MALAYSIAN ELECTION

School Of Pharmacy
Critical Thinking
UCS1555

MALAYSIAN ELECTION ISSUE AND ITS SOLUTION

Name

: Sundari a/p Raman

Matric ID

: 01201505****

Date of submission

: 31st October 2015

Lecturers Name

: Mr Ib

MALAYSIAN ELECTION
Table of content
1. Introduction
2. Malaysian Election Issues and Its Solution
3. Discussion and Conclusion
4. References
Introduction
The Federation of Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system
of government. The parliamentary members are composed of His Majesty the King as the
Head of State, The Senate and The House of Representatives. His Majesty the King as Head
of State is elected once every five years among the nine rulers of the Malay States who form
the Conference of Rulers, also known as Majlis Raja-raja.
The membership of The Senate or Dewan Undangan Negeri members is divided into
two categories. The State Legislative Assembly elects 26 members and 44 members are
appointed by His Majesty the King on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The House of Representatives or commonly known as Dewan Rakyat, consists of 222
members who are elected through a General Election held every five years. The party with
most elected members is eligible to form a federal government to rule the country. The Prime
Minister is elected from the party that wins the majority number of seats in the House of
Representatives.
Malaysian citizens who are 21 years old and above, not obstructed by the law and
who are registered as voters are eligible to cast their votes for the candidates of The House of
Representatives. Youth voters from the age of 21 to 40 years old make up about one fifth of
the nations registered voters.

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Malaysian Election Issue and Its Solution
General elections are held every five years in Malaysia and the youth are encouraged
to cast their votes. However, not many young adults participate in the general elections. Many
claim that their vote doesnt make a difference or that the election is controlled by corruption.
As a part of the younger generation voters, I would say my vote is important because it is a
right given to every citizen to have their opinions voiced out in forging a new government.
This is by selecting their favoured Member of Parliament to represent their community.
Nevertheless, there are many reasons why youngsters lack interest to participate in the
general election. The petty methods used by political parties to fish for votes do not impress
the younger generation. Methods such as giving out vouchers for students, low wagers and to
purchase smart phones are likely to be seen as bribery. Youngsters also have the idea that
most of the elections are won or rather, controlled through the circulation of corrupted money
involving candidates and other responsible parties. Besides that, many are also not
knowledgeable about their role as a voter during an election and many are not even
registered. This careless attitude of the younger generation is actually a bigger issue that
needs to be handled than focusing about how to obtain their votes to win an election.
Malaysian youngsters still lack the knowledge about their right as a citizen and their duties
towards the country and people.
Another issue faced by Election Commission of Malaysia is damaged ballot papers.
Are they doing this out of silliness or is it a deliberate action? By doing so, they are throwing
away a right given to them down the drain. It is a complete waste of the chance given to make
a change. There are also some cases where people cast votes in an area they previously lived.
As their addresses are not updated, they cannot be registered to vote for the candidate who is
representing their current community area.
Besides that, the election lacks transparency in how its held. The people should be

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educated about the voting system once they register as voters. It must be made compulsory
for them to attend a briefing session to know why are elections carried out and how does it
work. There needs to be a rule or law making it mandatory for citizens who are 21 years and
older to be registered as voters as well as cast their votes during every election. Failing to do
either one, can cause troublesome consequences. For example, if a 30 year old registered
voter has never voted, he or she cannot benefit from the plans of the government made for the
people such as low-interest loans offered for small mission enterprises. This kind of rules can
urge the people to vote. However, who they choose to vote for, remains their choice. In a way,
the youngsters of the nation will eventually learn the importance of voting as well as the
importance of an election.
A democratic government is built through the voice of the people .Winning or losing
can be merely decided by a single vote. Therefore, we can see the significance of a single
vote here. This is exactly what the youngsters need to see past their hatred and understanding
of money playing a role. They are given an opportunity to change the corrupted sectors of the
government, but only if they decide to step up and play their role. Todays youngsters lack
responsibility towards their country and people. To create this sense of responsibility, they
must be given an opportunity to engage in activities and make plans for the people. Their
voice must be taken seriously. After all, arent they the pillars of tomorrow?

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Discussion and Conclusion
The young voters of the nation lack knowledge. They must be educated so that in
future they can educate the latter generation to carry on a better legacy. Youths must be given
an opportunity to have their voice heard and actions taken accordingly. Candidates need to
show some proof that they will represent their people even before they have won. Empty
promises are what people have seen, even kids are being taught that politicians do not keep
their promises. This is just the status quo. Of course its not a difficult task to draw a cross on
a piece of paper in the right place but there are just so many reasons that simply kill the
interest to do so.
Youngsters need to understand that voting is the core of a democratic ruling system
and every vote counts. They are given the power to choose the next Member of Parliament to
represent their society for the better. They need to be instilled with patriotism so that they will
play their part to create a better future for the nation. Instead of pointing fingers to corrupted
officers, they can actually stand up and do something do change the system. A small part
done right, by many, can make an indeed large difference. The Ministry of Youth should try
to reach out to the younger voters in various ways as possible.

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References
Name,A.A.,&Name,A.A.,(date). Title of paper.Title of Journal,17,414-434.
(Indent if name is too long Like this!)
His Majesty The King. (2013, March 18). Retrieved October 4, 2015, from
http://www.parlimen.gov.my/yda-maklumat-umum.html?uweb=yg&
The Senate. (2013, March 18). Retrieved October 4, 2015, from
http://www.parlimen.gov.my/maklumat-umum.html?uweb=dn&
House of Representatives. (2013, March 19). Retrieved October 4, 2015, from
http://www.parlimen.gov.my/maklumat-umum.html?uweb=dr&
Pendaftaran Pemilih. (2015, September 30). Retrieved October 4, 2015, from
http://www.spr.gov.my/index.php/pendaftaran-pemilih1?layout=edit&id=15#syaratlayak-mendaftar