CHANGING Malaysia’s first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system is getting closer to becoming a reality, with political parties, including Umno and PAS, backing the proposal.

Sources in the Putrajaya-formed Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) said a buy-in from all parties is key as changing the voting system entails amending the federal constitution.

The opposition Umno and PAS – the country’s largest parties by membership – have voiced support for the proposal after discussions with ERC members.

“They immediately saw the pros and cons, especially how when a party loses, it gets nothing despite having received 49% of the vote in any given seat,” said a source, who attended some meetings between the parties and ERC.

Umno and PAS have also agreed to another game-changing ERC proposal to have Malaysians vote in the areas they currently reside in and not their hometowns.

This would effectively end what is commonly referred to as “outstation voting”, where voters are registered in their hometowns and must return to cast their ballots.

These two proposals are among the biggest being studied by ERC, which is mandated to reform the electoral system that has been often criticised as being lopsided and vulnerable to corruption.

ERC was established as part of Pakatan Harapan’s pledge to implement institutional reforms. Recommendations by the committee, as well as draft laws that require amendments, will be submitted to Putrajaya in mid-2020.

The committee, headed by former Election Commission chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, is going around the country meeting the public, civil society groups, the media and political parties to discuss its proposals.

Other recommendations

Critics of the FPTP system, which is the easiest to implement, said it leaves little room for minority voices or dissenting groups to be represented.

Political scientists have advocated for a change to a proportional representation system, which would see more women and members of minority ethnic groups elected.

Another ERC source said the committee is considering some form of a “mixed-member candidate” system to replace FPTP.

For instance, elections that use multi-member candidates’ lists, like in Timor Leste, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, allow parties to field more women candidates and ensure they have a higher chance of getting elected.

Other recommendations forwarded are:

* Forming a separate commission to carry out the re-delineation and delimitation of electoral boundaries;

* Stringent rules for forming a caretaker government during general elections;

* Setting definite dates for Parliament’s dissolution and elections;

* Tighter rules for the funding of political parties, including the option of providing them with government funds during elections;

* Changing the nomination process so that those contesting in elections can register online instead of having to be present at a nomination centre;

* Ensuring fair and equal access to the media for all parties and candidates during the campaign period; and,

* Automatic voter registration for Malaysians upon reaching the age of 18. – May 6, 2019.