Muda can help PH woo young voters, says analyst

 

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (centre) and Muda candidates Rasid Abu Bakar (left) and R Sangaran during the Johor state election in March. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: An analyst sees Pakatan Harapan getting an increase in youth support if it accepts Muda into its fold.

Commenting on a disclosure that the party for youths is in talks on joining PH, James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute said the coalition could be looking at Muda as its ticket to winning over “a substantial number” of young voters.

“Even though Muda performed badly in Johor, it is still the best platform from which to reach out to young voters,” he told FMT. “This is why PH and Muda are still in talks.”

He said Muda had “the spirit” for the fight in GE15 but would need PH’s well-oiled machinery and grassroots support.

James Chin.

“Muda needs PH more at this point, considering its showing in Johor,” he said. “It needs the more experienced PH for its machinery and to show the ropes in organising general election campaigns.”

After being registered in December 2021, Muda made its electoral debut in the Johor polls in March. It vied for seven seats but won only in Puteri Wangsa.

Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman recently said his party had had preliminary discussions with PH on joining the coalition. He also said it was open to holding official discussions with PH’s presidential council.

The lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 and last December’s launch of automatic voter registration have made it easy to encourage young people to take part in politics.

Another analyst, Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia, said PH should welcome Muda into its so-called “big tent” if the party could provide competent candidates who were known to voters.

Azmil Tayeb.

He told FMT Muda might appeal not just to young people but also to those who were looking to support a party that was “not as tainted as others”.

“Muda is a new party with a cleaner image than other parties, despite Syed Saddiq’s court case,” he said.

Syed Saddiq, who was the Bersatu youth chief and a minister in the PH government before forming Muda, is standing trial on four counts of criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

Azmil said seat negotiations between Muda and PH might not be easy. He recalled that discussions between the party and PH components were “highly contentious” before the Johor polls.

DAP and Amanah made way for Muda to contest in Puteri Wangsa, Tenang, Bukit Kepong, Parit Raja, Machap and Bukit Permai. However, negotiations between Muda and PKR fell through and they ended up clashing in Larkin. - FMT