By Harith Kamal
‘When people call for a ‘third force’, they are looking for a party that has not yet been tainted by the elites.’
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s democracy may have evolved since the historic 2018 political transition, but many voters remain alienated by what critics describe as an entrenched political elite operating under different banners.
International Islamic University Malaysia political analyst and Iseas–Yusof Ishak Institute fellow Assoc Prof Dr Syaza Shukri said the country’s major coalitions continue to be dominated by the same governing class despite shifting political alignments and branding.
“Parties appear ‘the same’ because they seem to cater to the political elites and governing class.
“When people call for a ‘third force’, they are looking for a party that has not yet been tainted by the elites.”
She said the landmark 14th general election in 2018, which ended Barisan Nasional’s (BN) uninterrupted six-decade rule, was driven more by the urgency of removing the incumbent government than by a coherent long-term governing vision.
“As Pakatan Harapan (PH) under former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad later admitted, they did not really think they needed to implement the promises in Buku Harapan (PH’s manifesto). So, that is why things appeared slightly haphazard in the beginning.”
She said while the Opposition’s victory marked a watershed moment in Malaysian politics, it also exposed weaknesses in coalition management and post-election planning.
“Again, because the focus was simply to bring down BN, once they succeeded, they could not even keep the coalition together. So, I think what went wrong was the lack of a clear roadmap for Malaysia.
“What went right is that our institutions, despite their own problems, were still able to sustain the democratic process.”
Syaza said despite years of political turbulence, Malaysia’s institutional framework has remained intact, allowing elections and peaceful transfers of power to continue amid shifting alliances and changing governments.
She said political convergence towards the centre is not unusual in first-past-the-post electoral systems, in which parties often moderate their positions to secure broader support.
However, she added that the deeper issue lies in the public perception that political actors remain disconnected from ordinary Malaysians.
“The disappointment is that PH promised to fight corruption, but the perception is that things still look very much the same.”
Syaza said the growing call for a “third force” reflects frustration with existing coalitions rather than rejection of democracy itself.
She said Malaysia is likely to remain governed through coalition arrangements, which she believes can function effectively if political parties respect democratic norms and accept electoral uncertainty.
“These parties should see themselves as temporary leaders who can be changed in any election. If that becomes the mindset, there will be smoother policy continuity because the focus would be on improving existing policies instead of constantly changing things for legacy purposes.
“It also keeps governments in check and accountable, knowing they can always be voted out.”
However, Syaza added that continued attempts to topple governments outside the electoral process risk further eroding public confidence in the political system.
“People are fatigued right now because there seems to be no respect for the political system,” she said, referring to ongoing political manoeuvres aimed at changing administrations outside general elections.
Still, she expressed cautious optimism that Malaysia is moving towards a more stable democratic equilibrium.
Source: parties-catering-to-political-elites-alienate-voters-analyst
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