Malaysia and Indonesia offer interesting insights and contrasts in democratisation. Both Muslim-majority societies with ethno-religious tensions, the two Southeast Asian nations have taken different though comparable democratisation trajectories after ending electoral authoritarianism in 1998 and 2018 respectively.
A centralised federation with parliamentary democracy and nine royal houses, Malaysia is moving from the pre-transition single-bloc majoritarian governments to now post-election coalition governments. Since 2020, Malaysian parties have grouped themselves into two national blocs with mutable labels and floating composition, striving to replace each other in government. As the two blocs are invariably one multi-ethnic and the other monoethnic, identity issues like ‘race, religion and royalty’ (3Rs) continue to mobilise and divide different segments of society. Beneath the rapid realignment and gradual deinstitutionalisation of parties are floating alliances of cartel elites, competing for majoritarian power and patronage while cynical about election promises and platforms.
In contrast, a presidential unitary state, Indonesia had successfully overcome sporadic communal conflicts in Java, Ambon and Kalimantan and even made peace with the Acehnese separatists in the early years post-transition. In the past quarter-century, Indonesia has undergone substantial decentralisation to accommodate local aspirations. Notwithstanding the general growth of religious conservatism in society, Indonesia’s last general election in early 2024 had avoided communal mobilisation in previous elections. However, democratic institutions have also been partly compromised since mid-2010s. After harsh repression of Islamist mobilisation and successful attempts by the popular outgoing President Joko Widodo to co-opt rivals and build a dynasty, both vertical and horizontal accountability are now called into question.
This panel aims to take stock of democratisation in Malaysia and Indonesia, looking at the state of horizontal and vertical accountability (Indonesia), institutionalisation and functions of political parties, disconnect of elites and masses, public support for electoral reform, and the operation and limits of the anti-hopping laws (AHLs) in Malaysia.