Political systems Elect kampong chiefs into Parliament?
Democracy is based on "one man one vote". At each general election, the voters vote for a person to represent their constituency in parliament. The candidate with the most votes is elected. 

However, this system of electing the representative of the voters does not appear to work well in many countries. 

Why?

I perceive that this system has the following weaknesses:

a) The candidates are sent by the political parties. In many cases, the new candidates are hardly known to the voters. The voters can get to know the candidate only from the profile disseminated at the election and from the brief encounter with the candidate during the election rally or house visits. 

b) Although the voters may elect an person based on his personal qualities, his voting on issues in parliament may be subject to the direction of his political party and not on his political beliefs. He has to vote according to the party "whip".

Is there another approach?

I prefer that the candidates should be people who are well known to the voters in the constituency, e.g. a local leader or village chief. He should be elected based on his personal qualities and not fielded by a political party.

Preferably, the candidate should have lived and worked in the community for many years and are well known to the voters.

The elected person should be free to express his or her views and vote according to the best interest of the voters, and not according to the direction of his political party.

Is it possible to have a parliament that is made up of local chiefs and not candidates of political parties?

Is there any country that follows this approach?

Tan Kin Lian

Vote - should parliament comprise of local chiefs that have close links to the voters in the constituency?

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