First off, as a M'sian staying in-shore, I have to say that things look pretty different where I am. The electoral commission, traditionally well-respected by all parties and the public for conducting authoritative electiions, has egg on its face due to either bureaucratic incompetence or political interference by the governing party. This is unprecedented, and looks to be turning into a Consitutional Crisis.

As for choice, the M'sian voter has, on the one hand, a party in power longer than the PAP has been in S'pore (the BN) and on the other, either a party that is a relic of LKY's 1965 election campaign (the DAP) or a party bent on re-modelling Malaysia in the form of Iran circa 1979-1980 (PAS). That's not much of a choice to me.

The ISA is as much loathed here as it is in S'pore, and the word Kamunting conjures as much fear, maybe, as Changi does for political dissidents in your home. Killer libel suits are used as silencing weapons, though usually by powerful, well-connected businessmen rather than politicians.

Malaysia looks fun for victims of LKY and the PAP, from Tang Liang Hong to Lim Yew Hock, because "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" is a standing principle here. But enemies of the establishment in this country, while customarily treated better than their S'porean counterparts, are not much respected.

For an urban chinese Malaysian with an interest in the country's future, there are not many exciting choices. The BN has institutionalised racial chauvinism in a far more open manner than the PAP, and often runs heated Islamic-state debates with their PAS enemies as if we chinese did not exist. PAS has no message whatsoever for the Chinese, leading many of us to fear that they envision a Malaysia with no non-Muslim Chinese in it. The DAP has made itself irrelevant, and does not present any true alternative vision for our country.

Since we have the common Internet, perhaps you may care to have a look at www.jeffooi.com (a popular blog), or www.usj.com.my (a community forum where political sentiments creep in often) for a feel of what urban Malaysians really think?

As for Taiwan, I think A-Bian has been a disappointment on the Economic front, and on that basis alone he should quit. On the China relations front, he has behaved in a dangerous manner and is no closer to securing peace with China than the previous government had been. An even more serious reason for him to step down.

PJ, have not visited your site for a while, ALWAYS a pleasure to revisit the democracy debates of our wonderous motherland. (is that Maoish enough for you?). Holding down the fort here in Washington D.C, the entire China program was away for holiday over that weekend - me in a jacuzzi in Colorado, hiking in the National Park) but coming back, fending off media calls... "Is it a conspiracy? Did Chen set the whole thing up? Inside job? Why take Annette Lu down with him by shooting in the knee? Oh wait, they meant to kill HER!!! ". Observe the legislature fights in Taiwan, one has to consider carefully, this is Taiwan ganster (it's gangsta to you, P.Diddy) fights in suits. You gotta love the Taiwanese.

One thought if everyone considers carefully, as raised to me my by Taiwanese colleague. Does China really want Taiwan to be part of the mainland? Imagine a People's Congress Session: Taiwan WWF chair-slamming antics in a stiff Hu Jintao-Wen Jiabao speech recital on "how the government has served the people well" It wouldn't be very long before China says to Taiwan, "GO BACK!!!!!!!". Believe me, it is a thought that is contemplated by many Taiwanese, the Chinese actually have no balls when it comes down to it. Taiwan democracy is too wild, it makes Euro trash gossip columns look decent.

Look out for the Freeman Fallacy Report, our first ever, created by the Freman Young Professional Team - (done when the bosses are travelling). The boring traditional one is on our website, created by moi. http://csis.org/china/FRv02v02.pdf

Next copy will be Shelley Rigger, professor on Taiwan politics. The Fallacy Report will come when the boss leaves for China. Wohoo!

Take care!

Thanks Wei Yi. I'll check out those links. I must confess you seem to know more about Singapore politics than I do about Malaysian politics, so I will have to do some reading up before I can keep up my end of the debate.

However just one thing though- isn't *some* choice better than none? Also, even if the BN has been in power longer than the PAP, that's not necessarily a bad thing. One great benefit that came out of the 1999 election is that Keadilan and PAS victories forced the BN to confront its culture of secrecy and patronage, and indirectly led to Badawi emphasising honesty and anti-corruption efforts in his campaigns. It seems to me that your opposition has been very effective at forcing the governing party to respond to the voters.

And Sue Anne, always a pleasure. I will take a look at the Report. I don't think it's an accurate depiction to argue that the People's Congress is less wild than the Taiwanese parliament. Firstly remember that the People's Congress is not where decisions are made. It is where decisions are announced. An appropriate comparison would be the politburo meetings, perhaps. We know not what goes on in there, but I would be confident in assuming that heads are being knocked together in no less a dramatic fashion than punches being thrown. In fact, I think a smoke-filled back room is far scarier and more insidious that emotional outbursts in parliament. Actually, I think the CCP leaders probably find the Taiwanese parliament hilarious and I can see them sitting around laughing: "Oh, this is the good part, he's about to throw a punch and start crying... ahahahahahahaha!!!" They probably feel smug and superior and think, "When we get 'em back, we'll instill some discipline and propriety in them."

There, PJ, you just stated (inadvertently) a comparison that truly puts Singapore and the PAP in a good light - there is a very low probability that backrooms in S'pore would be smoke filled as compared to the politburo equivalents of China, owing to LKYs late distaste for cigarettes ;-)

I guess you're right - in the sense that a vigorous opposition did come out of the woodwork here in M'sia and was in position to put the pressure on the establishment to reform. That's a big picture view us folk inside pro'bly can't see, being in the woods ourselves. Having said that, I cannot help but feel that the cost of pushing this reform had been way too high.

I could use this example to conversely say that S'pore has no need for a needle to reform, simply because things have not deteriorated so badly in S'pore, which in turn becomes an (grudging?) acknowledgement of the good work done by PAP so far? Many in M'sia feel that the past two decades (under you-know-who's administration) have been lost years, when much "development" has been showy hype, while fundamentals have been alarmingly eroded. Here's a bitterly anti-Mahathir journalist you can read: www.mggpillai.com

My pet peeves are rural development (neglected) and education policy (misguided). We have schools in Sabah where kids have to stay in corrugated metal shacks (hostels!) because their families stay a day's hike away. They cook their own food in dangerous stoves (we're talking 10 year olds) and there is occasional news of fires taking lives. For a nation with the world's tallest buildings, I feel we could have done more.

Our universities are making their gradual decline in the face of rising standards throughout Eastern and Southern Asia. Consider that Universiti Malaya grew from the same roots as NUS, why are they so far apart in standards today? The last Asiaweek survey (oudated, but pro'bly still relevant) says so.

In light of these and many other problems (declining municipal services, environmental degradation, poor telecom services, dramatically reduced FDI), urban M'sians would much rather have a progressive opposition, one with talented and bright people bringing fresh alternate visions and opposing smartly where relevant, while supporting positive government policies and initiatives. That we are stuck with rabble rousers who oppose on a knee-jerk basis, while mirroring the establishment's worst traits (long office terms, nepotism) means many of us are stuck with deeply disappointing choices.

But there is one thing I will admit: we do have a radioactive core of vocal people here with a high degree of political awareness, maybe more so than in S'pore. This, I daresay, can be attributable in part to the relatively freer environment here in M'sia. We do have a standing advisory not to discuss "sensitive issues" in public (code for race-based affirmative action, nepotism/cronyism and bureaucratic mismanagement) but the Internet appears to be loosening these inhibitions.