To Jump or Not To Jump?

Speculations are rife that the “big leap” is going to take place, perhaps not precisely on September 16th, but at some point near it.

My take on it is published in The Nut Graph, accessible here:

By Tricia Yeoh

AS 16 Sept 2008 looms ever nearer, this seems to be the main question on all minds: will the current government be toppled?

Investors, business managers, civil society, politicians, and Malaysians at large are understandably concerned over the increasingly tense political situation unfolding, each for his or her respective reasons.

Opposition leader and former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who leads the Pakatan Rakyat, has set himself a deadline of 16 Sept (also Malaysia Day) to take over the federal government. To do this, he will need a minimum of 31 Members of Parliament (MPs) to cross over from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, forming a simple majority.

However, even Anwar has indicated that his plans for 16 Sept probably need to be postponed, “due to anticipated problems delaying the transition of power” (The Star, Wednesday, 10 Sept).

Over and above the question of “will it happen”, the more important question Malaysians are asking themselves is whether or not this is a desirable act in itself. There have been numerous arguments for and against the “jump”, and the consequent effects of taking over government in this manner. It is worth exploring each of these arguments on either side. Read more here.