Spectre of bias hovers over Malaysian vote | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Will Malaysia elections be free?

Published: 20 Mar 2013 at 12.49
Online news:

Nearly all of Malaysia agrees coming elections will be the country's closest ever, but opinions diverge on another key question: will the hotly anticipated contest be free and fair?

A worker carries flags of the Malaysia opposition People's Justice Party at their campaign outpost in Kuala Lumpur, March 18, 2013. Nearly all of Malaysia agrees coming elections will be the country's closest ever, but opinions diverge on another key question: will the hotly anticipated contest be free and fair?

"Yes", says the nation's long-ruling government, which touts recent reforms including the use of indelible ink to avoid multiple voting and expanded overseas postal balloting for the polls due by June.

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jerome
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Discussion 5 : 20 Mar 2013 at 21.595
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@ Danny Are you joking or what ? Malaysia the third most corrupted country in the world ? Absolutely false. Look at the Transparency International ranking, Malaysia is around the middle, less corrupted than Thailand , Italy or Greece for example. Of course much more corrupted than Singapore, Japan and South Korea. Violence ? You have no idea of what violence is if you don't like in countries like Honduras, Venezuela or South Africa where in 1 day there are as many as violent deaths in KL in YEARS. Having saying that, elections in Malaysia are quite free but NOT FAIR, this is true. Free and unfair is not enough to beat the UMNO.
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danny

Discussion 4 : 20 Mar 2013 at 20.484
It's clear that you do not know much about my government. Citizenship are given out freely as long as they vote for government. Corruption is world no.3 Crime rate is one of the highest. All ministers are billionaires. Election commission heads are member of the ruling party = government. Ask real Malaysian that you meet around the world and they will tell you the same thing .
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atiq
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Discussion 3 : 20 Mar 2013 at 20.353
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Depending on where are you coming from, being Thai and no interest in any parties,we shall assess all the views in a professional way without jumping into conclusion. I have been working around Asia Pacific and use to live in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and other North Asian countries. My job required and exposed me to these politicals circumstances. If we referred to Malaysian GE in 2008, prior to the election the oppositions claimed that this election will be full of fraud and cheating. However the opposition win several states. Now the opposition rewinded the same tape - is this unfair election if they win again?
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danny

Discussion 2 : 20 Mar 2013 at 16.072
I am a Malaysian myself currently working in Bangkok. I will have to agree that the election is not clean and more voters turning up for this coming election will minimize fraud but I strongly believe after a chance there will be a better Malaysia. If not we msians just have to migrate. Like myself to Thailand - a beautiful country!
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JustHuman
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Discussion 1 : 20 Mar 2013 at 13.481
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For a country like Malaysia, the answer to the question is NEVER. Just a matter MORE or LESS! Another unfortunate country, like Thailand, with all the God given natural resources and paradise beaches, could have easily become a super nation, if it were to be governed and run by honest, clean and hardworking people whom are there to serve the people of the country that voted for them. But instead...... sad!
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