Malaysia's Electoral Process: The Methods and Costs of Perpetuating UMNO Rule

30 Pages Posted: 6 Oct 2017 Last revised: 23 Nov 2017

See all articles by Kai Ostwald

Kai Ostwald

University of British Columbia (UBC)

Date Written: 2017

Abstract

Malaysia’s electoral process is among the most extensively manipulated in the world. In nearly every aspect, the process is biased towards the dominant UMNO-led coalition and towards the narrow segment of the electorate from which UMNO draws much of its electoral support. This has had the effect of entrenching single-­party dominance. It has also imposed a wide range of social, political, and economic costs on Malaysia. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the electoral manipulations in Malaysia and the costs they impose. Given the extensive electoral manipulations despite Malaysia's developmental success and relative social stability, the country is an important case for efforts to better understand the methods and costs of electoral malpractice.

Keywords: Elections, Electoral Malpractice, Electoral Integrity, UMNO, Malaysia

Suggested Citation

Ostwald, Kai, Malaysia's Electoral Process: The Methods and Costs of Perpetuating UMNO Rule (2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3048551 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3048551

Kai Ostwald (Contact Author)

University of British Columbia (UBC) ( email )

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