'BN wooed Galas Chinese through 1Malaysia NGO'
DAP says that the BN has succeeded in securing Chinese votes in Galas by employing a new strategy in the form of the so-called "1Malaysia NGO", which it claims is backed by MCA.
DAP said that the BN has succeeded in securing Chinese votes in Galas by employing a new strategy in the form of the so-called '1Malaysia NGO', which it claimed is backed by MCA.
The opposition party has analysed the results of three areas under its care in today’s polls: Pulai, Kampung Baru and Bandar Lama.
According to DAP election campaign director Thomas Su, Pakatan obtained 1,784 votes in these three areas in the last general election, so today's result is a drop of 206 votes or 4.92 percent.
Only two of these areas are Chinese-majority: Pulai (83.86 percent Chinese) and Kampung Baru (52.6 percent). Bandar Lama is a mixed Chinese (30.54 percent) and Malay area.
"From these figures, we estimate that the Chinese votes in these areas dropped by 2 to 3.5 percent," said Su.
"We admit that there is a drop in Chinese votes, but it’s not serious, drastic or alarming."
'NGO backed by MCA'
He identified two factors as contributing to Pakatan’s poorer showing among the Chinese: the high turnout rate and the BN’s new tactic of using the 1Malaysia NGO during campaigning.
Su noted that the BN did not openly rely on its Chinese-based political parties to campaign throughout the by-election.
Instead, he said, it canvassed the Chinese voters through the so-called ' 1Malaysia NGO '.
"The campaign is totally different from past by-elections. BN did not use (its Chinese-based) political parties to campaign... (all the campaigning) came from the 1Malaysia group backed by MCA leaders," he said.
"Every time we have big ceramah , the group will have a big dinner. This is different from the usual BN election campaign style."
Su said this tactic did manage to capture a higher voter turnout rate for the Chinese to favour the BN.
Taking Pulai as an example, he said, despite Pakatan managing to increase its previous result by nine votes, BN pulled in a larger number of people to vote than Pakatan, and therefore won in this Chinese-majority area.
Pakatan had lost by 25 votes in Pulai during the last general election.
Su said Pakatan had to study the results in greater detail if to be able to counter the BN’s new campaign strategy in the Chinese areas.
