Kit Siang: ‘Need to win 70% of new voters’

DAP veteran says the opposition pact must attempt to win four million unaffiliated voters and an additional 3% of the swing voters to reach Putrajaya.

PETALING JAYA: DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang has asked Pakatan Rakyat’s coalition partners to focus on winning over the four million unaffiliated voters in order to takeover Putrajaya after general election (GE).

In a statement yesterday, Lim pointed out that there are three million new voters who registered after the last GE, 60% of whom are under the age of 30.

He said the new voters would make up 25% of the 13 million electorates in the next general election.
“They, together with the 10% or so of the swing voters from the 2008 GE, constitute about four million voters in the next GE. The will decide who will govern in Putrajaya after GE13.”

Lim said it would not be sufficient for Pakatan to solely rely on the new voters’ support, as the opposition pact could only win 109 out of 222 parliamentary seats even if 70% of three million voters chose them.

“To get to Putrajaya, Pakatan must also convince a larger percentage of the 2008 voters to switch their vote to us.

“Only if Pakatan manages to win 70% of nett new voters and an additional 3% of GE 2008 voters can Pakatan reach Putrajaya with a comfortable majority of seven parliament seats, which is 119 seats,” he said.

Hudud issue
Lim noted that the PAS’ proposal to introduce hudud law and multi-cornered fights are among the factors that impede Pakatan’s unity and turn away the voters.

“PAS passing the hudud legislation in the Terengganu state legislature in 2001 did not stop BN from regaining this state by winning 28 out of 32 state seats and 7 out of 8 parliament seats in Terengganu in the 2004 general election.

“The hudud issue led to the dismantling of the Barisan Alternative and it took the historic 2008 general election to bring together the three parties again,” he said.

The Ipoh Timur mem

ber of parliament said the focus should be on the ongoing corruption and abuse of power within the BN rather than to push the Islamic state agenda.

“(The Islamic agenda) does nothing to win over the middle ground and swing voters,” he pointed out.

Lim said new voters and swing voters are inclined to compare BN and Pakatan on their capability to reduce corruption, to strengthen national unity, uphold social justice, reduc

e poverty in Sabah and Sarawak and user in a governance of democracy.

“Pakatan Rakyat should not let itself be distracted by narrow issues but focus on the larger picture to win these swing voters and to capture the middle ground to win the battle for Putrajaya in the 13GE,” he added.