Malaysia and the fight for a real democracy


We all know that there are many countries which call themselves as democratic, but the reality is totally different. One example of it is Malaysia. This week we could see another social movement demanding one electoral reform, which was strongly opressed in Kuala Lumpur.


Although the fact that Malaysia calls itself as a democratic country, since it's independence (in 1957), is being governed by the same coalition -   the Barisan Nasional (National Front), before known as the Alliance Party.


Last year there was a protest asking for one electoral reform. The then Prime Minister Najib Razak formed a commission and proposed some changes in the law related with the revision of electoral roll and equal conditions to access to the media. These proposals were considered for the movement Bersih (created to demand clean elections) not enogh, and now they are demanding stronger electoral changes. Besides of it, this movement acuses the electoral commission to act in favour of the government.


Malaysia adopts the Westminster System, and takes place in the framework of a federal representative democratic constitutional monarchy, in which the  Yang di-Partuan Agong is head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the federal government and the 13 state governments. Federal legislative power is vested in the federal parliament and the 13 state assemblies. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature, though the executive maintains a certain level of influence in the appoitment of judges to the courts. Moreover, Malaysia has one important deficit in human rights, being common to have censorship by the government in culture and habits, directed for government's oppositors and sexual option, i.e.


With this political landscape, who could be considered democratic?