangin Mall went in next door. Oh well, I guess that is the definition of 'development', --more malls.