Election Campaigning in East and Southeast Asia: Globalization of Political Marketing by Christian Schafferer

Author:Christian Schafferer [Schafferer, Christian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, International Relations, General, Political Process, Campaigns & Elections
ISBN: 9780754643937
Google: HFH5Iko29hAC
Goodreads: 4382942
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2006-01-15T08:29:29+00:00

Conclusion

It is important to remember that it is not only the act of putting the ballot into the ballot box on polling day that is integral in legitimizing the results of any elections. This aspect is commonly measured in terms of how ‘free’ an election is. As long as there is no widespread ballot stuffing, widespread illegal voters, voters being threatened by force to vote a certain way or not to vote at all, the results of an election are deemed as ‘free.’ On this count, Malaysia fares quite well according to most reports by international observers.

Free but not fair

But the manner in which the campaign is conducted, the access to the various information distribution channels, the use (or misuse) of funds and government machinery, is also important in determining how ‘fair’ an election is.

The time period outside elections is also important in contributing to the overall openness of the political debate in any country, Malaysia included. Access to information and the opportunity to participate in the political process needs to be evident before, during and after an election for a healthy democracy and for elections to be closer to the ideals of being both free and fair.

Reform for increased legitimacy

It would be reasonable to say that, despite the many restrictions imposed by the BN government during its 46 years in power, it is a coalition that has the support of the majority of the electorate in Malaysia. It has proven itself to be a relatively stable political coalition and a government that has responded at least to the economic demands of the electorate if not to the political, civil and social ones.

Indeed, it would not be illogical to propose that with a gradual reform of the political as well as the electoral system in Malaysia, the BN government could maintain or improve on its electoral performance and rightly claim an increased legitimacy and mandate among the electorate.

The slow reform and perhaps eventual abolishment of restrictive laws and regulations such as the ISA, the OSA, the Sedition Act, the PPPA and the UUCA would be seen as a positive step.

In the long term, political reforms would be beneficial to the BN government. It would be better to have this reform now at a controlled pace than to have to deal with frustrations and agitation later.

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