However, in the electoral system in Malaysia that is heavily weighed with ethnic and religious issues, electoral competition has come to be based not on policy matters.
Over the years, this system was reinforced by delimitation exercises that further strengthened the FPTP system.
I am not sure whether we can intelligently copy the mixed member proportional system (MMP) of countries like Germany or New Zealand. There is nothing wrong with learning from the electoral systems of these countries.
Political cultures have an impact on electoral systems.
Historical evolution of the political culture leading to the adoption of an electoral system might not be something that can be easily copied or emulated in our excitement to go beyond a particular system.
Yes, primacy given to ethnic and religious issues in electoral campaigns and competitions is not something beneficial to the nation.
There is a dire necessity to move beyond these issues and to embrace critical matters important to all communities.
Whatever reforms we need to bring to the electoral system must be based on the country’s unique history and experience.
This would be the most difficult part, not copying the system of another country.
There is no such thing as supplanting one electoral system with another. This might not be even possible as there are high stakes in the present electoral system.
Both the ruling coalition and the opposition, having tasted the success of the system, might want the FPTP to continue.
Again, the electoral systems in Germany and New Zealand might not have been instituted to address racial or religious issues in the first place.
The system in place might be more favourable for discussions of policy matters rather than matters of ethnicity or religion.
The reform of the electoral system is one way of moving beyond the confines of ethnicity and religion.
It would be epistemologically wrong to think that electoral reform is the only way out of the present imbroglio.
There must be a more comprehensive analysis with the participation of all stakeholders to deal with the problem of racial and religious polarisation that has continued unabated over the last few decades.
The electoral system is a powerful manifestation of this racial and religious polarisation.
The ERC must continue to hold discussions on reforms by encouraging the participation of larger groups of stakeholders.
P Ramasamy is the deputy chief minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.