Day: February 22, 2008
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The threat to secular democracy
By Farish A. Noor AS far as complex plural societies go, Malaysia has to be one of the most complex and plural societies in the world at the moment. There are few countries with a racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious mix like Malaysia’s and I have to confess that I am more than annoyed when…
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Keeping close watch
By Danny Lim dannylim@malaysiavotes.com THREE days before polling day during the Ijok by-election in April 2007, an MCA state assemblyman, speaking on condition of anonymity, was worried about the Chinese vote. “Those who stay here, no problem (in voting for the Barisan Nasional),” he said. “But their children… they go out (of Ijok), they hear…
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Election issues and their effects
By Lim Hong Hai SOME states might have their own peculiar issues, but on a national scale, the issues that are likely to dominate this general election fall under three broad categories: race relations, governance and economic wellbeing. These categories are not watertight compartments and a given policy issue can affect all of them, but…
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Favourite days for the polls
Since 1955, polling day has been held every day in the week but for Friday. The most popular days that have been fixed by the Election Commission for voting to take place has predictably been Saturday and Sunday. In the last 12 elections, polling has been held on Saturday thrice (1964, 1969, 1974), Sunday three…
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How much does it cost to contest in an election?
Want to be a wakil rakyat? Other than getting the votes, you would need sufficient funds to make it through the whole election process. For starters, candidates have to deposit RM10,000 for a parliamentary seat and RM5,000 for a state seat, to the Returning Officer before or during nomination day. A candidate loses the…