As Malaysians prepare for GE15 on November 19th, the absence of excitement in the air and the lack of buzz and anticipation which the country felt leading up to GE14, is as apparent as it is concerning.
Certain political commentators have chalked this up to voter apathy, implying Malaysian voters are disinterested in the elections, or, are apathetic towards Malaysian politics. This simply is not true.
Malaysians care about politics and are concerned about the upcoming elections. What GE14 voters do not care for is having been cheated by politicians and political parties, through backdoor governments, party-hopping and having 3 Prime Ministers in the past 4 years. This was certainly not what GE14 voters voted for in 2018. In 2018, the country as a whole voted for change, for stability, for hope. What they got in return were selfish politicians scrambling for power and personal gain, and in doing so, upsetting the nation’s stability when Malaysians needed it the most during the pandemic.
As a result of this, most voters experienced political alienation. This sense of not being able to effect any change or bring about national stability through their individual vote is not apathy. It is being burnt and not wanting to put their hands in the fire again.
A frequently asked question by voters today is - “Why should I vote? I voted before and politicians did not respect my vote. What is different this time?” While the past 4 years have been tumultuous, to say the least, many Malaysians and some Members of Parliament have worked hard behind the scenes for the Anti-Hopping Law to be passed in order to ensure the incoming government will be more stable than what Malaysians have experienced in recent years, and so that voters will not be cheated again.
This law is also a way to return power back to voters. It centres on the rights of voters and acknowledges the place of voters in the democratic system. It is voters who decide the course of the country. It is voters whose decisions Parliament representatives have to respect. The vote should be honoured, and the voters respected. This is the bedrock of democracy. Elected representatives must acknowledge that voters are king in any election. Whatever the decision of the majority may be, that is what goes.
With the Anti-Hopping Law now in effect, a Member of Parliament elected in GE15 who defects will face the consequences of having to immediately vacate their seat. If the vacated MP wishes to, he or she may recontest in a byelection to seek a fresh mandate from the voters, to justify his or her initial decision to hop. Ultimately, it is the voters who decide whether the reasons for hopping are justified and whether or not this Member of Parliament can retain their seat or should be kicked out for good.
There are many what-ifs in this coming election, and a whole lot of worry about the direction Malaysia is heading in. What is certain is that Malaysians want leaders who honour the vote, respect voters, and who put the stability of the nation before political or personal gains. This can be achieved only through voting. The vote is the voice. There is no other way for Malaysians to have a say except through their vote. For GE15, voters can put their confidence in the Anti-Hopping Law which will punish any elected representative who party-hops.
The right of having a voice and using it to choose your elected representative is uniquely yours, and for GE15, the Anti-Hopping Law has your back.
