Abstract
This paper examines voters’ behavior and voting patterns as well as the factors influencing them using survey data of the electorate carried out in selected parliamentary and state constituencies during the 2004 Malaysian general elections. The findings from the study indicate that in the absence of major national issues, local issues pertaining to growing social problems such as urban poverty, inadequate housing, environmental degradation, petty crimes among youth, and drug abuse became more dominant. The issue of the establishment of an Islamic state also seemed to dominate the thinking of much of the non-Malay electorate and women.
Highlights
Studies of Malaysian politics since 1998 indicate that important new political trends have emerged. This became evident during the 1999 general elections where there could be detected an ambivalence among the electorate in their support for the two main coalition parties in Malaysia, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) or National Front and the Opposition Barisan Alternatif (BA) or Alternative Front
The findings of this study suggest that apparently younger voters have less awareness of the role of the Opposition in a democracy and this helps to explain their stronger support for the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO)-led BN candidates
The electoral theme of Islam Hadhari introduced by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the UMNO/BN manifesto for the 2004 general elections aimed to promote a better understanding of role of Islam in the nation by being more inclusive and appealing
Summary
Studies of Malaysian politics since 1998 indicate that important new political trends have emerged This became evident during the 1999 general elections where there could be detected an ambivalence among the electorate in their support for the two main coalition parties in Malaysia, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) or National Front and the Opposition Barisan Alternatif (BA) or Alternative Front. The Opposition remains a serious challenge to the ruling coalition party in the urban non-Malay constituencies and rural Malay heartland. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the conduct of the 2004 general elections at federal and state levels, in particular, the political involvement of the electorates, voting patterns and voting behavior
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