Some Socio-Demographic Determinants of Political Participation

A review of literature on political participation shows mixed results regarding factors associated with political activities in different countries. This study investigates the extent of political participation and some related socio-demographic factors in Penang, Malaysia. The objectives of this research are (1) to the examine the forms of political participation; (2) to compare the extent of political participation among citizens; (3) to establish associations between political participation and some socio-demographic factors. For the purpose of this study, a survey is conducted to a sample population of 621 respondents in Penang, Malaysia. The findings indicate different levels of political involvement for different types of political participation. Majority of the respondents (72.3%) involved in voting in every general election, and only a small minority (6.1%) contributed money to political parties. The results also suggest associations between political participation and socio-demographic determinants: gender, ethnic background, and party affiliation.