Blogs & Elections

So with the recent Malaysian election, I hear a particular phrase around very often.

“The internet had played a very important part in this year’s Elections… “

Something like that.

It made me curious, and I began to check out some of the Malaysian political blogs. After a while, I noticed a certain trend.

Perhaps it’s me, but I noticed a certain degree of professionalism in many of the political blogs. They came across as being balanced, more “professional” and in fact much more elaborated than many of our Singaporean blogs.

I wonder why? Perhaps it is the fact that the BN had finally made too many mistakes? After all, you always get that repeated-till-death sentence- “The people are getting fed up with the mistakes the government had made over the years”. Again, something along that line.

The law of motion decrees that the pendulum must move both ways. Swing it too strongly, and the backlash will be equally so. Isn’t it?
If you ask me though, it’s about something else.

It’s about the voters becoming more mature now. Malaysia, like Singapore, had only gained its independence within sixty years. Yet Malaysia had that few years’ headstart. A child can only remain ignorant of the world’s evils for so long.

Eventually the child will grow up, and see the world with all its evil. I think the Malaysian society, along with its blog, has evolved till this. The people are starting to wake up. They are beginning to question, no doubt because of the trying times resulted from government policies. A wild flower will grow to become more beautiful than a potted flower.

And as voters become more mature, more opinions will be sought for, via any medium. The internet is an excellent place for this. Because the internet, by essence, is the freest environment you can find. Every day opinions are exchanged, words spoken. Many people in this age has also grown up with the computer and hence the internet. As compared to the newspapers (which many would deem partial and biased), the Internet is often used by the people to seek alternative opinions.

Being more familiar with the Internet means people are more inclined to the information and opinions on the Internet. In fact, this is a trend happening both in Malaysia and in Singapore. I can’t say the same for others though, because I simply have no idea.

What does this all mean?

It means that unless the ruling party bucks up, they will continue their decline.

How does it all apply to the Singapore environment, though?

Our government, as compared to BN, has done a much better job at putting oppositions down. As it is now, our people are still very much stuck in the “Do what you are told’ mentality. I feel that our people have not yet reached the maturity of other societies. The immaturity of the common people means that while opinions are definitely being posted on the Internet, the receiving end (the people) isn’t responding.

Unless we snap out of that and learn to be responsible voters, PAP will continue its reign for a few more years.