LETS INTRODUCE NOTA

'If there is not enough local rice the rakyat marhaen can eat kuih'.

 

Here is something a friend of mine sent me a couple of weeks back. It says that since 2013 the Indians have introduced the NOTA option on the ballot papers.  NOTA means None of the Above. Meaning if a voter does not like all the candidates on the ballot, he can choose to tick the NOTA box.

Why Malaysia Should Introduce the "None of the Above" (NOTA) Option

Malaysia is a democratic country where citizens have the right to choose their leaders. However, in recent years, many Malaysians have expressed frustration with the choices available during elections. Introducing the "None of the Above" (NOTA) option, similar to India, can provide a way for voters to express their dissatisfaction with the candidates contesting in an election.

What is NOTA?

"None of the Above" is a voting option that allows citizens to reject all the candidates running for election. It does not mean the voter is not interested in voting; instead, it shows that the voter is unhappy with the choices available. In India, NOTA has been available since 2013, giving voters a chance to express their dissatisfaction without skipping the election.

Why Malaysia Needs NOTA

1. Increasing Voter Dissatisfaction

Many Malaysian voters feel unhappy with the current political parties and their candidates. Issues like corruption, internal conflicts, and lack of good governance have left voters disillusioned. For example:

UMNO: Once a strong and trusted party, it has lost public trust due to corruption scandals and internal conflicts.

DAP: Accused of being a "yes-man" party that lacks independence.

PAS: Divided between technocrats and religious leaders, leading to mixed messages.

PKR: Struggling to gain support from the Malay majority.

This lack of trust in political parties makes many voters feel they are forced to choose the "lesser evil" rather than a candidate they genuinely support.

2. Preventing Voter Apathy

When people feel they do not have a good choice, they may skip voting altogether. This can lead to low voter turnout, weakening democracy. By introducing NOTA, voters can still participate in elections and send a strong message that they demand better candidates.

3. Holding Politicians Accountable

If many people vote for NOTA, it will show that voters are unhappy with the quality of candidates. This can pressure political parties to improve and select better, more capable, and honest candidates for future elections.

4. Encouraging Political Reform

Malaysia’s political system has faced criticism for being focused on power struggles rather than addressing the needs of the people. The introduction of NOTA can act as a wake-up call for political parties to reform, focus on good governance, and win back public trust.

Benefits of NOTA

Strengthens Democracy: NOTA ensures that every voter’s opinion is heard, even if they reject all the candidates.

Promotes Better Governance: Parties will work harder to earn the trust of voters, knowing they cannot take their support for granted.

Reduces Spoiled Votes: Some people spoil their votes to show dissatisfaction. With NOTA, they can express it formally.

Conclusion

Malaysia should consider introducing the NOTA option in elections. It gives voters a voice to express dissatisfaction and pushes political parties to improve. At a time when trust in politicians is low, NOTA can help strengthen democracy and encourage better leadership. The Election Commission of Malaysia should act on this and empower voters to demand change peacefully and democratically.

My Comments : 

So if the largest number of voters tick the NOTA box, then there will be a re-election and none of the former candidates will be allowed to stand again in that constituency. The political parties must field new faces. If it is NOTA again then another re-election?

Could be tedious but it will improve the choice of candidates made available by the political parties. They must also lose their deposits if they lose  to NOTA. 

But this NOTA will certainly not work in Malaysia. In Malaysia 'sepupu Lim Kuan Yew' and 'sepupu Lim Chin Peng' can be awarded a PhD by a local university. Parti Fitnah SeMalaysia. Dumber than a doorknob (bodoh macam pintu) can be a PhD holder. Her professor was possibly that Konthura woman. Or maybe that 'DNA tertua dalam dunia' woman. In Malaysia an entire community can belong to  NOTA. We may never be able to vote for a suitable candidate. So NOTA will not work in Malaysia.

May I suggest that we make monkeys out of the politicians. When it comes to voting time, just split your votes. If there are two or more votes in your household, then vote for different parties. Dont give all your votes to any one party. Just split the votes and make sure that none of the monkeys can win a comfortable margin. If you are a single voter then in the net elections, vote for a different party than the one you voted for before. Just for the heck of it. Dont let anyone win. Let them all lose. Let there be another hung parliament.

Not one of these monkeys is talking about what is good for the people. Their biggest argument now is releasing the Grand Lembu Chief Thief from prison.  That is all. 

In 2018 the Parti Kluster Mahkamah lost the elections. They won only 56 seats. In 2022 they lost even more seats. They lost 30 more seats or 53% of their 2018 tally. Now they are down to just 26 seats. In the next elections they will be lucky to win even SIX seats. After the next elections they will disappear forever. This is not a 'Keluar Sekejap' situation. It will become 'Please Drop Dead' quite permanently.  Every new batch of the younger generation below 38 years old just does not like them. And I am talking about the Malays.

How do I derive 38 years old? 17 years ago in 2008 the Parti Kluster Mahkamah first lost the 2/3 majority in Parliament. In 2008 new voters 21 years old plus the older voters rejected the Parti Kluster Mahkamah. 17 years later in 2025 those 21 year olds will now be 38 years old. They still do not vote for Parti Kluster Mahkamah. Neither do the other newer voters below 38 years. That is how the Parti Kluster Mahkamah lost another 30 seats in 2022. And in 2023 in the SIX state elections the Parti Kluster Mahkamah fielded candidates in 109 state seats and only won 19 seats. They only got 17 marks out of 100. FAIL. FAIL. FAIL. And one Datok messaged me 'You are too angry. We will turn our party around. You should have stayed with us and help us turn the party around". These folks live in La-La Land. They have completely lost the plot. 

There is still no local rice easily available in the shops. But they say we produce 60% of our rice locally. Where does all that 60% locally grown rice go to? Where does it disappear? Obviously to make the few very rich. If there is not enough local rice the rakyat marhaen can eat kuih. 

Do you notice that none of the politicians, either from this side or from that side, take up this issue seriously? Or take it up at all.

Just like NONE of the politicians, either from this side or from that side, ask for the car import APs to be abolished.

Just like NONE of the politicians, either from this side or from that side, ask for the tolls to be abolished.

Just like NONE of the politicians, either from this side or from that side, ask for the Sedition Act to be abolished. 

So why should you vote for any of them? NOTA. None of the Above.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.