2004 Malaysian general election: Difference between revisions
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Of the 17 parliamentary seats won uncontested, nine were in the state of [[Sabah]], six in Sarawak and two in Johor. |
Of the 17 parliamentary seats won uncontested, nine were in the state of [[Sabah]], six in Sarawak and two in Johor. |
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==Re-elections== |
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Re-elections will be held in Sungai Lembing (Pahang) as the wrong party symbol was printed on the ballot paper for the opposition candidate. Illiterate voters tend to rely on familiar party symbols for voting purposes as they are unable to read the candidate's names on the ballot. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 01:48, 23 March 2004
Legislative elections were held in Malaysia on March 21, 2004. The incumbent National Front (Barisan Nasional) government of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was re-elected with an increased majority. Results issued by the Malaysian Election Commission on March 22 showed the Front winning 194 parliamentary seats to the combined opposition parties' 17 seats, with one independent.
The big loser in the election was the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS), which retained only six of its 27 seats. The PAS opposition leader, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, lost his parliamentary seat. However, Abdul Hadi Wang retained his state seat in Rendang.
Another opposition party, the People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Nasional) lost four of its five seats. The party's leader, Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (the wife of imprisoned former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) won a recount out of some 42,000 cast. The margin is unclear at the moment after five recounts in this seat. On the first preliminary count it was declared she had lost by 37 votes, however by the fifth count her majority has increased to more than 2000 votes.
The third opposition party, the Democratic Action Party, which was routed in the 1999 elections, improved its performance with the re-election of party chairman Lim Kit Siang and his deputy, Karpal Singh. Lim's daughter in law also suceeded in retaining her husband's seat. Her husband, Lim Guan Eng, has been disqualified from running due to election laws in Malaysia. The most stunning victory for DAP came from Fong Po Kuan (Batu Gajah - Perak). At 31 years of age she was the youngest MP in the last election. Her victory comes at the expense of Ong Ka Chuan, elder brother to the president of MCA; the Chinese component of the ruling National Front. The DAP appears to have won 10 seats and will regain the official leadership of the opposition from the PAS.
State elections
Elections for the legislatures of all the Malaysian states except Sarawak were also held on March 22. The National Front and its allies won majorities in all states except Kelantan where, despite earlier reports to the contrary, PAS retained control with a narrow majority of 24 seats to BN's 21 seats. The National Front regained control of the Terengganu state, which it lost to PAS in 1999.
Background
At the 1999 elections, the National Front won 150 seats. Of these, 72 were won by the United Malays National Organisation, 28 by the Malaysian Chinese Association and seven by the Malaysian Indian Congress. The opposition parties won 31 seats: 27 for the PAS, 10 for the DAP and five for the PJJ.
On March 2, the 10th national parliament and all state assemblies in Malaysia except Sarawak's were dissolved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong upon the advice of the Prime Minister. Sarawak's last state election was held in 2001.
The election was held nine months earlier than required by the constitution. The consitution requires that general elections be held every 5 years. The government had until the end of November 2004 to call elections.
Candidates were to be nominated by March 13, with Barisan Nasional winning 15 Parliamentary seats and 7 state assembly seats uncontested on nomination day itself, and another 4 state seats and two more parliamentary seats after the opposing candidates withdrew. The right to withdraw was only introduced as a new rule at these elections. Under this rule candidates are allowed a three day period to withdraw following nomination day.
The Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) won a parliamentary seat in Johor for the first time since independence, after the potential Barisan Nasional candidate was found to have been seconded by someone who was not a registered voter in the constituency where she wanted to contest. The requirement that the seconder be registered in the same constituency was only introduced in 2004.
Of the 17 parliamentary seats won uncontested, nine were in the state of Sabah, six in Sarawak and two in Johor.
Re-elections
Re-elections will be held in Sungai Lembing (Pahang) as the wrong party symbol was printed on the ballot paper for the opposition candidate. Illiterate voters tend to rely on familiar party symbols for voting purposes as they are unable to read the candidate's names on the ballot.