Current Political Situation

Since its formation as an independent state in 1963, Malaysia has never experienced a change in government. The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition has governed the country for almost 50 years. The BN is comprised of various ethnically-based political parties led by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), and includes the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), and the Malaysian People's Movement Party (Gerakan). The government prides itself on maintaining ethnic and religious peace and stability, and asserts that ruling with a firm hand sometimes means restricting civil liberties and basic rights.

Continuous rule has consolidated power in the BN, particularly UMNO, and has created an environment that has curbed dissonance and limited the growth of opposition parties. Although political power remains locked in the ruling coalition, Malaysian politics have become more dynamic since the departure of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed, who served from July 1981 until October 2003. His successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, pledged to implement several reforms, specifically on combating corruption in government. Badawi has also voiced his support for limited parliamentary reforms, allowing for more debate and public participation in legislative decision-making.

In 1998, then Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim was dismissed by Mahathir following the former's increased calls for political and economic reform. Anwar was sentenced in a highly controversial trial without corroborating evidence to six years in prison for corruption and in 2000 to another nine years in prison for sodomy. In 2004, an appeals court reversed the second conviction and he was released. Anwar's infamous trial and mistreatment in prison were highly publicized and garnered condemnation from international organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Anwar remains one of the most vocal critics of political manipulation by the Malaysian government.

In Malaysia's March 2004 national elections, the opposition lost gains they made in the 1999 elections, while the ruling coalition solidified its majority. Opposition parties lost more ground in December 2005 in a hard-fought by-election for a new state assemblyman in northeastern Kelantan state. The seat had been held by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), one of the main opposition parties, but was lost to UMNO in the by-election. PAS has governed Kelantan, Malaysia's only opposition-ruled state, since 1990. PAS remains in control, but with only a one-seat majority.

The control of government functions by the ruling party has severely limited the development of opposition parties. Furthermore, most parties have limited internal democratic procedures, with key decisions determined by a small group of leaders. Leadership regeneration in many parties has stalled due to internal factionalization or the refusal of party leaders to make way for younger cadres. Both ruling and opposition parties lack transparency, and party elections are often marred by vote buying and fraud.

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs is working to enhance the capacity and support the development of political parties in Malaysia.

NDI's Programs

In February 2005, NDI launched a program in Malaysia to foster open discourse on legislative and governmental matters and to encourage political parties to be more transparent, democratic, and communicative in their relations with one another and with the public. The program also seeks to foster dialogue between political parties and civil society on issues of reform in order to improve party constituent outreach, message development, and communication skills.

NDI is organizing workshops at the national level for political party officials to address issues of internal and external party and political reforms. NDI is encouraging political party officials to explore improvements in their parties' internal structures and decision-making processes, by sharing local and foreign experiences and lessons learned. In July 2005 NDI organized a national-level workshop for political party leaders on electoral reform.

NDI is working with Education and Research Association for Consumers (ERA Consumer), a leading Malaysian non-governmental organization known for its neutrality and effectiveness in promoting good governance. This program facilitates forums for party officials and members to discuss local concerns and improve constituent outreach. As part of this effort, NDI and ERA Consumer have organized a series of grassroots training workshops for ruling and opposition parties, focused on issues such as womens' roles in politics and Islam, the Federal Constitution, and Malaysia's human rights commission.

NDI is presently conducting workshops across Malaysia to promote free and fair elections in collaboration with Research for Social Advancement (REFSA). In November 2006, NDI conducted a series of single-party training sessions on strategic communications and messaging. NDI conducted a workshop for the fledgling Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) that focused on improving the action plans of each participating organization or political party in accomplishing their objectives.

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