Will the wind of change turn into actual votes?

I was having a discussion a couple of days ago with a fellow Malaysian, who is a law student in UCLA. It seems rather interesting that while US is thousands of miles away from Malaysia, both are witnessing an exciting year due to the election process taking place.

In the US, there is more euphoria than ever being generated by two Democratic party candidates, Mr Obama and Ms Clinton. Usually, at least in the past 2 presidential elections, the excitement on the ground is always on the formidable Republican party and their election machinery. Queues would form at their voting grounds. What is happening today is the opposite. There are also reports saying that registered republican supporters are joining in the fun at the Democratic primaries as well!

It is certainly good, even for the citizens of other countries, to see this happening in the US. We are (apart from the US people) just simply sick and tired of the current administration, the way they handled the war in Iraq and their constant unwavering and totally convicted support of their ally, Israel. I mean, what has China or Russia done that deserve you to label them as threats when Israel kills their neighbors all the time? Well, of course we cannot make presumptions that the President-to-be will have a different stand. But we are all hopeful (desperately? ) that things will change, and the sole superpower will demonstrate more sensitivity and humility in the face of other nations.

So we have seen that there is talk about a strong winds-of-change brought about by the Obama camp. It is of course too early to judge whether Obama will walk the talk or simply just talk the talk. While Clinton has proven that she has the experience and the backing to be the president, we cannot but doubt her sincerity to bring about a change in the attitude of the US and to provide a good, clean, uncorrupted leadership to the US. While I do not think that President Bush is a bad person, i believe he had his hands tied down by factions from the money generating oil companies or whichever other money-motivated cronies the family might have. Obama brings about a freshness and a willingness to depart from the way things have been for a long time in the white house. So, we go on to hope, with his ideals.

In parallel, there is the election which is about to happen in Malaysia tomorrow (Mar 8th) and the talk is that many parliamentary seats (or even states) will go to the Opposition party. This is judged by the huge amount of crowds turning up at Opposition-held ceramah or speeches, while the Govt held events only attract a proportionally much smaller crowd. And the opposition leaders are riding on the events happening in the US to galvanize the Malaysian electorate that the wind of change is blowing here too. Exactly what practical changes that they can bring for the benefit of the people, we do not yet know. One thing is for certain, the rhetorics have been coming, fast and furious, and the people have been entertained by them. So, the post-election analysis, we will get to know whether the people are buying it, or this is simply another flash in the pan.

In my opinion (which may not be so accurate given that i have not been on the ground, been living in Malaysia permanently for the past 9 years), i feel that seats will go to opposition not because of their strengths but because of the infighting in the government party and also general unhappiness over the leadership provided by the current Prime Minister. We are ashamed and jaded by all the constant out-in-the-open bickering and fall out among ministers and politicians who hold prominent positions in the government. But can the opposition offer a real alternative? I am quietly hopeful they will gain more force in parliament, and not to become an insignificant part of the Malaysian political system, like in neighboring Singapore.

So as we hold our breath, awaiting the outcome of the elections, we can only pray that something good will turn out in the end... same for the US presidential elections.