Malaysians have been adjusting to a new political landscape after voting in droves against the ruling Coalition at the country's snap elections.

It's the first time in nearly 40 years that Barisan Nasional no longer has absolute control of the parliament.

So will Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi go and if so, when? What chance does Anwar Ibrahim have of becoming prime minister at last?

Premesh Chandran is the chief executive and co-founder of the online news web site, Malaysiakini.com.

Jim Middleton, Presenter: Premesh Chandran, welcome to 'Asia Pacific Focus'.

Premesh Chandran, CEO Malaysiakini: Hi, Jim.

Jim Middleton: This is the biggest setback for the governing coalition in Malaysia in nearly four decades. What went wrong?

Premesh Chandran: I think the government did not really sense the mood on the ground. I think they were over confident and they did not sense the level of disappointment and anxiety among the people, they were sort of believing their own propaganda.

And as the election drew close, more and more people were disillusioned with the government and this led to a huge sweep; they're calling it a political tsunami. Indeed it is a political tsunami, and it's really changed the whole landscape.

Jim Middleton: What were the issues, things like crime, corruption, racial discrimination? That sort of thing?

Premesh Chandran: On the ground there was a lot of rising crime, the police were not seen to be effective, there were kidnappings and rapes of young children. It happened a number of repeated times, there was a huge rise in the price of goods and the government were not seen to be proactive in addressing that issue. Malaysia was losing its economic competitiveness. There is a very high unemployment among youths, young people.

So really the problems of the people were increasing and yet Pala (phonetic) seemed to be sleeping on the job, making promises that he did not keep.

He made a promise to reform the police and there were no reforms made. Really major problems were cropping up. And Badawi's administration was really seen [as] not up to the job.

Jim Middleton: Mahathir Mohammad, for one, suggested that a Japanese leader in similar circumstances would already have committed Hari Kiri, will Abdullah Badawi quit or will he be pushed?

Premesh Chandran: I think it's going to be either or. I do not see his job as tenable; I do not see he can continue as prime minister facing such a backlash among voters.

"I think he would have to recognise the reality and ease himself out."

I think he would have to recognise the reality and ease himself out, either immediately or within the short term or he will be pushed out.

UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) is expecting party elections this is year and if he does not go out he will be challenged either by his deputy or if his deputy is not up to the task, then by somebody else.

Jim Middleton: Dr Anwar was not allowed to stand at this election. Will he find a way of getting into parliament?

Premesh Chandran: Definitely. I think by April his limitations of standing for elections will be over and he can make his way into parliament through a by-election, or he can also be appointed a senator and join the upper house.

Each of the five state governments in the opposition can actually appoint senators to the upper house and he can make it into parliament and therefore into prime ministership through various means.

Jim Middleton: The three main opposition parties don't seem to share much in common. Is this just a marriage of convenience that may well end in divorce shortly?

Premesh Chandran: I think that they fought really hard to be in this position. I don't think any of the three opposition parties would like it to end in divorce. I think they have a one time shot and they realise it. I think they're going to, sort of, make a marriage that works.

There may not be total love among the partners, but there is a total shared objective in what they want to achieve for the country, especially in the short term.

I think the goals of getting rid of corruption, creating a good government, government structure, opening up local elections so that people can participate at the local level. I think there is a lot of common policies among the three, enough to keep the marriage intact.

Jim Middleton: Is there a real danger of political and civil instability?

Premesh Chandran: I think if UMNO is pushed out of power they will, UMNO will fight back.

But I don't think that the lack of experience of governing in the opposition is a major factor. I think if we look at the opposition candidates, although they have not been in government, many of them have got impeccable track records in leading the country on issues in terms of economic issues, social issues, religious issues.

They have huge amounts of credentials in dealing with the major issues facing the countries.

Many of them have been a very much active part of civil society, so really there is some very capable people within the opposition although they have not been in government.

So I don't think there's a major issue, but yes, UMNO is a very, very strong party, they may not let go of power easily.

"It is going to be a difficult period of change for Malaysia but I think we'll pull through."

At the same time Anwar is an UMNO person, I mean he was an UMNO person. So I think that he does play a role also in bridging to the current power, saying, look, let's make this an effective transition.

It is going to be a difficult period of change for Malaysia but I think we'll pull through.

Jim Middleton: Is there any possibility of increased racial tension even riots, as occurred back in 1969, the last time there was a big setback for UMNO and the government?

Premesh Chandran: I think the key difference here, that in 1969 it was perceived that the non-Malays, the non-Muslims had kind of like one, beak and they would actually take over certain governments, so they tried to pit Muslims against non-Muslims.

But this time again, because of the role of Anwar and the People's Justice Party as well as PAS, you can see that it's going to be a new Malay leadership.

We have Khalid Ibrahim, the new chief minister of Selangor, you have PAS being the chief ministers in Kedah, in Kelantan and also the National Justice Party being a Malay leader in Perak.

So you see a not so much a shift between UMNO Malay leadership to a non-Malay leadership, but a new Malay leadership arising, one which is more open minded, one which is more globalised, one which is prepared to face the challenge of meritocracy.

You know, so there is kind of like a reform within the Malay community itself. Under such conditions I think it will be very difficult for UMNO to trigger racial riots.

Jim Middleton: Premesh Chandran, thank you very much for your time.

Premesh Chandran: Thank you very much.