Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim
This is my first time, blogging from my mobile phone. Let see how it goes.
InsyaAllah in 2 days time, the United Kingdom will be facing its General Election to elect its Members of Parliament (MP). This will be my first ever opportunity to vote in a foreign land, the land of the people who invaded my beloved country many years ago. Alhamdulillah this is an opportunity to learn about the politics and the election system in the UK and who knows it can be applied in Malaysia in the future?
Here is a good summary about the election in UK, was a comment from a friend in Facebook.
Kagum dengan proses piliharaya Britain.
1: Banyak debat
2: Liputan Berita untuk semua Parti
3: Universiti adalah pusat Kempen
4: Takde poster
5: Kebebasan bersuara
6: Bincang pasal isu bukan skandal
7: Public participation dalam Q & A (bukan tahu sorak jer)
8: Banyak analisis bukan spekulasi
9: minor issues of race and religion
10: Professional & Intellectual.
Hate to admit it, but it is true. The Malaysian election and hustings system are still way behind and I'd say not as professional as here. Well maybe this system does not fit with Malaysia as its waqi'? I believe that is not the case.
1. Banyak debat (a lot of debates)
Over the past 3 weeks, leaders of the main 3 parties, Labour, Conservatives (aka Tories) & Liberal Democrats (Lib Dem), met face to face to debate about issues and policies that they bring and would fought for should they were elected to be the next government. Yup, you heard me right. They met face to face and debated. What they debated on were the policies and analysis of flaws in the UK and ways to improve it. And these debates were broadcasted live in many TV channels!
2. Liputan berita untuk semua parti (News coverage from all parties).
Yup, TV channels, newspapers and internet websites covers the news about all parties, from the current government or its contesters. News about Labour strength and weakness were fairly broadcasted with news from Tories, Lib Dem and others. Unlike Malaysia where the TV only shows what the current government says about something and the opposition do not have the chance at all to have their say unless their says benefits the current government.
3. Universiti sebagai pusat kempen (Universities as the centre of campaigning)
Being an NUS Delegate myself opens my eyes to this. There were delegates from my uni which represent the Labour party and fought for its policies to go through the NUS. NUS is National Union of Students, which acts like the Parliament of Students and have the power to ensure all Student Unions to follow the constitutions and motions passed in the NUS Conference. In other words, university student as the future country leaders are given the opportunity to gain experience of politics, able to express its rights and fight for it and not oppressed by Acts and Laws which suppressed the student's hidden potentials.
In addition, the last series of Election Debate (last Thursday) was held in the Great Hall, Birmingham University itself. Yup, debate session between the leaders of 3 main parties was held in a university.
4: No posters
Very true indeed. I can snap a photo of Nottingham today and not see a single poster or banner of election. It makes the world look less messy, i guess it costs less, more greener and less hassle to clean it back later on.
5. Kebebasan Suara (Freedom of Speech)
Very much indeed. The parties who are running for the election can give speeches about why they are the best to be the next government. It can be done anywhere and I do not think these people will be captured and prisonised if they criticise the government. The etiquettes of freedom of speech is maintain. Freedom of speech doesn't mean you can utter such racism and facism words like "go home, Paki" or something like that. I believe if racism speech uttered, it won't be long before that person is captured and accused for racism.
6. Discussing issues, not scandals.
As mentioned, debates and speeches were focused on discussing issues, not scandals. If a candidate have scandals like marriage scandals, the opposition does not use that point to attack this candidate personally. Instead focus is on telling the public why their policies are the best and its opponents' are not. That is called professional and maintaining election etiquettes.
7. Public participation in Q&A
The public were given opportunity to ask controversial questions to the government and its competitors without the fear of some sort of secret agent or special branch would be tracking down and assasinate the questioners. As example if I was given a chance to ask, I'd ask "why does the government decided to allocate more funding into warfare (eg: Afghanistan) and not into education and health system?". I would not be arrested for asking that and the parties' leader must answer it professionally otherwise they will lost a lot of votes.
The rest are self explanatory.
I can see that there are more to be done in Malaysia, in fact many of them. Who will have to change it if not us, the students and future leaders of the country? Not that I'm saying students must involve in politics, but we should not be restricted by any Acts or Laws which suppresses students from even knowing or showing interest in it.
My 2 cents
Wallahuaalam
Ibn MuSa
Dunkirk 2010
