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Opposition (Malaysia)
Encyclopedia
The Opposition in Malaysia is a term used to describe political parties represented in the Parliament of Malaysia
that are not in government either on their own or as part of a governing coalition. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in parliament
ary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet
, rather than the state.
The title Official Opposition, used in most of the other member nations of the Commonwealth of Nations
to designate the political party not in government with the largest number of parliamentary seats, is rarely used in Malaysia. It is common practice to refer to such a party simply as the Opposition, or by the party name.
Theoretically, according to the system of Westminster Democracy
upon which the Malaysian political system is loosely based, the Opposition is seen as the alternative government and prepared to assume office should the incumbent government be defeated at a general election. Due to the domination of the Barisan Nasional
(and its predecessor, the Alliance) coalition of the parliament since independence, this perception is generally not acknowledged and recognized by Malaysians, though the recent elections in 2008 have caused Anwar Ibrahim to declare the Opposition the "government in waiting".
comes from the political party that secures the largest number of seats in the Dewan Rakyat, and which is not in government. The Leader of the Opposition is often seen as a Prime Minister-in-waiting.
of the People's Justice Party
(PKR) on July 31, 2008, and Anwar Ibrahim
's victory in Permatang Pauh
on August 26, 2008, Anwar is declared the Leader of the Opposition. Together with Democratic Action Party (DAP), the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), they form Pakatan Rakyat
. Sarawak National Party
(SNAP) on April 20, 2010 officially joined Pakatan Rakyat.
The position of the Leader of the Opposition had generally been given to members of PAS or the DAP, but has on two occasions included the Sarawak National Party
(SNAP) in a joint leadership with the DAP and, more recently, Parti Keadilan Rakyat
(PKR).
The list of Leaders of the Opposition include:
Parliament of Malaysia
The Parliament of Malaysia is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The King as the Head of State is the third component of Parliament....
that are not in government either on their own or as part of a governing coalition. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
ary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, rather than the state.
The title Official Opposition, used in most of the other member nations of the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
to designate the political party not in government with the largest number of parliamentary seats, is rarely used in Malaysia. It is common practice to refer to such a party simply as the Opposition, or by the party name.
Theoretically, according to the system of Westminster Democracy
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
upon which the Malaysian political system is loosely based, the Opposition is seen as the alternative government and prepared to assume office should the incumbent government be defeated at a general election. Due to the domination of the Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
(and its predecessor, the Alliance) coalition of the parliament since independence, this perception is generally not acknowledged and recognized by Malaysians, though the recent elections in 2008 have caused Anwar Ibrahim to declare the Opposition the "government in waiting".
Leader of the Opposition
By convention, the Leader of the OppositionLeader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in a Westminster System of parliamentary government...
comes from the political party that secures the largest number of seats in the Dewan Rakyat, and which is not in government. The Leader of the Opposition is often seen as a Prime Minister-in-waiting.
Current Leader of the Opposition
Following the resignation of Wan Azizah Wan IsmailWan Azizah Wan Ismail
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and she was the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008...
of the People's Justice Party
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party...
(PKR) on July 31, 2008, and Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
's victory in Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh by-election, 2008
A by-election was held for the Dewan Rakyat parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh on August 26, 2008 with nomination day on August 16, 2008. The seat of Permatang Pauh in the Dewan Rakyat, fell vacant after the resignation of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on 31 July 2008...
on August 26, 2008, Anwar is declared the Leader of the Opposition. Together with Democratic Action Party (DAP), the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), they form Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
. Sarawak National Party
Sarawak National Party
Sarawak National Party known by its acronym as "SNAP", is a political party in Malaysia. It was a member party of Barisan Nasional since Sarawak joined Malaysia until 2004 when it was expelled from Barisan Nasional...
(SNAP) on April 20, 2010 officially joined Pakatan Rakyat.
The position of the Leader of the Opposition had generally been given to members of PAS or the DAP, but has on two occasions included the Sarawak National Party
Sarawak National Party
Sarawak National Party known by its acronym as "SNAP", is a political party in Malaysia. It was a member party of Barisan Nasional since Sarawak joined Malaysia until 2004 when it was expelled from Barisan Nasional...
(SNAP) in a joint leadership with the DAP and, more recently, Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party...
(PKR).
The list of Leaders of the Opposition include:
| # | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Burhanuddin Mohd Noor (unofficial) | 1959 | 1964 | PAS |
| 1 | Tan Chee Khoon Tan Chee Khoon Tan Sri Dr David Tan Chee Khoon was a major figure in Malaysian politics from 1959 to 1978, at one point being nicknamed "Mr. Opposition" for the outspoken views he presented in Parliament. He was the official Leader of the Opposition in Parliament from 1964 to 1978, when he retired... |
1964 | 1969 | Labour Labour Party of Malaya The Labour Party of Malaya was a political party of Malaya that was active between 1952 to 1969. It was originally formed as a confederation of state based labour parties known as the Pan-Malayan Labour Party or PMFP.-Origins:... |
| 2 | Mohamed Asri Muda | 1971 | 1973 | PAS |
| 3 | Lim Kit Siang | 1973 | 1973 | DAP Democratic Action Party The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties... |
| 4 | James Wong James Wong (politician) Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min was a Malaysian politician active in the politics of Sarawak for decades. Wong holds the record as the longest serving assemblyman in the history of the state of Sarawak, holding the office for nearly fifty years. Wong served as the first Deputy Chief Minister of... |
1974 | 1974 | SNAP Sarawak National Party Sarawak National Party known by its acronym as "SNAP", is a political party in Malaysia. It was a member party of Barisan Nasional since Sarawak joined Malaysia until 2004 when it was expelled from Barisan Nasional... |
| 5 | Edmund Langgu Saga | 1975 | 1975 | SNAP Sarawak National Party Sarawak National Party known by its acronym as "SNAP", is a political party in Malaysia. It was a member party of Barisan Nasional since Sarawak joined Malaysia until 2004 when it was expelled from Barisan Nasional... |
| 6 | Lim Kit Siang | 1975 | 1999 | DAP Democratic Action Party The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties... |
| 7 | Fadzil Noor Fadzil Noor Dato' Ustaz Hajji Fadzil bin Muhammad Noor was a Malaysian politician and religious teacher. He was the president of Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party , and was the parliamentary opposition leader.... |
1999 | 2002 | PAS of Barisan Alternatif Barisan Alternatif Barisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional... |
| 8 | Abdul Hadi Awang Abdul Hadi Awang Dato' Seri Haji Abdul Hadi bin Awang is the current President of the Parti Islam SeMalaysia, an Islamist political party in Malaysia... |
2002 | 2004 | PAS of Barisan Alternatif Barisan Alternatif Barisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional... |
| 9 | Lim Kit Siang | 2004 | 2008 | DAP Democratic Action Party The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties... |
| 10 | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail Wan Azizah Wan Ismail Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and she was the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008... |
March 2008 | July 2008 | PKR Parti Keadilan Rakyat The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party... of Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.... |
| 11 | Anwar Ibrahim Anwar Ibrahim Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced... |
August 28, 2008 | Incumbent | PKR Parti Keadilan Rakyat The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party... of Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.... |
See also
- Parliamentary oppositionOpposition (parliamentary)Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
- Loyal oppositionLoyal oppositionIn parliamentary systems of government, the term loyal opposition is applied to the opposition parties in the legislature to indicate that the non-governing parties may oppose the actions of the sitting cabinet typically comprising parliamentarians from the party with the most seats in the elected...
- Barisan AlternatifBarisan AlternatifBarisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional...
and Barisan/Pakatan RakyatPakatan RakyatPakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.... - List of political parties in Malaysia
- Dewan RakyatDewan RakyatThe Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...