Proposing A Proportional Voting System
Many of us would be asking, what is the proportional voting system all about? And if we were to go into the online search engine to determine the actual definition on the subject question, you will find aplenty and few kinds of what we would see as proportional voting system.
Yes, whatever definition that you would find in the online search engine on this proportional voting system is definitely accurate, the fact that, they are few kinds, but they all carry the same meanings and objectives.
The fact that is, this subject is all about providing a more democratic space for our people by creating more representations in the parliament or state legislative assemblies. Asides, the voices of the minorities and smaller political parties would also be represented in these legislative bodies through achievement of certain percentage of votes or support from our people at large.
There are two kinds of proportional voting systems herein. The first of the two kinds is the people or voters of each constituency will be able to elect two or more (depending on the total number of voters in the said constituency) representatives per electorate. In such circumstances, any of the contesting candidates who had managed to make it to the first, second and third place in the final vote count results will be able to be qualified as elected representatives.
This means, a candidate is elected when his or her total number of votes equals the quotas. In some circumstances, a candidate can also be elected even if a less than a quota was achieved, in this case should the constituency also requires the candidate with the third highest vote to be included, then such situation shall be observed.
For example, if there are five contestants in a constituency and out of the five candidates, three or two candidates had managed to made to the top three or two with a reasonable high number of votes, then these three or two candidates shall be able to qualify themselves as elected representatives. Then, these three elected representatives shall be entitled to represent the one constituency that they had contested and won, with the first, second and third highest votes.
Let us look at the second kind of proportional voting system. In such situation, the proportional representatives are not chosen from each of the constituency based on who sits in the first, second or third highest number of votes.
Instead, the proportional representatives are chosen based on the total number of votes that a smaller political party received nationwide. After the total number of votes were tallied based on its percentage throughout the nation, only then the most qualified political party (also known as smaller political parties) will be picked based on its positioning in the electoral percentage will be asked to provide its members to sit in the parliament or state legislative assembly as a proportional representatives.
Under such circumstances, this kind of proportional representatives shall not have any constituency to represent. They would become something like a non-constituency member of parliament (NCMP) and in our observation, these NCMPs are usually focusing their energies and efforts on national issues rather than local or constituency matters.
Advantages of Proportional Voting System
One major advantage of the proportional voting system is, it breaks the monopoly held by larger political parties or political coalitions who are seen as dominant in the political scene, for example, the governing Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) who had since dominating our nation's political scene.
During general elections, both BN and PR coalition has been a dominant political force in both government and the opposition respectively, which would make it impossible for any other political parties outside both coalitions from making any inroads.
In this case, with the proportional voting system in place, these political parties which are not part of both the BN and PR coalitions who are dominant, will be able to gain representation and get elected into the parliament or state legislative assemblies.
In other words, the voice of the minorities who are not supporting both BN and PR can still be represented in the parliament and state legislative assemblies. This will allow even a wider democratic space and provide a wider and alternative choice for our people to choose their elected representatives in general elections.
Asides, with such practice in place, it would demonstrate more respect to our people's role in the democratic institution, at the same time, provide more avenue to political parties who are not part of BN and PR to participate in the process of our nation building and in determining a public policy that will include all segment of interests.
Another advantage in the first type of proportional voting system is, it provides more representation to voters in bigger constituencies where a sole representation would be impossible to serve the entire constituency which have large number of voters.
As for the second type of proportional voting system, it also has its advantage. As the proportional representatives does not have any constituency to represent, the said elected representative would be able to focus much of his or her energy in looking at the national issues and provide a more effective check and balance to our nation's governing system.
Disadvantages?
Apart from advantages of such system, there are also some disadvantages. And of course, the dominant force in the political force would certainly add more disadvantage into such system in order to allow them to stay longer in power or having to be able to monopolize the political scene.
Well, some would say the proportional voting system will also destabilize our nation's government because of the uneven representation between the governing and opposing forces due to the presence of a third political force in between. It means, threatening the existence of the two-party system where both the governing and opposition coalitions are powerful enough to exchange seats in any general elections without even giving an opportunity for the emergence of a third political force.
Some of us may also view that a third political force may also serve as power balance between the two dominant political parties or coalition, which means the third force may either support any of them in even of any political or policy dispute. If the third political force is strong enough, it would be able to bring down any government that it feels not worth of support anymore.
The other one is, NCMP representatives does not have any constituency to represent, thus resulting to the NCMP to be lack of grassroots support and no real focus on the actual expectations of our people at large, because basically, these NCMPs would tend to focus more on national issues rather than people-related ones.
To Have a Proportional Voting System or Not?
On whether to put the proportional voting system in place or not, will depend on our people and the interests to our nation entirely. If all sides of the political divide always believe that the interests and importance of our nation should comes first, then the proportional voting system should be able to work without fail and furthermore, democracy will also flourish in a healthy manner.
But if the political divides are merely focusing their interests in their respective coalitions and political parties without even bother to place the interests of our people and the nation as their first priority, then there will be always a government which is not stable and change of government will also take place too frequent then expected of which would effect the effectiveness in governance of our nation.
In the end of the day, it depends on the maturity of our politicians. If these politicians really understand their role to our nation and what it takes to prioritize in their roles (people first rather than party first), on what democracy really is, then we believe the proportional voting system will certainly work in any form.
Yes, whatever definition that you would find in the online search engine on this proportional voting system is definitely accurate, the fact that, they are few kinds, but they all carry the same meanings and objectives.
The fact that is, this subject is all about providing a more democratic space for our people by creating more representations in the parliament or state legislative assemblies. Asides, the voices of the minorities and smaller political parties would also be represented in these legislative bodies through achievement of certain percentage of votes or support from our people at large.
There are two kinds of proportional voting systems herein. The first of the two kinds is the people or voters of each constituency will be able to elect two or more (depending on the total number of voters in the said constituency) representatives per electorate. In such circumstances, any of the contesting candidates who had managed to make it to the first, second and third place in the final vote count results will be able to be qualified as elected representatives.
This means, a candidate is elected when his or her total number of votes equals the quotas. In some circumstances, a candidate can also be elected even if a less than a quota was achieved, in this case should the constituency also requires the candidate with the third highest vote to be included, then such situation shall be observed.
For example, if there are five contestants in a constituency and out of the five candidates, three or two candidates had managed to made to the top three or two with a reasonable high number of votes, then these three or two candidates shall be able to qualify themselves as elected representatives. Then, these three elected representatives shall be entitled to represent the one constituency that they had contested and won, with the first, second and third highest votes.
Let us look at the second kind of proportional voting system. In such situation, the proportional representatives are not chosen from each of the constituency based on who sits in the first, second or third highest number of votes.
Instead, the proportional representatives are chosen based on the total number of votes that a smaller political party received nationwide. After the total number of votes were tallied based on its percentage throughout the nation, only then the most qualified political party (also known as smaller political parties) will be picked based on its positioning in the electoral percentage will be asked to provide its members to sit in the parliament or state legislative assembly as a proportional representatives.
Under such circumstances, this kind of proportional representatives shall not have any constituency to represent. They would become something like a non-constituency member of parliament (NCMP) and in our observation, these NCMPs are usually focusing their energies and efforts on national issues rather than local or constituency matters.
Advantages of Proportional Voting System
One major advantage of the proportional voting system is, it breaks the monopoly held by larger political parties or political coalitions who are seen as dominant in the political scene, for example, the governing Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) who had since dominating our nation's political scene.
During general elections, both BN and PR coalition has been a dominant political force in both government and the opposition respectively, which would make it impossible for any other political parties outside both coalitions from making any inroads.
In this case, with the proportional voting system in place, these political parties which are not part of both the BN and PR coalitions who are dominant, will be able to gain representation and get elected into the parliament or state legislative assemblies.
In other words, the voice of the minorities who are not supporting both BN and PR can still be represented in the parliament and state legislative assemblies. This will allow even a wider democratic space and provide a wider and alternative choice for our people to choose their elected representatives in general elections.
Asides, with such practice in place, it would demonstrate more respect to our people's role in the democratic institution, at the same time, provide more avenue to political parties who are not part of BN and PR to participate in the process of our nation building and in determining a public policy that will include all segment of interests.
Another advantage in the first type of proportional voting system is, it provides more representation to voters in bigger constituencies where a sole representation would be impossible to serve the entire constituency which have large number of voters.
As for the second type of proportional voting system, it also has its advantage. As the proportional representatives does not have any constituency to represent, the said elected representative would be able to focus much of his or her energy in looking at the national issues and provide a more effective check and balance to our nation's governing system.
Disadvantages?
Apart from advantages of such system, there are also some disadvantages. And of course, the dominant force in the political force would certainly add more disadvantage into such system in order to allow them to stay longer in power or having to be able to monopolize the political scene.
Well, some would say the proportional voting system will also destabilize our nation's government because of the uneven representation between the governing and opposing forces due to the presence of a third political force in between. It means, threatening the existence of the two-party system where both the governing and opposition coalitions are powerful enough to exchange seats in any general elections without even giving an opportunity for the emergence of a third political force.
Some of us may also view that a third political force may also serve as power balance between the two dominant political parties or coalition, which means the third force may either support any of them in even of any political or policy dispute. If the third political force is strong enough, it would be able to bring down any government that it feels not worth of support anymore.
The other one is, NCMP representatives does not have any constituency to represent, thus resulting to the NCMP to be lack of grassroots support and no real focus on the actual expectations of our people at large, because basically, these NCMPs would tend to focus more on national issues rather than people-related ones.
To Have a Proportional Voting System or Not?
On whether to put the proportional voting system in place or not, will depend on our people and the interests to our nation entirely. If all sides of the political divide always believe that the interests and importance of our nation should comes first, then the proportional voting system should be able to work without fail and furthermore, democracy will also flourish in a healthy manner.
But if the political divides are merely focusing their interests in their respective coalitions and political parties without even bother to place the interests of our people and the nation as their first priority, then there will be always a government which is not stable and change of government will also take place too frequent then expected of which would effect the effectiveness in governance of our nation.
In the end of the day, it depends on the maturity of our politicians. If these politicians really understand their role to our nation and what it takes to prioritize in their roles (people first rather than party first), on what democracy really is, then we believe the proportional voting system will certainly work in any form.
