Umno wants early GE15 due to waning Malay support, says Rafizi

 

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said the 9% drop in Malay support would greatly affect the government’s intention to retain power.

PETALING JAYA: Umno is pushing for an early general election because of waning Malay voter support, claims PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli.

Based on the party’s recent data, he said it was found that Malay support for Umno has dropped from 27% to 18%.

“There is a reason why Umno wants to hold the next general election (GE15) in November.

“Based on our survey of 2,500 Malay voters, their support for the party at the beginning of August was 27%. This was before the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal went viral and before Najib Razak went to prison.

“Now, in the aftermath of both of these that happened within a month, Malay voter support has dropped to 18%,” he said at an “Ayuh Malaysia” campaign last night aimed at wooing fence-sitters to support PKR in GE15.

Rafizi said the 9% decrease would greatly affect the government’s intention to retain power after GE15, adding that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should be the one who should be afraid if elections are held next month.

Still, he said the opposition’s main concern was that holding it during the monsoon season will put many lives at risk.

“Due to climate change, this year’s floods could be the worst one yet. We should not underestimate it.

“We should be focusing on how many boats are needed for the floods and the number of schools needed for emergency shelters.

“Instead, the government wants to risk it all by considering holding elections in November,” he said.

Previously, Zahid had questioned the opposition’s sincerity in raising concerns over holding GE15 during the monsoon season.

He claimed that the opposition’s objection to early polls was proof that they were weak and afraid, and were trying to buy more time.

On Friday, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said the party’s Supreme Council had agreed that Parliament should be dissolved soon, for elections to be held this year.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is one of the party’s vice-presidents, has been given the discretion to propose a date to the King for the dissolution of Parliament. - FMT