WELCOME back to reality and its various antics of the New Year. Without so much as a breather, events of the first two weeks of 2012 have come tumbling upon us one after the other. Three are looking to be game-changers.
First, the sacking of Selangor state executive councillor Hasan Ali from PAS after having publicly expressed views divergent to the party's. Second, the three-month suspension of student activist Adam Adli from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) after lowering a banner of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and finally, the one with the most significant impact, Anwar Ibrahim's acquittal in the sodomy case.
Each of these incidents will cause ripples in their communities of influence; in the case of Hasan Ali, among PAS members in particular, and the Muslim community as a whole.
In the context of his claims about Christians attempting to convert Muslims, it would spark a debate on that ever-raging question of religion's role (more specifically, Islam) within a multi-faith society.
He had also criticised PAS for choosing the term "welfare state" as what it aspires towards, as opposed to the "Islamic state", the latter having been the party's previous position. For PAS to take this stand despite potential backlash, it sends a signal to non-Muslims that the party is willing to focus on less controversial values for the sake of sharing a common platform within the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
This certainly sets the tone for Pakatan in the lead-up to what will be a hotly contested election, and one in which the Malay ground will be dearly fought over.
The less well-known case of Adam Adli has already reverberated around public tertiary institution campuses, perhaps the exact symbol the student movement was waiting for.
Accused of "bringing the institution into disrepute", he and those rallying around him, the Movement for Academic Freedom (Bebas) for example, are protesting for the right to freedom of expression.
We all grieve (well, some of us, anyway) the demise of Malaysian student activism, most prevalent in the heyday of the 1960s. Campus politics came to a grinding halt after the enactment of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971. Swimming against the tide, several dedicated individuals have continued to pursue the cause.
Today, Adam has lent a voice to the movement, with 34,000 people backing a Facebook campaign, "We Are All Adam Adli", and student activists staging a sit-in at UPSI's campus on New Year's Eve in which several students claim they were assaulted by the police.
The rise of the young vote is still not fully understood by either side of the political divide, also a constituent group whose support will be keenly sought after, but whose likes and dislikes need deeper analysis.
Finally, the most unexpected of all, the fate of Anwar: a free man – for now. It surprised many, and was certainly a welcome decision for his family and supporters.
While some have commented on this as proof of the country's judicial independence, the more sceptical of analysts wonder if this is really the end of the game.
The alleged victim, Saiful Bukhari, for example, has stated his hopes of the prosecution team appealing the High Court decision. This is a possible next step, although no indication has been given yet.
This decision has cast light on the year ahead, politically at least. It reflects a government that seems to be willing to create a more level-playing field. That is, the conditions that are considered visible in the public eye, at least. It seems to speak of a leadership that is going the extra mile to say, "Look, I am independent, I am fair. Now, let's play."
Having said that, an election has much more to do with what is unseen and shrouded from public attention. It involves the mobilising of massive funds, goods and machinery, volunteers (or paid staff, which also depends on financial resources) and other "friendly donations". How constituencies are delineated, and how well-cleaned-up voter rolls are, all have a huge impact on electoral outcomes.
To say that the path is clear for all parties (Anwar included) to enter the polls fairly is therefore premature. The Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reform, for example, is expected to table its report to Parliament in March, providing recommendations for the Election Commission to implement, in ensuring a free and fair election.
Although it will probably take months to unveil the full impact of these three incidents, suffice to say these have somewhat shifted the gears forward, in what may be a reckless ride toward the 13th general election.
Tricia Yeoh is director at a market research consultancy. She writes on national and socio-economic issues. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
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