The 2008 US Elections and Reflections on Malaysia

I don't usually get involved in US politics because I feel that - wars aside - no matter how bad people think this country is, the fundamentals are in place for a just society. The same cannot be said for Malaysia, and that is why I remain a Malaysian citizen, so that I don't lose my right to vote.

Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States two nights ago. What surprised me the most was the joy and excitement displayed by people the world over. Africa delighted from having a "son of the soil" due to his Kenyan parentage. The Japanese in a town called Obama were thrilled. A woman in Jordan was moved to tears by Obama's acceptance speech. Indonesians in Barack's former primary school celebrated joyously. Americans in foreign lands found themselves spontaneously cheered just for being American.

That a black (or more correctly, half-black, half-white) man could rise to the most powerful office in the most powerful country in the world spoke volumes about how far America had come from its shameful racist past. People started to believe once more that America was the land of opportunity, where anything can happen. And they looked at their own countries, and started to dream that just maybe, such big barriers could fall where they live, too.

And so the question arose, could a non-Malay/Muslim ever be Prime Minister in Malaysia? Badawi replied, "Anyone can be PM." I, for one, don't believe it will happen in my lifetime.

First, is the racial balance. Demographic predictions have the current US minority groups collectively becoming the majority by the year 2050. That makes white America the minority; surely an unthinkable and unwelcome prospect by many Caucasians from the older generation. Will Malays be the minority in Malaysia? At 53% of the population, it seems likely, but for 2 factors. Our minorities are leaving Malaysia when they can, seeing no hope for equality for themselves or their children. Also, we do not have the immigrant influx that America does, nor are we anywhere as generous with granting citizenship as America is (heck, even my kids aren't Malaysians because I am a woman, which apparently makes me less Malaysian than a man).

Secondly, political parties are not created equal in Malaysia. For us to have a non-Malay/Muslim PM, UMNO needs to fall, and fall hard. Pakatan Rakyat, or some other color-blind coalition, needs to come into power. Their non-Malay/Muslim leaders need to prove their worth to the people. A lot of needs, which will take years to accomplish, particularly combined with our infamous tidak-apa, don't-rock-the-boat attitude.

Right now, I don't really care if a non-Malay/Muslim will be Prime Minister. I care about having laws that are just and creating level playing fields in jobs and education. I wish for Malaysians to be big-hearted and open-minded enough to be color-blind. If these are in place, then the dream of our non-Malay sisters and brothers to be Prime Minister can be reality.

We could learn some lessons from the US electoral process. First, set a firm date. Here, it is the first Tuesday in November, every 4 years. In Malaysia, it's whenever the PM feels it is advantageous to him staying in power. Second, limit the terms a premier can serve. True, if Mahathir had only served two terms, we would not have had the gleaming Petronas Twin Towers nor a thriving non-agricultural economy. Neither too, would we have had the wasteful Putrajaya nor the trivialisation of human rights. Third, let Malaysians vote. It should not matter if we are 10,000 miles away on the other side of the earth. We should have the right to vote in the country where we hold citizenship. If either parent is Malaysian, let their children have citizenship until they are 18, regardless of where they were born. If they choose a Malaysian citizenship, then they can vote when they are 21. And make it easy to register to vote. People should be able to register up to 2 weeks before voting takes place, and rules regarding which district one votes in should be simplified. If one works in KL and is registered to vote in Penang, make it easy for them to re-register in KL, or send in a postal vote.

What I didn't like about the US elections is the amount of money spent. Money in politics is a necessary evil. That's the way it is in the US; that's the way it is in Malaysia. Between Obama and McCain, they spent a mind-boggling US$1 billion on campaigning, breaking the all-time record.

What I found annoying about the US elections is the length of time spent campaigning. First, it was Hillary Clinton vs Obama in the Democratic nominee race that lasted 18 months. Then, 5 months of Obama vs McCain. I didn't follow the campaigns closely but I did watch the parts of the first 2 presidential debates and the Palin-Biden debate. By the time the 3rd presidential debate came around, I was sick of all the spin and truth-stretching. I no longer believed anything that either Obama or McCain said. That is why I was not in either camp, although I leaned towards Obama.

Speaking of camps, the political lines in America are clearly drawn. Generally speaking, if you are a Republican, you believe in conservative values which includes a small government that trusts people to make their own decisions, are anti-abortion and pro-gun-ownership. If you are a Democrat, you are a liberal who believes in a big government that makes more decisions for the people, are pro-abortion and pro-gun-control. If you are in between, you are a moderate or centrist.

I am a left-leaning centrist. I am pro-gun-control but anti-abortion in cases that don't include rape, incest or the mother or baby's health. I previously supported banning all guns, but having been around my husband's family, practically all of whom own guns, I am now pro-gun-control. Because of its history and culture, Americans will not totally give up their guns. My stance is, if you're going to own a gun, you have to be well-trained first. You have to earn the right to own a gun, not just walk into a Wal-Mart and pick one up. You have to go through intensive safety training, not just a background check. If one has to pass various tests to drive a car, why not set high standards for someone to own a gun?

As for big government vs small government, I'm not convinced either one works at all times . A big government makes you feel less in control of your life and basically tells you what to do more often. A small government gives you the latitude to make your own decisions but assumes that everyone will make rational, thoughtful ones. The reality is, every society has its share of crooks and crazies. The financial market collapse caused by greedy financial institutions and a lack or rules to govern them is one example.

And so when people asked who I voted for, the simple answer was, I couldn't vote. If I could, I probably would have voted for Obama. I only listened to a couple of his speeches before the acceptance speech, and it was obvious what an articulate, charismatic politician he is. But I was not going to be taken in by mere words. The truth was that he seemed quite inexperienced for the job, made obvious when he hedged on condemning Russia for invading Georgia.

On the other hand, McCain has a long track record and is a moderate. I like how he's not afraid to go against his Republican party to work with Democrats. I don't believe he is like Bush, and I don't hold being an "old, white man" against him. Unfortunately, he chose Sarah Palin. She energized the Republican base with her good looks and folksy attitude. She appealed greatly to the conservative religious right, a group which rejected McCain eight years ago when he took on George W. Bush in the Republican Presidential nominee race. She is also painfully inexperienced for the Vice Presidential post, displaying a spectacular ignorance of geography and global affairs. This is not to say she's not smart. She seems extremely intelligent, and held her own in the debate against the veteran politician Biden in the VP debate. However, she lost me when she said she supported teaching creationism in schools. That was the deal breaker. I don't mind McCain as president, but the thought of Palin taking over the job if something happens to the 72-year-old man with a history of cancer is simply scary.

I finally connected with Obama on the day before the elections. His grandmother who had raised him, died. That it came within 2 weeks of the 1st anniversary of my own grandmother's passing, touched some raw emotions. When Obama brought up his grandmother during his acceptance speech, I nearly cried. But his whole speech was powerful, and inspirational. If I wasn't on the Obama bandwagon before, I just may be on it now. Witnessing the joy that Obama's selection has brought makes me proud of my second home.