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| 2013 Malaysian general election | |
|---|---|
| Name | 13th Malaysian general election |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Type | parliamentary |
| Election date | 5 May 2013 |
| Seats for election | 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat |
| Majority seats | 112 |
| Turnout | 84.84% |
2013 Malaysian general election was held on 5 May 2013 to elect members to the Dewan Rakyat. The contest pitted the incumbent Barisan Nasional led by Najib Razak against the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat featuring leaders such as Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang, with widespread attention from international observers including the United Nations and regional organizations like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The election featured high voter turnout, contentious results, and significant legal and political repercussions involving institutions such as the Judiciary of Malaysia and the Election Commission of Malaysia.
In the lead-up, the administration of Najib Razak implemented policies like the New Economic Model (Malaysia) and economic initiatives tied to Iskandar Malaysia while facing criticism from figures like Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng, and Muhyiddin Yassin. The dissolution of the 12th Dewan Rakyat followed political maneuvers referenced in debates involving the Constitution of Malaysia and past crises including the 2008 general election where opposition gains by Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP altered the landscape. International observers compared Malaysian developments to transitions in Indonesia and Thailand.
The election used single-member constituencies under first-past-the-post rules for 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, overseen by the Election Commission of Malaysia. Constituency delineation followed reports by the Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya and was subject to legal challenge under provisions of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. Boundary reviews and malapportionment debates cited comparisons to systems in United Kingdom and Australia and raised issues before the Court of Appeal (Malaysia) and the Federal Court of Malaysia.
Main contestants included the incumbent Barisan Nasional coalition, dominated by United Malays National Organisation, allied with Malaysian Chinese Association and Malaysian Indian Congress, versus the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition comprising Parti Keadilan Rakyat, DAP, and PAS. Smaller parties such as Malaysian People's Movement Party, Parti Sosialis Malaysia, and regional parties like Parti Bersatu Sabah and Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sabah also contested, while personalities including Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Lim Kit Siang, and Hadi Awang shaped coalition strategies.
Campaigns revolved around issues including fuel subsidy reform linked to 1Malaysia policy debates, the price of commodities in contexts like Petronas revenues, and matters of civil liberties raised by activists from Siti Kasim and organizations such as Human Rights Commission of Malaysia. Allegations concerning corruption referenced historical events like the Perwaja Steel scandal and institutions including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Ethnic and religious themes invoked leaders from UMNO and PAS, while urban-rural divides involved constituencies in Klang Valley, Penang, and Sabah.
On 5 May 2013, polling occurred across peninsular and Borneo constituencies administered by the Election Commission of Malaysia with turnout surpassing figures from the 2008 Malaysian general election. The provisional results showed Barisan Nasional winning a parliamentary majority of seats while Pakatan Rakyat secured the popular vote plurality, prompting scrutiny from international observers including delegations from United States Department of State and NGOs like Transparency International. Prominent victors and losers included incumbents from UMNO and challengers from DAP and PKR.
Following the results, Najib Razak proclaimed the mandate for Barisan Nasional and was appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to form a new cabinet, precipitating resignations and reshuffles involving figures such as Muhyiddin Yassin and Hishammuddin Hussein. Opposition leaders including Anwar Ibrahim sought legal remedies through the Malaysian courts and mobilized street demonstrations referencing organizational tactics used in movements like Occupy Wall Street and protests in Hong Kong. International reactions came from governments such as United Kingdom and Australia and organizations including the Commonwealth of Nations.
Post-election analyses by academics from institutions like Universiti Malaya, think tanks such as Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, and media outlets including The Star and The Malaysian Insider debated issues of electoral fairness, postal ballot handling, and alleged irregularities involving administrative procedures tied to the Election Commission of Malaysia. Legal challenges reached the High Court (Malaysia), with public discourse involving civil society groups like Bersih 2.0 and commentary from politicians including Lim Kit Siang and Anwar Ibrahim. The election's legacy influenced subsequent events, contributing to realignments that led to future developments involving Pakatan Harapan and the 2018 electoral outcome.
Category:General elections in Malaysia Category:2013 elections