Economic Voting and the End of Dominant Party Rule in Malaysia
Lee, Cassey | February 2019
Abstract
This essay seeks to empirically examine economic and non-economic factors that determined the outcomes of the fourteenth general election in Malaysia. In the election, the incumbent coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) which had ruled the country since its independence in 1957 was defeated. Relatively robust economic growth in months prior to the elections failed to bolster voter support for the incumbent coalition. Unemployment and inequality further eroded voter support for BN. The election also saw a decline in the support of the Bumiputra community and East Malaysian voters for BN. A key factor in the end of BN rule was the defections of elite politicians from UMNO. Mahathir Mohamad, a former Prime Minister and UMNO President, together with other former UMNO stalwarts joined the opposition coalition and mobilized voters against BN.
Citation
Lee, Cassey. 2019. Economic Voting and the End of Dominant Party Rule in Malaysia. © ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute. http://hdl.handle.net/11540/9694.Keywords
Development Economics
Regional Economic Development
Economic Impact
Asian Development Bank
Development
Economic Boom
Regional Economic Integration
Good Governance
Governance Approach
Macroeconomic
Macroeconomic Analysis
Macroeconomic Framework
Macroeconomic Models
Macroeconomic Performance
Macroeconomic Planning
Macroeconomic Policies
Macroeconomic Reform
Macroeconomic Stabilization
Government
Government accounting
Economic planning
Economic structure
Growth policy
Trade relations
Trade policy
Trade policy
Economic development
Economies in transition
International economy
Border integration
Economic integration
Gross domestic product
Trade policy
Institutional Framework
Public Administration
Business Ethics
Political Leadership
Regional economics
Economic forecasting
Economic development projects
Success in business
Business
Free trade
Economics
Communication in economic development
Restraint of trade
International economic integration
Trade blocs
East-West trade
Government
Political obligation
Public management
Government accountability
Transparency in government
Political ethics
Government spending policy
Government services
Democracy
Democratization
Elections
Local government
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