LETTER | Following PAS’ decision to not appeal the nullification of Ahmad Amzad Hashim’s electoral victory during GE15 in the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat, politicians from both sides have picked up the issue as they are actively campaigning for the upcoming state elections.
However, the Kelantan caretaker government led by PAS just recently announced a free bus service for outstate students to return to vote.
Meanwhile, it is still uncertain whether the federal government would implement goodwill initiatives to bait votes from the voters or not.
During Raya, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim organised Iftar sessions specifically in the six states facing elections.
Incumbent Bandar Utama assemblyperson Jamaliah Jamaludin, in a forum, urged the government to provide travel incentives for outstate students and workers to return home to vote.
She missed the point that the government is also formed by politicians and their parties; therefore, the purity of the aid issued during the campaigning period cannot be ensured.
Influencing voters with one-time aids or schemes during the campaigning period is a desecration of democracy. Voters’ decisions should only be based on the track records of the incumbents before the state assemblies were dissolved and the promises and pledges stated in the candidates’ manifestos and speeches.
Despite being a regular practice, there is no law in Malaysia that governs the role of the caretaker government. This legal gap has granted chances for the incumbents to do whatever they want to buy votes.
It need not be cash handouts. It could also be various government initiatives launched during the campaigning period that the caretakers would claim as “necessary” and “people-centred”.
The role of the caretaker government requires a legal definition that lists out what it can and cannot do during the campaigning periods of elections.
This can eliminate the unfair incumbent advantage, one of the factors why a certain party could stay in power for so long despite many voices against them on the ground.
Speaking of incumbent advantage, the ability of the federal government to affect the results of state elections cannot be ignored.
The channel of funds to the people or the launching of federal-level initiatives targeted at certain states could alter the voters’ perception towards their state-level incumbents, especially when the incumbents are from the same party as the federal government.
Even when the federal government does not issue various government incentives during the campaigning periods of state elections, voters would perceive that the party ruling at the federal level would develop their states more, due to the unfair budget allocation between the ruling government and opposition-led states.
Nonetheless, the country would fall into chaos if the federal government stops operating during state elections. Hence, a law is needed to dictate that federal and state-level elections be conducted on the same date.
However, it should also be acknowledged that since Sheraton Move, all the states have conducted elections at different times, leading to different mandatory dissolving dates for the coming term.
The government, by engaging with the Election Commission (EC) and NGOs, should thoroughly study this to establish a functioning system.
Clearly defining the role of caretaker governments and standardising the federal and state-level election times could minimise the potential of vote buying during the campaigning periods.
Nevertheless, the plight facing outstation voters cannot be abandoned as well. Massive traffic jams and expensive travelling fees are real problems happening on the ground.
To address this, the government must study an advanced voting system for outstation voters. Similar to the early polls for soldiers, police, and election volunteers, outstation voters who face difficulties in returning home to vote should be allowed to vote earlier in the states they are staying in.
Businesses and employers should also consider allowing outstation voters to flexibly choose whether they want to work from home or in office during the campaigning periods of elections. This can provide more time for them to travel home while minimising traffic jams on the roads.
Under such a system, the dilemma between the need for government assistance and vote buying would not remain intact anymore.
Voters can cast their votes purely based on their support towards a candidate or party, but not influenced by various one-time political measures conducted during the campaigning periods.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
