Analyst: Reformasi had big crowds too, but no tsunami at the ballot box

GE14 | The large number of people found at political ceramahs may not necessarily translate into votes for a particular party, according to political analyst.

Echoing Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak, Universiti Selangor vice-chancellor Mohammad Redzuan Othman said that it would be unfair to draw conclusions from large ceramah turnouts.

"In 1999 during the Reformasi movement, there were more people, even hundreds of thousands but in the 1999 general election, PKR only won five parliamentary seats.

"Attending a programme does not necessarily foretell victory but it can be an indication that there is movement.

"But to make a conclusion from this, I don't think it's fair," Redzuan said when met in Petaling Jaya today.

A Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Kedah on Thursday had attracted thousands. The coalition's chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad was also present at the event in his home state.

DAP lawmaker Liew Chin Tong, who estimated a turnout of 15,000, said it signalled an impending seismic shift in the political landscape ahead of the 14th general election.

Redzuan said, however, that any so-called Malay tsunami for the upcoming election would depend on how the opposition translates the people's dissatisfaction over various issues in the country into votes.

"When we talk about the Malay tsunami, we don't have to conduct surveys, we know many people are not satisfied with the cost of living and increased price of goods.

"The question is whether this would be translated to votes.

"Whether the (Malay) tsunami would occur, this will all depend on how Mahathir and Pakatan Harapan can translate the dissatisfaction into votes." -Mkini