This year is reputed to be one with the most number of elections around the globe. From the Marshall Islands to Macedonia, voters will be closing in on ballot boxes, making choices that will determine the course of their lives and that of their country.

In Malaysia, the drumbeat of the polls grow louder each week as news pundits and political commentators begin speculating on the date of the polls and the prospects of contending parties.

At the centre of the swirl of events is the individual Malaysian voter and his or her thoughts, and the motivations and concerns that will shape their choices on polling day.

The choices depend on how the voter processes information that he or she receives, the diversity of those sources and the myriad social filters through which it is delivered. Needless to say, the quantity and quality of information received will colour their perceptions, and therefore the nature of participation in the political process.

A knowledgeable electorate is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy, said James Madison, author of the US constitution and fourth president of the United States of America.

"A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives", he said.

How do we understand the motivations and choices of the Malaysian voter. The Merdeka Centre, a nascent social research firm, working in conjunction with Institut Kajian Malaysia dan Antarabangsa (Ikmas) on quantitative and qualitative surveys to shed some light on this question.

Poor quality of information

It was found that the vast majority of registered voters in the peninsula cite the mainstream media (which includes the free-to-air television networks, radio and major vernacular newspapers) as their primary source of information for politics and current events.

However, the 'believability rating' of the mainstream media is relatively low. Most of the voters interviewed accorded fairly mediocre scores with respect to believability in reports on political events or about politicians. Repeated exposure apparently does not always guarantee receptiveness on the part of newspaper readers and television viewers.

Interviews with voters, particularly those aged 30 and below yielded some perceptive insights about the structure of information, especially political news. It was found that voters did not only read such items (at face value) but in many cases also reflected on the manner in which a story was written and what they suspected were omitted from the piece.

Anecdotal feedback from respondents provided the view that information generated by mainstream sources was generally 'predictable' and 'one-dimensional' in that it did not provide enough countervailing views that could enhance the audience's reading of a particular issue.

The need for balanced reporting in news is especially important in order for voters to participate meaningfully in the political process. These survey results show that people can and do make judgments in spite of the paucity of balanced information, albeit in a manner that frustrates and confuses them.

Alternative sources

The findings also suggest that in order to overcome inefficiencies in obtaining information, a plurality of voters tended to rely on word-of-mouth 'news' relayed by close friends, colleagues and relatives. This is followed by alternative sources of information such as political party newsletters, leaflets or speeches, which stand as the second-most important alternative medium of information.

The role of the Internet as a medium of disseminating news remains relatively small against the broader canvas of the voting populace but detailed examination showed strong potential for growth particularly amongst younger voters. Almost one in five confirms their use of the Web to learn more about goings on.

The survey also showed that political parties play a minor role in disseminating information as only 16 percent of those who joined or supported political parties said they did so as "to know more" about politics and what happens around them.

We found that most voters are content at "leaving politics to the politicians". Almost two in every three people interviewed claimed that they were "not really or not at all interested" in politics. These numbers also generally correspond with those that report that they do not belong to any political party.

Demographic influences

Nevertheless, closer examination reveals that the level of political interest again differs according to the demographic profile.

The survey revealed that Malays were twice more likely to be interested in politics and six times more likely to join or identify themselves with a political party as compared to members of other ethnic groups.

It was also found that men are twice more likely to become active political party members although proportionally more women saw themselves as supporters of a particular political party.

Contrary to expectations, the survey did not detect a particularly strong relationship between age and interest in politics, the findings show that those under 30 were likely to be as interested in politics as older voters were.

Whatever their perspectives are on political participation and level of trust they have on sources of information, the survey confirms the conventional wisdom that voters in general remain concerned about the basic and practical aspects of living.

These concerns, among others include: a growing economy that is translated into jobs, improved incomes and meeting routine household commitments; a safe and secure environment free from criminals and corrupt officials; and a progressive and competitive education system that lays the tracks for the future.

Although the concerns of the average voter appear somewhat basic, there is a feeling that many of these matters have not really been fairly addressed. The voters interviewed perceive that the array of mass communications has to certain degree, distorted, sensationalised or made emotive, information that is passed to them. This has in turn effects their perception of the accountability and trustworthiness of information outlets.

The study also found that voters living in higher income households tended to be more interested in politics but at the same time less likely to join political parties.

The findings suggests a perception that political parties have not been effective in translating the private concerns of voters into public issues and instead have tacitly allowed debates to focus on personalities and rhetoric.

It is perhaps timely to ponder and begin work to address the gaps that exist between the reality of today's political process and the ideals espoused in the founding principles of the nation. This is particularly from the standpoint of providing voters with reliable and impartial knowledge about policies, candidates and the government that they would elect.

Tomorrow:

Assessing the election watchdog (Part 4)

Yesterday:

Election: How it all began (Part 2)

This five-part series on elections were co-authored by Ikmas deputy director NORANI OTHMAN, Ikmas senior associate fellow MAVIS PUTHUCHEARY, Merdeka Centre's IBRAHIM SUFFIAN and freelance journalist SHARAAD KUTTAN.

Institut Kajian Malaysia dan Antarabangsa (Ikmas) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, is a social science research institute. Together with the generous assistance of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Ikmas has been conducting a study of the Malaysian electoral system over the past two years.