Kuala Lampur, July 6 -- The recent controversy in Johor over whether appointed state assembly representative positions could be allocated to PAS has reopened an important constitutional and political question in Malaysia: what exactly are appointed representatives meant to achieve? The question emerged after a DAP candidate publicly asked whether Barisan Nasional intended to reserve such positions for PAS despite the absence of a formal electoral alliance between the two parties.

Appointed representatives, sometimes known as nominated assembly members, were originally designed to enrich legislative debate by bringing into state assemblies individuals who may not have contested elections but possess expertise, experience or represent comm...