Harapan's Gen Z bet: Can Mukhlis overcome 'strawberry' label in Kuala Linggi?

MALACCA POLLS | “Yesterday we had a meeting. Today we brought it to PMX (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim). Today it was approved as well. This is how Gen Z works.”

Mukhlisul Mubin Julasapiyah's remark went viral, along with his account of how he “barged into” the Finance Ministry to raise concerns about tax arrears owed by a local fisher’s association.

The 24-year-old, better known as Mukhlis, is Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for the Kuala Linggi state seat in the Malacca election, representing Amanah. His assertive approach has attracted attention, with some praising his willingness to take an issue directly to the highest levels of government.

After meeting Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary, Kamil Munim, he eventually secured the prime minister’s signature on the matter.

“If I have to go all the way to the prime minister’s desk, I am willing to brave it for the sake of Kuala Linggi,” he said.

However, his actions have also drawn criticism, particularly over allegations that he used “cable” (connections) to resolve RM70,000 in tax arrears and penalties owed by the Melaka Barat Fishermen’s Association.

The youngest candidate in the Malacca election also came under fire for distributing food baskets from the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry after Harapan announced him as its Kuala Linggi candidate.

Mukhlis is challenging incumbent Rosli Abdullah of BN in a three-cornered contest, with Bersama candidate Nur Farhana Hamzah also in the running.

A family legacy, an uphill battle

A candidate from outside BN has never won Kuala Linggi. In the 2021 state election, Rosli retained the Malay-majority seat with 51 percent of the votes. Malays account for more than 70 percent of its electorate.

Amanah, meanwhile, secured just 24.7 percent of the votes while PAS had 23.6 percent.

Interestingly, Julasapiyah is Mukhlis’ father, who has contested the seat and lost five times - four for PAS and once for Amanah, which was formed by former PAS leaders.

While some party supporters have welcomed Mukhlis’ candidacy, others have questioned Harapan’s decision to field someone from what they describe as the “strawberry generation”.

The term, which originated in Taiwan in the 1990s, refers to a generation perceived as pampered and unable to withstand pressure, likened to strawberries that look attractive but bruise easily.

The label has since resurfaced in discussions about Gen Z, generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, now aged between 14 and 29.

Shedding the 'strawberry' label

Malacca Harapan chairperson Adly Zahari defended the decision to field Mukhlis, a law graduate from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) who completed his studies only several months ago.

Adly acknowledged that choosing Mukhlis had been a difficult decision, particularly as he was not an Amanah Youth leader.

“Even though many people criticise him, personally or over his way of working, saying this is a mistake, and that is a mistake, to me, if we don’t want to make mistakes, we shouldn’t do anything,” he told Malaysiakini in an interview in Kuala Lumpur last week.

The former Malacca chief minister said Mukhlis’ actions challenged the negative stereotype associated with his generation.

“I think Mukhlis does not represent that (strawberry generation stereotype). What he did indirectly shows that he refutes the idea that Gen Z is a strawberry generation.

“Perhaps the more he does, the more mistakes he will make. But that is Gen Z. We really have to encourage them to do things.

“That is why, if we want to innovate and improve our research and development, we will make a thousand mistakes before we can succeed,” he said.

One of the youngest

Mukhlis is not the youngest candidate in Malaysia’s electoral history. Farzana Hayani Nasir holds that record, contesting the Sungai Rambai constituency in the 2021 state election at the age of 21.

P Prabakaran became the youngest person to contest and win a parliamentary seat when he stood as an independent in the 14th general election at the age of 22, capturing the Batu parliamentary seat.

He broke the record previously held by former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who first contested an election at 23 in 1979 and won.

Adly added that Mukhlis represented a generation with the potential to become the country’s future leaders.

“When we gave him the opportunity, I asked him to focus on the people. Whatever he can do, he does. It is up to the people to choose him.

“That is why I appreciate the opportunity given by Anwar and the Amanah president to nominate a young candidate in Malacca,” he said.

A generation up for grabs

Nevertheless, Kuala Linggi has a sizeable Gen Z electorate. Based on the latest voting data, 24.6 percent of voters were aged 18 to 29.

That proportion is lower than in several other Malacca constituencies, including Paya Rumput (35 percent), Sungai Udang (31.8 percent), Tanjung Bidara (27.7 percent), and Durian Tunggal (29.8 percent).

Adly added that Harapan would do its best to persuade voters despite the political challenges and possible electoral shifts.

“As Harapan, we will do our best with what we have. Given the political challenges and the waves that may emerge, I think Malacca will experience change.

“To what extent the people of Malacca are willing to give us an opportunity, we will have to wait until Nov 14, when they make their decision, insya-Allah,” he said.

Based on the 2021 state election results, Mukhlis faces an uphill battle to capture Kuala Linggi, particularly if BN and Perikatan Nasional cooperate. Harapan could also lose votes to Bersama, a splinter party formed by former PKR members, which is contesting the seat.

Younger voters’ political preferences are often shaped by their local circumstances and concerns, including employment opportunities, education, and access to youth-friendly amenities.

In urban areas, where electorates tend to be more ethnically diverse, younger voters may place greater emphasis on issues such as integrity and good governance.

However, the broader political environment and party sentiment in their communities also shape their choices. In the 15th general election, for instance, many young Malay voters gravitated towards PN, which had established a strong presence on social media.

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