Concept of democracy

• Democracy is a form of a government in which a

substantial proportion of citizenry directly or
indirectly participate in ruling the state.
• Malaysia practices parliamentary democracy to
form a peaceful and stable country.
• The democracy system introduced in Malaysia
since 1909 when the federal council was formed.
• A leader in a democracy country elected through
secret ballot or election.
 The history of parliament and
election in Malaysian
• Started in 1909 when the federal council was
formed for the Federated Malay states.
• In 1927- the council had several changes when
Sultans were not the member of the council and the
number of representative from different sectors
and the British officer increased in the council.
• At straits settlement- democracy system also
introduced- Crown colony government
• After w.w II the federal council and crown colony
were replaced by the Malayan union
• 1948- Malayan union was replaced by the
Federation of Malaya.
• 1951- member system was formed- almost the
same as mini cabinet.
• 1955- FOM amendment to let election exercise and
increased the legislative council members to
98.52- elected and 46- nominated
• 1959- 104- elected.
 Election
• An election is a method of choosing a leaders or
making decision by process of voting.
• Election is not confine to democracy they also
been used in authoritarian kinds of government.
• Election are never entirely free.they are
conducted according to various rules and
restrictions.
• Election commission is responsible to all
election processes.
• The commission is elected by YDPA after a
discussion with the conference of rulers.
• The commission consist of 1 chairman, 1 deputy
chairman and 3 members.
• The members can hold the post until age 65 years
old.
• Parliament is the period from one general election
to another covering a period of 5 years from the
date of the first meeting of parliament held after a
general election.
• At the end of the term parliament will be dissolved
and within 60 days (pen)and 90days (sabah
&sarawak) a election must be held
• Parliamentary democracy is quite slow in term
of implementation because the government
have to discuss and consider opinions from
various stages group of people
• A government normally prefers to choose a
popular decision rather than the best decision in
order to win in the next election.
• T’fore - it different from dictator system
• Parliamentary democracy is a government that
elected by citizen and for citizen.
 E le c t io n c o m m is s io n
c h o o s e th e d a te o f th e
e le c t io n

N o m in a t io n d a y

m a n ife s t o
p r e p a r a t io n

c a m p a ig n

a n n o u n c e th e
p la c e fo r
v o t e c o u n t in g

e le c t io n d a y

v o te
c o u n t in g

r e s u lt
a n n o u n c e m e n t
Pre-requisite of voter
• 1- Malaysian citizen
• 2- Resides in an election division on the
(qualifying) date or if not residing is
considered as absentee voter
• 3- not less than 21 years of age on the
qualifying date.
• 4- is not disqualified
 3 categories of absentee voters
• 1- A Malaysian who is working in the Federation Armed Forces
or Commonwealth countries, who with his wife lives in a
residence provided by Armed Forces authority on the date of
application to register as voter in the electoral district.
• 2- A Malaysian citizen living overseas with his wife but
working with the Federal or State government or local or
semi-government authority, who has applied to register
himself as a voter in the electoral constituency.
• 3- A Malaysian citizen (and wife) who is studying abroad, who
applies to register himself as a voter in the electoral
constituency.
Disqualified voter
• 1- On the qualifying date is detained as a person of
unsound mind or is serving a sentence of
imprisonment; or
• 2- before the qualifying date he has been convicted of
an offence and sentenced to death or imprisonment
for a term exceeding 12 months and is still liable on
the qualifying date; or
• 3- found guilty under the election offences Act 1954; or
• 4- has acquired a foreign citizenship
Pre-requisite of candidate
• Malaysian citizen and a resident of the
country
• must not less than 21 years of age on
nomination day
• he must be a resident of the state if
contesting a state seat
• is not disqualified
 Disqualified candidate
• Has been found or declared to be of unsound mind ; or
• Found to be bankrupt; or
• holding an “office of profit”; or
• failed to lodge any return of election expenses; or
• has been convicted of an offence by a court of law in
Malaysia and sentenced to imprisonment for a term
not less than 1 year or to be fine of not less than
RM2000
• has obtained a foreign citizenship
• Pericles defination of democracy in Athens
• “Our constituntion is named a democracy,
because it is in the hands not of the few but of the
many. But our laws secure equal justice for all in
their private disputes and our public opinion
welcomes and honors talent in every branch of
achievement…..on the ground of excellent a
lone…..our citizen attend both to public and
private duties and do not allow absorption in
their various affairs to interfere with their
knowledge of the city’s….we decide or debate,
carefully and in person of matters of policy
holding….that acts are foredoomed to failure
when undertaken undiscussed