Mahathir victory decisive

Mahathir victory decisive

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, one of
Southeast Asia's longest-serving premiers, celebrated his forth
consecutive election victory on Tuesday after voters delivered
him back to office in an apparent landslide victory.

Throughout the campaign, the opposition complained its efforts
were destined to be doomed due to media bias and gerrymandering.
However, Mahathir attributed his win to an economic program which
is rapidly transforming Malaysia into an industrialized country.

The 69-year-old Mahathir's National Front coalition won 84
percent of the country's 192 parliamentary seats and retained its
two-thirds majority in the House as well as in 12 of the
country's thirteen states.

The outcome was the coalition's biggest election victory since
independence from Britain in 1957.

Mahathir's victory was indeed a decisive one and it is a big
indication within the United Malays National Organization (UMNO)
-- the backbone of National Front -- the prime minister is in for
the long haul, rather than handing over the reins to a successor
immediately.

This could possibly be Mahathir's last general election as
head of the National Front coalition. In five years time, he will
be 74. Though still healthy despite undergoing heart surgery in
1988, few within UMNO or the National Front expect him to play
the leading role in the next election.

It was clearly a "Mahathir Show" from the start of the
campaign. The overwhelming endorsement from the electorate is
probably the best way to crown the premier's achievement before
he calls it a day.

-- The Nation, Bangkok