1. Election is most important feature in democratic society.

Why we need election?

 Citizens transfer their rights and choose representatives to run the
country on our behalf.
Two types of demoracy system:
I. Direct democracy
 However, cannot practice in our country bcs of the number of ppl in
every country in the world too huge.
II. Representative democracy
 Only can uphold through representative democracy whereby choosing
someone who is executive to run the country on our behalf.
 Cannot choose the executive directly, normally choose the members into
parliament and then form executive.
 Fair open just election is very important if want to have proper
democratic system of government.
Is our system good enough?
I. Voters is person who works during election, not everyone is voter bc we may or
may not vote. In malaysia&uk, voting is not compulsory. But it is good as
democracy works two ways.
ii. Constituent is person that stays in their constituency 选区 which is place where
you actually stay and the place where MP is representating you.
 Although you are not the voter but you still a constituent. 你不能投票但是你还是有选区的了
based on 你的地址。
 He represents every person in that constituency regardless of whether you are a
voter or not.
iii. You must be a constituent but not everyone is electorate 选民. Electorate is a
person who is registered in the unit register, historically not everyone is
electorate as need to register yourself in the electoral register. If you are not
registered, you cannot vote as a general rule.But now are automatically register
as electorate.
 If you are not electorate, you cannot be voter but you still a constituent.
2. In Malaysia, they have an Election commission
 A special commission that is in charge of all election methods in Malaysia.
 They are in charge of running the election, make sure it is fair, clean, not bursting
once anyway.
 Also judge the sizes of the constituency.
3. In UK, they have Boundary Commission。
 The job of adjusting the size of constituency lays on the hands of boundary
commission.
Majority system
1. The current system in Malaysia is First past the post system
 Known as simple majority system.
  Is a constituency 选区 based system. The country, Malaysia is divided into
small areas where a people actually stay and vote in that area.
 Dewan Rakyat has 222 seats, which means Malaysia has to divided into 222
constituency. 1 constituency consists of 1 member of parliament/ each
constituency will be represented by one member of parliament.
 When you go to vote, you can see the name of candidates on the paper, and
you X the candidate you want to vote.
 Who obtain more vote in that constituency, who win the seat.
 Malaysia is federal system. Some state may have state election, some state
may not have (eg. Malacca), so usually there will have 2 elections, 1 vote is
for state assembly(choose state government) and 1 vote for deferral
parliament.
 The federal system is also FPTP.
How to form government?
 All of 222 seats which party controls at least 50% of seats become ruling
party. Their leader of party will become the prime minister of the country.
Advantages of FPTP:
i. very simple system to operate. Morning election start and can get the
result in the evening.
ii. Can maintain the constituencies so the links between voters and MPs
are not broken.
iii. Normally leads to a strong and stable government.
 FPTP is a plurality electoral system so whereby in order to win,
must obtain the majority of vote.
 It will assist the government/ruling party to get enough seats
to rule comfortably.
But FPTP often translates a small number of votes into a big number of seats. How does this
happen?
 FPTP is based on the constituencies
 FPTP does not need to have 50% of votes in that constituency but only have to more
votes than other candidates.
 Then the ruling party or bigger party normally have an advantage over the smaller
party as they have more manpower, more money, and more campaigning power.
 The smaller parties actually have a lot of support and votes but it is not enough to
override the bigger party, so the bigger party still wins.
 Since only one person can win for one constituency, so the other candidate is
already disregarded.
*FPTP does not need to have 50% of votes in that constituency but only have to more
votes than other candidates.
Disadvantages
 i. Cannot ensure the equality of value of all votes.
 The principle of one man, one vote, one value means everyone
has one vote, one vote must have equal value.
How to achieve this using FPTP?
 Bukit Bintang(many voters) vs Perlis(less voters) which place will
give us more power as a voter?
 Voters in Perlis are more powerful, your votes in Bukit bintang
which has many voters are not valuable.
 The less voters there are, the more powerful they become. 因为是
voters 选人 所以他的票很有 power 可以决定谁做领袖.
 It is impossible to achieve one man, one vote and one value bcs
the constituency cannot have equal number of voters.
 So the job of election commission is not easy as they have to
adjust the conspiracy to try their best to ensure one man has one
votes and one value.
 Gerry Mandering is a dangerous process whereby the people
realized that the election or boundary commission sometimes not
be neutral and they may try to adjust the size of constituency in a
way to favour the ruling party in hoping they are able to win more
seats.
ii. Normally leads to a lot of wasted votes.
 In every constituency, a losing candidate will have a lot of votes.
 Eg. A has 4000 votes, B has 3000 votes, C has 2000 votes, D has 1000 votes. A win
as he got 4000 votes bcs he has more votes among the four candidates. But the
votes of BCD have 6000 votes, more than A.
 Once the candidate loses, the vote is zero value. so that’s why this is called
wasted votes.
iii. Can leads to a very strong and stable government.
* Can be benefit, can be disadvantage too.
 As government becomes too strong and too stable, there is
possibility that they can abuse their power.
 Eg. Malaysia, the government start using their powers when they
became too strong and stable.
iv. Often translates small number of votes into bigger number of seats.
 EG. BN in 2014, they got less than 50% of total votes but somehow
they got 60% of seats.
 1997 UK election, Tony Blair won the election. He won 419 out of
659 seats (64% of seats) in the House of Commons. After election,
the researchers counted the total votes that went to Tony’s labour
party, only got 44.4% of total votes across UK.
 The issue is why 44.4% of votes can become 64% of seats?
Shouldn’t 44.4% would be 44.4% of seats?
 It is not fair. This shows that FPTP do not reflect on the real wishes
of the voters.
  1983 UK election, issue between Labour Party and SDP Stroke
Alliance Party. They counted the total votes after election, and
they found that the label party only obtained about 27 or 28% of
total votes in UK but the SDP Alliance obtained about 25% of total
votes. But the labor party got more than 30% of seats and SDP
only got 3.3% of seats.
 UK also use FPTP system but UK was under pressure by European Union to change
the system. EU said that FPTP is not democratic enough.
 Because of these disadvantages, we have to look into alternatives.
2. Alternative voting system(AVS)
 Same as FPTP. Still have constituency.
Differences between FPTP and alternative voting system
 When the voter goes toward during election, you have to
vote based on preference.
 Both AVS and SVS are called preferential voting system bcs
the voters vote based on their own preferences.
 Eg. Ali, Abu, Gopal, Mary. You like Mary more then you put
Mary number one.

How does AVS work?

 the voters vote based on their own preferences for all
candidates in the list.
 In order for the candidate to win the seat to represent the
constituency, the candidate must obtain at least 50% of
first preference vote. In other words, it means at least 50%
of people in that constituency must put that candidate as
their number 1.
 Eg. A has 4000 votes, B has 3000 votes, C has 2000 votes, D
has 1000 votes. Nobody wins bcs must get 50% of the first
preferences votes.
  If none of the candidates achieve 50% of first preference
vote, then they will take off the candidate with the lowest
number of first preference vote, then the voter who put
this candidate as first preference vote will go to their
second preference. Eg. 1000 voters put D as 1st prefence,
but D is out then the votes will go to their 2nd preference
either ABC.
3. Supplementary vote system(SVS)
 The difference is voters don’t vote 1234, they only rank
their candidate based on no 1 and 2.(top 2)

 In order for the candidate to win the seat to represent the

constituency, the candidate must obtain at least 50% of
first preference vote.
 If none of them get 50% of 1st preference vote, they will
remove everyone except the top 2.
 A has 4000 votes, B has 3000 votes, C has 2000 votes, D
has 1000 votes. C&D will be removed and the voters who
vote for them, their vote will go to their 2nd preference
either A&B.
Advantages of AVS&SVS
i. They are constituency-based system.
ii. Can maintain the constituencies so the links between voters and MP are not broken.
iii. Normally, it leads to a strong and stable government.
 It will assist the government/ruling party to get enough seats to rule
comfortably.
iv. It is relatively simple to understand the system.
 Is complicated more than FPTP as FPTP only put X.
 But overall, is a simple system as the voter only rank the candidates based on
their preference.
 illiterate voters or people are not educated, this system may be a problem for
them.
v. In order to win the seat, must get at least 50% of 1st preference vote.
  Compared to FPTP, FPTP does not require 50% but in these system, at least
majority of candidate has obtained the majority of support of voter in that
constitutuency.
vi. The vote from losing candidate is not wasted.
 Bcs the voters’ 2nd preference still get the vote.
 Compared to FPTP, need to vote 1 person, if the person lose, your vote is
wasted. These systems vote for more than 1 person, so your vote may go to
2nd preference, your vote has some value compared to FPTP which is no
value.
Disadvantages: (same as FPTP, so why choose system that cause the same problem as
FPTP?)
i. Gerry Mandering happen
 is a dangerous process whereby the people realized that the
election or boundary commission sometimes not be neutral and
they may try to adjust the size of constituency in a way to favour
the ruling party in hoping they are able to win more seats.
 The job of election or boundary commission is not easy as they
have to adjust the conspiracy to try their best to ensure one man
has one votes and one value.
ii. Government may still be very strong and stable.
 Government must be more accountable and answerable, so they
must not be too stable and too strong.
iii. It is difficult to ensure that the voters really want to vote for their 2 nd
preference.
 Such system is very fake and false bcs it forces the voters to vote
their 2nd preference. If don’t have 2nd preference, your vote is void.
 This is unfair to the voter. There is possibility that the voter only
want to vote their 1st preference, don’t have 2nd preference, but to
make sure their vote is not void, so they choose 2nd preference,
but what if their 1st preference lose? And their vote is going to 2nd
preference, but they don’t really want to vote their 2nd preference.
iv. Cannot ensure the equality of value of all votes.

*If want to reform FPTP, it is not logical to change to another majority system such as AVS
or SVS bcs the country will be faced with the same problem as FPTP.
 EU favors the Proportional System rather than majority system.
*if don’t want a majority system, can reform to the proportional system(PR) or
hybrid system.
Proportional system
  Means the system gives equal value to every vote. The percentage of seats of the
party in Dewan or HOC must be directly proportional to how many vote have
obtained.
 If you get 20% of votes, you must be given 20%of seats in parliament.
 A very fair system whereby every vote has value and must ensure that every party is
given fair treatment during elections.
 But in 1997 UK, 2014 MALAYSIA&1983 UK does not happen.
 Such a system is the only way to ensure actual democracy.
 Every vote will have equal value, one man, one vote, one value so there will be no
wasted votes anymore.
EXAMPLES OF PR
1. Single transferable voting system
 Based on big constituencies/ multi-member constituencies. Each constituency
must have between 5-7 MPs. X sisingle-memberonstituencies anymore.
 Still retain the constituencies but the sizes of cothe nstituency is enlarged to a
great extent.
 In order for the candidate to win the seat to represent the constituency, he must
meet a quota. They have the formula to count on the quota, in order to be a
member for that constituency, you must satisfy the quota first.
How do the voters vote?
 The voters will be given the total number of votes based on how many MPs
you want from that constituency. Eg. Want 6 MPs, ppl can choose 6
candidates.
 In order to win, these 6 ppls must reach the quota. Eg, if the quota is 30000,
you must get 30000 1st preference vote.
 The voters are allowed to choose a few candidates bcs each constituency can
get more than 1 MPs.
 It is also a preferential system. If your 6 candidates cannot reach the quota,
then the candidate who got the lowest number of 1st preference vote will be
took off, and the vote will be given to their 2nd preference and so on.
Advantages of STV:
ii. Each constituency have more than one MPs.
 Still maintain the constituencies so the link between constituent
and MPs are not broken.
ii. It is more proportional bcs less wasted votes.
 Every vote will have equal value.
Disadvantages:
iii. Very complicated process and will take a longer time for the election’s
results to be calculated.
  It may not be suitable for a generation that affects many voters, it
only can be used on an area that affects small area of voters. Eg.
Maybe for London election but not for whole UK country bcs it can
be quite slow to calculate the votes.
2. Party-list system
How do the voters vote?
 Before the election, every party will be required to drop their own
list of candidates. There are a long list of people for each party,
and these are all their candidates.
 The voters don’t vote for the candidates, vote for the party.
 This system destroys the constituency. Eg. Country A will be 1 big
constituency and everyone was the voters and vote not based on
candidates, vote based on party list.
 In order to win, each party will be given number of seats based on
how many precent of votes. Eg, BN got 30% of votes, they got 30%
of seats.
 So the percentage of seats you get in Parliament or Dewan Rakyat,
it is directly proportional to how many percentage of vote that the
party has obtained.
Advantages:
i. Is the simplest system to use ,to calculate the votes and to operate.
 The voter does not need to look at candidates, only need to know
which party they want to vote.
 This is easy for illiterate voters to vote.
 Easy for the election commission to count the vote of election.
 Very easy to get the result.
ii. 100% proportional.
 How many percent you get, you can directly get how many seats
in Parliament.
 This means every vote has equal value. One man has one vote and
one vote has equal value.
 This leads to no wastage of votes as everyone’s vote has value.
iii. Election commission and Boundary Commission no longer can use Gerry
Mandering techniques to asjust the size of constituency.
*Party list system is the most fair of system among all the system.
Disadvantages:
i. There will be no more constituency.
 This destroys the traditional link between the constituents and
MPs in that constituency.
  If have any problem in your constituency only can go through the
anybody from the list, but this means the MPs do not represent
your constituency.
ii. lead to a lot of injustices and unfairness.
 If the candidate comes from bigger party, their name may be
cannot found by voter in the list as the number of candidates in
party is too many, so they do not have chance to win.
 Who determines the order of the list? Should be the party
leaders.
 So this may lead to injustice and unfairness within the party itself.
iv. Lead to a very weak and unstable government.
 Eg. France use this system and the gov can be quite unstable.
 This is bcs the ruling party may not have enough seats to rule comfortably.
 Have to rely on smaller parties to combine with them and rely on the support of
opposition to pass bills in Parliament.
*this system may not be very suitable for Malaysia, although is a good system.
How do we achieve a balance?
 Since majority system, government will be too strong and too stable, a lot of
corruption and scandals. These system have been criticized by EU as
undemocratic. On the other hand, PR system such as party list will lead to a
lot of problem, government is weak and unstable.
 If want to reform the system, the best way to go is middle line/middle way)
which is hybrid system.
Hybrid System: (combined with majority system and proportional system)
2. Additional member system(AMS)
 A combination of FPTP& party list system.
 Every voter will automatically have 2 votes. The voters must
vote for the candidate from the constituency and other vote
for the party list.
 Eg. Malaysia, every voter come from one constituency. One
MPs represent the constituent.
 Count the total number of constituency in Malaysia and then
how many seats each party has won in Parliament.(FPTP)
 Second vote is vote for the party.
How to determine who rules the country?
 They combined the total number of seats won by each party from FPTP with the
total number of seats won by each party from the party list.
 Assume: 222 constituencies. BN won 86, PH 70, PN 72. This only from FPTP side, still
need to count party list site. BN won 30% of vote, PH 50%, PN 20%, they increased
parliament size, allocate 200 more seats from the party. So BN got 30% out of 200, is
60 seats more then plus with FPTP, 86 , now BN have 146 seats. PH got 50% out of
 200= 100 then + 70 =170, PN got 20% out of 200=40, +72= 112. The ruling party
becomes PH.
Advantages:
a. It is semi-proportional even though it may not be 100% of proportional.
 You have the FPTP side which is majority system on the other
hand also have the party list side which is proportional.
 Even your vote in FPTP side is wasted, but in party list side your
vote has value.
b. It increases the voters’ choices.
 You can votes for different parties as in FPTP only can vote for one
party and in Party List, can vote for the different parties.
c. Reduce the strength of the ruling party.
 With a hybrid system like AMS, the government will still be strong
and stable but not as strong and stable as FPTP.
 The linkage between constituents and MPs still maintain.
Disadvantages:
d. From Party list side, still lead to a lot of injustices and unfairness.
e. From FPTP side, Gerry Mandering still happen.
f. Hybrid system will not lead to government as strong and stable as FPTP.
g. The respect level will be different between the two system although they
have equal powers in Parliament.
 MPs coming from two different sides.
 Who will command more respect by the people?
 FPTP will get more respect from the people in constituency bcs
you votes for the MPs and they will be more democratic and more
representative of your wishes.
2. AV plus system
 Alternative vote plus system.
 Proposed by Jenkins Commission in UK bcs UK was under
pressure by EU to reform FPTP. Then a judge called Jenkins
and Commission proposed that UK can adopt AV plus.
 Combination of Alternative voting system (instead of using
FPTP) and party list.
 Have 2 votes, one for the constituency, one for the party list.
 From AVS side, in order for the candidate to win the seat to
represent the constituency, the candidate must obtain at least
50% of first preference vote. In other words, it means at least
50% of people in that constituency must put that candidate as
their 1st preference.
 If none of candidates achieve 50% of first preference vote,
then they will take off the candidate with the lowest number
 of first preference vote, then the voter who put this candidate
as first preference vote will go to their second preference.
 Then They combined the total number of seats won by each
party from AVS with the total number of seats won by each
party from the party list.
Advantages:
h. It is semi-proportional even though it may not be 100% of proportional.
 You have the AVS side which is majority system on the other hand
also have the party list side which is proportional.
i. It increases the voters’ choices.
 You can votes for different parties as in AVS only can vote for one
party and in Party List, can vote the different parties.

Disadvantages:
v. For AVS side, Gerry Mandering still happen.
vi. For Party list side, still lead to a lot of injustices and unfairness.
vii. Hybrid system will not lead to government as strong and stable as FPTP.

CONCLUSION:
Since FPTP has been criticized for many years, it is preferred to reform FPTP to hybrid
system, especially AMS(A combination of FPTP& party list system.)