Prospect of Electoral Reforms in Malaysia

The outcome of the 14th General Election in 2018 marked the first time in Malaysia’s history that the federal government changed hands from Barisan Nasional (BN) to Pakatan Harapan (PH). In the lead-up to the 15th General Election, Malaysians witnessed three different Prime Ministers in a single term, which was previously unheard of in Malaysian political history. Many have claimed Malaysia is a democratic state, but this has not silenced critics of the flaws in the election system, particularly the lack of a law regulating political financing and free media.

As a result, the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) was established to study and propose reports and recommendations for electoral reforms. This book analyzes the electoral legislation. It examines the duties of the ERC and the roles played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure that electoral reforms are established and implemented. One of the success stories discussed is Vote18 (Undi18), which is examined in depth. This book is suitable for policy-makers, think tanks, academicians, legal practitioners, journalists, politicians, students, and members of the public who are interested in electoral reforms in Malaysia.