Malaysians will soon vote in one of their country's most anticipated elections since independence in 1957. Prime Minister Najib Razak (pictured) has yet to lead his government to success at a federal election, having been appointed when his predecessor stepped down in the wake of the ruling party's worst performance in decades.
Amid uneven economic growth, anxieties over increased levels of crime and anger over the government's mishandling of an insurgent stand-off in Sabah state, Najib had long been reluctant to call for elections. The government appeared intent on exhausting the opposition in an undeclared, two years long campaign period.
Almost four years to the date he was appointed, Najib dissolved parliament, and elections are to take place next Sunday 5 May . Most analysts expect his Barisan Nasional/National Front coalition (BN) to scrape in, largely through gerrymandering, control of the mainstream media and other impediments to the increasingly popular opposition.
But the BN is widely predicted to lose further seats in federal parliament, continuing the process of attrition that became evident at the 2008 elections, when it lost its customary two-thirds majority.
Malaysia's ruling coalition faces a dilemma similar to the People's Action Party in neighbouring Singapore, which experienced its worst performance in the island republic's 2011 elections. Ironically, both appear to have sowed the seeds of their own decline, having delivered prolonged periods of economic growth and overseeing the emergence of a sizeable, educated and prosperous middle class.
But for how much longer can a party like the BN retain its claim to uninterrupted rule without reinventing itself and adjusting to new realities?
Amid the democratic transitions that have swept Asia over the last 20 years as well as the protest movements of the Middle East, a growing number of Malaysians appear unwilling to countenance any further the BN's paternalistic brand of politics — or acquiesce in the myriad corruption and political scandals to which some of its politicians have been linked.
Large-scale protests, including the 'Bersih' rallies demanding electoral reform, have galvanised civil society. There is a palpable demand for change, particularly among younger voters. While Najib's personal popularity remains relatively high, polls suggest that only 45 per cent of Malaysians are satisfied with BN rule.
Whether this groundswell of dissatisfaction will translate to a change in government is in some ways immaterial. What does matter is that the old ways of governing have lost much of their former appeal, and the government can no longer