CONTENTS T E UT Time to speak out 2 Will history repeat itself '1 6 Election Commission must Don't rock the boat II assert its independence and Current concerns 14 The struggle for housing 17 condemn unethical practices Thinking allowed 19 For decades, the Election Commission has Time to speak out remained silent in the face of dubious Residents defend their land from KTM 23 practices during election campaigns. Love, laughter and life 26 As the nation gears up for its ninth general Aliran needs a home 29 election, ANIL NETTO urges the Commission Women of peace 31 to live up to its role as an independent body whose members are appointed by the King. Transpon ministry should act 32 Prawn profits and human dignity 34 The time has come for the Commission to We have been badly oppressed 36 speak out against unfair and unethical practices in the coming election campaign period. Election campaign must be free and fair A/iron MonJhly 1995: 15(1) Page 2 "Hundreds of opposition party su~ sition party activities. What's more, this means is that RTM and TV3 porters cross over to the ruling ruling coalition parties exercise will once again feature the ruling coalition" - a typical news item in considerable control, directly or coalition prominently over prime the media during every Malaysian indirectly, over most of the major news, chat shows, forums and general election campaign. How press companies; who can force patriotic ditties, while portraying true such reports are is anyone's them then to give more space for the opposition parties negatively. guess. But's it's a familiar story - opposition parties? illustrating how politicians exploit Such one-sided coverage has the media to influence voting pat­ Some of the Chinese language provoked the ire of concerned terns. And it doesn't contribute to papers, however, have proved to be Malaysians. "It is unfair," says a fair election campaign either. less subservient to ruling parties, Masilamany, a personnel assistant treading a more independent path. at a factory in Butterworth. "The With the ninth general election Their coverage of opposition party government controls the media nearing, attention has shifted to the activities has been relatively and the opposition has no chance Election Commission's role in balanced. But that could change. to put across its ideas and plans to ensuring free and fair polls. In The Home Ministry recently warited the people." previous elections, the Commission three dailies -Far Eastern Economic merely confined itself to ensuring Review (2 March 1995) identified The Information Ministry, how­ that registration of voters, nomina­ them as Nanyang Siang Pau, Sin ever, says that it will provide more tions and polling were carried out Chew Jit Poh and China Press -· time for political parties over the smoothly. But many Malaysians that they risked losing their radio. Still, the impact pales in com­ feel this alone is insufficient if the licences if they continued to pub­ parison to television - which com­ Commission is to truly live up to lish articles undermining "the bines pictures with sound to create its role as an independent bOdy. government's efforts in creating a powerful mental images. Though They want the Commission to as­ multiracial society." An implicit radio may have a wider reach, it sert its independence, to speak out threat to toe the line, with the serves merely as a background and take action against unethical general election approaching. medium while listeners attend to practices in campaigning and vot­ other tasks: thus, listeners rarely ing. Opposition parties will thus absorb much of the message con­ find it difficult persuading news­ veyed. To its credit, the Commission papers to publicise their manifes­ has already put forward a couple of tos. And this will put them at Besides, no one knows how the positive recommendations. Re­ a considerable disadvantage Ministry will allocate radio air-time cently, it recommended that the because these dailies will have no between the various parties. An media should give fairer coverage qualms about splashing the ruling equitable basis would be to divide for all political parties. The Com­ coalition's manifesto, activities and it in the same proportion as each mission also asked the government views across their pages. If at all party's share of the popular vote at to lift the ban on public rallies to these papers cover the activities of the last general election. opposition parties, readers can allow parties ample opportunity to If at all radio is to play a mean­ expect such reports to be biased or reach out to the electorate. ingful role in the campaign, the tucked away in some obscure part Ministry should also announce of the paper. MEDIA ACCESSIBILITY prominently the time and date of each political broadcast. During the But old habits die hard. The If Malaysians cannot expect 1990 campaign, hardly anyone mass media is unlikely to heed the much from their newspapers, then knew when the stations were broad­ Commission's advice. Because they they should give up all hope on casting these short clips. have to apply to the Home television. The government has Ministry every year for a new pub­ announced that it will not allow Surely ifthe Commission is truly lication permit, they are wary of political parties any direct air-time independent, it ought put its foot antagonising the government by although it will allow the networks down and say that the overall lack expanding their coverage of oppo- to report on party activities. What of media accessiblity is unaccept- Alir1111 Motrlhly 1995: 15(1) Page 3 able. It should warn t~levision and The Commission is duty bound living expenses for the duration of radio networks and newspapers to ensure that elections are free and the campaign - a 'hard-sell' attempt that their practices are unethical fair. To compensate for the lack of at swaying votes. and not conducive to a fair elec­ media access and the ban on public tion. rallies, it can, for instance, fix a Many informed Malaysians longer campaign period between frown on such dubious practices. REACHING OUT nomination day and polling day to "This is not tlie time for any party Because the Commission level the playing field'!llittle; how­ to handout goodies," says John. realises that opposition parties have ever, it has regularly chosen to stick "Rather it is a time for Malaysians limited access to the mass media, to the legal minimum of nine days to have an intelligent discussion it recommended that the govern­ for reasons best known to itself. about the policies and manifestos ment lift the ban on public rallies. "Having only nine days for cam­ of the various parties." This would give all parties some paigning is a big disadvantage for opportunity to present their mani­ the opposition," points out Aliran But where cl> political parties festos to the public. The electorate exco member John Kim. Former get the funds to finance such would then be in a position to Aliran president Dr Ariffin Omar 'goodies'? Under existing legisla­ evaluate the plans and proposals agrees: "It seems to favour the party tion, candidates for parliamentary of the various parties. But the in power because thay are always seat can only spend a maximum of government poured cold water campaigrung over TV and radio. " RM 50,000, while those vying for over this commendable proposal. state seats cannot exceed RM BRIBING VOTERS 30,000. Many suspect that politi­ Public rallies were banned in cians frequently ignore these lim­ the seventies ostensibly because of The Commission should also its or enlist the help of party head­ the communist threat. With that watch out for attempts to bribe quarters for additional funds to threat now wiped out, the Home voters. In previous campaigns supplement their local coffers. Ministry should now allow parties such bribes took various imagina­ to campaign openly as in any other tive forms including gifts such as The Commission must step in healthy functioning democratic bicycles, lawnmowers, grass cutters, to ensure that candidates do not nation. But this is nnlikely to television sets, electricity genera­ exceed their spending limits. It happen; the official line is that tors, chainsaws and water pumps. should carry out random audits to public rallies could incite ethnic Another popular way of influenc­ verify the spending of selected tension. ing voters is for candidates to candidates. Alternatively, the Com­ pledge donations to schools espe­ mission could recommend that all Observers like Masilamany re­ cially those run independently. candidates use public funds to fi­ main cynical about the continuing Candidates have also been known nance their campaign expenditure ban: "Although they arc saying to dish out land titles and tempo­ subject to prescribed spending that rallies are banned, at the end rary occupation licences (TOLs) to limits. In this way, no one party of the day the ruling party will the disinherited. Anything for a will have an undue advantage. organise rallies using such occa­ vote. sions as Semarak campaigns and Besides monitoring spending other government ·meet-the­ The more unsrupulous candi­ limits. the Commission .should see people' functions. " dates resort to literally bribing to it that ruling parties do not abuse voters with cash in exchange for government facilites for campaign­ So far, the Commission's ad­ votes. At the 1990 general election, ing. Past experience has shown that vice has been consistently brushed the going rate was said to be RM ruling party politicians think noth­ aside. It appears content playing a 50 to RM 100 per vote. With in­ ing of using government jets and passive role, doling out well-mean­ flation biting, the payouts this time helicopters, Information Ministry ing advice even though it hardly could well be larger.