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Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Friday, 12nd September 2008:  Whether 916, 1016, 1116 or in an early 13th general election , the Malaysian political mould has been completely recast and it is only a matter of time that a change of federal power is effected Will there be any “916” political transformation setting in motion the changes to bring about a Pakatan Rakyat federal government, ending Umno political hegemony and Barisan Nasional federal power? This is the question uppermost in the minds of all Malaysians – and the reason for the farce of some 50 BN MPs forced to suffer daily media humiliation, Malaysian and Taiwan, in pursuing a “mong-cha-cha” (“blur, blur”) agricultural study trip to Taiwan just to foil the “916” political transformation. However, whether the political transformation takes place in four days’ on 916, or 1016, 1116 or in an early 13th general election is a secondary question to the important fact that the Malaysian political mould has been completely recast and it is only a matter of time that a transition of federal power is effected. What is most significant about “916” is not whether federal power will change hands from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat in four days’ time, but in the sea-change in the political attitude of Malaysians as compared to six months ago before the March 8 general election. If Malaysians were asked six months ago whether they there was a possibility of change of federal government, and whether they wanted to see a new federal government in Putrajaya, I think more than 95% would answer in the negative for the former as they do not believe that it was possible for the Barisan Nasional government to be toppled while at most 10 to 15 per cent would say they wanted a change of federal government, largely because they did not think it was within the realm of practical possibility. The situation is very different today, six months later after the March 8 “political tsunami”. I believe that more than 70 to 80 per cent of Malaysians belive that it is possible to see a change of federal government while more than 50 to 60 per cent would want to see the change of federal government to be effected now. This is because the past six months have seen a deterioration in the multiple crisis of confidence afflicting the country, whether political, economic, nation-building, good governance, maintenance of law-and-order or in almost every sphere of national management. * Lim Kit Siang,  DAP Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor