Tindak Malaysia pushes for electoral reform to ensure fairer elections

Tindak Malaysia, a volunteer movement founded by Wong Piang Yow in 2008, is leading the charge for electoral reform in Malaysia.

Focused on creating a fairer voting system, the group has spent over a decade advocating for changes that ensure every vote carries equal weight.

Despite challenges, Tindak Malaysia continues to push for reform, focusing on malapportionment, gerrymandering, and electoral inefficiencies.

One of Tindak Malaysia’s core missions is to address unbalanced electoral boundaries, which have often predetermined election outcomes.

“Back then, the election system favoured incumbents from well-resourced parties,” said Danesh, a key figure in the movement.

The organisation’s goal is to see the implementation of a mixed-member proportional system in Malaysia, a solution they believe can restore confidence in the electoral process.

Advocacy for electoral redelineation

Tindak Malaysia’s efforts primarily focus on redelineation and electoral processes.

The group has been vocal about the negative impact of malapportionment and gerrymandering on the electoral system, where electoral boundaries are manipulated for political gain.

Danesh emphasised, “Redelineation determines who wins and who loses in a given election, shaping the government and policies for years.”

Through its advocacy, Tindak Malaysia has trained polling agents, counting agents, and booth agents (PACABA), highlighting the importance of safeguarding election processes.

Yet, as Danesh pointed out, “No matter how well PACABA guards the process, election outcomes remain skewed if the boundaries are unjust.”

Challenges and Tindak Malaysia’s achievements

Tindak Malaysia’s path to reform has been fraught with challenges, including limited funding and waning public interest in electoral reform.

“The public’s focus has shifted towards economic and racial issues, leaving the technical complexities of electoral reform on the sidelines,” Danesh noted.

Despite these obstacles, the group has had notable successes, including the passage of the anti-party hopping law in 2022.

The organisation is also a pioneer in open election data, sharing standardised data on election results, demographics, and postal votes since 2015.

Tindak Malaysia remains committed to deploying 600 poll workers for the next general election (GE16) and improving the election process through the Election Commission’s “Pemerhati” programme, aimed at assessing the competency of election personnel.

Tindak Malaysia remains determined to continue its fight for a fair electoral system, even in the face of political and bureaucratic challenges.

While the current government has shown little interest in deep electoral reform, the group continues to push for redelineation and voter education.

Danesh stressed the importance of public awareness, stating, “Malapportionment and gerrymandering are not just abstract concepts—they have real consequences for communities.”

With a mission to ensure that every vote matters, Tindak Malaysia continues to advocate for change, using webinars, social media campaigns, and community outreach to recruit redelineation objectors and mobilise the public.

For more information, visit Tindak Malaysia’s website.

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