Transparency International Malaysia president, Dr Muhammad Mohan, said that having little or no opposition in state assemblies does not mean there are no checks and balances in place.
He said this based on the outcome of Saturday’s state elections in Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, and Kelantan.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) won all 32 seats in Terengganu, while sweeping 43 of 45 seats in Kelantan, and 33 out of 36 in Kedah. The Pakatan Harapan (PH)-Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance won 31 out of 36 seats in Negeri Sembilan.
Muhammad said if opposition parties had a small voice in the state assemblies, they would still have representatives in Parliament who can see what the state assembly is doing.
But in the case of Terengganu, PN also swept all eight parliamentary seats in November.
“It’s status quo, as the federal government-led parties in PH-BN retained their hold in Penang, Selangor, and Negeri Sembilan, while the opposition held on to the other three states,” said Muhammad.
“However, for PN to sweep all 32 seats in Terengganu was unexpected. I thought there would be some opposition.
“We need a strong opposition to provide checks and balances, and to ensure good governance, transparency, and accountability. But in the absence of one, there are other ways around it.”
He said that while Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, and Negeri Sembilan had virtually no opposition after Saturday’s elections, this does not mean that the vanquished politicians or parties should remain quiet.
“Just because you lose an election does not mean you fade away,” said Muhammad.
“The politicians may not have a voice in Terengganu, but they should keep a close watch on what the government does, moving forward.
“Politicians in all four states must stay informed, communicate with the public, and assess the situation on the ground.”
He also suggested that political parties work with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to act as watchdogs, and to engage with the media. Muhammad said civil society groups and NGOs could push for accountability and raise public awareness of potential power abuses.
He cited the example of the Selangor government cancelling the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link highway project during the campaign period in the run-up to the state elections, but did an about-face barely a day later, saying that it might revive the project “if the developer fulfils the requirements set by the state government”.
Right after the announcement was made, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) said it would maintain pressure on the authorities to not revive the project.
“Being an apolitical NGO, those in the ‘Say No to PJD Link’ group engaged with politicians to state their case,” said Muhammad.
“Although PH had more than a two-thirds majority, NGOs and civil society groups made enough noise, that they were heard. The media also put a spotlight on the issue.
“The media can be a powerful partner, as they can sometimes get access to information, and bring certain issues to light.
“It is a matter of being smart and not giving up,” he added.