COMMENT | Why are civil society groups 'annoying'?

COMMENT | “What do you NGOs actually do?” My dad, mother-in-law, and countless others have asked this at home and at open houses.

NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and the broader civil society groups (CSOs, including informal movements and loose groups) are typically organisations formed independently from the government.

They include various nonprofit entities advocating a wide range of causes: elections, education, human rights, climate change, consumer protections, and so on.

It has been six years since the 14th general election (GE14)’s historic democratic transition. Looking back, it was not just the political landscape that was rapidly changing, but the civil society ecosystem too.

We lack documentation on the actions, strategies, and debates among civil society activists, despite their important roles as key actors in Malaysia’s democratisation. After all, democracy is not just about a bunch of political elites rotating their seats à la musical chairs!

In the aftermath of GE14...