Fielding young faces pointless if warlords still rule, says Muda leader

 

Muda co-founder Lim Wei Jiet is contesting the Tenang seat in the Johor state elections. (MUDA Facebook pic)

JOHOR BAHRU: A Muda leader has welcomed the decision by Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional to field young candidates in the Johor elections but has voiced doubt that this means a reduction in the influence of warlords in the various parties in the two coalitions.

Lim Wei Jiet, a Muda co-founder and its candidate for the Tenang seat, said it was natural for his party to be pleased with the development since it was its struggle to encourage youth participation in politics.

He told FMT he believed BN and PN were trying to appeal to young voters now that Undi18 was in force.

But he also said he would hesitate to say they were ushering in new politics.

“Some political parties might field younger candidates but are ultimately led and controlled by the same corrupt politicians who are older,” he said.

“It could just be a facade of catering to the young. In fact, they may still be aided and led by established warlords who are hated.”

In unveiling BN’s candidates for the polls last week, coalition chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said more than 70% of them were new faces and most were aged 55 and below and had high academic qualifications.

Of PN’s 56 candidates, 41 are new faces, with 19 below 40 years of age.

Lim said he believed it was important for young voters to look at candidates as individuals to see whether they were “able to deliver” and whether they were “credible and not corrupt”.

However, he said it was also important to ensure wise choices by scrutinising the parties the candidates were representing.

“You could be Mother Teresa, but if your party is controlled by Satan himself and you’re dictated by what Satan decides, then, I’m sorry, why should the voters vote for you?” - FMT