Election is the business of fairness and transparency
“We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” — Thomas Jefferson
Since 2008, Tindak Malaysia, a non-governmental organisation, has been at the forefront of advocating for free and fair elections in Malaysia. Through voter education, electoral boundary reform, and the promotion of transparent electoral processes, the organisation has played a crucial role in strengthening democracy.
Fighting Gerrymandering and Malapportionment
A key aspect of Tindak Malaysia's work is tackling gerrymandering, the manipulation of electoral boundaries for political advantage, and malapportionment, the unequal distribution of voters across constituencies.
Over the past 17 years, Tindak Malaysia has trained more than 10,000 volunteers to serve as polling, counting, and voter booth agents (PACABA). Currently, polling and counting agents (PACA) need a permit from the Election Commission (EC) of Malaysia to be on duty on election day. According to Danesh, Director of Tindak Malaysia, the candidate must submit PACABA names to the Returning Officer (RO) of the respective constituencies.
“The level of organising PACAs in some Pakatan Harapan parties has declined since 2018,” Danesh told Sokong, highlighting a need for renewed engagement in election monitoring.
Expanding to Train Polling Staff and Election Observers
Since 2019, Tindak Malaysia has shifted focus to training polling staff (petugas pilihan raya) and election observers (pemerhati). The organisation believes that public participation in these roles can help address incompetencies in electoral processes.
“We felt that getting the public to become polling staff could address incompetencies in the electoral processes for free and fair elections,” Danesh explained.
While the EC regulates, organises, and oversees elections, the RO and polling staff manage the on-the-ground voting process. By involving the public in these roles, Tindak Malaysia engages directly with the EC to improve election administration, reduce malpractice, and address inefficiencies.
“Through our participation as polling staff, we engage with the EC on how to fix incompetency issues. With this and EC initiatives, we see less cheating and begin addressing inefficiencies,” Danesh added.
As Malaysia’s electorate continues to grow, so does the need for more polling staff. Tindak Malaysia has urged the EC to reduce its reliance on civil servants for these roles, advocating for a more diverse and participatory recruitment process.
Strengthening Electoral Oversight and Addressing Loopholes
Tindak Malaysia has also actively participated in over a dozen EC-sanctioned observer programmes, and this accommodates as a direct channel to discuss electoral reforms. Danesh highlighted other priorities, including improving election conduct, postal voting processes, and codifying the role of election observers, which is currently absent from the Election Act 1958.
“We also hope to democratise polling staff recruitment so that public participation makes up 50% of the workforce,” he said.
To achieve this, Danesh stressed the importance of diversifying training methods for polling staff and updating election laws to prevent loopholes for abuse and fraud. He also raised concerns about the 'trusted person' rule, which allows any Malaysian above 18 to assist voters who are unable to cast ballots independently.
“This definition needs further clarity,” Danesh noted, emphasising the risk of potential misuse.
Another pressing issue is the auditing of election expenses. Danesh argued that candidate’s election expenses submitted to EC has no auditing requirement and “does not reflect reality.”
Celebrating 70 years of electoral democracy
To mark the 70th anniversary of the Malayan general elections held in 1955, Tindak Malaysia is celebrating electoral democracy and renewing people’s interest in getting involved in elections.
This two-day major event will be held on July 26 to 27 and will feature an exhibition, panel discussions and interactive sessions covering topics such as polling and counting processes and redelineation issues, among others. Open to the public, civil society, and all interested parties, the event welcomes participation from anyone keen on strengthening Malaysia’s electoral process.
However, to make this event a reality, Tindak Malaysia needs to raise RM30,000 to cover venue costs, labor, printing, and other related expenses.
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Let every sen count—because every vote, and every voice, matters.
