The 8th day of March 2008 was a milestone in Malaysian history, and the 9th witnessed a new dawn.

For half a century, Malaysians - for reasons both real and imagined - have got accustomed to living under a political monopoly, believing and fearing that any substantial change would be detrimental to their own interest. It was, in part, an indoctrinated fear.

That psychological shackle of fear has now been broken.