PN’s young voters unaware of PAS-Bersatu feud, says think tank

 Ilham Centre says some young supporters in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls talked about voting for PN in seats the coalition didn't even contest.

Ilham Centre said PN’s younger supporters largely gave their backing in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls without a broader understanding of what was happening within the coalition.

KUALA LUMPUR:

Perikatan Nasional’s younger supporters largely supported the coalition in the recent Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections without a broader understanding of what was happening within PN, says think tank Ilham Centre.

Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar said on-the-ground surveys revealed that these voters were often unaware of the bitter feud between Bersatu and PAS, which now chairs the coalition.

“All (young voters) know is PN, PN, PN … It’s because of their ‘slow branding’ that most young voters aren’t grasping the ins-and-outs of what’s happening in the coalition.

“In Johor and Negeri Sembilan, some of them talked about voting for PN in seats PN wasn’t even contesting,” he said during a panel discussion on the recent state elections at Universiti Malaya this evening.

Hisommudin said PAS and opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin’s Wawasan stood to gain the most from this trend as both parties have successfully tapped into PN’s brand, based on the Negeri Sembilan election results.

He added that PN’s brand was already well established in the minds of existing supporters.

In the Negeri Sembilan polls, PAS led PN into an electoral pact with Barisan Nasional, with PN securing seven seats and BN winning 18 to form the state government.

In protest at the BN pact, Bersatu ventured solo in 24 seats under its own banner, with all its candidates soundly defeated.

Lower threshold for BN-PN victories

At the same panel, Ilham Centre research chief Yusri Ibrahim said BN and PN joining forces essentially meant that their alliance could win any seat where Malay voters make up at least 40% of the electorate.

“If they were to emulate their model of cooperation in Negeri Sembilan in the Melaka state election, that would mean the alliance could win 24 of the 28 seats,” he added.

However, Yusri said seat negotiations will be the biggest challenge for both coalitions in the Melaka polls.

BN has voiced its intention to defend its existing 21 seats, while PAS was unfazed by the possibility of clashing with the Umno-led coalition in the state election.

Nothing wrong with identity politics

Another panellist, Zaini Othman of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said he found nothing wrong with the use of identity politics in the country, as Malaysia’s regional and racial identities are at the core of its federal structure.

“Race is part and parcel of our political values. We’re a federation after all. Sentiments like ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ and ‘Sarawak for Sarawakians’ are everywhere.

“If we took these identities away from our people, there is sure to be a revolt,” said the political analyst.

Pakatan Harapan had blamed its defeat in the Negeri Sembilan polls on the exploitation of identity politics by its rivals, after BN-PN romped to a two-thirds majority victory.

Former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming said this was an unfair statement as PH had also benefitted from racial narratives in previous elections. - FMT