Young voters trendsetters of future political landscape

SIBU: Educated young voters who have the analytical strength will be the trendsetters of the future political landscape, according to some Barisan Nasional leaders here.

PRS vice-president Datuk Mong Dagang yesterday said both the government and the opposition were eagerly engaging the youth who were the so-called fence sitters.

“I believe in the last parliamentary election, younger voters played important role and did in fact influence the results of the election.

“The entry of younger voters would definitely play an important political role in deciding who will be in power. But I believe the younger voters, who are educated would be able to make wise decision.

“They know what the government is doing and at the same time what the opposition does,” noted Mong, who is Agriculture (Research and Marketing) Assistant Minister and Bukit Begunan assemblyman.

He was commenting on observations made by a seasoned political scientist Associate Prof Dr Bridget Welsh that one of the major trends in the political landscape of Sarawak was the demographic shift to younger voters.

Welsh expounded that more younger voters were fence-sitters, so the next election was really about how voters under-30 vote.

Many young people were disengaged with the political process and were not registered voters and this could be strength to whichever party, be it government or opposition, that registered and engaged with them, she opined.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah concurred with Dr Bridget’s findings that the younger voters are the trendsetters of future political landscape.

“Being more educated, liberal in outlook, analytical…they are a force to be reckoned with. Any parties that can reach out to them…whether BN or the opposition will definitely have an advantage,” said Abdul Karim, who is PBB supreme council member.

SUPP Sibu branch vice-chairman Daniel Ngieng too stressed the importance of engaging the youth, getting them as voters.

He said youth generally were better exposed.

“But they may not be better informed of the issues. Those who depend mostly on Internet and social media can be misinformed. And yes, parties have to network with them,” said Ngieng.

A political observer Felician Teo anticipated that the under-30 voter would become an increasingly crucial and decisive source of support for either the BN or PR come future elections.

As this voter segment continued to grow, they could well become the tipping point in swinging election outcomes in the near future, Teo said.

“During the 13th general election, some 2.6 million new voters, the majority of whom were from the under-30 segment were eligible to vote compared to 638,000 new voters five years ago.

“Clearly, the voice of the under-30 voter will become an increasingly crucial and decisive source of support for either the BN or PR come future elections. As this voter segment continues to grow, they could well become the tipping point in swinging election outcomes in the near future,” he expounded.

BN and PR must continue to reinvent and revitalise their political platforms to garner the support of this group, he added.

The older parties within these two coalitions must rejuvenate their leadership ranks by bringing younger, educated and more articulate leaders to the fore.

Teo’s observation: “The pattern of voting along racial lines by this group is going to be blurred and certainly not as accentuated as with the older generation.

“This group sources information from free websites and is concerned with good governance, transparency and accountability. With them, the whole thinking paradigm has shifted and both BN and PR must present candidates who can articulate current and relevant issues and share similar thought patterns to secure their votes in future.”