ZIKRI KAMARULZAMAN
COMMENT | The Johor polls have shown again how under the first past the post (FPTP) electoral system, a party that received less than 45 percent of votes can win more than 66 percent of seats.
But yet, despite the obvious flaw and highly disadvantageous polling system, most parties are still fixated on legislating an anti-hopping bill.
To put it kindly, this is nothing short of stupid.
The anti-hopping bill is putting a Band-aid over a gaping wound and pretending everything is ok.
It also reflects the quintessential mindset that many associate with politicians and the public service, that is to only solve problems after they happen, and not bother taking preventive measures.
You see, an anti-hopping bill is only useful after an election when someone defects.
What use is that when 67 percent of voters don't get the representation they wished for in the first place?
(BN won about 43 percent of the popular vote, while Pakatan Harapan Plus won 30 percent, and Perikatan Nasional 24 percent.)
But yet, despite the obvious flaw and highly disadvantageous polling system, most parties are still fixated on legislating an anti-hopping bill.
To put it kindly, this is nothing short of stupid.
The anti-hopping bill is putting a Band-aid over a gaping wound and pretending everything is ok.
It also reflects the quintessential mindset that many associate with politicians and the public service, that is to only solve problems after they happen, and not bother taking preventive measures.
You see, an anti-hopping bill is only useful after an election when someone defects.
What use is that when 67 percent of voters don't get the representation they wished for in the first place?
(BN won about 43 percent of the popular vote, while Pakatan Harapan Plus won 30 percent, and Perikatan Nasional 24 percent.)
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kt comments:
Above is just relevant extract of the article - the part I haven't included goes on to present a solution, namely, a proportional representation (PR) or party-list system.
Under such a system, there won't be any constituencies. Voters will instead vote for parties and the share of seats will then be divided proportionally, depending on the number of seats available.
I have no quarrel with the PR model, in fact I support it, but my post is not related to that but rather the argument contained in above extracts prior to mention of the PR.
But first, a question: What was the percentage of popular votes that Pakatan Harapan, who was subsequently declared the winner of GE14?
Well, if you're shy or embarrassed, let me tell you: Pakatan won 45.68%, yes, not even 50.01%.
Additionally, Pakatan won 113 federal seats which was 51% of the total federal seats.
BN with 33.8% popular votes won only 79 seats, which if we go by proportionate % of popular votes won based on what Pakatan secured, should merit around 83 to 84 federal seats. But BN stayed with 79 seats because the election was done and over with, in accordance with rules and procedures.
What riles me is now some unsatisfied Pakatan people are currently saying it's wrong for BN to become the ruling party in Johor when it has only won "... less than 45% votes yet won 66% seats".
Yet in 2017 Pakatan won only less than 46% popular votes yet secured 51% of the seats, and I haven't heard any complains from these blokes.
Then some mathematical blasphemy continues as per above extract:
"What use is that when 67 percent of voters don't get the representation they wished for in the first place?"
What 67%?
As they mentioned (all in black & white above) if BN won about 43% of the popular vote, while Pakatan Harapan Plus won 30%, and Perikatan Nasional 24%, how in the world does that add up to 67%?
As they mentioned (all in black & white above) if BN won about 43% of the popular vote, while Pakatan Harapan Plus won 30%, and Perikatan Nasional 24%, how in the world does that add up to 67%?
Stop kerbau-ing - it's 57% from just a simple 100% - BN 43% = 57%. [or if we go by Pakatan plus 30% & PN 24% = 54%]
But if there were, say, 5 parties with different ideologies and stances, and Party A won 43%, did that mean the other 57% (call it Party Omicron) were united, of one voice, and should "... get the representation they wished for in the first place"?
WTF if so, then Party Omicron should have been the ruling party, just as the 54% non-Pakatan (call it Party Teapot) post GE14 should (100% minus Pakatan 46% in GE14).
This sort of stupid argument is even worse than Lim KHAT's "just one more week and my DAP would have kau-tim Najib". As a disgusted Commander Thaya wrote in his MKINI column "Good lord, another week of campaigning and I believe Najib would have another week to pinch a couple of more seats from the DAP."
Instead of moronic post-mortem-ing and self-pity, just get on with your proposal for the proportional representation (PR) or party-list system. That'll be far far more useful than idiotic useless self-flagellation.
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