WILL you vote in the state elections? Are you worried about the so-called “green wave” and the fall of the federal government as a result? Have you been told how to vote and have you already made up your mind before you even know the candidates? Don’t let yourself be swayed by the negative campaign of fear and vilification being waged by some parties.

The fear that some quarters are spreading may not be rational or even relevant to the state elections. This article aims to raise voters’ awareness of what is important in the state elections, what issues and policies voters should be asking about and educating themselves on, so that they can make a rational and good choice of who to vote for.

Firstly, voters need to understand that electing an assemblyman and a state government is different from electing a member of parliament and the federal government. Fundamentally, the federal and state governments have different but also overlapping jurisdictions of power, as stated in the ninth schedule of the Federal Constitution.

What a state government can do is set out in Lists II (State List) and III (Concurrent List). This means that voters should be concerned about the policies that the candidate and his party would propose on matters of state land, religion, agriculture and forestry, local government, permits and licences, social welfare, public health, town and country planning, housing, drainage and irrigation, libraries and museums, preservation of heritage and many more.

Voters should not forget to evaluate the performance of the caretaker state government as well as the opposition and its representatives. Was there a controversial plan or policy that was announced in the last term and supported by the current candidate seeking another mandate?

For example, if the representative had voted for an environmentally destructive and socially unjust plan, such as land reclamation, mining licenses, or building a highway through a densely populated neighbourhood, then his credibility as a defender of the public interest should be examined. Also, did the assemblyman attend all the meetings when the state assembly was in session? Did he ask the right questions on behalf of the people and participate in the debates to scrutinise policies?

This information would help voters to know how competent, dedicated, and professional the state representative was and decide whether to re-elect him regardless of party affiliation. In any case, one should judge whether the candidate has ideas to improve the wellbeing of the constituents and how he can bring changes to the state as an assemblyman.

The candidate must show good knowledge as well as the right attitude for dealing with people and their demands. Often, people confuse the assemblyman’s role with that of a local councillor and expect him to solve local problems. But honestly, who can blame them? It is well known that the state government appoints local councillors who suit its political interests. This has been the case since local elections were suspended in the 1960s.

Therefore, it is in the best interest of the people if the candidates and their parties will commit to reinstating local government elections, thus bringing back accountability to the currently politically controlled and democratically deficient local councils.

Campaigners, including leaders of the federal government, should refrain from threats or insinuations of non-cooperation or punishment if the electorate picks the other side. Usually, the message is spun to persuade the voters that having the state and federal governments on the same side can facilitate better “help” for the people. I urge the federal government to respect the democratic outcome based on the general will and wishes of the majority of voters.

Voters should also understand that in an electoral democracy, every political party and every individual has the right to stand but every vote they canvass for is earned on their own merits. They do not “split” votes so they should not be called “spoilers”. Parties who feel affected by the loss of votes should hold a post-mortem to find out how they failed to persuade some sections of the electorate. It is bad politics to blame others for one’s failures and disregard other people’s democratic rights.

Voters also need to realise that tactical voting would lead to a more polarised “us-versus-them” political mentality, which is not conducive to building a democratic, progressive, and harmonious society. Voters need to understand what they are voting for in the state elections, which is separate from the general election. This separation of federal and state elections is a new phenomenon, which is good for bringing more clarity to what a state government means to the electorate. – July 31, 2023.

* Lim Chee Han is a founding member of Agora Society and a policy researcher. He holds a PhD in infection biology from Hannover Medical School, Germany, and an MSc in immunology and BSc in biotechnology from Imperial College London. Health and socioeconomic policies are his concerns. He believes a nation can advance significantly if policymaking and research are taken seriously.