ABSTRACT
Following the 2012 election, Malaysia began to embrace the new politics of deliberative democracy, leaving behind the old politics of consociational democracy. This politics promised more openness and competitiveness as a way forward in Malaysian politics. Previously, consociationalism and power sharing practised by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) allowed elite deliberation only. This shift towards deliberative democracy was a result of BN’s divided politics, the civil society movement, and the new media of Internet. Specific deliberative institutions were established, for example the Deliberative Council and the Temerloh Parliamentary Constituency Council, and a new Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition was elected indicating a transformation of power. Although the collapse of PH government in February 2020 has imperilled this transition, Malaysians somehow realise that the country can no longer follow the old approach of elite deliberation. Any issue of public interest, including ethnic relations, must be engaged with through public deliberation.
