Analysts, party heads hold differing views on voter turnout

 

STATE POLLS | As a matter of consensus, the Election Commission (EC) usually looks for about 70 percent of voters to carry out their responsibility to determine the formation of the government, but there is a trend of decreasing voter turnout after the 14th general election in 2018.

Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst P Sivamurugan believes that the state election this time will show the same trend for each state because registered voters are describing it as not so important as the government has already been formed at the federal level.

Sivamurugan said that in Penang the turnout trend is also expected to decrease due to the poor response to political party campaigns for almost two weeks and the state polls appeared to be not as popular as GE15.

"The (political party's) campaign is targeting online more by using social media and speeches are seen as bland and the vote campaigners are active at the last moment to raise voter turnout," he told Bernama.

According to him, the out-of-state voters feel there is no need to return and voters may even put up protest votes to show dissatisfaction with the political arena of the country.

The trend was highlighted during the state elections in Sabah at 67 percent, Malacca (65 percent), Sarawak (61 percent) and Johor at 55 percent due to the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic which began in March 2020.

The voter turnout also fell during GE15 to 73 percent compared to GE14 at 83 percent in 2018.

Politicians optimistic

However, Penang Pakatan Harapan chairperson Chow Kon Yeow was optimistic that the polls turnout this time would reach over 70 percent because, in every series of campaigns and talks, Harapan and BN candidates have been reminding and appealing to their voters to cast their ballot on Saturday.

Caretaker Penang CM Chow Kon Yeow on the campaign trail

"In every visit, talk and statement we do emphasise and call on voters to come out en masse to choose the government and candidate," he said.

Each candidate in the coalition has its own method when campaigning, including involving party leaders in the unity government when going out to meet voters, he added.

Penang Perikatan Nasional chairperson Dominic Lau expressed the same opinion. This is as PN candidates have been calling on voters to cast their ballots and know their rights as citizens in their sessions to introduce their candidates.

"I see that PN candidates, apart from walkabouts and going to the ground, also use social media such as TikTok and Facebook to channel messages to voters and I call on all voters to go out to vote on Aug 12," he said.

Gerakan president Dominic Lau (right) campaigning door to door

The Gerakan president and Bayan Lepas candidate said that in addition to their responsibilities as citizens, going out to vote is also a determinant of the people's representatives who will serve in their area for five years.

On Tuesday, EC deputy chairperson Azmi Sharom said the turnout for this state election is targeted at 70 percent and it is likely that the figure will be lower.

A total of 570 candidates are competing for 245 state assembly seats in the six state polls in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah while there is a straight fight in the by-election for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary constituency.

Earlier, EC chairperson Abdul Ghani Salleh said a total of 168 candidates contesting in the state elections were from PN, 137 from Harapan, 108 for BN and 77 candidates representing PAS.

- Bernama