Malaysians are the most confident in Asia of their country’s free and fair elections, and outrank most of the region in their faith in democracy, according to an international poll.
A new global survey, Voice of the People, conducted by TNS and Gallup International, found three-quarters of Malaysians answered yes to whether “elections in your country are free and fair", the highest among 10 nations in Asia, and exceeding by far the 47 per cent world average.
TNS is a global market insight and information group with offices in more than 70 countries. Gallup International is the renowned polling outfit based in Zurich.
The survey, which included a study on democracy in Asia, was done between June and August this year and involved more than 60,000 people in 57 countries excluding China. The results were released yesterday.
With a sample size of 1,250 Malaysians, 74 per cent felt that elections in this country were legitimate and 69 per cent believed that government was by the will of the people.The sample was selected from urban areas in the peninsula and respondents were interviewed face-to-face.
“This belief in the transparency of elections is in contrast to the sentiment expressed by more than half of respondents across the region who do not consider their country’s election process to be so impartial,”
TNS and Gallup said in a statement.At the other end of the scale, only 16 per cent in Pakistan believed their elections were free and fair.
The others were: India (55 per cent), Hong Kong (51 per cent), Indonesia (58 per cent), Japan (50 per cent), Korea (55 per cent), the Philippines (22 per cent) and Singapore (68 per cent).
The survey also showed that an average of 53 per cent in the region believed elections in their countries were neither free nor fair and 61 per cent did not feel their government followed the will of the people when it came to making decisions.
Around the region nearly eight out of 10 people surveyed (78 per cent) agreed with the idea that democracy might have problems but it is still the best system of government.In Malaysia, 85 per cent believed democracy was best, more than any other country except Indonesia (89 per cent) and Vietnam (86 per cent).
The rest all scored above 75 per cent.Satisfaction in democracy overall was also prevalent in the region. An average of seven in 10 interviewees (73 per cent) declared themselves to be content.About 88 per cent in Malaysia were satisfied with democracy, a higher proportion than the bedrock of Asian democracy, India, with 79 per cent.
The others were: Hong Kong (71 per cent), Indonesia (69 per cent), Japan (79 per cent), Korea (75 per cent), Pakistan (66 per cent), the Philippines (63 per cent), Singapore (81 per cent) and Vietnam (89 per cent).Globally, 79 per cent of the people surveyed believed democracy was the best system and 69 per cent were satisfied with democracy.
A new global survey, Voice of the People, conducted by TNS and Gallup International, found three-quarters of Malaysians answered yes to whether “elections in your country are free and fair", the highest among 10 nations in Asia, and exceeding by far the 47 per cent world average.
TNS is a global market insight and information group with offices in more than 70 countries. Gallup International is the renowned polling outfit based in Zurich.
The survey, which included a study on democracy in Asia, was done between June and August this year and involved more than 60,000 people in 57 countries excluding China. The results were released yesterday.
With a sample size of 1,250 Malaysians, 74 per cent felt that elections in this country were legitimate and 69 per cent believed that government was by the will of the people.The sample was selected from urban areas in the peninsula and respondents were interviewed face-to-face.
“This belief in the transparency of elections is in contrast to the sentiment expressed by more than half of respondents across the region who do not consider their country’s election process to be so impartial,”
TNS and Gallup said in a statement.At the other end of the scale, only 16 per cent in Pakistan believed their elections were free and fair.
The others were: India (55 per cent), Hong Kong (51 per cent), Indonesia (58 per cent), Japan (50 per cent), Korea (55 per cent), the Philippines (22 per cent) and Singapore (68 per cent).
The survey also showed that an average of 53 per cent in the region believed elections in their countries were neither free nor fair and 61 per cent did not feel their government followed the will of the people when it came to making decisions.
Around the region nearly eight out of 10 people surveyed (78 per cent) agreed with the idea that democracy might have problems but it is still the best system of government.In Malaysia, 85 per cent believed democracy was best, more than any other country except Indonesia (89 per cent) and Vietnam (86 per cent).
The rest all scored above 75 per cent.Satisfaction in democracy overall was also prevalent in the region. An average of seven in 10 interviewees (73 per cent) declared themselves to be content.About 88 per cent in Malaysia were satisfied with democracy, a higher proportion than the bedrock of Asian democracy, India, with 79 per cent.
The others were: Hong Kong (71 per cent), Indonesia (69 per cent), Japan (79 per cent), Korea (75 per cent), Pakistan (66 per cent), the Philippines (63 per cent), Singapore (81 per cent) and Vietnam (89 per cent).Globally, 79 per cent of the people surveyed believed democracy was the best system and 69 per cent were satisfied with democracy.
