Selangor is the most democratic state in Malaysia CSO study finds

Selangor is the most “democratic” state in the country, a study by a coalition of civil society organisations (CSO) has shown.

The state emerged top with 69 per cent in the Malaysia Democracy Watch initiative by CSO Platform for Reform, followed by Perak (60 percent) and Negeri Sembilan (54 percent).

In contrast, the Sabah, Terengganu and Perlis state assemblies scored the lowest with 40 percent, 37 percent and 34 percent, respectively.

According to parliament and state assemblies reform head Tharma Pillai, the data was collected from public information via the state government's official website, debates, and interviews with state assemblyperson.

They conducted the study after the 5th general election (GE15).

One of the highlights is the state assemblies of Perlis and Perak state governments that only have a sitting assembly for six days annually. This indirectly implies the failure of legislative bodies playing their role.

Another highlight is the public accounts committee (PAC) chairman comes from the Opposition. Before this was elected from the government block and later was changed during the Pakatan Harapan government in 2018.

“PAC chairman from opposition function so they can ask critical questions to the government.

“The check and balance can be done thoroughly because they are not bound to the government,” said Tharma Pillai at today's CSO Platform for Reform press conference in Petaling Jaya.

The Undi18 co-founder said Malaysia should learn from other developed countries to organise state leadership question sessions, namely the London Assembly (Mayor Question Time) and Leaders Question Periods (Assembly of Alberta).

“Prime Minister Question " is a new initiative Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim introduced at the Federal level.

“This is a good move, where other state assemblies should do at state level,” he said.

14 parameters

CSO Platform for Reform hopes the political parties and their candidates from the six states contesting for the state elections will take the data they provided into an account.

“We hope the states where the performances are below par the parties can incorporate these reforms into their respective manifestos and highlighted as an offer for a more progressive and democratic and functional state legislatures,” said Tharma.

The initiative was based on 14 parameters, as listed below:

1. Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

2. PAC Meeting Public View

3. PAC chairman from Opposition

4. Numbers of Special Select Committees (SSC)

5. Prime Minister/ Menteri Besar/ Chief Minister/ Premier Sarawak Question Time

6. Anti-Hopping Law

7. Recognition of a Shadow Cabinet

8. Standing Committees

9. Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker

10. Parliamentary and State Assembly Sitting Period

11. Recognition of the Leader of the Opposition

12. Percentage of MPs/Assemblypersons Not in the Cabinet/Exco

13. Implementation of Calon 18

14. Equitable Constituency Development Fund Allocations

Bersih executive director Ooi Kok Hin also attended the press conference.

COMMENT | Mahathir unleashing fear with his rants

Promoting multiracial M'sia against constitution, says Dr M

COMMENT | Sorry Muda, PN already defined #politikbaru

COMMENT | Time to vote for socialist candidates

COMMENT | Muda makes a democratic move?

LETTER | What’s in the mind of politicians and voters...

COMMENT | Vilifying Chinese for participating in democracy

LETTER | Open letter to Dewan Rakyat speaker

LETTER | Hate speech or just a comedy?