Abstract
Election through manifesto will ensure winning seat in general election. This research study determines respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto design for the general election. Quantitative approach with questionnaire methods applied into Malacca State in targeting 100 respondents, where questionnaire are divided into two categories namely (1) respondent’s demographic profile, and (2) respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto designed for general election. Result indicate majority are male with ages from 31 to 40 that working in private sector. Most of respondent studied until secondary level and having monthly income of RM 1501 to RM 2000. Respondents are likely to support registered political parties and vote for same party. At the same time, there are respondents that more preferred towards candidates, especially candidates that have confidence in making decision. Majority respondents receive all contesting candidate’s manifesto and understand every aspect that proposed in manifesto. Fortunately, manifesto becomes positive ‘attraction’ towards respondents in decision making. In other words, although majority respondents are preferred on candidate and party, however, they are more preferred to choose the manifesto that emphasizes on having a safer and a better life not only for themselves, but also for their children in the future generation. Therefore, election manifesto do influencing the respondents in chosen the candidate or party.
Keywords: election, manifesto, candidates, parties, respondents
Citation of Article:
Hua, A.K., & Ping, O.W. (2017). Respondents Perception on Appropriate Manifesto Design in General Election. Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(1), 55-57.
Introduction
Election can be defined as the general election of a person to a post and the selection is made through a vote of a group or ‘constituent body’ [1]. When the act of choosing someone to a post or position is done openly by a group of people then it is said to be an election. In any election, there are some objects involve such as the people that are selected, the group that manages the electorate and the electoral body. Election is not necessarily linked to the ongoing political, unless the electoral politics was patterned. The purpose of holding the elections both in the nature of political or otherwise, is to choose the person or persons who will represent the interests of voters in certain matters which lie within the jurisdiction of a particular organization in which the person concerned have been selected for duty [1]. In Malaysia, the electoral systems commonly practiced are identified according to two categories, namely proportional system (the system ratio) and simple majority system (simple-first-past-the-post) or (Single Number Territorial Representation). However, the country practiced the election in two categories, which are the simple majority system, and through this system the winning candidate is the candidate will get the most votes, even winning by a single vote. The system was used since the first general elections held in 1959 and it is suitable to applied until today, especially in a state newly independent country with over 65% of the population belongs to the category of illiteracy and the country require the establishment of a stable and strong government. Instead, the ratio is considered inappropriate because it might end up with a conflict in connection with the phenomenon and the policies that will hinder the smoothness of the country [1].
The electoral system practiced in Malaysia has several advantages including easily understood and practiced, voters get to vote for candidates directly satisfaction, voters can choose candidates for the designated area, multi-party elections (Multi-Party) as practiced in Malaysia is very important for a party to get a majority of over 50 percent for forming a stable government, a government that will be more stable if the opposition-led government has 2/3 or over the majority and as such can exist through the existing electoral system, can prevent the emergence of a coalition government decision that usually do not encourage creating a stable government, and the election results can be seen quickly and efficiently because the counting process can be speeded up and was able to avoid the tensions that have arisen in elections. Electoral system in general election are depend on the manifesto that being designed by candidates or parties. Generally, manifesto can be defined as the promise given to the voters in a district of the votes in the election campaign, it is stated that when a party or candidate wins the election, the party or candidate that will bring change the community and the region in terms of development [2]. The definition are being confirmed through Kamus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka [3] stated that manifesto can be means by political commitment given to voters in an area, manifesto can be found in a variety of formats such as the use of traditional paper form or shape of the universe. Eventually, many people are not fully understand on the concept of manifesto and have interpreted the concept into less accurate. Therefore, this research study is conducted to determine respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto design for the general election.
Results and Discussions
The analysis of result for respondent’s demographic profile and respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto designed can be shown in Table 1 and Table 2 respectively.
Majority respondents spending the time in answering the questionnaire are male with 54 people, and only 46 respondents are from female. Among of respondents are ages between 31 to 40 with 29 people, 41 to 50 with 28 people, 51 to 60 with 23 people, 21 to 30 with 14 people, and 61 to 70 or more than 71 are only 3 people. Most respondents are working in private sectors with 57 people, continue by business with 36 people, government with 4 people, and little in farmer sector with 3 people. Since majority respondents are working in professional sectors, the monthly income is gross between RM 1501 to RM 2000 with 41 people, continue for RM 0 to RM 500 with 23 people, RM 501 to RM 1000 with 21 people, and only some respondents have RM 1001 to RM 1500 with 15 people. Majority respondents having the education level until secondary with 68 people and minority respondents are studying until primary or pra-university with 16 people.
Election can be defined as the general election of a person to a post and the selection is made through a vote of a group or ‘constituent body’ [1]. When the act of choosing someone to a post or position is done openly by a group of people then it is said to be an election. In any election, there are some objects involve such as the people that are selected, the group that manages the electorate and the electoral body. Election is not necessarily linked to the ongoing political, unless the electoral politics was patterned. The purpose of holding the elections both in the nature of political or otherwise, is to choose the person or persons who will represent the interests of voters in certain matters which lie within the jurisdiction of a particular organization in which the person concerned have been selected for duty [1]. In Malaysia, the electoral systems commonly practiced are identified according to two categories, namely proportional system (the system ratio) and simple majority system (simple-first-past-the-post) or (Single Number Territorial Representation). However, the country practiced the election in two categories, which are the simple majority system, and through this system the winning candidate is the candidate will get the most votes, even winning by a single vote. The system was used since the first general elections held in 1959 and it is suitable to applied until today, especially in a state newly independent country with over 65% of the population belongs to the category of illiteracy and the country require the establishment of a stable and strong government. Instead, the ratio is considered inappropriate because it might end up with a conflict in connection with the phenomenon and the policies that will hinder the smoothness of the country [1].
The electoral system practiced in Malaysia has several advantages including easily understood and practiced, voters get to vote for candidates directly satisfaction, voters can choose candidates for the designated area, multi-party elections (Multi-Party) as practiced in Malaysia is very important for a party to get a majority of over 50 percent for forming a stable government, a government that will be more stable if the opposition-led government has 2/3 or over the majority and as such can exist through the existing electoral system, can prevent the emergence of a coalition government decision that usually do not encourage creating a stable government, and the election results can be seen quickly and efficiently because the counting process can be speeded up and was able to avoid the tensions that have arisen in elections. Electoral system in general election are depend on the manifesto that being designed by candidates or parties. Generally, manifesto can be defined as the promise given to the voters in a district of the votes in the election campaign, it is stated that when a party or candidate wins the election, the party or candidate that will bring change the community and the region in terms of development [2]. The definition are being confirmed through Kamus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka [3] stated that manifesto can be means by political commitment given to voters in an area, manifesto can be found in a variety of formats such as the use of traditional paper form or shape of the universe. Eventually, many people are not fully understand on the concept of manifesto and have interpreted the concept into less accurate. Therefore, this research study is conducted to determine respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto design for the general election.
Methodology
Malacca State located at West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia facing the Straits of Malacca and borders with Negeri Sembilan at North and Johor at South [4]. Malacca State constituted three districted namely Alor Gajah, Jasin and Malacca Central, with total area of 1,650 km2 [5]. Due to recognition as Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2008 [6], the population are 821,110 in 2010 increase until 842,500 in 2011; which increase about 21,390 within one years [5]. Increasing of population will determine the sampling size, where it can be decided based on the formula below [7-9];
Where X2 is the value of Chi-Square for 0.05 = 3.84 or 0.01 = 6.64, N is the population size, P is the population proportion which normally refer to be 0.50, d is the degree of accuracy that expressed as a proportion. Since the research are using quantitative approach based questionnaire methods, the target for sampling size are 100 respondents. Several studies based librarian include historical, documentation, and interview, together with field observation are conducted to understand the real situation before designing questionnaire. The questionnaire is divided into two categories, namely (1) respondent’s demographic profile, and (2) respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto designed for general election.
Results and Discussions
The analysis of result for respondent’s demographic profile and respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto designed can be shown in Table 1 and Table 2 respectively.
Majority respondents spending the time in answering the questionnaire are male with 54 people, and only 46 respondents are from female. Among of respondents are ages between 31 to 40 with 29 people, 41 to 50 with 28 people, 51 to 60 with 23 people, 21 to 30 with 14 people, and 61 to 70 or more than 71 are only 3 people. Most respondents are working in private sectors with 57 people, continue by business with 36 people, government with 4 people, and little in farmer sector with 3 people. Since majority respondents are working in professional sectors, the monthly income is gross between RM 1501 to RM 2000 with 41 people, continue for RM 0 to RM 500 with 23 people, RM 501 to RM 1000 with 21 people, and only some respondents have RM 1001 to RM 1500 with 15 people. Majority respondents having the education level until secondary with 68 people and minority respondents are studying until primary or pra-university with 16 people.
Meanwhile, respondent’s perception on appropriate manifesto designed for general election can be showed in Table 2. Respondent’s opinion that they are agree to support any political party especially the parties that is officially registered political parties. Majority respondents do agree to vote for the same party. There are also respondents do preferred to vote on the candidate than the party because they do think that candidate are able to make decision making in any issues or problems that society faced. Nevertheless, most respondents are still firm on the choice on particular candidate and party. Apart from candidate and party, the manifesto are also plays an important role in determine the respondent choice. For example, before having an answer to the candidate or party, most respondent will receive the entire contesting candidate’s manifesto and understand every idea that will be improve the quality of daily life style. Indirectly, election manifesto will affect the respondent’s decision making in choosing candidate because most of them are wishing to have a safer and a better life not only for themselves, but also for their children in the future generation. So, when the correct and accurate answer are made towards candidate, then the promises manifesto will fully implemented and respondent’s wishing can be achieved.
Conclusion
As conclusion, majority respondents are positively towards manifesto selection than candidate or party. Although there are ‘attachment’ factor exist between respondents toward the candidate or party, however, they are more preferred to have a safer and a better life not only for themselves, but also for their children in the future generation. In other words, manifesto will take the first place in making the decision for the general election.
References
1. Rahman, A. R. H. A. (1994). The Conduct of Election in Malaysia. Berita Publishing.
2. Zainuddin, S. (1999). Malaysian Administrative Tradition International Encyclopedia of Public Policy and Administration Westview Press, Colorado.
3. Kamus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (2016). Definition of Manifestation.
4. Malacca State Official Portal (2016). Melaka Map.
5. Malacca State Official Portal (2016). Demography and statistic.
6. UNESCO Official Portal (2016). Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca.
7. Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educ Psychol Meas. 30(3), 607-610.
8. Hua, A. K. (2016). Pengenalan Rangkakerja Metodologi dalam Kajian Penyelidikan: Satu Kajian Kes. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(1), 17-23.
9. Hua, A. K. (2016). Pengenalan Rangkakerja Metodologi dalam Kajian Penyelidikan: Satu Kajian Literatur. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(2), 17-24.
Conclusion
As conclusion, majority respondents are positively towards manifesto selection than candidate or party. Although there are ‘attachment’ factor exist between respondents toward the candidate or party, however, they are more preferred to have a safer and a better life not only for themselves, but also for their children in the future generation. In other words, manifesto will take the first place in making the decision for the general election.
References
1. Rahman, A. R. H. A. (1994). The Conduct of Election in Malaysia. Berita Publishing.
2. Zainuddin, S. (1999). Malaysian Administrative Tradition International Encyclopedia of Public Policy and Administration Westview Press, Colorado.
3. Kamus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (2016). Definition of Manifestation.
4. Malacca State Official Portal (2016). Melaka Map.
5. Malacca State Official Portal (2016). Demography and statistic.
6. UNESCO Official Portal (2016). Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca.
7. Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educ Psychol Meas. 30(3), 607-610.
8. Hua, A. K. (2016). Pengenalan Rangkakerja Metodologi dalam Kajian Penyelidikan: Satu Kajian Kes. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(1), 17-23.
9. Hua, A. K. (2016). Pengenalan Rangkakerja Metodologi dalam Kajian Penyelidikan: Satu Kajian Literatur. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(2), 17-24.