Young Negeri Sembilan voters prefer parties over candidates, says think tank

 Ilham Centre says decisions are being increasingly shaped by party branding and broader social media narratives rather than by personalities.

Ilham Centre said young voters make up about 48% of Negeri Sembilan’s electoral roll and account for more than 50% of the electorate in 15 of the state’s 36 seats.

PETALING JAYA:

Nearly half of Negeri Sembilan’s electorate is made up of young voters who are increasingly choosing political parties over individual candidates, says think tank Ilham Centre.

Ilham Centre said young voters make up about 48% of the state’s electoral roll and account for more than 50% of the electorate in 15 of the state’s 36 seats.

It listed the five constituencies with the highest numbers of young voters as Bagan Pinang (60%), Paroi (59%), Gemas (58%), Serting (58%) and Labu (55%).

“This means nearly every election result will be directly influenced by the preferences of the new generation,” it said in a statement.

Ilham Centre said it found that many first-time voters had already decided how they would vote ahead of polling day, even though a large number admitted not knowing the candidates contesting their seats.

“Their voting decisions are no longer anchored to the personalities of individual candidates, but increasingly shaped by party branding and the broader narratives circulating on social media.

“In many cases, Malay-Muslim sentiment, consistently promoted on these platforms, has become the primary framework guiding their political choices,” it said.

The think tank said the findings marked a significant departure from previous elections when candidate performance, service records and visibility were still major considerations for voters.

“Direct relationships between voters and candidates are diminishing and being replaced by perceptions of political parties as the dominant political entities,” it said.

Youth issues sidelined

Ilham Centre also claimed that young voters had received the least substantive attention during the campaign, with issues affecting them, such as employment, housing affordability, economic opportunities and education, not consistently featuring in any party’s main agenda.

“Campaign narratives were largely centred on broader political contests rather than on addressing the specific challenges facing young people.

“More concerningly, party youth wings, young candidates and leaders tasked with youth development failed to advance discussions that truly reflected the realities of this generation.

“The absence of fresh and convincing narratives left political discussions among young voters uninspiring and disconnected from the issues that affect their daily lives,” it said.

It said the resulting vacuum in meaningful discourse allowed identity politics to gain greater traction.

“In the absence of progressive, policy-driven alternatives, many young voters have formed their political outlooks through the lens of identity, religion and ethnicity, rather than debates about economic prospects or social mobility,” it said. - FMT