Elections in Malaysia
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Elections in Malaysia consist of two levels: national level and state level.
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[edit] National level
At the national level, voters elect the 219-member House of Representatives (Malay language: Dewan Rakyat, literally "Hall of the People") of the bicameral Parliament. Members are elected from single-member constituencies drawn based on population using the first pass the post system. The party that has the majority of the House of Representatives will form the federal government.
The Constitution of Malaysia requires that a general election must be held at least once every five years. However, the Prime Minister can ask the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve the Parliament at any time before this five year period has expired. A general election should be held no later than 3 months after the dissolution of the Parliament.
Over the years, the predominant winner of the parliamentary election has always been the Barisan Nasional (National Front in English; once known as the Alliance), a coalition of 14 parties.
[edit] State level
At the state level, voters elect the state assembly (Malay: Dewan Undangan Negeri) of their respective states, the number of representatives varies among the states. Members are elected from single-member constituencies drawn based on population using the first pass the post system. State assembly constituencies are usually smaller than the parliamentary constituencies. The party that forms the majority of the state assembly will form the state government.
Usually, state elections are held simutaneously with the parliamentary election but each state can decide when to hold its election. This is because state assemblies are dissolved by their respective Ruler or governor on the advice of the chief minister of the state. For example, in the 1999 general election, the state elections of the 11 states on Peninsular Malaysia were held simutaneously with the parliamentary election while the state elections of Sabah and Sarawak were held at different dates. In the 2004 general election, the state election of Sabah were held simutaneously with the parliamentary election as well, but Sarawak held its state election in 2005.
The Barisan Nasional usually controls the state assemblies in every election, with the notable exception of the state of Kelantan. Kelantan has been a stronghold of the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) since 1959.
[edit] Local government elections
Although there used to be elections for members of local governments such as municipal councils, as of 2006, no local government elections are held in Malaysia. Local government elections were suspended after the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in 1964. The suspension has yet to be lifted, and under the Local Government Act 1976 or the relevant laws of each state, local government members are appointed by the state government.<ref>Rahman, Rashid A. (1994). The Conduct of Elections in Malaysia, p. 10. Kuala Lumpur: Berita Publishing. ISBN 967-969-331-7.</ref>
After Minister and People's Progressive Party President M. Kayveas raised concerns about local governments in late 2005, some suggested reviving local government elections. However, in an opinion column, the New Straits Times (owned by the United Malays National Organisation or UMNO, leading party of the Barisan Nasional) quoted a professor from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as saying that such elections would not be brought back because "policymakers know from experience worldwide that the Opposition tends to dominate such councils as part of the electorate's desire for checks-and-balances." The professor also stated that due to required constitutional changes, it would be difficult for such amendments to pass muster in Parliament. The column also quoted a government ministry as saying that "[h]olding elections are expensive affairs".
[edit] Election process
Elections are supervised by a seven-member politically neutral Election Commission. Its members are appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong following the advice of the Prime Minister.
[edit] Nomination process
Nomination centres are set up in various locations by the Election Commission to allow candidates to register themselves. Typically any Malaysian citizen may register as a candidate as long as he is not disqualified from doing so. He or she does so by filing the appropriate forms and placing a monetary deposit. The deposit was RM5000 to contest a parliamentary seat, or RM3000 to contest a state assembly seat. This amount was changed to RM 10,000 and RM 5,000 respectively in 2004. Additionally in 2004 it was required that each candidate provide a RM 5,000 deposit for cleaning up banners and posters after the election. This increase is seen by some as having led to the government winning a record number of seats without contest in 2004 (17 parliamentary seats were won without contest). The deposit is used to pay for infringements of election laws and is returned after polling day unless the candidate loses and fails to garner more than 1/8th of the vote.<ref>Rahman, p. 133.</ref>
As of the 2004 elections, candidates may have a lawyer present at these proceedings. Some candidates have been disqualified from previous elections as they lacked the competence to fill in the forms correctly.
In 2004 candidates were given 1 hour to fill out and return their nomination forms as opposed to 2 hours previously. This led to disqualification of certain candidates who were unaware of the change.
[edit] Election day
On election day, registered voters may cast their ballot for their chosen candidate in a designated voting centre. These voting centres are typically schools or community centres which have been procured for that day. All activities in the school are suspended for that day. Holidays are also declared in states where election day does not fall on a weekend to allow maximum turnout.
Certain political parties will provide transport for voters to and from the voting centre. While campaigning is not allowed on election day, transportation is seen as something of a social service, especially since many people did not have a personal means of conveyance until the last decade or two, as of 2004.
No campaigning or advocacy for candidates is allowed within a voting centre. However, just outside the gate of most voting centres, there will be people plugging the various candidates.
[edit] Agents
Each candidate is allowed one agent per voting centre. Their job starts early and begins by inspecting that the metal ballot boxes have not been tampered. They also ensure that the boxes are securely locked before voting begins. After locking, the boxes are sealed by the election commission and each agent may place their own seal on the box.
The agents also ensure that the ballot papers given out to voters do not contain markings. In the past certain parties have marked the ballot papers for their own candidates. This will result in a spoilt vote which is discarded during counting. Some ballot papers have been coated with waxy surfaces to prevent voting for certain candidates. The agents ensure that these events do not occur.
The last task of the agent is to ensure that, on the close of voting, the ballot boxes are still secure and the seals are intact. This may be done at a designated counting centre instead of the voting centre. The boxes are opened once the agents are certain that there is no tampering.
[edit] Voting process
Only registered voters may vote in elections. Any Malaysian citizens above 21 years old must register in the voters' registry with the Election Commission before he or she could vote in elections.
After identity verification at a voting centre, each voter receives two paper ballots, one for the parliamentary seat of the constituency and another for the state assembly seat. In federal territories, where there is no state assembly, and states whose state election is held on a different date, each voter receives only one ballot for the parliamentary seat.
Each voter walks into individual booth to mark the ballots in secret. The voter marks on each ballot the candidate of his or her choice with a cross beside the candidate's name and party symbol. After finish marking, the voter folds the ballots and drops them into separate ballot boxes for parliamentary and state assembly seats.
[edit] Counting and annoucement of election results
After the close of voting the election agents check the ballot boxes prior to opening and counting. They also monitor the counting to ensure that the total ballots are the same as the number of votes cast. This extends to checking the number of "double votes". Every ballot paper has a serial number on it and they are given out sequentially. Agents may check that the serial numbers match up. The counting of the ballots is done by hand.
After a count at the voting centre the boxes are transported to the counting centre for a second count. If all candidates agree to the count then it stands or else an immediate re-count is done at the counting centre.
Election results are announced through live broadcasts by radio and television stations. Some newspapers print special editions to cover the election results. In most constituencies, the results will be out on the night of the election day. In some rural constituencies and constituencies that need recounts, the results may not be announced until the next day.
[edit] Election offences
There are a few offences under election law. Most of these pertain to acts which induce a voter to cast his ballot for a candidate. It is also an offence to use these actions to induce voters not to cast ballots at all. These offences extend to using third parties as agents to commit them.
- It is an offence to provide food, drinks or refreshments with a view to induce voters to either vote for a particular candidate or not vote at all.
- It is illegal to provide monetary rewards for voting for a certain candidate.
- It is an offence to threaten a person to vote for a candidate or not to vote. In 2004 this was extended to include "spiritual threats". This was due to the Islamic Party of Malaysia(PAS) threatening citizens in less developed parts of the country with eternal damnation if they did not vote for the PAS and that a vote for them would be rewarded by God.
- It is an offence to obstruct passage to and from a voting centre. Setting up a location for any candidate within 50 yards of the voting centre is an offence. Similarly, loitering in this zone is also an offence. Only voters are allowed in this zone on voting day.
- It is technically an offence to provide transportation to a voting centre. However, this is not normally enforced as all parties do this to some degree. It is a further offence to use a vehicle that is normally rented out (such as a taxi or hired bus) to provide such transportation. The only exception to this is that it is allowed to provide for the crossing of rivers. No passengers of any vehicle can be forced to alight within 50 yards of a candidate's booth on voting day.
- Each candidate is not allowed to spend more than RM 200,000 (parliamentary) or RM 100,000 (state) for campaigning under Section 19 of the Elections Offences Act, 1954. It has been alleged, however, that the governing Barisan Nasional coalition spent around RM1.5 billion in the 2004 general election, far more than the RM94,300,000 permitted under the regulations.<ref>Kamarudin, Raja Petra (Mar. 13, 2006). Do you believe in miracles?. Malaysia Today.</ref>
[edit] Controversy
"Phantom voters" — dead voters who participate in elections — were a feature of the 1999 and 2004 general elections criticised by the opposition. In 2006, the Election Commission announced that in an effort to reduce instances of phantom voting, 180,000 dead voters would be purged from the electoral roll. The Election Commission's independence has been criticised; its chairman has stated that although de jure the Commission is independent, "the law is inadequate to put us on par with most developed countries, and some developing ones".<ref>Loh, Deborah (Nov. 19, 2006). Rolling out 180,000 dead voters. New Straits Times.</ref>
[edit] List of Malaysian general elections and results
| Edition | Year | Government* | Opposition | Total seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | % seat | % vote | Seats | % seat | % vote | |||
| 1 | 1959** | 74 | 71.15 | 51.7 | 30 | 28.85 | 48.3 | 104 |
| 2 | 1964** | 89 | 85.58 | 58.5 | 15 | 14.42 | 41.5 | 104 |
| 3 | 1969 | 95 | 66.00 | 49.3 | 49 | 34.00 | 50.7 | 144 |
| 4 | 1974 | 135 | 87.66 | 60.7 | 19 | 12.34 | 39.3 | 154 |
| 5 | 1978 | 130 | 84.42 | 57.2 | 24 | 15.58 | 42.8 | 154 |
| 6 | 1982 | 132 | 85.71 | 60.5 | 22 | 14.29 | 39.5 | 154 |
| 7 | 1986 | 148 | 83.62 | 55.8 | 29 | 16.38 | 41.5 | 177 |
| 8 | 1990 | 127 | 70.55 | 53.4 | 53 | 29.45 | 46.6 | 180 |
| 9 | 1995 | 162 | 84.38 | 65.2 | 30 | 15.62 | 34.8 | 192 |
| 10 | 1999 | 148 | 76.68 | 56.5 | 45 | 23.32 | 43.5 | 193 |
| 11 | 2004 | 198 | 90.41 | 63.9 | 21 | 9.59 | 36.1 | 219 |
| * | "Government" means Alliance Party between 1959 and 1964 inclusively; Alliance and Sarawak United People's Party for 1969; and Barisan Nasional since 1974 |
| ** | Sabah and Sarawak did not participate in respective edition. |
| Source: Arah Aliran Malaysia: Penilaian Pilihan Raya (PDF) | |
|---|---|
[edit] Latest election
| Votes | % of vote | Seats | +/- | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Front (Barisan Nasional): | 4,420,452 | 63.9 | 198 | +51 | |
| United Malays National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu, UMNO) | 2,483,249 | 35.9 | 109 | +38 | |
| Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia, MCA) | 1,074,230 | 15.5 | 31 | +2 | |
| Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Se-Malaysia, MIC) | 221,546 | 3.2 | 9 | +2 | |
| Malaysian People's Movement Party (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, Gerakan) | 257,763 | 3.7 | 10 | +4 | |
| United Traditional Bumiputera Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, PBB) | 383,664 | 5.5 | 11 | +5 | |
| Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak, SUPP) | 6 | ||||
| Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak, SUPP) | 6 | ||||
| Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak, SAPP) | 4 | ||||
| United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah, PBS) | 4 | ||||
| United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Pertubuhan Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Bersatu, UPKO) | 4 | ||||
| Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Maju Sabah, SAPP) | 2 | ||||
| United Sabah People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) | 1 | ||||
| People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia, PPP) | 1 | ||||
| Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik, LDP) | - | ||||
| Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik, DAP) | 687,340 | 9.9 | 12 | +2 | |
| Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) coalition: | 1,668,998 | 24.1 | 8 | -24 | |
| Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam SeMalaysia, PAS) | 1,051,480 | 15.2 | 7 | -20 | |
| People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PKR) | 617,518 | 8.9 | 1 | -4 | |
| Non partisans (and others) | 139,438 | 2.1 | 1 | -2 | |
| Overall total | 6,916,138 | 100.0 | 219 | +26 | |
| Source: The Star, Kuala Lumpur | |||||
[edit] Notes and references
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[edit] Other references
- Chin, James. 2002. Malaysia: The Barisan National Supremacy. In David Newman & John Fuh-sheng Hsieh (eds), How Asia Votes, pp. 210–233. New York: Chatham House, Seven Bridges Press. ISBN 1-889119-41-5.
- Chow, Kum Hor (Oct. 8, 2005). "'Third government' is ratepayers' bugbear". New Straits Times, p. 18.
