Political analyst, Associate Professor Dr Azmi Hassan said since there is no emergency declaration in Melaka to put on hold its state election, there was no reason why Sarawak should continue to postpone its state polls. - BERNAMA pic.
Political analyst, Associate Professor Dr Azmi Hassan said since there is no emergency declaration in Melaka to put on hold its state election, there was no reason why Sarawak should continue to postpone its state polls. - BERNAMA pic.

KUCHING: The 15th Melaka state election which will be held next month will become a pulling factor for Sarawak to hold its polls by end of the year.

Political analyst, Associate Professor Dr Azmi Hassan said since there is no emergency declaration in Melaka to put on hold its state election, there was no reason why Sarawak should continue to postpone its state polls.

"So, it is most likely that the emergency declaration in Sarawak, which is supposed to end Feb 2, will be lifted earlier to pave the way for its 12th state election.

"What happens in Melaka will determine the future of the Sarawak election and not the implementation of Undi 18. The Melaka election is now the pulling factor," he told New Straits Times.

Azmi said although younger voters are usually seen as being anti establishment, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government theoretically would then be at a disadvantage if the state election is to be held next year.

"But it is also very hard to predict who the young voters will support or vote for, so I don't see any logic for GPS to call for an election this year – just to avoid Undi 18. I don't see this as a valid reason despite many quarters claiming so," he said.

Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Associate Professor Awang Azman Awang Pawi opined that not only GPS is worried about the Undi 18 in the context of Sarawak, but the opposition parties including the Pakatan Harapan and Parti Sarawak Bersatu were also concerned over the new voters.

He said this was because there was no guarantee who or which party the 18 years old voters will support.

"It also depends on the locality of the region, political literacy and the issues and candidates of the particular constituency," he said.

For example, he said, rural areas with the majority of Bumiputera voters' areas are more likely to support GPS. As for the non-Bumiputera or urban areas, it would depend on the credibility of the candidates and the issues of their specific areas.

"Furthermore, family influence is also very important in determining who they (Undi 18) will support. If their family supports the opposition, there is a tendency for other family members or the young ones to support the opposition as well," he added.

Awang Azman also said that GPS needs to do more to attract the young voters, especially to increase or even double the number of scholarship recipients as many eligible recipients didn't get their due to the limited or low quota.

He said the state government needs to also create job opportunities with salaries matching their qualifications to prevent the issue of unemployed graduates from worsening.

Universiti Putra Malaysia political scientist Professor Dr Jayum Jawan said GPS wants to avoid Undi 18 because they are new voters and unpredictable as well as seen likely to vote against the ruling party.

"Maybe they are because there is an inherent fear in human beings of new things. But the fear is unfounded. This is a prejudiced opinion of those who have not served the state well and are therefore afraid of their own shadow of failure."

"There is no need to attract a particular group of voters, including the Undi 18 if the ruling party has a comprehensive plan of development that includes all," he added.

Earlier, Parti Sarawak Bersatu in a statement said the party has appealed to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah not to accede to any request to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly before the end of this year.

The party claimed that the GPS ruling coalition is seeking consent for the emergency to end earlier and pave the way for the 12th Sarawak state election to be held this year, to avoid the Undi 18.