Malaysia's 13th General Elections and the Rise of Electoral Reform Movement

Abstract

This article looks at how an electoral reform movement affected electoral mobilization during the 13th General Elections in Malaysia. The elections are significant because it was the first time an opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, managed to secure the highest number of parliamentary seats. At the macro‐level, the article argues that political opportunities have emerged from the development of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), as well as similar groups. A broad set of incentives within authoritarian settings then increases citizens’ participation in movements on a micro‐level. Using the structural‐cognitive model proposed by Karl Dieter Opp and drawing on qualitative evidence through fieldwork observation and interviews, I relate the reform movements to citizens’ proactive electoral mobilization during the 2013 elections.