As election fatigue sets in, parties and candidates fret voters will sit out August 12 state polls

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 2 — As the state elections draw ever closer, signs of election fatigue among voters are apparent, with many admitting to not bothering to check their stream number and polling centre for August 12.

Alvin (not his real name), who turned 18 this year and is eligible to vote, barely knows anything about politics or that there is a state election when quizzed by Malay Mail.

All the college student wanted to do was to study hard and pass his exams.

Another voter, a 30-year-old model who wished to be called “Prissy S” said she doesn’t feel like voting again.

“They (politicians) are all the same. What’s the point?” she said.

When asked if they will go out to vote on August 12 in a street poll by Malay Mail, a majority of the approximately 20 voters approached said they do not want to vote because they had already voted for the government during GE15.

It would seem that an apparent lack of interest in the state elections among the voters and a possible low turnout have become a major cause of concern for political leaders from both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Penang Gerakan chairman Oh Tong Keong said many of the voters he met have said they do not want to vote in the state elections.

“Some of them said it’s not important because it’s only a state election and that PH will probably retain the state,” he said.

Pakatan Harapan’s Bandar Utama candidate, Jamaliah Jamaluddin doing a walkabout at the Kg Cempaka night market on August 2, 2023. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

He said some were unhappy that PH is now with Barisan Nasional (BN) and refused to support them but are too scared to support PN because of their misconceptions about PAS, so they decided to abstain from voting instead.

“People are now more receptive towards us; in fact, they are friendlier compared to GE15, but we are also worried about low voter turnout,” Oh said when met at his election operation centre.

In her speech during the launch of the Penang Unity Manifesto on August 1, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar reminded voters not to be complacent.

“You must come out to vote and support PH,” she said.

She said if supporters are too complacent in thinking PH will win, it could lead to PH losing.

Even DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng called on all those who live outstation to come back to vote.

He said it is important for the PH-BN unity coalition to get a strong mandate to continue to govern Penang.

“If the voter turnout is like GE15, the results may not side with us,” he said.

In her speech during the launch of the Penang Unity Manifesto on August 1, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar reminded voters not to be complacent. — Bernama pic

“We must make sure our supporters come back to vote.”

He said that hopes the Penang Unity Manifesto will encourage voters to return to vote.

During a mega ceramah by PAS in Sungai Dua on August 1, the Islamist party’s president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang called on Muslims to do their civic duty.

He said it is the responsibility of Muslims to come out to vote.

“Some say they want to perform the umrah so they can’t vote,” he said.

He said the umrah can be postponed to another date, so it is more important that they stay in the country to vote.

The state elections for six states, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, is on August 12.