The intensity of the Ijok by-election is tempting for analysing the divide-and-rule racial politics of Malaysia. Many of your letters and columnists dub the Ijok by-election as an acid test for Malaysian politics in general, and Ijok residents in particular, in choosing between 'race' and the 'issue of development' beyond the confines of race. This may be true, but it's also a win-win scenario for Malaysian democracy.

The run-up to the by-election and the post-election period in Ijok can also be analysed as a win-win scenario for Malaysian politics and voters, irrespective of whether the PKR or BN candidate wins.

If the PKR candidate wins the by-election; then the argument can be made that the BN has failed to deliver on its intended promises over the past 50 years and hence the voters are mature enough to punish the BN and vote for an alternative candidate. Thus the people's voice is heard and it can be exacting in punishing the party that fails to deliver on promises of development.

However, if the BN candidate wins, the argument can then be made that despite putting an Indian candidate in an area with 51% Malay voters; the voters have collectively expressed more concerns over issues of socio-economic development as opposed to narrow race-based politics.

Here again the voters are interested in using their democratic voting right to express concerns over development and stability above the importance of 'race' in representing development for their local area.

As most readers have noted, the shameless and pervasive infrastructure development brought by the BN to Ijok over the weeks is itself a big windfall for the residents of Ijok. Overall, it's a big win for Ijok residents before and after the election.