Hopes, frustration and resolve on display as voting kicks off to a slow start in Malaysian state polls
Malaysians queuing up outside a polling station in Selangor on Aug 12, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)
PENANG/SELANGOR: Bearing hopes for change or continuity, Malaysians are coming out to vote in the six states that are holding elections, albeit with an expectedly slow start.
Less than half of registered voters had cast their ballots as of noon. As of 1pm, the turnout stood at 49 per cent in Kedah, 40 per cent in Kelantan, 50 per cent in Terengganu, 46 per cent in Penang, 44 per cent in Selangor and 42 per cent in Negeri Sembilan, said the Election Commission.
Voting opened at 8am and closed at 6pm.
Analysts have predicted a lower voter turnout overall compared with the general election last November, citing voter fatigue, professional commitments as well as the lower stakes in the state elections compared with the federal polls as possible reasons.
Observers also project that the lower voter turnout is likely to negatively impact support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government as many of the coalition supporters are ethnic minorities who are based away from their home states.
SOME VOTING FOR CHANGE, OTHERS FOR SOLIDARITY
Voters told CNA the voting process was smooth and there were no hiccups or long waits.
At the Seri Gedong School in Sungai Petani, a town in southern Kedah, many voters can be seen queuing outside their respective polling rooms as early as 8am. The school is a polling centre for the state seat of Bakar Arang.
Some observers have identified southern Kedah as a key area that may be decisive in whether the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition can defend the state.
After casting her ballot at around 8.30am, housewife Mdm Azalina Tazol Azmin told CNA that she is determined to vote to "send a message" that she is unhappy with the federal government led by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) - Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
"Many of the policies of the unity government are not pro-Malay and pro-Islam. I think it is our duty as Muslims to signal our discontent, and hopefully effect change," said the 47-year-old.
Engineer Lee Teen Yang, who is based in Singapore for work, also voted at Seri Gedong.
The 34-year-old told CNA that he travelled to Kedah from Singapore last Wednesday and has used the state polls as an opportunity to spend some time with loved ones in his hometown.
Mr Lee said that some of the other Malaysians who are also working in the same firm as him in Singapore will not be returning home to vote for the state elections as the stakes are lower than in the general election.
"Some say the state elections may not be worth the expenses and time to travel home. But I want to fulfil my right and duty as a citizen," said Mr Lee.
At a voting centre for the Taman Medan seat in Selangor, many voters had already cast their ballot as of mid-morning, with a queue forming along a main road.
Lorry driver Mohd Shahril, 23, says he is voting for the opposition in the state controlled by the ruling coalition as he isn't happy with the current government.
He voted for the first time in the federal elections last Nov, although he did not want to say who he voted for back then.
"I am excited for change. I am doing this for the future and the good of my children. There needs to be more development in the state," said the father of a five-month-old child.
At the same voting centre in Taman Medan, Adnan Othman, 53, said he is voting for the current administration as he feels it has done a good job.
He doesn't remember how many times he had voted, but that it was a responsibility for every Malaysian to do so.
Mr Adnan, who doesn't work because he is undergoing dialysis treatment, said the state government has provided a lot of help for those facing difficulties such as himself.
"They have incentives for the people of Selangor from cradle to grave," he said, adding that the PH candidate for the seat was a local boy who always helped the people for the past 20 years.
Businesswoman, JS Kaur, 39, who is voting in the Kuang assembly seat in Selangor, says she is nervous about the election result.
She said that it would be her first time voting for Barisan Nasional only because they are collaborating with Pakatan Harapan.
"Even though it’s a state election, my vote today is to show my support for the current federal government. I think they should be given a five-year chance. This is the only reason I am voting for BN, " she told CNA, admitting that she did not know the candidate contesting the election.
Ms Kaur, who had always voted for PH in the past, said the current state government had done a lot for the people such as providing free water, establishing a free bus service for residents, and providing subsidised visits to clinics for lower-income groups.
Over at Selayang in Selangor, voter Mohd Faiz Mohamad told CNA that he is keen to cast his ballot to show support for the current unity government.
“I am determined to vote because it is my hope that this country continues a strong economic direction,” said the 38-year-old.
Ms Nurul Ashikin Shuhaimi, 35, also voted in Selayang. This is the first time the private sector employee is voting in an election as she had previously been based outside of her hometown.
“I hope that the candidates elected will be able to fulfil their roles well and I hope the respective parties won't renege on their electoral promises if they win,” she added.
TIME FOR MALAYSIANS TO COME TOGETHER AFTER POLLS: PM ANWAR
PM Anwar turned up at Seri Penanti National School in Permatang Pauh, Penang at around 9.30am to cast his vote, accompanied by his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Mr Anwar shook hands with government officials on duty and posed for photographs with residents.
Speaking to reporters outside the school after casting his ballot papers, Mr Anwar urged residents across the six states to come down and vote as early as possible.
"Based on what we have seen so far, the voting process is smooth across all six states and the situation is calm," said Mr Anwar.
"Campaigning is over and I hope everyone will come together and reaffirm ties with one another. This is state elections, but (whatever the results will be) the federal government will continue its work as per normal," he added.
Former Selangor chief minister Azmin Ali, who is contesting in the Hulu Kelang seat, said he was very happy and excited to be back at the seat where he first secured a mandate from the people in 1999.
Mr Azmin was then representing Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) but after political manoeuvring in 2020, he is now with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, a component of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
"God willing, I am confident that we will secure a huge majority in Hulu Kelang and many other states seats in Selangor," he told reporters at his voting centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Klang Gate on Saturday morning.
He said PN wanted to develop Selangor as a "supersmart" state, adding that "to achieve this, we must convince domestic and foreign investors with a comprehensive economic policy".
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad also cast his vote in the Anak Bukit seat in Kedah at 9.22am Saturday.
"I hope the voters come out in numbers because this election is important to decide our future, the direction of the state and the country," he said in a post on Facebook.
Altogether, 245 state seats are being contested in Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Selangor and Terengganu.
State elections in Peninsular Malaysia are typically held in conjunction with the General Elections. However, these six states did not dissolve their legislative assemblies last November as the PH and PN coalitions then did not want to hold elections during the annual monsoon.
Although the state polls have no direct impact on the federal government, these six state polls will be the first major electoral test for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his unity government that was formed after the federal elections last November.
The national polls in November did not yield a clear winner.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) won 82 and 30 seats respectively, while Perikatan Nasional claimed 74 seats. Borneo-based Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) came in fourth with 23 seats. Coalitions needed a simple majority of 112 out of 222 parliamentary seats to form the government.
After days of negotiations, royal intervention forced through an alliance of PH, BN and other Borneo parties to form the new government.
For this state polls, the unity government led by PH and BN, is defending the states of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, while the opposition PN coalition is the incumbent in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
A total of 570 candidates are contesting the 245 state assembly seats. The focus of most of the contests will be face-offs between candidates from unity government coalition partners BN and PH against PN.
PN is campaigning under the PAS banner in Kelantan and Terengganu.
Analysts had earlier projected that the status quo will remain after the Aug 12 polls, but with PN gaining more support in their strongholds.
While analysts expect the unity government coalitions of PH and BN to retain control of Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, they predict that the opposition PN will emerge from the polls with more seats in these states than it currently has.
PN is also expected to win comfortably in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah - where it is the incumbent - and may also win more seats which will pressure the government to “move to the right”.
More than 9.7 million people will be eligible to cast their votes during the state elections.
Additional reporting by Fadza Ishak
