PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s projected demographic changes could leave minority communities under-represented in Parliament unless the country reforms its electoral system, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
Speaking at the 2026 Parliamentary Harmony Symposium yesterday, Johari said Malaysia should consider adopting a proportional representation model to ensure minority voices continue to be represented as Malays and bumiputra are expected to account for 77.5% of the population by 2050.
“I believe the model is the best for our country. Otherwise, where are the minorities going to be?
“There will be no constituencies where they will have a majority, and the probability of them having representation in Parliament will be smaller.
“What will happen if their voices are not being heard? This is my worry,” he said in his speech during the launch of the event.
The symposium was organised by the Secretariat of the Malaysia All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPGM) on Racial and Religious Harmony, chaired by Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan.
In his speech, Syahredzan said the symposium aimed to bring discussions on racial and religious harmony to Parliament, where differences should be managed with civility, reason and mutual respect.
“Harmony should not be mistaken for uniformity or the absence of differences, but rather the ability to manage Malaysia’s diversity and harness its strengths to ensure the nation’s stability, prosperity and well-being,” he said.
He added that the secretariat was established to promote a more inclusive Malaysia by addressing gaps in existing laws, advancing racial and religious harmony, and providing a bipartisan platform for MPs to discuss sensitive issues without turning them into political disputes.
Meanwhile, Johari said efforts to strengthen national harmony must focus on long-term solutions rather than short-term political considerations.
“When we talk about harmony, we are looking at what will happen to our country in five, 25, 50 or even 100 years from now.
“As someone who has spent about 23 years in Parliament, now that I sit in the Speaker’s chair, my concerns grow with each passing day. Not fear, but concern,” he said.
Johari said that Malaysia’s diversity is far more complex than often perceived, with 77 ethnic groups across the country, and added that the challenge was to ensure all communities continued to live together harmoniously.
“Peninsular Malaysia has a population of 28 million made up of four major groups, which are the Malays, Chinese, Indians and the Orang Asli.
“Meanwhile, Sabah has 33 ethnic groups and Sarawak has 40. So when you look at it, Malaysia has 77 ethnic groups.
“So how do we live together as one nation? That is the biggest challenge we are facing,” he said.
He also said efforts to reform Malaysia’s political culture should focus on younger generations rather than veteran politicians, whose entrenched habits are difficult to change.
Johari said the tendency among veteran politicians to form new parties after disagreements reflected a political culture driven more by personal interests than public service and a reluctance to relinquish influence after leaving office.
“That is why we see what is happening in our country. It is the multiplying effect of all political parties,” he said.
He added that young Malaysians should instead be equipped with the values and experience needed to become future leaders capable of navigating the country’s increasingly diverse society.
