3 Reasons Why 2022 Malaysia Elections Are Important to Follow
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yakoob marks his ballot paper at a polling station during the general election in Bera, Malaysia’s Pahang state, on November 19, 2022.
Malaysia is voting in general elections on November 19, with the growing cost of living, inflation and government integrity set to become some of the top issues determining how the country’s 21.1 million eligible voters cast their ballots when choosing 222 lawmakers for the lower house of parliament.As Malaysia’s federal constitutional monarchy holds its 15th general election on November 19, a month after Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved the country’s parliament, the race is expected to be a tight one, with three leading coalitions jostling for power.The Southeast Asian nation’s 21.1 million eligible voters are heading to the more than 9,000 polling centers on Saturday to cast their ballots for lawmakers of the 222-seat lower house and regional legislatures. The parties and coalitions hoping to form a government in a single bloc will require 112 seats. The general elections come in the wake of protracted political instability since the 2018 polls, which were fraught with infighting and resulted in the nation witnessing three prime ministers wade in for brief tenures since that time. The head of the party winning the majority of votes normally becomes prime minister. The states of Malacca, Johor, Sarawak and Sabah have already held a vote and will not participate in the Saturday election.Here are several key aspects of the current, tightly-contested election.
Who are the Frontrunners in Malaysia’s General Elections?
Hoping to win a strong mandate in Malaysia’s general election are three main political forces: the ruling National Front coalition, led by current Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s United Malays National Organization (UMNO); the Perikatan Nasional, or National Alliance coalition under the leadership of Muhyiddin Yassin; and the opposition coalition led by Anwar Ibrahim.The history of Malaysia’s largest and oldest political party, UMNO is linked to the recent 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, that implicated former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is currently behind bars, serving a 12-year sentence.Former deputy prime minister and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH), or Alliance of Hope multiethnic coalition has enjoyed growing support, according to polls. However, recent surveys predict it will not manage to secure a majority. Ibrahim’s party had revelled in its 2018 victory over the National Front, but internal strife had brought down the coalition led at the time by Mahathir Mohamad.
WorldMalaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Submits Resignation to King24 February 2020, 06:24 GMTSeveral other polls indicated that the Barisan Nasional, or National Front alliance, could put in a strong showing. Ex-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Malay-based bloc – Perikatan Nasional – is deemed to be somewhat of a ‘dark horse’ by polls. Yassin’s party, the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (its Malay acronym is Bersatu) had clinched an alliance with the Malaysian Islamic Party along with the Malaysian People’s Movement Party.The National Front currently wields 19 percent of the federal assembly seats, with the National Alliance having 21 percent and the Hope Pact with 41 percent.© ARIF KARTONOMalaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, chairman of the Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope).
Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, chairman of the Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope).
Who is Voting in Malaysia’s General Eelection?
An interesting aspect of the current general elections in Malaysia is the importance of the youth voters’ ballots after a constitutional amendment in 2019 lowered the legal voting age from 21 to 18 years of age. Accordingly, this added an estimated 1.4 million voters aged between 18 and 21 to the overall electorate of about 21.17 million. One novel aspect of the campaigning ahead of the elections has reportedly been a markedly broad use of social media platforms, such as TikTok, to woo these debuting voters. Another new aspect of the current elections has been automatic voter registration (AVR).© ARIF KARTONOVoters line up at a polling station during the general election in Permatang Pauh, Malaysia’s Penang state, on November 19, 2022.
Voters line up at a polling station during the general election in Permatang Pauh, Malaysia’s Penang state, on November 19, 2022.
What Are the Voter’s Top Concerns?
Government integrity is one of the key concerns amid the turmoil that tainted the political spectrum in the Southeast Asian country in recent history. The economy and growing cost of living are seen as the electorate’s chief concerns as well.Heavy rains could factor into the voting, as flooding has already hit parts of the country. Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin had decreed that elections must be held before the seasonal flood season. The Northeast Monsoon typically hits the nation from November to March. In a slight tweak to the timeframe, voting time has been extended by the Election Commission from nine to 10 hours. Results of the general elections are anticipated to begin arriving sometime late on Saturday.
