[caption id="attachment_852" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Second Combat"]
[/caption] I'm not an expert on Malaysian politics. But I was fascinated by this Malaysian Insider article about the voting inclinations of young underground metal, punk, and ska musicians who play their music – and express their views – in this country of 10 million Muslims (about 50 percent of the population).
Khairuddin Aziz, a guitarist with the straight-edge hardcore band Second Combat, believes that the younger generation of “tweeters” will not swallow whole the mainstream media’s vilification of PAS [Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, a popular opposition party to the ruling National Front coalition].
He believes they are more than capable of making their own judgement.
"I think it would be better than it is now if PAS rules the country. At least there wouldn't be any corruption," he told The Malaysian Insider.
His remark is something which would have been unheard of just a few years ago. Many in the underground music scene regard PAS as the enemy instead of BN [Barisian Nacional, AKA National Front, the nation's ruling party], as the Islamist conservatives is considered a threat to their way of lives.
"Go for the lesser evil," said political science graduate and bass player for Komplot, Haekal Talib on the growing antipathy some young urban Malay voters may feel towards Umno [United Malays National Organisation, the nation's largest party], the party of their fathers.