The unjust electoral system in Malaysia

In aftermath of the 12th general election, we had saw so many by-elections going on following death of many elected parliamentarians and state assemblymen. Elections after elections, all the events were dominated by the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition because the government machinery is controlled by them.

The traditional mainstream medias, such as information offices, TV stations, newspapers and radio stations are fully mobilized to attack the opposition coalition at all times. Very often these BN leaders used government-owned transportation and services to channel their electoral campaign messages to the people, at the same time totally denying opposition leaders the right to use them, despite their pledge to do so.

Aside this, the BN leaders too have another advantage, the Election Commission (EC) which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Department. Under the prime minister who is also the Umno president and BN chairman, the federal ruling coalition had manipulated EC to their best advantages in getting millions of mysterious and unknown votes under their hands in order to win general elections.

Apart from that, as the federal government, these BN leaders had always get their opportunities to make it to the ground first, by campaigning publicly and putting up their flags, banners and posters even when the date of the general election or by-election has yet to be announced by the EC.

And now, on the impending Sarawak state election which the state's dictatorial chief minister had announced that the state legislative assembly would be dissolved to pave way for the next state election, the BN leaders had already began to campaign, by holding ceramahs, rallies, putting up their flags, banners and posters everywhere which clearly contravened the electoral laws which states that political parties are not allowed to commence their election campaigns, putting up posters, flags nor banners prior to the nomination day.

But when opposition parties were to start putting up their flags, setting up their campaign booths, putting up their banners and posters prior to the nomination day, the EC is quick to act against them, citing that what the opposition parties are doing were against the electoral laws whereby campaigning are disallowed until the nomination day.

Such an unjust electoral system we have here in Malaysia. What to do? The EC reports directly to the prime minister who is also the president of Umno and chairman of the BN coalition which governs the federal government.

No matter how much we complain and mumbling at, the unjust system here will continue as long as the BN continues to govern Malaysia, until our people finally make up their mind one day in great majority to vote out this abusive coalition from Putrajaya.