The Japan-Malaysia Party Politics Parallel

Both Malaysia and Japan are democratic states. Yet both have seen a majority party in control of all branches of government for many decades. In Japan, it’s the Liberal Democratic Party, while in Malaysia, it’s the Barisan Nasional (National Front). Elections a few years ago in both countries rewarded both – Japan’s LDP won a crushing 2/3rds majority in the lower house in 2005, and the Barisan Nasional won a whopping 90 percent of parliamentary seats in 2004.

However, these historic wins were short-lived. Just as Japan’s opposition Democratic Party won a majority in the upper house for the first time in history in 2007, Malaysia’s opposition party won key states in this weekend’s general election, and Barisan Nasional has lost its two-thirds majority for the first time since 1969 (read local blogger accounts here, here, here and here). The situation in Japan and Malaysia is now the same—after a few short years, the majority remains in control, but substantially weaker.

For decades both parties managed the economy and the general civic welfare of the nation, which voters recognized and rewarded accordingly. But scandals in recent years for both parties have undermined public support. The question in both Malaysia and Japan is whether the opposition will be able to deliver the final blow and wrest control of the executive branch. Whether or not that will succeed remains to be seen.