While most of the MPs who were voted in in 2008 believe in the separation of powers between the three pillars of government, up to 40% of those who replied to MP Watch say the concept is not fully practised in Malaysia. This is especially because the executive is too powerful.
Current Issues
Manipulating the news: A public disservice
By Ding Jo-Ann
DING Jo-Ann highlights how the traditional media has manipulated the facts in two instances in the current general election. Such distortions harm public discourse and deeper understanding of issues, so crucial to us in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society.
From BN, with love
By Bernice Low
IF you use a mobile phone, chances are you’ve received political text messages for festive seasons, birthday greetings, and now, to vote a certain coalition. What can you do about annoying SMSes? And are they even considered a breach of privacy in the first place?
Political mudslinging in GE13
By Ding Jo-Ann
ELECTIONS should be won or lost on issues and policies but sadly, that’s not always the case. Personal attacks and mudslinging are a common feature in Malaysian elections. We take a look at some of the arguments that have been made by politicians wanting to trump their opponents in the run-up to GE13.
Voting in London
By Hwa Yue-Yi
WHILE voting in London went relatively smoothly on 28 April, some voters discovered a printed full-stop against the name of a candidate in their ballot papers. Hwa Yue-Yi writes from the United Kingdom on the voting process in London.
The challenges of being an MP
By Koh Lay Chin
ONE of the aims of the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project was to find out and highlight the challenges that Malaysian Members of Parliament (MPs) face, and explore how these might affect how effectively they play their roles. Even though many MPs understood that their function was to be lawmakers, MPs from both the […]
On hudud, dinosaurs and political violence
By RefsaThink tank Refsa makes an argument for “one clear cut choice” at the polls after comparing both the BN and PR on the issues of hudud, poor candidates and political violence.
The contest for Selangor
By Gan Pei Ling
Both the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have claimed they are confident of winning back Selangor but which coalition actually has the upper hand?
MPs and the ISA
By Gan Pei Ling
The Internal Security Act has now been abolished and replaced with the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act. But not all Barisan Nasional MPs were keen on abolishing the ISA. Find out what MPs told The Nut Graph about what they thought about the ISA during the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project.
Reforms needed for campaign financing
By Tricia Yeoh
To have a democratic election, all parties should be able to contest in a level playing field. When either side has unequal access to a gross amount of funds, this puts the other players at a severe disadvantage. How are elections funded in Malaysia? What reforms are needed to ensure greater transparency and accountability?
