Tony Pua (MP PJU) - Even A Cow Could Have Won

On Monday evening I was invited to a thanksgiving dinner by DAP Petaling Jaya Utara. About 600-700 hundred DAP or otherwise Barisan Rakyat supporters attended the dinner braving the rain and traffic that evening to a restaurant in Kampung Kayu Ara. Also present were the DAP winners Tony Pua (MP PJU), State Assemblymen for Dr. Cheah Wing Yin (Damansara Utama), Edward Lee Poh Lin (Bukit Gasing), Lau Weng San (Kampung Tungku), Hannah Yeoh (Subang Jaya). Also present former MP's and assemblymen.

The organisers had serious logistics issues in terms of sitting as more than expected turned up. Why? Because as usual Malaysians did not RSVP. We will never change. We will still have the same pre March 8 mentality even if now you supported the opposition. One new state assemblymen said in her thank you speech said that when she thanked a voter, the voter replied "thank you only ah!". Another voter told her that he was the big anonymous donor and she told him to remain anonymous. Will we ever change?

That evening most of the speech had the following elements. Firstly, they still cannot believe it. Most of us still can't. The best they were hoping for was deny two thirds in the Parliament and maybe in a couple of states. Never did they dream for what they got.

Secondly, the Makkal Shakthi did not come from the Chinese and Indian but also from the Malays. The Malays voted out of anger not because they supported the opposition. They wanted to teach the BN a lesson. In their speeches they noted that if they do not perform and deliver their promises they will loose the next election. This election was like no other.

Tony Pua the MP for PJU said even a cow could have won if it stood against BN. A veiled warning to his colleagues that winning was the easy part. They have to perform and out perform their predecessors. They have to be close to the people and serve all Malaysians irrespective of race. They do not just have to be clean and honest in public or otherwise but they have to be seen as such. They also have get to work immediately. Retaining their seats would be most difficult in the next election.

Finally the sobering reality that sunk in when they were sworn in that morning in the presence of Mohammad Mohd Taib and Khir Toyo, that they were in fact the ruling party. They will be watched through a microscope by UMNO and BN the opposition now. Every action will be criticised right or not. Every uttered word would be misconstrued. Every issue has to be handled with tact or the finger pointing will start. The former opposition will have no where to hide. The efficiency of their implementation and transparency will always be questioned. They just have to deliver in a climate of adversity.

At the end of the speeches and the eight course dinner I was left wondering about Barisan Rakyat's manifesto and rhetoric during the campaign. Were they just election promises that were made without even thinking "What if we win"?.