CHAPTER 2 – POWER

1) Important of power / How power helps in maintaining a government ?

The power that the leader has gives the advantage to rule his people by creating laws and
policies. Laws are made to ensure that the people live in a state of harmony and prosperity.
This means that no one or any party can be allowed to be extreme enough to oppress other
members of society. If this law is violated, the person who violates the rules can be
punished or fined by the court. While power in terms of policy making is about the
government's ideas to develop the country. For example, our former prime minister Datuk
Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has introduced “Dasar Tenaga Negara 2022-2040’’. The benefits of
“Dasar Tenaga Negara’’ will contribute to national economic recovery including recovery
from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the political power possessed by a
leader also allows him to provide better educational facilities. The government not only
improves school infrastructure facilities by building new schools but also channels assistance
in the form of scholarships, tuition assistance, textbook assistance including the abolition of
school fees where all this is done by the government in order to empower the quality and
achievement of national education. Besides that, political power also acts to improve the
country's economy. Among the measures taken is to attract more foreign investment into
the country. With the entry of foreign investors, this has created many job opportunities for
the people as well as reducing the numbers of unemployment in Malaysia.

2) How a government becomes legitimate ?

A democratic government is a legitimate government because it gets a mandate from the
people to govern the country. Through free and fair elections can form a legitimate
government. Malaysia is a country that practices a parliamentary democratic system under
the administration of a Constitutional Monarch with His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
as the Head of State. Parliament is the highest legal institution in the country that enacts
laws. In addition, a government achieves legitimacy by governing well. If the government
governs the country efficiently, effectively and constitutionally then the government will be
recognized by the people. In other words, the people will choose a government that
prioritizes the welfare of the people, for example financial assistance to the poor and
disabled, and provide basic facilities such as clean water supply, good roads, educational
facilities, job opportunities and various other facilities that benefit the people. Not only that,
ensuring economic growth and dispensing justice builds legitimacy.
3) Is symbol of sovereignty important to have ?
I strongly believe that the symbol of sovereignty is important to have because it represents
the important principles of a country. Literally, sovereignty means the great power
possessed by the state in running the government. A sovereign country is a country that is
free from external constraints or threats. It rules over its own axis. Therefore, the people
and the country are free to carry out any activity as long as it does not conflict with the law.
Free from the shackles of foreign countries will launch the journey of the administrative
machinery. Therefore, Sovereignty is very important because it is considered an asset to
defend the independence and sovereignty of the country so that it does not continue to be
colonized.

4) How election illustrate the legitimacy of a government ?

Elections are a democratic process in which votes are used to select suitable candidates to
represent the people in parliament. A government formed through a democratic process is a
legitimate government because it has a mandate from the people to govern the country. In
other words, elections are a form of communication between the government and the
people through free and fair elections to select suitable candidates to fill legislative,
executive, legislative and local government positions. Malaysia is a country that practices a
parliamentary democratic system under the administration of a Constitutional Monarch
with His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as Head of State. Parliament is the highest
legislative institution in the country that enacts laws.