Political Developments in Malaysia and the Role of Muslim Political Scientists

By, Tunku Mohar Mokhtar

Malay(si)a has just celebrated its 67^th year of independence from Britain, and its 61^st year as an expanded federation of Malaysia. Since independence, it has experienced 15 general elections. In terms of political developments, there have been significant changes to its political party system. Since the first general elections in 1959 until the eve of the 12^th general elections in 2008, Malaysia’s politics was a dominant party system. Although elections were competitive, there was only one political party—Perikatan (Alliance) until 1969, and Barisan Nasional (National Front, BN) since 1974—had the real chance of winning the elections, and with more than two-thirds majority.

Two-party system emerged from the 12^th general elections (2008) until the eve of the 15^th general elections in 2022. In a two-party system, there are two parties or coalitions of relatively equal strength and capable of winning elections. In the 12^th general elections in 2008, BN’s “customary” two-thirds majority was denied by an opposition coalition named Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance, PR). In the 13^th general elections in 2013, BN still could not regain its two-thirds majority, this time to a coalition called Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope, PH). The 14^th general elections witnessed a historical outcome when PH gained majority seats in parliament, defeating the once dominant BN.

The 15^th general elections in November 2022 recorded an unprecedented outcome when no political party or coalition was able to get a clear majority in parliament. This marked yet another significant shift in the party system. From a dominant party to a two-party system, Malaysia now entered the phase of a multiparty system. In a multiparty system, there are more than two big parties/coalitions that can win the elections. However, since there are more than two major parties/coalitions, there is also a likelihood that none of them can win majority of the seats. It was this scenario that occurred at the end of the 15^th general elections on 19 November 2022. Therefore, the parties and coalitions had to negotiate among themselves to form another temporary coalition to form the federal government, paving the way to the formation of a unity government with the appointment of Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister on 24 November 2022.

Political developments in Malaysia have been dynamic, despite the initial period characterised by the dominance of a single political party or coalition. In other words, democracy is thriving and people began to participate more actively in the political process. For political scientists, this brings a challenge in trying to make sense of political developments in the country, and compare them with such developments in other countries. Old textbooks on Malaysian politics have now become obsolete. New studies on the dynamism of political institutions and voters’ political preference need to be conducted.

Another challenge for political scientists in the Muslim World is situating the Islamicisation of political science within the context of sociopolitical changes occurring not only in Malaysia, but throughout the Muslim world. The Islamicisation of political science, and of knowledge in general, tends to be legalistic and normative, drawing models and guidance from the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the historical legacy of the Islamic polity. These sources can be integrated into the study of politics and governance in the Muslim World. They offer Muslim political scientists tools to develop models for an Islamicised discipline of political science and to build an Islamicised political system relevant to various contexts in Muslim-majority countries. This responsibility falls primarily on the academics and students of political science, particularly those at the AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia.***

(Assoc. Prof. Dr Tunku Mohar Mokhtar is an academic in the Department of Political Science, AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences of the International Islamic University Malaysia.)