The Voters’ Guide: Everything to know about the 2023 state elections in Malaysia
Vote wisely
Take a stroll down your street or the usual drive to work and you’ll definitely notice the influx of coloured flags recently. And with the sheer amount of flags put up, it is hard to miss. During this state elections, there are 9.7 million eligible voters and 245 state seats up for grabs. If you’re not sure what is going on and why this is happening now, here’s all you need to know about the state elections in Malaysia this month.
WHEN WILL IT BE HELD?
The candidate nominations were done last Saturday, 29 July 2023. Voting day falls on 12 August 2023 and there is also an early voting day on 8 August 2023.
Early voting day is for groups like members of the General Operations Force (PGA) and their spouses, members of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and their spouses, military officers and their spouses, and citizens residing overseas to cast their votes in advance. This allows these individuals who may not be available on polling day to still exercise their rights.
WHICH STATES ARE INVOLVED?
Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Penang.
WHY ARE WE HAVING STATE ELECTIONS LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER GE15?
Just like the federal government, state governments are usually dissolved after five years. Typically, state elections are conducted simultaneously with the general elections; however, after the chaos following the 2018 elections and the 2020–2022 Malaysian political crisis, this practice was dissolved.
Sabah held their state elections in November 2020 while Sarawak and Malacca had their polling day in November and December 2021, respectively. Johor, Perlis, Pahang, and Perak chose to dissolve their state governments last year to ensure elections were done simultaneously in November 2022.
Hence, the remaining states that did not dissolve their governments during GE15—Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Penang—will be having elections on 12 August 2023.
Photo: You Le/Unsplash
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT?
The difference is in the distribution of power. Federal members of the parliament (MP) work on national policies in areas like foreign affairs, defence, education, and trade. On the other hand, state legislatures work on policies that are specific for their respective state, like land matters, Islamic law, and the local government.
The state government is mostly funded by revenue from land, forests and mines, but the federal government does provide grants and financial support as well. Both the state legislatures and the federal government will work together in matters like social welfare, public health, and sanitation.
DOES THE STATE ELECTION RESULT AFFECT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
The status of the prime minister and governing parties will not be directly affected by the state elections, as the current unity government holds two-thirds majority in the 222-seat Parliament. However, this election will show how the public feels about the ruling parties. This will be the first test for Anwar Ibrahim and his unity government.
Sometimes, state governments can also face challenges if they end up being controlled by an opposition party. For example, Kelantan is a state that suffers poor development and in an article by Free Malaysia Today, state Deputy Menteri Besar Amar Nik Abdullah mentioned that they do not receive enough support from the federal government. However, in another recent statement, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim mentioned that the federal government does not deny the people of Kelantan their rights and that they’ve received one of the highest allocations from the Madani budget.
Photo: Arnaud Jaegers/Unsplash
ARE THE CONTENDERS THE SAME?
The coalitions mostly remain the same; however, state elections will mainly pit Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its unity government ally Barisan Nasional (BN) against the federal opposition alliance Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Currently, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Penang are governed by PH, while Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu are ruled by PN. These coalitions will look into retaining their seats while hoping to make it into each other’s territory, which ultimately strengthens the coalitions hold.
READ: GE15: The clueless voter’s guide to the parties and coalitions in Malaysia
I’M REGISTERED IN ONE OF THE STATES INVOLVED, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
1. Check the full list of state and constituency candidates here.
2. Find the suitable candidate for you.
Since campaigning has begun, there’s bound to be information on the candidates at your constituency. Look up their social media pages and go through their manifestos to ensure it aligns with what you want for your state.
3. Cast your vote on 12 August 2023.
There will be 3,190 regular polling centres with 17,048 polling streams and 260 early voting centres with 377 polling streams. The polling stations are already out and are usually located at a community centre or school near you. You can check your station here.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL RESOURCES:
- Discover the hottest seats in each state:
View this post on Instagram
- Watch Fahmi Reza (@kuasasiswa) break it down for you:
@kuasasiswa Proses penamaan calon dah selesai. Korang dah boleh check semua calon-calon ADUN yang nak mintak kerja daripada korang. Kuasa untuk kekalkan, atau pecat wakil rakyat ada dalam tangan korang. Kuasa untuk tumbangkan Kerajaan Negeri ada dalam tangan korang. Dah ready nak pergi mengundi? Kalau belum ready, join Kelas Demokrasi! #RakyatAdalahBoss #KelasDemokrasi #PRN2023 #PerikatanNasional #PakatanHarapan #BarisanNasional ♬ original sound – Fahmi Reza
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