The mere thought of the opposition wresting four states from BN and ruling five was unthinkable and impossible until 2008! More than just a voice or a mere statement, the sign of the times is truly showing! From a manifesto of denying a 2/3rds majority to securing not just Penang but Kedah, Perak and Selangor? Who would have thought that this was even possible?

Truly, this is a time of reckoning for both BN and the Opposition or better referred to as Barisan Rakyat (BR) to prove what they’re really made of in the next four years, for this is when it becomes really crucial. Campaigning and winning the elections are one thing, doing the actual work and delivering are another. Yes, the electorate has spoken and the BR has been given a chance to show that an alternative is possible. But will this be a ‘new dawn’ of a new Malaysia? Let us all hope so.

Be it BN or the BR, the winner at the end must be the citizens of Malaysia. After all, the change that we seek must be for a better Malaysia. Hence, BN must realise that it needs to reinvent itself if it wants to remain relevant in this day and age. They must realise that they cannot merely rely on the politics of development and the colonial relic of 'divide and rule' to win the elections and rule. They must address post-modernist issues like civil and democratic rights, fairness and justice, equal opportunity and economic growth, and nation-building.

The BR, on the other hand, must also realise that in order to form a formidable alternative government, they must prove that their policies and the dream of an integrated Malaysia can work. They must themselves show for real that we can truly be a united Malaysia, one that is not defined by our race, culture or religion. A dream that we all have been seeking and talking about since the days of Lee Kuan Yew and PAP. It has yet to be seen how the power-sharing formula propagated by the BR is going to work but one thing's for sure, it has to be different from that of BN. Otherwise, it's just changing the devil for the deep blue sea.

While it cannot be denied that race and culture will continue to play a big role in our country's political scene, Malaysians need to embrace a new thinking that redefines ourselves as citizens of this nation. We will have to answer for ourselves who we really are. Are we going to continue to define our existence based on racial lines or is it time for us to be truly Malaysians? This paradigm shift will not be easy but must happen if were are truly to be a great nation.

I can only pray and hope that for our future and our children's future, that a truly Malaysian Malaysia that is just, fair and dynamic, integrating all races as one will emerge. Idealistic? Yes, but one thing’s for sure, we must not look back. We cannot. There can only be one way forward and this momentum has to continue with everyone making sure that the government of the day delivers on what it promises for a better future, a dynamic Malaysia.

We have seen how our voters have realised the true democratic power of the people's rights, and we in turn must not take these rights lightly. We have also seen how our votes can potentially change a government and how powerful our 'voice' can be. This is truly what democracy was set out to be. To give the 'voice' to the people.

I can only see a brighter and dynamic future for all Malaysians. It's good to see a change for once in Malaysia. Either way the pendulum swings in future, we know that the face of Malaysian politics is set to change. And we hope that one day our history books will chronicle the events of the 12th General Election to be THE day that brought change to Malaysia to help us wipe out the ghost of 1969.

We have grown so much since then. Let us not walk down that path again. Let us build a Malaysia by Malaysians, of Malaysians, for all Malaysians!