| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Parlimen / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Dewan Rakyat / House of Representatives |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Dewan Negara / Senate
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
8 March 2008 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in the House of Representatives following premature dissolution of this body on 13 February 2008. Elections had previously taken place on 21 March 2004. |
On 13 February 2008
King Sultan Mizan Zainal Abi dissolved Parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Badawi Abdullah
paving the way for early elections to the House of Representatives to be held on 8 March. The elections were constitutionally due by March 2009
but have traditionally been held in the fourth year of parliament's five-year term in this country of 26 million inhabitants (66% ethnic Malay
25% ethnic Chinese and 8% ethnic Indian).
In the elections held in March 2004
the National Front (BN)
the multi-ethnic 14-party coalition that includes Prime Minister Abdullah's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO)
had won 199 of the 219 seats at stake
its eleventh consecutive victory. The opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP)
which has the support of the country's ethnic Chinese
had won 12 seats. The Alternative Front
composed of the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) and the People's Justice Party (Parti KeADILan Rakyat
PKR)
had won seven seats.
Mr. Anwar Ibrahim
a former deputy prime minister
criticized the decision to hold early elections
which would take place one month before the ban on his participation in elections was due to expire. An outspoken critic of former prime minister Mr. Mohamad Mahathir
was convicted of corrupt practices and sodomy in a controversial 1999 court decision and barred from running for election until 15 April 2008. His wife and PKR president
Mrs. Wan Azizah
said that if she was elected in the 2008 elections
she would step down so that Mr. Ibrahim would be able to contest the ensuing by-election.
The 2008 elections to the enlarged 222-seat House of Representatives were held amid increasing ethnic and religious tension and concern over crime
rising food and fuel prices. In November 2007
over 10
000 ethnic Indians led street protests
insisting that they were victims of official discrimination. The 37-year-old affirmative action programme favouring ethnic Malay applications for government jobs and educational institutions was reportedly unpopular among ethnic Chinese and Indians. The Government argued that the monthly income of ethnic Indians was higher than the national average.
Prime Minister Abdullah called on voters to renew the BN's mandate
arguing that its numerous programmes had reduced poverty from 60 per cent at the time of independence to the current 5.7 per cent. He emphasized that the BN had the necessary experience and capability to further develop the country.
Before the 2008 elections
the DAP and the PKR agreed not to field candidates in the same constituencies
so as to avoid splitting the opposition vote. The DAP aimed to prevent a two-thirds majority of the ruling parties in the Parliament and said it would abolish the system whereby Senators are appointed. Mr. Ibrahim's legacy reportedly boosted support for the PKR
which ran on an anti-corruption platform. Many opposition candidates conveyed their campaign messages via the Internet.
The Election Commission introduced transparent plastic ballot boxes for the first time. Its original plan to use indelible ink to prevent multiple voting was cancelled at the last minute
a decision criticized by the PKR. The Election Commission announced that the decision had been taken to ensure smooth conduct of elections.
74.72 per cent of the nearly 11 million registered voters turned out at the polls.
The BN remained the largest force in the new parliament with 140 seats but failed to secure a two-thirds majority
its worst result since the country's independence in 1957. Former prime minister Mahathir called for Mr. Abdullah's resignation
a demand the latter rejected.
The opposition parties took a total of 47.8 per cent of the votes nationwide. The number of seats controlled by the opposition jumped from 19 to 82. The PKR won 31
followed by the DAP with 28. The PAS took 23. Mrs. Azizah (PKR) was re-elected
paving the way for Mr. Ibrahim's possible return to parliament.
On 10 March
Mr. Abdullah was sworn in as prime minister for a second five-year term.
The newly elected House of Representatives held its first session on 28 April
and elected Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Hj Mulia as its new Speaker.
On 31 July
Ms. Wan Azizah (PKR) resigned her seat. Her husband
Mr. Ibrahim
won the resulting by-election on 26 August by a landslide. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 8 March 2008 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
10'922'139
8'161'039 (74.72%)
177'256
7'983'783 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| National Front (BN) |
|
4'081'115 |
|
|
51.12 |
|
|
| People's Justice Party (PKR) |
|
1'529'256 |
|
|
19.15 |
|
|
| Democratic Action Party (DAP) |
|
1'097'752 |
|
|
13.75 |
|
|
| Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) |
|
1'140'598 |
|
|
14.29 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| National Front (BN) |
140
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Justice Party (PKR) |
31
|
|
|
|
|
| Democratic Action Party (DAP) |
28
|
|
|
|
|
| Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) |
23
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
198
24
10.81%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- http://www.spr.gov.my/
- Election Commission (30.01.2009)
- Parliament (09.04.2008
01.01.2010
25.01.2012) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
