The Japan-Malaysia Party Politics Parallel

Posted on 3/9/2008 by Curzon

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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.

About Curzon

Lord George Nathaniel Curzon (1859 - 1925) entered the British House of Commons as a Conservative MP in 1886, where he served as undersecretary of India and Foreign Affairs. He was appointed Viceroy of India at the turn of the 20th century where he delineated the North West Frontier Province, ordered a military expedition to Tibet, and unsuccessfully tried to partition the province of Bengal during his six-year tenure. Curzon served as Leader of the House of Lords in Prime Minister Lloyd George's War Cabinet and became Foreign Secretary in January 1919, where his most famous act was the drawing of the Curzon Line between a new Polish state and Russia. His publications include Russia in Central Asia (1889) and Persia and the Persian Question (1892). In real life, "Curzon" is a US citizen from the East Coast who has been a financial analyst, freelance translator, and university professor; he is currently on assignment in Tokyo.
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3 Responses to The Japan-Malaysia Party Politics Parallel

  1. Aceface says:
    3/9/2008 at 3:31 pm

    I think it’s a bit difficult to compare Malysia and Japan in many aspects,No?

    BN is a coalition predominatly lead by United Malays National Organization and other parties are also representing race groups while Japan’s LDP is marely a coalition of fractions lead by party figures.

    And in Malysia there is a real opposition going out to the streets such as ethnic Indians opposing Malay-first adffirmative action policy recently.In Japan,I see no such crowd antwhere.

    One thing I find similarity is two former government top figures are shuffling cards behind curtains in both nations.In Japan,ex-PM Koizumi Jyunichiro and in Malaysia,ex-vice PM Anwar Ibrahim.

  2. Curzon says:
    3/9/2008 at 3:38 pm

    I think the post speaks for itself. Single party democracies (real democracies) are very rare, and that alone makes Japan and Malaysia remarkably similar. The similarities in recent elections makes it even more interesting. Of course the aren’t the same (no ethnic aspect in Japan), but they have held their majority by keeping a vast coalition of interests together and happy.