Since the fall of Soviet Union in 1991, there is a great optimism especially for democracy. The ideological battle between democracy and communism seems to have ended with decisive victory for democracy, fostering belief that eventually the former communist countries would inevitably transition towards democracy. However the recent developments around the world has challenged this narrative. As countries can slide from Autocracy to Democracy, as we have seen in the Eastern Europe in the 1980s, they can always slide back to Autocracy, as we have seen lately for Georgia.
Malaysia had a fair share of history of authoritarianism. Since independence Barisan National (BN) was the dominant political party for a long time, and maintained its power through a combination of gerrymandering, media control, and suppression of political dissent. But the country has made notable progress towards democratization. In particular, the Reformasi movement in 1998 and Bersih movement in 2006 had pushed us towards fairer election and political and economic reforms.
Malaysia then solidified its democratic values when the opposition coalition, when Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the election in 2018 and there was smooth transition of power of the incumbent government to the opposition. Pakatan Harapan won the election in 2022 again with some concession with other political parties. However, the risk of democratic backsliding remains. What is democratic backsliding and their signs?
What is democratic backsliding?
Democratic backsliding refers to the decline of the democratic values and the weakening of the democratic institutions. In my view, the essential elements of democratic values include:
- Rule of Law
- Civil Liberties and Political Freedom
- Free and Fair election
- Accountability and Transparency of the Government
- Political Equality
These important elements underpin the foundation of democracy. Press freedom and independence of judicial, electoral commissions and anti-corruption institutions are important to support the democratic values listed here.
How does autocracy assert itself into the society?
Democratic backsliding and rise of autocracy often originated from economic hardships. In the wake of the Great Depression, Germany faced severe economic hardship, hyperinflation, and mass unemployment. The Weimer Repulic, Germany’s democratic government at that time, was seen as weak and ineffective, and it started to lose public trust to turn the situation around.
There are several things going on here. First, economic is a very abstract and difficult subject to comprehend for the larger public. Secondly, when the government fail to deliver its promises and mandate to the public, it starts to lose trust. In this scenario, populist becomes an attractive option, as it offers simple, straightforward solution that the public can understand.
Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party then capitalized the public discontent by promising to restore Germany’s former glory. They used nationalist rhetoric, blamed Jews, and portrayed themselves as the savior of the nation. After winning the election in 1933, they passed a series of law (especially the Enabling Act on 23rd of March) to effectively gave Hitler dictatorial power in Germany. Political parties were banned and Germany became a one-party state under Nazi Control.
In short, the autocrat’s playbook look like this – first, leverage the public grievances and offer simple solutions. Second, win the election and degrade all the democratic institutions, such as rule of law, justice department, so that the new government is no longer accountable to the public. Finally, control the press and suppress any dissent.
So, what can we do about it?
Knowing the autocrat’s playbook, what can the public do to ensure that we do not backslide into autocracy?
Strict on corruption
Corruption is not just the byproduct of human greed, but it is a deliberate strategy pursued by the autocrats to consolidate and maintain power. With corruption the autocrats obtain the control over the resources, and with it, they can reward supporters and ensure continued loyalty, thereby building a loyalty network. This network may even extend to military and business sectors. This system of patronage creates a dependency on the autocrat, as the supporters will lose these privileges if there is a regime change.
This also furthers allow the autocrat to weaponize this dependency. Once every hands of the supporters are dirty, it is then easy to punish dissent by using corruption charges. Corruption charges (doesn’t matter if it is real or not) is often also used to neutralize political opponents.
By institutionalizing corruption, autocrats also make it difficult for independent institutions like judiciary and anti-corruption agencies to function effectively, thereby weakening the rule of law. This legal erosion ensures that the autocrats and their network can operate without impunity, and no longer accountable to the public.
Since 2000s, the Bersih movement was instrumental to nudge Malaysia towards democratization. The movement advocated transparent and fair election, as well as clean government that is free of corruption. Though it did not achieve all of its target (well, look at our infamous 1MDB scandal), it does help steer Malaysia into the right direction. The government charged some officials with corruption charges, but most top dogs still run free, with sole exception of Najib, who was the leader of the party who lost the election against the opposition in 2018. Zahid, who is the leader of the Barisan National (BN), did not get similar treatment as Najib and still runs free and even became the deputy prime minister in the new government. It raises the question whether the freedom of Zahid is due to lack of evidence, or there is any political interference.
Protect Press Freedom
An independent press is a watchdog of democracy. It holds the government accountable by exposing corruption, abuse, and mismanagement to the public. The public can then use the information provided by the press to make informed decision. Therefore, autocrats always seek to control the press when they want to consolidate power.
In Malaysia, we do not have a truly independent press – we’re ranked 107th in the World Press Freedom Index in 2024. Most media outlets are owned by government-linked companies or political parties. For example, Utusan Malaysia was owned by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) for decades until their stake was sold to another politician in 2019. Independent journalists do exist, but they frequently face harassment if their reporting contradicts the government’s preferred narratives.
Without proper protection, the press can become a tool for propaganda rather than a source of unbiased information. To prevent this, we must actively safeguard press freedom. So, how can we protect the press?
- Legal reforms: We need to repeal or amend laws like the Printing Presses and Publications Act and the Sedition Act, which are frequently used to target and harass journalists. Stronger whistleblower protections are also essential to ensure that those who expose wrongdoings are not punished but instead protected and encouraged.
- Support independent journalism. With the rise of social media, there are more opportunities than ever for independent journalists to reach wide audience. On YouTube for example, channels like MrMoneyTV and BBKNetwork does not only discuss current affairs and political topics in Malaysia, but also publish educational content which will further support the public’s understanding on complex issues.
Encourage Economic Inclusivity and Social Cohesion
As the degenerations of democracy often originated from economic hardship, we need to build an economy that works for everyone. In Malaysia, however, our economy is often criticized for its lack of inclusivity. This traces back to 1971, the year when Malaysia launched its NEP (New Economic Policy) in response to the May 13, 1969 riot. Its main objective was to uplift the economic participation of the Malay community. It was a noble endeavor, and it was scheduled to end by 1990.
Unfortunately, instead of being phased out, the NEP policy became a political tool instead. Politicians exploited it for corruption and as a means to secure Malay votes. This resulted in cronyism, inefficiencies and persistent economic disparities. Although the NEP was intended to be temporary, it has been extended repeatedly under different names, with the latest iteration in 2024 called PuTERA35 by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.
Despite the unfairness of these policies, non-Malays have largely continued with their lives. For many years, the growing economy allowed people to tolerate corruption and inequitable policies because they still saw overall increases in wealth and prosperity, Urbanization was on the rise, and across the board, people were becoming wealthier.
But when the economy starts to plateau and hardship increase, public dissatisfaction emerges, paving the way for populism and autocratic tendencies. Rather than acknowledging their failures to govern effectively, politicians often find it easier to exploit this dissatisfaction by blaming specific groups – frequently along racial lines – to secure votes. This tactic is not unique to Malaysia; across the globe, leaders who face economic crises often resort to divisive rhetoric to maintain power. In Malaysia, affirmative actions based on racial lines exclude some Malaysians from participating in certain economic activities, and some people will fall behind economically simply because of the skin color. These depleted economic opportunities and racially driven policies further divide Malaysians into racial identities, eroding social cohesion. With the lack of the shared identity and experience, societal divisions deepen, and democracy degenerates.
Thus, it is crucial for us to advocate for economic inclusivity and ensure that our economy benefits everyone, rather than dividing people along racial lines. By doing so, we can foster a more cohesive society and preserve democratic values and unity.
Maintain neutrality
As of 2024, Prime Minister Anwar still attempt to maintain neutrality in this multipolar world. One led by the United States while another led by China. While this is good in the surface, we don’t really have a choice if we were to side with one of them. If we side with China, then it is inevitable that China will try to export their autocratic values into our country (surveillance, control etc.) which will degrade our society’s democratic value.
While the fruit of the neutrality is yet to be seen, we will continue to observe the tide and waves as we navigate through the new world.
Participate in civil activities to champion democratic values
How do we champion press freedom, clean government free of corruption, and a society that support inclusive economy? Other than voting every 4~5 years, participating in civil activities is the best way to make the voice heard. Bersih movement is the best example. Millions of people joined the movement on the street and the government was forced to react on it. While the corruption still continued, Bersih movement had certainly made some small wins and move Malaysia towards democratization. So far, civil activities like Bersih have been vital to provide platforms for citizens to express their opinions, inform the public, sway voters, influence policy decision, and hold leaders accountable.
Defending against Autocracy
Democracy is always a project that is work in progress. In achieving this telic concept, we often take two steps forward but one step back. However the effort must not stop. When US Constitution was first formed, it demanded all men to be treated equal, but yet the slavery was only abolished after some time. Women’s voting rights were also granted in the 20th century. We too, must continue to make progress towards democratization, so that we don’t slide to Autocracy.
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