Barisan Nasional

National Front
Barisan Nasional
باريسن ناسيونل
国民阵线
பாரிசான் நேசனல்
Abbreviation BN
Chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Secretary-General Annuar Musa
Deputy Chairman Mohamad Hasan
Vice Chairmen Liow Tiong Lai
Vigneswaran Sanasee
Founder Abdul Razak Hussein
Founded 1 January 1973 (1973-01-01)[1]
Legalised 1 June 1974 (as a party)
Preceded by Alliance
Headquarters Aras 8, Menara Dato’ Onn, Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Newspaper Pro-BN newspapers:
New Straits Times
The Star
Utusan Malaysia
Nanyang Siang Pau
Tamil Nesan
Student wing Siswa Barisan Nasional
Youth wing Barisan Nasional Youth Movement
Membership (2018) 7,000,000
Ideology Ketuanan Melayu[2][3]
Social conservatism[4]
Economic liberalism[5]
1Malaysia
Political position Right-wing
Colours      Royal blue and sky white
Slogan Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan.
Hidup Rakyat
Anthem Barisan Nasional
Dewan Negara:
29 / 70
Dewan Rakyat:
51 / 222
Dewan Undangan Negeri:
144 / 587
Election symbol
Website
www.barisannasional.org.my
Malaysia
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Malaysia

The National Front (Malay: Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition in Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of right-wing and centre parties. They are currently the largest opposition coalition in the country's Dewan Rakyat.

The Barisan Nasional coalition employs the same inter-communal governing model of its predecessor the Alliance Party but on a wider scale, with up to 14 communal political parties involved in the coalition at one point.[1] It dominated Malaysian politics for over thirty years after it was founded, but since 2008 has faced stronger challenges from opposition parties, notably the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and later the Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliances. Taken together with its predecessor (Alliance), it had a combined period of rule from 1957 to 2018, and was considered as the longest ruling coalition party in the democratic world.[6]

In the aftermath of the 2018 general election, the Barisan Nasional coalition lost its hold of the parliament to PH for the first time in Malaysian history. It was also the first time Barisan Nasional became the opposition coalition after almost 61 years in power, with former prime minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Mahathir Mohamad becoming PH's leader.

History

Formation

Barisan Nasional is the direct successor to the three-party Alliance coalition formed of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC). It was founded in the aftermath of the 1969 general election and the 13 May riots. The Alliance Party lost ground in the 1969 election to the opposition parties, in particular the two newly formed parties Democratic Action Party and Gerakan, and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Although the Alliance won a majority of seats, it gained less than half the popular vote, and the resulting tension between different communities led to riots and the declaration of a state of emergency.[7] After the Malaysian Parliament reconvened in 1971, negotiations began with former opposition parties such as Gerakan and People's Progressive Party (myPPP), both of which joined the Alliance in 1972, quickly followed by Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS).

In 1973, the Alliance Party was replaced by Barisan Nasional.[1][8] The Barisan Nasional, which included regional parties from Sabah and Sarawak (Sabah Alliance Party, Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)), registered in June 1974 as a coalition of nine parties.[8] It contested the 1974 general election as a grand coalition under the leadership of the prime minister Tun Abdul Razak, which it won with considerable success.[9]

1977–2007

In 1977, PAS was expelled from Barisan Nasional following a revolt within the Kelantan state legislature against a chief minister appointed by the federal government.[1] Barisan Nasional nevertheless won the 1978 general election convincingly, and it continued to dominate Malaysian politics in the 1980s and 1990s despite some losses in state elections, such as the loss of Kelantan to PAS, and Sabah to United Sabah Party (PBS) which later joined Barisan Nasional.

By 2003, Barisan Nasional had grown to a coalition formed of more than a dozen communal parties. It performed particularly well in the 2004 general election, winning 198 out of 219 seats.

Although Barisan Nasional never achieved more than 67% of the popular vote in elections from 1974 until 2008, it maintained consecutive two-thirds majority of seats in the Dewan Rakyat until 2008, benefitting from Malaysia's first-past-the-post voting system.[10]

2008–2018

High-ranking BN party officials holding copies of the party manifesto at a pre-election rally in 2013. In the front row, from left, are Chua Soi Lek (MCA), Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (UMNO), and Abdul Taib Mahmud (PBB).

In the 2008 general election, Barisan Nasional lost more than one-third of the parliamentary seats to Pakatan Rakyat, a loose alliance of opposition parties. This marked Barisan's first failure to secure a two-thirds supermajority in Parliament since 1969. Five state governments, namely Selangor, Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Kedah fell to Pakatan Rakyat. Perak however was later returned via court ruling following a constitutional crisis. Since 2008, the coalition has seen its non-Malay component parties greatly diminished in the Peninsula.[11]

The losses continued in the 2013 general election, and it recorded its worst election result at the time. BN regained Kedah, but lost several more seats in Parliament along with the popular vote to Pakatan. Despite winning only 47% of the popular vote, it managed to gain 60% of the 222 parliamentary seats, thereby retaining control of the parliament.[12]

And finally, during the 2018 general election, Barisan Nasional lost control of the parliament to Pakatan Harapan, winning a total of only 79 parliamentary seats. The crushing defeat ended their 61-year rule of the country, paving way for the first change of government in Malaysian history. The coalition won only 34% of the popular vote, despite redrawing the electoral boundaries in their favour. In addition to their failure in regaining the Penang, Selangor and Kelantan state governments, six state governments, namely Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Kedah and Sabah fell to Pakatan Harapan and WARISAN (Sabah). The Terengganu state government also fell but to the Gagasan Sejahtera (GS). Barisan Nasional was only in power in three states; namely Perlis, Pahang and Sarawak.

Many of BN's component parties left the coalition following its humiliating defeat at the 2018 general election, reducing its number to only the original three of UMNO, MCA and MIC compared to 13 before the election. These parties either aligned themselves with the new Pakatan Harapan federal government, formed a new state-based pact or remain independent. They include all four Sabah-based parties – United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO), United Sabah Party (PBS), United Sabah People's Party (PBRS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),[13][14][15][16] all four Sarawak-based parties – PBB, SUPP, Sarawak People's Party (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) which form a new state-based pact, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS),[17][18] myPPP (under Kayveas faction),[19] and Gerakan.[20] Six UMNO members of parliament (MPs) also left.[21][22][23][24][25][26] The departures of several BN's component parties and six UMNO's MPs leaving the party have reduced BN's parliamentary seats to only 51 seats, compared with 79 seats that BN has won in the general election.

Organisation

In 2013, the vast majority of Barisan Nasional's seats were held by its two largest Bumiputera-based political parties—the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). For most of its history, both the Malaysian Chinese Association and Malaysian Indian Congress have played major roles in Barisan Nasional, but their representation in Parliament and state legislatures has become much more diminished. Nevertheless, each component party purports to represent – and limit membership – to a certain race: UMNO for the Malays, MCA for the Chinese and so on. In the view of some scholars:

Since its inception the Alliance remained a coalition of communal parties. Each of the component parties operated to all intents and purposes, save that of elections, as a separate party. Their membership was communal, except perhaps Gerakan, and their success was measured in terms of their ability to achieve the essentially parochial demands of their constituents.[27]

Although both the Alliance and BN registered themselves as political parties, membership is only possible indirectly through one of the constituent parties. In the Alliance, one could hold direct membership, but this was abolished with the formation of the Barisan Nasional. The BN defines itself as a "confederation of political parties which subscribe to the objects of the Barisan Nasional". Although in elections, all candidates stand under the BN symbol, and there is a BN manifesto, each individual constituent party also issues its own manifesto, and there is intra-coalition competition for seats prior to nomination day.[28]

Member parties

Flag Name Ideology Leader(s) Seats
contested		 2018 result Current
seats
Votes (%) Seats Composition
UMNO United Malays National Organisation
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu		 Ketuanan Melayu Ahmad Zahid Hamidi 120 20.904%
54 / 222
48 / 52
MIC Malaysian Indian Congress
Kongres India Malaysia		 Indian nationalism Vigneswaran Sanasee 9 1.383%
2 / 222
2 / 52
MCA Malaysian Chinese Association
Persatuan Cina Malaysia		 Chinese nationalism Liow Tiong Lai 39 0.45%
1 / 222
1 / 52

Note: A former member party, People's Progressive Party is experiencing a leadership dispute, with Maglin announced that the party remained within the coalition and Kayveas announced that the party had left the coalition.

Leadership Structure

Barisan Nasional Supreme Council since July 2018:[29]

Elected representatives

Dewan Negara (Senate)

Senators

  • His Majesty's appointee:

Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)

Members of Parliament of the 14th Malaysian Parliament

Barisan Nasional has 51 MPs in the House of Representatives, with 48 MPs (or 94.1%) of them from UMNO.

State No. Parliament Constituency Member Party
 PerlisP001Padang BesarZahidi Zainul AbidinUMNO
P003ArauDr. Shahidan KassimUMNO
 KedahP007Padang TerapMahdzir KhalidUMNO
P016BalingAbdul Azeez Abdul RahimUMNO
 KelantanP026KeterehAnnuar MusaUMNO
P027Tanah MerahIkmal Hisham Abdul AzizUMNO
P029MachangAhmad Jazlan YaakubUMNO
P032Gua MusangTengku Razaleigh HamzahUMNO
 TerengganuP033BesutIdris JusohUMNO
P038Hulu TerengganuRosol WahidUMNO
 PenangP041Kepala BatasReezal Merican Naina MericanUMNO
P042Tasek GelugorShabudin YahayaUMNO
 PerakP054GerikHasbullah OsmanUMNO
P055LenggongShamsul Anuar NasarahUMNO
P056LarutHamzah ZainudinUMNO
P061Padang RengasMohd. Nadzri Abd. AzizUMNO
P067Kuala KangsarMastura Mohd. YazidUMNO
P069ParitMohd. Nizar ZakariaUMNO
P072TapahM. Saravanan MuruganMIC
P073Pasir SalakTajuddin Abd. RahmanUMNO
P075Bagan DatukDr. Ahmad Zahid HamidiUMNO
 PahangP078Cameron HighlandsC. Sivarraajh ChandranMIC
P079LipisAbdul Rahman MohamadUMNO
P081JerantutAhmad Nazlan IdrisUMNO
P084Paya BesarMohd. Shahar AbdullahUMNO
P085PekanMohd. Najib Abdul RazakUMNO
P086MaranIsmail Abdul MuttalibUMNO
P087Kuala KrauIsmail Mohamed SaidUMNO
P090BeraIsmail Sabri Ya'akobUMNO
P091RompinHasan ArifinUMNO
 SelangorP092Sabak BernamMohd. Fasiah Mohd. FakehUMNO
P095Tanjong KarangNoh OmarUMNO
 PutrajayaP125PutrajayaTengku Adnan Tengku MansorUMNO
 Negeri SembilanP126JelebuJalaluddin AliasUMNO
P127JempolMohd. Salim ShariffUMNO
P131RembauKhairy Jamaluddin Abu BakarUMNO
 MalaccaP139JasinAhmad HamzahUMNO
 JohorP147Parit SulongNoraini AhmadUMNO
P148Ayer HitamWee Ka SiongMCA
P153SembrongHishammuddin HusseinUMNO
P154MersingAbdul Latiff AhmadUMNO
P155TenggaraAdham BabaUMNO
P156Kota TinggiHalimah Mohd. SadiqueUMNO
P157PengerangAzalina Othman SaidUMNO
P164PontianAhmad MaslanUMNO
 SabahP167KudatAbdul Rahim BakriUMNO
P177BeaufortAzizah Mohd. DunUMNO
P178SipitangYamani Hafez MusaUMNO
P183BeluranRonald KiandeeUMNO
P184LibaranZakaria Mohd. EdrisUMNO
P187KinabatanganBung Moktar RadinUMNO
TotalPerlis (2), Kedah (2), Kelantan (4), Terengganu (2), Penang (2), Perak (9), Pahang (9), Selangor (2), F.T. Putrajaya (1), Negeri Sembilan (3), Malacca (1), Johor (8), Sabah (6)

Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislative Assembly)

Malaysian State Assembly Representatives

Barisan Nasional state governments

State Leader type Member Party State Constituency
 PerlisMenteri BesarAzlan ManUMNOBintong
 PahangMenteri BesarWan Rosdy Wan IsmailUMNOJelai

General election results

Election Total seats won Share of seats Total votes Share of votes Outcome of election Election leader
1974
135 / 154
 87.7% 1,287,400 60.8% Increase135 seats; Governing coalition Abdul Razak Hussein
1978
131 / 154
 85.1% 1,987,907 57.2% Decrease4 seats; Governing coalition Hussein Onn
1982
132 / 154
 85.7% 2,522,079 60.5% Increase1 seats; Governing coalition Mahathir Mohamad
1986
148 / 177
 83.6% 2,649,263 57.3% Increase16 seats; Governing coalition Mahathir Mohamad
1990
127 / 180
 70.6% 2,985,392 53.4% Decrease21 seats; Governing coalition Mahathir Mohamad
1995
162 / 192
 84.4% 3,881,214 65.2% Increase35 seats; Governing coalition Mahathir Mohamad
1999
148 / 193
 76.2% 3,748,511 56.53% Decrease15 seats; Governing coalition Mahathir Mohamad
2004
198 / 219
 90.4% 4,420,452 63.9% Increase51 seats; Governing coalition Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
2008
140 / 222
 63.1% 4,082,411 50.27% Decrease58 seats; Governing coalition Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
2013
133 / 222
 59.9% 5,237,555 47.38% Decrease7 seats;[30] Governing coalition Najib Razak
2018
79 / 222
 35.59% 3,794,827 33.96% Decrease54 seats; Opposition Najib Razak

State election results

State electionState Legislative Assembly
Perlis State Legislative AssemblyKedah State Legislative AssemblyKelantan State Legislative AssemblyTerengganu State Legislative AssemblyPenang State Legislative AssemblyPerak State Legislative AssemblyPahang State Legislative AssemblySelangor State Legislative AssemblyNegeri Sembilan State Legislative AssemblyMalacca State Legislative AssemblyJohor State Legislative AssemblySabah State Legislative AssemblySarawak State Legislative AssemblyTotal won / Total contested
2/3 majority
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
1974
12 / 12
24 / 26
36 / 36
27 / 28
23 / 27
31 / 42
32 / 32
30 / 33
21 / 24
16 / 20
31 / 32
30 / 48
1976
1978
12 / 12
19 / 26
23 / 36
28 / 28
20 / 27
32 / 42
32 / 32
29 / 33
21 / 24
16 / 20
31 / 32
239 / 257
1979
1981
1982
11 / 12
24 / 26
26 / 36
23 / 28
25 / 27
38 / 42
31 / 32
31 / 33
22 / 24
18 / 20
32 / 32
1983
30 / 48
30 / 32
1985
6 / 48
6 / 48
1986
14 / 14
25 / 28
29 / 39
30 / 32
23 / 33
33 / 46
32 / 33
37 / 42
24 / 28
17 / 20
35 / 36
1 / 48
300 / 351
1987
28 / 48
28 / 48
1990
14 / 14
26 / 28
0 / 39
22 / 32
19 / 33
33 / 46
31 / 33
35 / 42
24 / 28
17 / 20
32 / 36
0 / 48
253 / 351
1991
49 / 56
49 / 56
1994
23 / 48
23 / 48
1995
15 / 15
34 / 36
7 / 43
25 / 32
32 / 33
51 / 52
37 / 38
45 / 48
30 / 32
22 / 25
40 / 40
338 / 394
1996
57 / 62
57 / 64
1999
12 / 15
24 / 36
2 / 43
4 / 32
30 / 33
44 / 52
30 / 38
42 / 48
32 / 32
21 / 25
40 / 40
31 / 48
312 / 329
2001
60 / 62
60 / 62
2004
14 / 15
31 / 36
21 / 45
28 / 32
38 / 40
52 / 59
41 / 42
54 / 56
34 / 36
26 / 28
55 / 56
59 / 60
452 / 504
2006
62 / 71
62 / 71
2008
14 / 15
14 / 36
6 / 45
24 / 32
11 / 40
28 / 59
37 / 42
20 / 56
21 / 36
23 / 28
50 / 56
59 / 60
307 / 504
2011
55 / 71
55 / 71
2013
13 / 15
21 / 36
12 / 45
17 / 32
10 / 40
31 / 59
30 / 42
12 / 56
22 / 36
21 / 28
38 / 56
48 / 60
275 / 505
2016
77 / 82
77 / 82
2018
10 / 15
3 / 36
8 / 45
10 / 32
2 / 40
24 / 59
25 / 42
4 / 56
16 / 36
13 / 28
16 / 56
12 / 60
143 / 505

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Joseph Liow; Michael Leifer (20 November 2014). Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Southeast Asia. Routledge. pp. 102–. ISBN 978-1-317-62233-8.
  2. ↑ Helen Ting. "The Politics of National Identity in West Malaysia: Continued Mutation or Critical Transition? [The Politics of Ambiguity]" (PDF). Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University. J-Stage. p. 3/21 [33] and 5/21 [35]. UMNO came into being in 1946 under the impetus of the Anti-Malayan Union Movement based on this ideological understanding of ketuanan Melayu. Its founding president, Dato’ Onn Jaafar, once said that the UMNO movement did not adhere to any ideology other than Melayuisme, defined by scholar Ariffin Omar as “the belief that the interests of the bangsa Melayu must be upheld over all else”. Malay political dominance is a fundamental reality of Malaysian politics, notwithstanding the fact that the governing coalition since independence, the Alliance [subsequently expanded to form the Barisan Nasional or literally, the “National Front”], is multiethnic in its composition.
  3. ↑ Jinna Tay; Graeme Turner (24 July 2015). Television Histories in Asia: Issues and Contexts. Routledge. pp. 127–. ISBN 978-1-135-00807-9.
  4. ↑ Timothy J. Lomperis, September 1996, 'From People's War to People's Rule: Insurgency, Intervention, and the Lessons of Vietnam', page 212, ISBN 0807822736
  5. ↑ Jan Senkyr (2013). "Political Awakening in Malaysia". KAS International Reports (7): 73–74.
  6. ↑ Anuradha Raghu; Niluksi Koswanage (5 May 2013). "Malaysians vote to decide fate of world's longest-ruling coalition". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  7. ↑ Keat Gin Ooi (2004). Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor. ABC-CLIO. pp. 139–. ISBN 978-1-57607-770-2.
  8. 1 2 Cheah Boon Kheng (2002). Malaysia: The Making of a Nation. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. pp. 147–. ISBN 978-981-230-175-8.
  9. ↑ Dr Nam-Kook Kim (28 February 2014). Multicultural Challenges and Redefining Identity in East Asia. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 219–. ISBN 978-1-4724-0233-2.
  10. ↑ John R. Malott (8 July 2011). "Running Scared in Malaysia". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 8 July 2011. (subscription required)
  11. ↑ Stuart Grudgings; Al-Zaquan Amer Hamzah; Niluksi Koswanage; Raju Gopalakrishnan (5 May 2013). "Malaysia coalition extends rule despite worst electoral showing". Reuters. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "A dangerous result". The Economist. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  13. ↑ Avila Geraldine; Norasikin Daineh (11 May 2018). "Warisan now has 35 seats, enough to form state government: Shafie [NSTTV]". New Straits Times. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  14. ↑ "PBS keluar BN, bentuk Gabungan Bersatu" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  15. ↑ "PBRS is third party to leave Sabah BN". Malaysiakini. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  16. ↑ "PBRS wants to work with Warisan". The Borneo Post. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  17. ↑ Sharon Ling; Geryl Ogilvy (12 June 2018). "Sarawak BN parties pull out of coalition to form independent state-based pact". The Star. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  18. ↑ Lee Poh Onn (15 June 2018). "Commentary: Free from the shackles of a fallen coalition, does Sarawak parties leaving spell the end of the Barisan Nasional?". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  19. ↑ "MyPPP leaves BN with immediate effect". New Straits Times. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  20. ↑ "Gerakan leaves Barisan Nasional". New Straits Times. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  21. ↑ Ivan Loh (24 June 2018). "Bagan Serai MP quits Umno, pledges support for Pakatan Harapan". The Star. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  22. ↑ "Bukit Gantang MP quits Umno". Free Malaysia Today. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  23. ↑ "Former Puteri Umno chief quits party, upset with results of polls". The Star. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  24. ↑ "Mustapa quits Umno after 40 years - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  25. ↑ "Anifah: I quit Umno in the interest of Sabah rights - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  26. ↑ "Labuan MP quits Umno to join Warisan - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  27. ↑ Rachagan, S. Sothi (1993). Law and the Electoral Process in Malaysia, p. 12. Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press. ISBN 967-9940-45-4.
  28. ↑ Rachagan, p. 21.
  29. ↑ Organisational Chart of Barisan Nasional
  30. ↑ Arno Maierbrugger (16 August 2013). "Malaysia gov't bashed for $155m election ad spending". Investvine. Retrieved 16 August 2013.

Literature

  • Chok, Suat Ling (4 October 2005). "MPs in the dock". New Straits Times, p. 1, 6.
  • Chin, James. 2002. Malaysia: The Barisan National Supremacy. In David Newman & John Fuh-sheng Hsieh (eds), How Asia Votes, pp. 210–233. New York: Chatham House, Seven Bridges Press. ISBN 1-889119-41-5.
  • Pillai, M.G.G. (3 November 2005). "National Front parties were not formed to fight for Malaysian independence". Malaysia Not Today
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