Strategi Pengurusan Konflik Berdasarkan Demokrasi Permuafakatan di Malaysia: Kajian Kes Barisan Nasional

Malaysia is known for its success in keeping her multiracial society well and this has impinged upon its political stability. The ultimate strength of BN, 13 race and non-race political parties which have been the unrivalled components of Malaysian government ruling for more than 50 years caught the attention of many researchers. Based on the facts. this study aims to see and identify conflict management style practised by BN with regard to distribution of seats and candidate selection for general election with a special focus in Perlis. Perak and
Selangor. It is interesting to note how complete the BN won every general election that could come to form and lead the Malaysian Government to this day. This study also seeks to see and identify elements of demand and political bargaining process, not only from the point of distribution and selection of candidates for seats among BIV component parties but also to process requests and bargaining among races. This study also aims to look at the factors which
lead to decision making process as to distribution of seats and selection of candidates and the relationship between racial conflicts. Meanwhile, in the face of elections and managing ethnic diversity, BN encounters multiple challenges
which risk both the party's and even worse, the country's stability. This factor also becomes the essence of this study. Finally, this study aims to look into and identify the ritual of Consociational Democracy in Malaysia in common with the elite accommodation in BN. By employing qualitative instrument as the main method for elite interviews, this study identified and selected 44 respondents in the BN leadership in order to achieve the objectives of the study. Findings of this study have shown that BN practises all five styles of conflict management
namely, Compromise, Accommodation, Collaboration, Competition and Avoidance. However, the most popular styles practised are Compromise, Accommodation and Collaboration. This study also found the existence of political demanding and bargaining among races which resulted political conflict left BN in lameness. Results of this study also have indicated that BN has stumbled over various challenges which include the ones faced by the Prime Minister or the Chairperson of the party apart from the intra and inter-party conflicts. Moreover, the findings of the study discovered that Malaysia practises Consociational Democracy but under par. As to the four core elements of Consociational Democracy, Autonomous Segments is in its medium level, the practice of the Grand Coalition and Proportional Representation in its lower level while the practice of Mutual Veto does not exist. Research findings have found that political accommodation occurs among BN elites with regard to election, racial relations and also in terms of administering the party and country, but it is
in the middle level though.