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For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity

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For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity PP3739/12/2008(007145) ISSN 0127 - 5127 RM4.00 2007:Vol.27No.11/12 Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(11/12) Page 1 COVER STORY The forthcoming elections Understand the election process and be forewarned of the media’s role and hype by Francis Loh alaysia will be holding MM its 12th general election, MMM probably in mid-March 2008. The Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition parties are gearing themselves up for the contest. The BN government has been spreading propaganda among the rakyat about how much devel- opment the BN has brought to the country and how much more the rakyat will enjoy as they announce one election promise after an- other. For their part, the opposi- tion parties have been scrutinis- ing carefully the workings of the Elections Commission (SPR), and negotiating among themselves to put together electoral pacts, state- by-state, so that they focus on chal- lenging the BN, instead of contest- ing against one another. There is much hype in the mass media reporting on all of these: The SPR is ready for elections! The electoral rolls are now clean! Will the incumbents, especially those associated with scandals, be put up as candidates again? Will there be more women candidates this time? Where will particular leaders contest? Will the Opposi- tion’s electoral pacts hold? Occa- sionally, there has been some re- porting of the issues being high- lighted by the Opposition. But, Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(11/12) Page 2 EDITOR'S NOTE The elections are around the corner! In our cover story, Francis Loh paints a realistic picture of what’s CONTENTS in store for the various political parties and assesses their chances in the various types of seats. Election fever may be infectious - but realistically, on the COVER STORY morning after the election, what really will have ••• The Forthcoming Elections 222 changed? This is why, he says, it is important to link the electoral process to the larger struggle for FEATURES broader participatory democracy. ••• Trapped In A Pickle Of Their Own Making 121212 Mustafa Kamal Anuar then peers into his crystal ball to look at how the media will behave. You don’t ••• Peering Into My Crystal Ball 161616 need to be a fortune teller to know that the main- ••• Hindraf: A Reminder Of Our stream media will become propaganda organs of Communal Dysfunctionality 272727 the ruling coalition. ••• Lights For Human Rights Voters should study the track record of the ruling And Justice 373737 coalition. Martin Jalleh casts a spotlight on the BN ••• A Year Of Bull, Broken Promises, government’s record over the preceding year and “Blog-heads”, Bigots finds a once looking-good PM, who had the people And Bravehearts 404040 feeling good, failing to deliver the goods of trans- parency and accountability. REGULARS The BN is actually trapped in a pickle of its own ••• Current Concerns 323232 making, says Andrew Aeria. It is high time that it realises that its model of ethnic and religious poli- OTHERSOTHERSOTHERS tics has reached its “sell by” date. Tong Veng Wye ••• Aliran T-Shirt On Sale 353535 develops the theme by looking at the Hindraf move- ••• Subscription Form 363636 ment as a reminder of our communal dysfunctionality. Many of the social problems that led to Hindraf’s demands are actually shared by the disadvantaged of a variety of backgrounds, he observes. It’s up to ordinary Malaysians to look at the strug- gle for justice from a broader perspective. Angeline Published by Loh reports on one such endeavour – a multi-ethnic Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara candlelight vigil on the streets of Penang in support (ALIRAN)(ALIRAN)(ALIRAN) of human rights and justice. 103, Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, Penang, Malaysia. Tel: (04) 658 5251 Fax: (04) 658 5197 Email (Letters to Editor): ALIRANALIRANALIRAN is a Reform Movement dedicated to Justice, Freedom & Solidarity and listed on the [email protected] roster of the Economic and Social Council of the Email (General): [email protected] United Nations. Founded in 1977, Aliran welcomes Homepage : http://www.aliran.com all Malaysians above 21 to be members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or visit our webpage. Printed by Konway Industries Sdn. Bhd. Plot 78, Lebuhraya Kampung Jawa, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(11/12) Page 3 Detained under the ISA predictably, there has been little Framing Malaysia’s ment or its parties. effort to investigate and debate the elections major issues that ought to be de- The Executive’s grip over the con- liberated on by all. And, of course, In spite of the regular holding of duct of elections and their out- there has been endless specula- elections and other procedures comes has also been strengthened tion about when the elections will and institutions of parliamentary through amendments to election be held. democracy in Malaysia, power laws. Specifically, the SPR, has increasingly been concen- charged with conducting the elec- Indeed, more so than elsewhere in trated in the hands of the Execu- tions, has lost its original au- the region, elections are the stuff tive at the expense of the Legisla- tonomy. It acts, nowadays, at the of politics in Malaysia. As well, tive, the Judiciary, the mass me- behest of the Executive (although democracy, for Malaysians, is nar- dia and civil society generally. technically, it is answerable to rowly defined in terms of elections This has been achieved largely Parliament rather than to the and party contests. No wonder through the promulgation of co- prime minister). Every eight to ten the growing excitement. ercive laws and amendments to years, the EC has redrawn the elec- the Constitution - rather than via toral boundaries ostensibly to ca- This article highlights three ma- outright repression, military ter for demographic changes as jor points: coups or suspension of the Con- required constitutionally. Accord- stitution as in some other Asian ing to an important analyst of • It situates the coming 12th gen- countries. The Internal Security Malaysia’s electoral system, how- eral election in the context of Act (ISA), just used against the ever, the redrawing of boundaries Malaysia’s overall political Hindraf Five, allows for detention has benefited the incumbent BN system and the political culture without trial which, together with each time. In the 2003 delineation of the rakyat. other coercive laws, actually curb exercise, the EC added 26 new • It seeks to clarify what is at civil liberties and political rights parliamentary seats and 63 state stake in the coming elections. enshrined in the Constitution. seats especially in the states Are we really going for broke? These restrictive Acts include the where the BN had performed very Or is the BN’s victory predict- Official Secrets Act, the Universi- well in the 1999 general election. able? Where, really, might the ties and University Colleges Act, No additional seats were added breakthroughs in the BN the Trade Unions Act, the Socie- to the states of Kelantan, stranglehold occur? ties Act and the Police Act. As a Terengganu and Kedah states - • It is important to foreshadow result of the Printing Presses and where the opposition Parti Islam how the mainstream media Publications Act, the opposition (Pas) had scored huge successes will soon drop all semblance and critics have found it difficult in 1999. All these new seats, ex- of whatever professionalism to publish, while the mainstream cept one (Bukit Gelugor), were they still have and become BN mass media have fallen into the won by the BN in the next general propagandists. Be forewarned! hands of the BN coalition govern- election in 2004. Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(11/12) Page 4 Election-related laws have also public facilities to conduct their Asian countries) conducted in been amended systematically to ceramah and in placing orders for 2000, 70 plus per cent of favour the incumbent BN. Follow- the printing of posters and the Malaysian respondents reported ing the amendments to the Elec- preparation of billboards. The that they had voted in all or some tion Act and the Election Offences Opposition, on the other hand, can of the elections. Some 68.4 per cent Act in April 2002, the list of vot- only take the cue from their BN strongly agree and another 28.5 ers, once gazetted, can no longer adversary. The BN is thus always per cent agree that citizens have a be challenged in a court of law - better prepared than the opposi- duty to vote in elections. They fur- not even when ‘phantom voters’ tion for the elections. ther believe that the way people are found listed in the electoral vote decides how the country is rolls. The deposit required of par- The coercive laws and other legal- run (34.0 percent strongly agree liamentary candidates has been istic arrangements discussed and another 45.6 percent agree). increased significantly - up to a above frame the organisation and Accordingly, 30.1 per cent maximum of RM20,000, among conduct of general elections. Add strongly disagree and 41.1 per cent the highest in the world. Already to this, the BN’s greater access to disagree when it is stated that ‘it finding it difficult to raise funds the so-called ‘3 M’s’ – media, doesn’t matter whether I vote or to conduct their campaigns effec- money and electoral machine – not’. Put another way, Malaysians tively, the poorer opposition par- and it is no wonder that elections take their elections seriously. ties will be even more financially have become predictable affairs: burdened by these increased de- the BN always wins. Indeed, po- The survey further reported that posits. litical scientists writing on Malay- Malaysians also take their politi- sia have described our political cal parties seriously.
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