Malaysian Election Any impact direct/indirect on Singapore?

[Barnsley]

I didnt follow the election much, but its getting a lot of pages on the local internet news portals.

Will the results impact Singapore at all?

[the lynx]

I didnt follow the election much, but its getting a lot of pages on the local internet news portals.

Will the results impact Singapore at all?

Doesn't really matter generally. It will still remain as a desirable hub (together with Thailand and Indonesia) once Singapore manages to get rid of foreigners and drive MNCs away.

If the opposition takes over the ruling government, and does a good job like how the state government did it in Penang, that will accelerate the above process.

[zzm9980]

If the opposition takes over the ruling government, and does a good job like how the state government did it in Penang, that will accelerate the above process.

I admittedly only took in a few randomly 'news bites' about the election and the opposition, but one thing that I recall the WSJ went over was how half of the opposition coalition are hardcore Islamists which want to implement 'Hudud' law in Malaysia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudud

In brief, the punishments include:
Capital punishments - by sword/crucifixion (for highway robbery with homicide), by stoning
Amputation of hands or feet (for theft and highway robbery without homicide)
Flogging with a varying number of strokes (for drinking, zina' when the offenders are unmarried, and false accusations of zina')

Not to ask personal questions about anyone's beliefs, but do those in support of the 'opposition' actually think this is preferable to the current ruling party?

[zzm9980]

Here is where I read it:
http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2013/0 ... pposition/

[Barnsley]

I didnt follow the election much, but its getting a lot of pages on the local internet news portals.

Will the results impact Singapore at all?

Doesn't really matter generally. It will still remain as a desirable hub (together with Thailand and Indonesia) once Singapore manages to get rid of foreigners and drive MNCs away.

If the opposition takes over the ruling government, and does a good job like how the state government did it in Penang, that will accelerate the above process.

I did read one article about Penang, where a politician feared Penang could turn into another Singapore.

I am assuming he meant that it was gonna leave Malaysia and strike out on its own.

Is that possible?

[Barnsley]

If the opposition takes over the ruling government, and does a good job like how the state government did it in Penang, that will accelerate the above process.

I admittedly only took in a few randomly 'news bites' about the election and the opposition, but one thing that I recall the WSJ went over was how half of the opposition coalition are hardcore Islamists which want to implement 'Hudud' law in Malaysia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudud

In brief, the punishments include:
Capital punishments - by sword/crucifixion (for highway robbery with homicide), by stoning
Amputation of hands or feet (for theft and highway robbery without homicide)
Flogging with a varying number of strokes (for drinking, zina' when the offenders are unmarried, and false accusations of zina')

Not to ask personal questions about anyone's beliefs, but do those in support of the 'opposition' actually think this is preferable to the current ruling party?

You would like to think not!

[the lynx]

IMHO, PAS (the political party that pushes for hudud) is the stump of the coalition opposition. But they appeal to a significant segment of a 'very diverse' Malaysian population. While their hudud proposal turns off modern Selangor and Penang population (which leans towards PKR and DAP instead), the majority in their stronghold Kelantan continues to be in favour of it.

The Pakatan coalition of DAP, PKR and PAS is just as segmented as the ruling BN coalition of UMNO, MCA, MIC etc, in their policies and views. The real trick in this Malaysia's GE saga is about choosing the lesser evil...

And no, Barnsley, Penang will never be able to break away from Malaysia. I don't think even the state government would think about that.

[ScoobyDoes]

Theoretically with Pakatan in charge at a national level and coalition parties in charge at state/local level there shouldn't be much of a conflict that arises from an implementation of hudud, assuming only PAS controlled states implement any changes.

The key is to keep as many policies as possible at local level.

[zzm9980]

Theoretically with Pakatan in charge at a national level and coalition parties in charge at state/local level there shouldn't be much of a conflict that arises from an implementation of hudud, assuming only PAS controlled states implement any changes.

The key is to keep as many policies as possible at local level.

Just the thought of it being implemented *anywhere* is enough to turn me off to the whole opposition. Also, how is such a coalition with radically diverse ideas likely to stand together in the long term if they ever formed the majority?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I reckon the biggest impact on Singapore will be a favourable one, at least in the eyes of the PAP. Most, if not all Malaysian Chinese currently working in Singapore on EP will probably apply for PR and most on PR will probably apply for citizenship.

[Wd40]

The election results have been the worst ever for the ruling party in the history of Malaysian politics.

So the impact on Singapore, if any, will be even further tightening on the foreigners as they will not want to take any chances on that aspect.

[Brah]

Good question, am glad someone asked it, I was wondering myself

[ScoobyDoes]

Theoretically with Pakatan in charge at a national level and coalition parties in charge at state/local level there shouldn't be much of a conflict that arises from an implementation of hudud, assuming only PAS controlled states implement any changes.

The key is to keep as many policies as possible at local level.

Just the thought of it being implemented *anywhere* is enough to turn me off to the whole opposition. Also, how is such a coalition with radically diverse ideas likely to stand together in the long term if they ever formed the majority?

It gets implemented because people vote for it. If implementation is restricted to that particular territory I don't see the problem.

[the lynx]

Theoretically with Pakatan in charge at a national level and coalition parties in charge at state/local level there shouldn't be much of a conflict that arises from an implementation of hudud, assuming only PAS controlled states implement any changes.

The key is to keep as many policies as possible at local level.

Just the thought of it being implemented *anywhere* is enough to turn me off to the whole opposition. Also, how is such a coalition with radically diverse ideas likely to stand together in the long term if they ever formed the majority?

It gets implemented because people vote for it. If implementation is restricted to that particular territory I don't see the problem.

Regardless, if hudud were to be implemented, it can only be carried out alongside the existing Syariah Court as an additional enactment. And non-Muslims are exempted from Syariah Court under existing constitution.

And so far it was the Kelantanese who voted to have hudud in place. All administration and implementation of Islamic laws and customs is actually under jurisdiction of state government (Kelantan, in this case), not federal government.

I know hudud can be a little controversial to many people...

[zzm9980]

It gets implemented because people vote for it. If implementation is restricted to that particular territory I don't see the problem.

Really? You don't see the problem? Have you read at all about how Islamic laws winds up working out in places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, or others? Rape victims getting stones for adultery, accused homosexuals killed, mutilations for "theft", etc. Do you really trust a population willing to put punishments like stonings, beheadings, and amputations on the books to fairly administer justice?

Other than that, it sounds like I would have voted for the opposition if I were Malaysian. But really this combination of coalition partners just sounds fatally desperate. Like Berkeley liberals and neo-nazi/Ku Klux Klansmen allying together just to get Obama or Bush out of office. Once they win, then what?