The election has ended. It was a tired night the night before, hardly getting enough sleep waiting for the results. These are the aftermath after the elections which I surprisingly mentioned about. Surprised, this year was an interesting one compared to the other previous elections. My friends overseas tend to talk about Malaysia’s election saying it’s one of the most uninteresting election to follow. But looks like these year has really shocked the whole nation and the world. With Barisan Nasional(BN) losing it’s 2/3 majority, it’s like a whole new thing.

I predicted that at least Penang and Kelantan would be gone. Surprisingly, BN maintained a foothold onto Terengganu which they won in a majority. What really happened in this part?

WHAT HAPPENED?

First, who would have expected that Penang and Kelantan was taken by both DAP/PKR and PAS respectively with a major landslide victory, or to some of them, like a tsunami over Barisan Nasional. I meant, previous term, Kelantan was nearly won by BN and Penang was never under threat the previous term.

Secondly, big guns are missing from the seats these time around. With faces like Samy Vellu, Dr Koh Tsu Khoon, Shahrizat all missing and losing their respective seats. The term before this has seen the opposition faced a similar defeat with Hadi Awang losing his and the term before that with both Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh losing theirs. Looks like BN now instead are on the losing end.

Thirdly, Barisan Nasional was so sure the votes are going to come in and they are even opportunistic that they would try to get Kelantan into the Barisan Nasional territory only to see it all go down to drain. The once impregnable fortress of Barisan Nasional in Johore has now been breached with one parliament seat going to the opposition. To think that the opposition has at least one parliamentary seat in all the states except in Perlis (3 Parliament Seats only in Perlis).

Finally, a takeover of at least 5 states altogether. The surprise wasn’t Penang or Kelantan with predictions that this year these states would go to them, but it was the loss of Perak and Kedah that has got the BN rolling their eyes. The worst setback was the one involving the loss of Selangor into the hands of the opposition. A major setback considering Selangor has been one of BN’s stronghold. With the losses of these states, BN was denied a 2/3 majority.

THE CAUSES

Analysis on this scenario, I will first and foremost make my reader understand that this analysis is based on word of mouth, the internet and also the observation of a Malaysian like myself. Well, the Internet is there to speak our minds, so this is where I come in too.

Previously, BN portrays a new leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a.k.a. Pak Lah during it’s previous term. During that time, BN deserved a new high majority victory. With a new ruling and a new horse in power, many people voted for BN then. The case isn’t the same now though. The corruption is one of the main reasons. Ministers being caught for buildings, Chief Judge case and also the voices of certain parties in the parliament has all sparked some criticism from the public.

To make the matter worse, the so called minister that have been deemed guilty for not obtaining a permit has been given a lease by not getting a penalty. Now picture this, what would the voters say, fair government or just plain close one eye. The emergence of Hindraf has also brought the fall of the party. With Samy Vellu, Kayveas and his secretary both failing to win their seats, my main observation would be the involvement and handling of the Hindraf issue.

Seeing judgement as not fair in the eyes of the public, it is to no wonder that the public has created an outcry that they should vote for a change of leadership. The opposition parties though have used this to their greatest advantage garnering the votes of the voters.

I believe that the voters are angry and fed up of all the treatment the government are giving to these certain individuals. Maybe it’s time to wake up. My guess is in these times, BN would be thinking of what ever went wrong. Why did the votes shifted wind this time?

WHAT COMES NEXT?

So what comes next? With new leadership comes new responsibilities for the leaders of the acquired 5 states. The people has shown their faith in them, let’s hope they do better than what they always say they would do. In the coming 4 to 5 years, the public is the eye of these people. I believe too that BN wouldn’t sit down and look at it anymore, and enjoying their previous majority wins like ever, it’s really going to be a think tank battle.

Altogether is bound to be something new for Malaysian history. Let’s wait and observe, the people of Malaysia.
Remember it’s not the government that makes the people, it’s the people that makes the government.

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Taiping Trip Time
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After going thru my previous trips! Those that miss them please refer to the links below

Penang Trip Part 1
Penang Trip Part 2
Penang Trip Part 3
Penang Trip Part 4
Cameron Highlands

From Taiping

Oh my, I’ve got my SD card photos.. KAKAKAKA!!! So where did I go eh??? Small town of Taiping in Perak, Malaysia. Fuiyoh!! How many places liao??

But just to let you know, Taiping has it’s favourite park which is the Canopy Trees Lake Park. Hmm.. Don’t get what I mean!

From Taiping

Look here!! This is what a view you get to see at Taiping Yum Yum Canopy Lake Park. Well, I remembered once there was a group who said to rebuild the park, thus need to cut off these trees. But but… the residents in Taiping gang up together and signed or demonstrated that the park needs to be preserved as it is. Especially the trees that made it special! I guessed it’s really special if it’s that way!

From Taiping

Here is something unique I found there. A stone made Aligator or Dinosaur. Well, it’s unique alright. Seeing from afar, I would have thought it’s just a piece of rock. Then looking closely, it resembles the dinosaur Stegosaurus. Don’t know what it is? Have a look below… Finally some prehistoric animal in Malaysia land. HA HA HA HA!!!!

So after that where should I go from there?? Hmm… since I am already in Taiping, why not visit the Museum. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a museum with the last time in KL around year 2001. OK, that’s like 6 years! I can’t believe this!! Aiyoh, whoever said that museum is for kids only, it’s good to read some history!

From Taiping

Lookie here, the old Perak State Train. Unique as it is, it’s now only part of few displays of old machineries and vehicles. Though didn’t get to see the honorary statue of one of the Resident General of Perak. I think they moved his statue already!! Aih… too bad!! Well, that’s then with the Museum visit. So where to next. Heard of Maxwell Hill??

Maxwell Hill is now being renamed to Bukit Larut! Ha Ha!! The reasons knowingly understood. More ‘Malaysian’ name ma!! Haiyoh, why bother to rename? Nevermind! Seeing the Bukit Larut, I thought of staying overnight up in the hills. Plans have to be cancelled as going up there for one night in a chalet is like wasted. When the next day have to go down and with the car being left on the roadside while up there, it’s like taking a risk!

So plan was cancelled, buttttttt….. not before I took one picture with the Giant Tree. What tree is this? Boabob Tree? Hmm.. clueless. I really should do more research

Oh my too many activities in one day! Looks like it’s time to find food. Where else, since we’re in Taiping, why not drive down to somewhere and eat the famous food there? HUH??? Where’s that??? Give you a clue ok! This is just one picture shot of what I ate!

Adios, Sayonara! Don’t be too hungry before the next update ok!! Ho ho ho ho!!

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It’s been one week and what a holiday I had, though it was only a one day trip. Well, who would have thought that the place I was visiting was called TRAP?

TRAP??? What the heck is this place? Well actually is a hot spring located near Sungkai or basically called Hot Springs Park Sungai Klah. Well, so what’s it got to do with Trap? Hmm… in the native language in Malaysia, it’s Taman Rekreasi Air Panas, which is basically Hot Springs Recreational Park. Oh man, they are good in naming these…

So gone is the TRAP issue, but as Malaysia is a hot and humid country, what the heck am I doing there? Imagine this, me and a group of us reached this specific place around 11am somewhere near afternoon with the sun shining just rightly above. Hot springs in the sun??? Well, that’s what you get for being weird, well this place is Weird Weird Denial right. Enough of crap….
Being in this place sort of let’s one relax from the busy days in the office or studies. It’s more like a leisure. Although on the way to this location, I was witnessing the upgrading of roads and all these are done in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007. Looks like this location is put as one of the hot spots for Visit Malaysia Event.

Ok, first thing though, the springs here are naturally hot. No underground heater located beneath the earth (ehehe… a few jokes I shared with my colleague, sorry mate!! ). Well to know more about hot springs and it’s wonder, I prefer I don’t talk about it but instead one can google more about the natural happenings of this phenomenon. So the springs here, it’s hot, why would someone wants to dip themselves in hot water? Good question. Let me give you my opinion on this question…to relax, good therapy, relaxation, etc…yadda yadda, bla bla, woof woof, meow meow *slapped by readers* *OUCH*

The water is deemed pretty hot, with water boiling up till 100 degrees Celsius. Yup, it’s that hot. Well of course, I am not that stupid to go put myself into the boiling water, except maybe when we were boiling the eggs to eat it there. The places we dipped are around 40 – 50 degrees Celsius. Some of the places noted there are the Dipping Pool (Kolam Beremdam), Board Walk (a 15 minutes walk of wooden bridge across the hot springs source), Family Spa (private dip of natural water with added jacuzzi feel) and the natural mountain water pool(well of course some people wanted to cool themselves in cool waters, myself included).

So many things to show, but so little photos to show. I just missed some amazing shots. Though I will continue with my trip to Ipoh after my Hot Springs trip. Well, it was worth the while after having some cool hot ‘dipping’, hunger strikes. What a better way than to go to our food location right at the town of Ipoh. Well, but that’s another post. Hehehehe.. adios, waiting is so much pleasure don’t you think so.

*Runs before someone pokes me*

Note: Edited on 18th April 2010 on the photos. The photos are now larger for the viewing pleasure of the readers.

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