Ever wondered why there were elections held this August? Didn’t we already vote last November? Was it the same thing? Why do we have separate elections?
Well, there are 2 main types of elections in Malaysia, namely:
- General Elections, where Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected;
- State Elections, where members of the State Legislative Assembly (ADUNs) are elected.
General Elections are held nationwide because there are MPs across the country. On the other hand, State Elections are held at a State level because each state has its respective ADUNs.
A General Election and State Election can be held at the same time. For example, the Pahang State Election was held on the same day as the 2022 General Election. Voters would have cast 2 ballot papers on election day.
However, the rules do not insist that both the General and State elections be held at the same time. They may be held separately. For example, 6 States (Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan) decided to hold their State Elections separate from the 2022 General Election. These 6 States held their state elections 9 months later, on 12 August 2023.
\Why don’t we just hold General Elections and State Elections at the same time? Since MPs and ADUNs are elected for 5 years, the 2022 General Elections could have been called in September 2023. However, the politicians decided to call it early for strategic reasons i.e. in November 2022. The 6 States are not bound by that call and chose to allow their ADUNs to serve the full 5-year term. If Members of Parliament were allowed to serve their 5-year term, it is very likely that the General Elections and State Elections would have been conducted at the same time.
Sabah, Melaka, Sarawak and Johor held their State Elections separately before the 2022 General Election. This means that the next State Elections for these 4 States will be due before the next General Election is due.
Perak, Perlis and Pahang had their State Elections at the same time as the 2022 General Elections. Hence, these are the only 3 States whose State Elections remain synchronized with the General Elections.
Hence, voters (aside from voters in Perak, Perlis and Pahang) can expect General Elections and State Elections to be held separately for the foreseeable future.
How does this impact you? Although it means having to vote on 2 separate occasions, having State Elections separate from the General Election also means that the State Elections could highlight state-based issues, which may be overlooked at the General Election.
It also means you will have to put up with all the political speeches more often then previously.
About the Author
Sahain is a Legal Associate of XK Law. He graduated with Honours from the National University of Malaysia. Sahain believes that the legal fraternity plays an integral part in the operation of the rule of law in Malaysia and is keen to utilise his legal education towards the betterment of society and the country.
