Chinese vote swing to BN largely from rural areas, says analyst

 

BN’s return to dominance has woken the ‘silent Chinese’ electorate, says analyst Oh Ei Sun.

GEORGE TOWN: The recent reported swing in Chinese votes towards Barisan Nasional came largely from those living in new villages and rural areas, an analyst says.

Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said Chinese voters in the urban areas and those who are more affluent would stick with the opposition, especially DAP.

“For those in the rural new villages, their livelihoods are bound to the area’s infrastructural needs,” Oh told FMT.

“Since MCA is part of the government, they feel the need to elect its representatives to secure their infrastructural and other socio-economic needs, especially after the pandemic and attendant lockdowns hit their small businesses hard.”

Oh Ei Sun.

He said until and unless there was a narrative similar to the lead-up to the 2018 general election, the rural Chinese would largely remain closer to BN.

Oh also spoke about the “silent Chinese” electorate, which a Penang MCA leader claimed was favouring BN.

He said the “silent Chinese” electorate was an old phenomenon. They kept their political leanings to themselves, especially when they were for the opposition, for fear of retribution by the ruling government, he said.

“BN back then seemed invincible in its stranglehold on federal power and was in a position to exact political and other forms of retribution and persecution against identified disobedient voters.

“With BN back in charge now federally, such fear naturally resurfaces,” he said.

He also dismissed as unlikely the claim that Chinese voters in Penang were turning away from DAP in favour of BN.

He said the low voter turnout in Melaka and Johor had benefitted BN but this was unlikely to happen in Penang which had a larger Chinese electorate.

James Chin.

“Penang people tend to be politically conscious and astute, it is practically impossible to have such a big swing of Chinese voters to BN there,” he said.

University of Tasmania’s James Chin said the current Chinese sentiment was against DAP and generally favoured BN more, but warned that the sentiment might change over time.

He said MCA’s claim about the Chinese favouring BN in Penang was just a narrative it was peddling after the BN won in Melaka and Johor.

“Those who tell you they can predict elections without knowing the actual dates or candidates are fooling themselves. It is just too early.

“We have to wait until the elections are called before we can make serious predictions,” he said. - FMT