Deliberative Democracy in Malaysia

The upcoming election in the country should offer an opportunity to rethink the real meanings and implications of liberal democracy and pave the way to introduce a more participatory form of democracy based on deliberation. This piece was written in September 2022 on occasion of International Democracy Day that is celebrated on Sept 15. A shorter version of this piece appeared on The New Straits Times on Sept 17th, 2022. (https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2022/09/832082/having-local-elections-can-boost-democratic-engagement)

With Malaysia heading to elections, there is an opportunity to reflect on how democracy can better serve the citizenry in the twenty one century.

It is real chance to highlight how democratic patterns can be renovated and strengthened in Malaysia but also elsewhere.

We could undertake an exercise in imagination and think how the country can further establish itself as a shining example of a system that respects and safeguards democratic principles, including human rights.

The process of establishing a fully democratic polity is a never ending project and such reality does apply to all the nations who have embraced democracy.

It is a learning process and even those nations, normally considered as paragon of democratic principles, are not immune from the cancer of populism that is eroding their legitimacy.

That’s why a nation like Malaysia where, for example, elections at local levels are not a reality, could become turn itself into an experiment of democratic innovation.

This is the interesting thing, the way democracy functions can change, improve and also adapt to local circumstances, adjusting to the social fabric of the place.

Following the canons of liberal democracy, we normally associate election with democracy.

While the fact that voting has become a consistent feature of democracy in this century, it is a mistake exclusively thinking of elections as the only venue where citizens can exercise their prerogatives.

At the moment in Malaysia political parties are still negotiating possible coalitions and they have not yet got into the details of their manifesto.

This could be an opportunity for all political parties to find a common ground to explore new venues to strengthen and promote democracy at the ground.

There is no doubt that some boldness in imagination would be required for the political parties to agree to such type of dialogue but the fact that citizens are still unable to decide their representatives at very local level could be seen as an opportunity for Malaysia to become a social lab for rethinking democracy.

It would also require some long term vision on the side of the political class in order to allow new model of democracy to be established in the country.

I am not only referring to a full leverage of modern technologies in a way to include the tech savvy youths.

Any innovation based on internet like digital discussion forums or digital voting are intriguing and worthy considered.

At the same time, limiting such discussions to the realms of new technologies will be not only reductive but also a lost opportunity.

While re-imagining democracy in Malaysia could start from embracing social media based forms of electorate engagement, what is needed is to find ways for people to have more decision power locally, a right normally expressed through elections.

Citizens should have more meaningful opportunities to express their opinion and exercise their decision making.

In nations where direct democracy has solid traditions like Switzerland, referendums are the preferred tool at disposal.

Yet while enabling people to decide with either a YES or NO can be an important element of direct participation, it often lacks involvement and engagement.

Instead true innovation in democracy will only happen when people are enabled to come together and deliberate.

Deliberation is a process where people, with the support of issues based experts, can discus and try to find common ground.

It is an exercise that does not preclude a final voting but such step would happen only when citizens have an opportunity to meet and listen to each other before reaching their own conclusions.

Not being able to vote locally is something that is almost taken for granted in Malaysia.

Yet the scenario could change if political parties muster the courage and allow citizens to assume more responsibilities for the affairs closer to them, basically, embracing the concept of subsidiarity.

It would be irresponsible, besides totally impractical, to call for a radical shift towards deliberative democracy.

Political parties are here to stay but their functions and responsibilities could also be changed with them having a say mostly on issue of national and international interest.

The anti hopping legislation is an important milestone to ensure a stronger accountability in the political system, forcing politicians and their parties to act more transparently and hopefully, more effectively.

Yet Malaysia can do more to improve its political system and making it truly representative if people are allowed to have a real say and real power for their local affairs.

Deliberative democracy can be a game changer and civil society and the most enlightened politicians should at least explore the evolving patterns of this field of political science.

It is not just theory but it is already practice.

There are already examples of nations and local governments at least embracing elements of deliberation alongside their traditional systems based on elections.

Last Thursday, the 15th of September was celebrated as International Democracy Day.

The hope is that for next year edition, Malaysians will have something to say and discuss about ways to improve their already promising democracy.

The Author writes on civic engagement, youth development, the SDGs, human rights and regional integration in the context of Asia Pacific.