Anwar: Penanti marks beginning of BN’s end

ARCHIVES 2009

By adminK On May 19, 2009

By Terrence Netto, Malaysiakini

If March 8, 2008 marked the shattering of the myth of Barisan Nasional’s invincibility, May 18, 2009 – the day the once formidable coalition declined to contest a by-election – may well go down in history as the beginning of the coalition’s end.

This is the prognosis of PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim who in remarks made to Malaysiakini today expressed surprise that although BN had earlier signaled a reluctance to contest, it has elected to go with its instincts and sit out the by-election.

“They say perception is everything in politics so this decision not to contest cannot avoid being perceived as the BN finally acknowledging it is beaten in what can be regarded as its heartland,” opined Anwar.

“Penanti is a 70 percent Malay constituency. For the BN to decline to contest in an area where hitherto they would not bat an eyelid to contest is proof that, right now, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,” remarked the PKR supremo.

“No matter how the BN dresses up this decision not to contest, the reality cannot be evaded that they are on the run – not just in Perak, but also in the semi-rural areas such as Penanti in Penang,” he added.