Analyst: Harapan needs to play the Malay tune in Semenyih
SEMENYIH POLLS | Like it or not, Pakatan Harapan needs to play on Malay sentiments if it wants to compete with the combined forces of BN and PAS in the coming Semenyih by-election, an analyst said.
This is because Malay votes are key to winning Semenyih, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia senior political science professor Muhamad Nadzri Mohamed Noor pointed out...
SEMENYIH POLLS | Like it or not, Pakatan Harapan needs to play on Malay sentiments if it wants to compete with the combined forces of BN and PAS in the coming Semenyih by-election, an analyst said.
This is because Malay votes are key to winning Semenyih, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia senior political science professor Muhamad Nadzri Mohamed Noor pointed out.
"If you talk about something that isn't about Malay interests (during the campaign), it will not be interesting and popular (with the voters).
"Almost 70 percent of voters are Malay. So like it or not, Bersatu also has to play up Malay sentiments," Muhamad Nadzri told Malaysiakini.
He believes that the rhetoric of PAS and BN are "too far right" and "not suitable" for Malaysian society.
However, he said, even among "rational" Malay youths who make up a sizeable number of voters, Malay Muslim issues are still important.
Muhamad Nadzri added that Harapan would be in danger if BN and PAS can convince Malay voters who skipped voting in the 14th general election to come out and cast their ballots on March 2.
"(Absent Malay voters numbered) around 5,000. If they (BN-PAS) can convince the Malays to come out in the name of race, religion and country... the advantage goes to BN-PAS," he said.
'Mould them into more modern people'
To counter this, he said, Bersatu - which will represent Harapan - needs to make it clear how it can best represent the Malays, and mould them into more modern people.
"The Malays who are modern, advanced and less reliant... all this is unclear. They are still looking for this 'new Malay' character being promoted to the people," Muhamad Nadzri said.
Last month, the BN-PAS union led to BN winning the Cameron Highlands by-election with a 3,238-vote majority, the largest for the seat since the 2004 general election.
The Semenyih seat fell vacant after its incumbent, Bersatu's Bakhtiar Mohd Nor, died last month.
Bakhtiar wrested the seat from BN in a four-cornered fight on May 9.
Besides Harapan and BN, PSM and social activist Kuan Chee Heng have also said that they will contest the by-election.
Feb 16 has been fixed as the nomination date for the Semenyih by-election.
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