Let the 100-day countdown to the 13GE start today

With the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak continuing to make himself a national and international spectacle for nearly two years playing the role of Hamlet agonising on “To Be or Not To Be” on dissolving Parliament to seek a mandate of his own and end his role as longest unelected Prime Minister in Malaysia, the phrase “100 days to the 13GE” has become the constant refrain of Malaysians in the last month of 2012.

Let the 100-day countdown to the 13GE start officially today, the first day of 2013, and let all Malaysians take part in the daily countdown to the 13GE because of the historic significance and possibilities of this event.

Even if Najib does not hold general elections by April 20 – the 100th day from today – Parliament will be automatically dissolved on 27th April 2013 as the Federal Constitution provides that unless earlier dissolved, Parliament will stand dissolved five years from the date of its first meeting after a general election, i.e. 28th April 2008.

I do not believe that Najib would want to out-Hamlet Hamlet and be so indecisive as to allow Parliament to stand automatically dissolved on 27th April 2013 for the 13th General Elections to be held.

In his New Year message, Najib called on Malaysians to give his ruling Barisan Nasional government a clear mandate as he promises to build the country to the best of his ability.

In his four years as Prime Minister, Najib has demonstrated that he is not master of his own fate and destiny, which is why his plethora of “transformation” programmes have been observed more by their breach than fulfilment – including his signature policy of 1Malaysia which to date has not received endorsement either by the Najib Cabinet or the UMNO and Barisan Nasional Supreme Councils.

Let the 100-day countdown to the 13GE start today – and let there be a clear mandate for Pakatan Rakyat to replace UMNO/BN coalition in Putrajaya to build an united, democratic, just, progressive and prosperous nation.

MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek said at the New Year countdown in Johor Bartu that he would step down as MCA President and join DAP should the DAP win big in Johore and produce a Chinese Mentri Besar.

This is the dishonest politics of lies and falsehoods that Malaysia does not need in the 21st century and I will be the first to object to Chua Soi Lek joining the DAP.

Lim Kit Siang DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timur