The Fourteenth General Election of Malaysia: A Social Movement Analysis of Chinese Voting Decisions

Authors

Yee Mun CHIN, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, MalaysiaFollow
Edwin Michael a/l N. Muniandy, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, MalaysiaFollow
May Chuen ENG, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, MalaysiaFollow

Abstract

Of all Malaysia’s general elections, the Fourteenth General Election (GE) held on 9 May 2018 was of momentous consequence. For the first time in Malaysia’s history, the incumbent ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) lost its grip over Malaysia and was replaced by Pakatan Harapan (PH). As the second largest group of voters, the Chinese played an instrumental role in causing BS’s defeat. There seemed to be a collective decision among Chinese voters to depose BN by denying its claim to victory in all Chinese majority seats. A massive 95 per cent of Chinese voters swung en masse in support of PH. This study will examine the collective decision of the Chinese electorate in the voting via social movement theories. Micro-level rational choice theory and macro-structural social strain theory are employed to dissect the Chinese voting behaviour. It becomes clear that a potent cocktail of macro- and micro-factors has been in play to help turn the tide against BN.

Recommended Citation

CHIN, Yee Mun; N. Muniandy, Edwin Michael a/l; and ENG, May Chuen (2018) "The Fourteenth General Election of Malaysia: A Social Movement Analysis of Chinese Voting Decisions," Malaysian Journal of Chinese Studies: Vol. 7: No. 2, Article 1.
Available at: https://mjcs.newera.edu.my/journal/vol7/iss2/1