After the historic 15^th GE where an estimated 74% of the electorate (more than 15.6 million ) had gone out to exercise their right to vote, we  faced  a hung Parliament situation as no coalition obtained a majority of seats in Dewan Rakyat necessary to form Government.  Nevertheless after 5 days of relative peace post-election, Malaysia’s 10^th Prime Minister was finally installed on the 24^th November 2022.

ROSE congratulates YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim as leader of the Pakatan Harapan led new government and now Prime Minister for all Malaysians. Following the decree of the YDPA for unity, he has the task of government formation as well as Cabinet appointments and we wish him much wisdom and strength for the days ahead. Beyond that the new government must get down to the business of formulating and implementing policies that are rakyat-centric and for the Common Good including steering the nation from a worsening economy.

The leader and members of the opposition bench however must also be allowed to play their role as the loyal opposition by competing on policy levels including the formation of a shadow cabinet. In these days of multi-party democracy, parties must view and conduct themselves as competitors and rivals (instead of enemies). Ultimately as the Malaysian electorate becomes smarter and more empowered they will determine each party’s fate in the next election.

With this we also congratulate Sarawakians voters many of whom despite the high costs of airfares and transportation had returned home from Semenanjung or overseas to vote. Others did more than just voted. They volunteered as Polling Agent/Counting Agent or as campaigners. Others contributed financially to non-partisan initiatives to help students go home to vote such as our #JuhBalitNgundi initiative. Yet others  volunteered as ‘flyers’ to bring  home postal ballots from overseas Sarawakian Malaysians and some as domestic flyers within Sarawak. Ordinary citizens stepped up as local runners to bring these ballots to their destinations at the office of respective Returning Officers in time to be counted by the counting clerks by 5pm on Polling Day.

Overall, more than One million Sarawakians ( at least 1,178,867 voters) or 61% of the electorate turned up to vote during the last GE. [At the time of writing, the EC has not shared the number of rejected votes or unreturned votes hence the approximation]. This is against a nationwide rate of 74%. At constituency level, the lowest turnout rates were for Parliament Baram at 50%, Kapit at 49% and the lowest in Limbang at 47%.

For us, GE15 was a referendum by the voters on the rule of law. Voters have learnt from the era of the Covid19 pandemic and thereafter that they can no longer tolerate the ‘dua darjat’ treatment (one set of law for the elites and one for the common man). The new government must look into the separation of the role of Attorney-General so that the current dual role of prosecution and government advisor is separated.

We are also painfully aware that as we push for greater accountability and transparency on the part of govt, it also means that we need to exercise our role as responsible citizens in re-building the community and nation. It is time for each of us to  participate in the existing democratic processes and spaces that are available to us in the months ahead. 

DATED 25^th November 2022

Statement issued by PERSATUAN PEMANGKIN DAYA MASYARAKAT (ROSE)

Attached posters graphics on turnout rates