This essay examines the case for a PR electoral system in Malaysia. Based on assessments along three dimensions of electorate representation, ethnic conciliation and women’s representation, I recommend the adoption of a preferential PR system with low district magnitude and an electoral threshold.
Malaysia is a plural society, defined by Eckstein as a society divided along ethnoreligious cleavages. Malaysia's multiracial population is divided into three main groups with the majority Bumiputera (67.4% of population) comprising of indigenous groups (mainly Muslim Malays), while Chinese and Indians minorities make up 24.6% and 7.3% of the population respectively.
A legacy of being a former British colony, Malaysia adopts the Westminster model of democracy. This has contributed to an extremely stable form of government with the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition ruling uninterrupted from independence in 1957 until the 2018 election, when it lost power to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.
The political system suffers from three key issues: disproportionate representation of electorate, ethnic polarization and low women’s representation. The following sections assess the impact of a PR electoral system on each of these areas based on academic literature and empirical studies.
Table of Contents
1. BACKGROUND
2. PR SYSTEM FAVOURS A MORE REPRESENTATIVE PARLIAMENT
3. PR SYSTEM FAVOURS ETHNIC CONCILIATION
4. PR SYSTEM FAVOURS HIGHER WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION
5. POLICY TRADE-OFFS AND LIMITATIONS
6. RECOMMENDATIONS
7. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay evaluates the potential transition from the current First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system in Malaysia to a Proportional Representation (PR) system. The research examines how such a transition could improve parliamentary representativeness, foster ethnic conciliation in a plural society, and enhance women's political participation, while balancing these benefits against concerns regarding government accountability.
- Evaluating electoral representativeness and multi-partism
- Assessing the impact of electoral systems on ethnic conflict mitigation
- Analyzing strategies for increasing female parliamentary representation
- Balancing proportionality with government accountability
- Proposing constitutional and electoral reform strategies
Excerpt from the Book
PR SYSTEM FAVOURS ETHNIC CONCILIATION
Relations between Malaysia’s three main ethnic groups are frosty yet civil, despite a considerable mutual antipathy (National Research Council, 1999). As such, the electoral system should aim to foster ethnic conciliation. In plural societies like Malaysia’s, Lijphart (1977, 2012) advocates for a PR system as it provides the space for different ethnic groups to be better represented by their own parties in proportion to their population size.
Indeed, there is widespread agreement that PR systems are associated with lower risk of ethnic conflict (Cohen 1997, Saideman et al. 2002, Schneider & Wiesehomeier 2008). One explanation for this is that minority representation improves when district magnitudes increase from single member districts under FPTP to multi-member districts under PR (Cox 1990: 927). Huber (2012) examines the role of electoral systems in ethnicization1 and shows that this is lower under PR systems. Huber attributes the ease of appealing along racial lines to be the very reason why PR systems have lower levels of ethnicization − PR systems also enable parties to target other issues (e.g. regional, environmental parties), thus reducing the political saliency of race.
Summary of Chapters
BACKGROUND: This chapter introduces Malaysia as a plural society with significant ethnic cleavages and outlines the challenges of its Westminster-style FPTP political system.
PR SYSTEM FAVOURS A MORE REPRESENTATIVE PARLIAMENT: The section discusses the weaknesses of the FPTP system, particularly its big-party bias, and argues for the benefits of PR in terms of electoral justice and accurate representation.
PR SYSTEM FAVOURS ETHNIC CONCILIATION: This chapter explores how PR systems can mitigate ethnic conflict by allowing for better minority representation and reducing the salience of race in political appeals.
PR SYSTEM FAVOURS HIGHER WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION: The author analyzes how PR systems, through higher district magnitudes and contagion pressures, create structural incentives for parties to nominate more female candidates.
POLICY TRADE-OFFS AND LIMITATIONS: This section addresses the tension between voter representation and government accountability, noting the non-linear relationship between district magnitude and electoral outcomes.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The chapter proposes adopting a preferential PR system with low district magnitudes and electoral thresholds to optimize political outcomes.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: This final chapter discusses the necessity of constitutional amendments and the requirement for cross-party consensus to reform Malaysia's electoral laws.
Keywords
Malaysia, Proportional Representation, First-Past-The-Post, Ethnic Conciliation, Women's Representation, Electoral Reform, District Magnitude, Accountability, Westminster Model, Multipartism, Political Representation, Electoral Threshold, Preferential Voting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper examines the case for replacing Malaysia's current First-Past-The-Post electoral system with a Proportional Representation system to address systemic political issues.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include improving electoral representativeness, fostering ethnic conciliation in a divided society, increasing women's parliamentary representation, and managing the trade-off between representation and accountability.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to argue that adopting a preferential PR system with low district magnitudes and electoral thresholds would better serve Malaysia's diverse society than the existing system.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper uses an analytical literature review and empirical assessment of electoral systems, citing academic works by scholars such as Lijphart, Carey, Hix, and Matland to support the policy arguments.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body evaluates the impact of PR on three dimensions: parliamentary representation, ethnic conflict mitigation, and female legislative participation, alongside a critical look at the policy trade-offs regarding government accountability.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Malaysia, Proportional Representation, Ethnic Conciliation, Women's Representation, FPTP, and Electoral Reform.
How does the author propose to resolve the trade-off between representation and accountability?
The author suggests an "electoral sweet spot" using low district magnitudes (between three and eight), which balances the need for fair party representation with the need to maintain governmental accountability.
Why does the author argue that PR helps with women's representation?
The paper identifies "contagion pressures" and the incentive for parties to "balance tickets" in multi-member districts as structural drivers that make it easier for women to be nominated and elected compared to single-member FPTP districts.
What is the political feasibility of the proposed recommendations?
The author acknowledges that constitutional changes are required (requiring a two-thirds majority). However, the author suggests that the 2018 election results offer a window of opportunity to build the necessary cross-party consensus.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Nishyodhan Balasundram (Autor:in), 2020, Should Malaysia Switch from a First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) to a Proportional Representation (PR) Electoral System?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/909568
