NEW VOTERS COUNT DOWN TO POLLING DAY, Steps to vote in GE15

 

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 Steps to vote in GE15 

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Step to vote in GE15

 

For the first time in the country, Malaysian youths aged 18 and above can vote.

WITH the 15th General Election polling day just around the corner, Malaysians who are eligible to vote will be mulling over their choices of a candidate to represent them in the affairs of running the country.

Many will be travelling, if not already on their way, back to their hometowns to cast that all-important ballot.

The excitement is palpable among some first-time voters who are gearing up for their opportunity to make a difference in the nation’s future.

StarMetro find out from a few new voters how they are preparing for Saturday and what they plan to do after casting their vote.

 

Umbrella is one of the essential things to bring along when voting in the monsoon season.

1. Prepared for rain

As it is currently the monsoon season, rain can be expected on polling day.

The young voters have already picked out an umbrella or raincoat to take along and avoid getting drenched.

“It may be sunny in the morning, so you think it won’t rain. But as it often happens, the moment you step out from your house, the sky turns dark and it starts to pour!” said Tan Wei Ming, a volunteer in Malaysian Red Crescent Society.

“So yes, I’ll be bringing an umbrella with me when I go out to vote,” the 22-year-old added.

 

Attending ceramah is one of the ways for youths to get information before they can decide who to vote for.

2. Gathering information

As the newly minted voters have no experience in voting and not much knowledge about politics, an avenue for the youths to learn and make an informed decision is by attending ceramah (political talks).

“We would gather with friends and attend the public talks together.

“It is exciting to see in person the public personalities we have heard and read about, including Uncle Kentang. I am thrilled to listen to their talks too,“ said Tan.

3. Seeking wise counsel

Parents are often the first and primary source of advice for the youths voting in their first general election.

Tan along with 18-year-olds Wong Zhi Qi and Leong Wei Qi look to their own parents for constructive opinions when it comes to candidate choice.

They said that they had discussed with the older folks at home about the achievements and contributions made by candidates in their respective constituencies.

4. Parents’ choice

At the end of the day, if they are still unable to make up their mind, the youths say they will just decide that “parents know best” and vote according to their parents’ choice of candidate or party.

5. Look-at-me hair

The adventurous young voters passionate about the parties they support might turn up with hair dyed in the corresponding colours.

Some may be considering showing up at polling centres with attention-grabbing hair colour to liven things up.

 

Tan will be embarking on a food trail when he is back in his hometown of Penang.

6. Looking for food

Tan, who is taking a diploma in culinary art, is looking forward to a food-tasting outing around the polling centre where he is voting.

“It is always hectic for college students, especially for those who need to rush to their part-time job after classes.

“I have been eating mixed rice since I started college and I am bored with it

“I can finally use this opportunity to look for what’s good to eat around the polling centre,” he said.

He added that he would first be headed to a Korean barbeque restaurant after voting.

7. Looking for food (Part II)

Tan is also determined to hunt down traditional food while back in his hometown of Penang.

“I will take this opportunity to visit the traditional restaurants that are still surviving in my hometown, as a lot of them have closed down after the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the subsequent movement control order,” he said, adding that he would always give his support to such eateries whenever he could.

8. Shopping time

In light of the numerous offers from retail stores to encourage Malaysians to go out to vote, the young voters are seizing this chance to do their shopping for Christmas as well as everyday essentials.

Voters only need to show their index finger with the indelible ink to be eligible for the special deals and promotions in conjunction with the general election.

College students like Tan are looking forward to the various discounts, as for them it would mean savings in expenses for numerous things from clothes and shoes to skincare and toiletries.

“A lot of discounts are available at malls, we just have to show our inked index finger,” said Wei Qi, who is working part-time at a mobile phone shop in Puchong, Selangor.

“Then I’ll post the photos on IG!” she added.

9. Meet and chill

This is a great opportunity for people who have been away from home to catch up with their parents, family members and friends.

“I can finally lepak (hang out) at home and chill out with my pet. I miss my dog,” said Tan.

“More importantly, because of the public holiday, I have an extra day to sleep in,” he said.

He is also planning to catch a movie with friends the day after polling.

“College students do not have enough time to hang out with friends because we are occupied with assignments, exams and part-time job or volunteer activities. So this short break is a great time for me to meet up with friends here,” he said.

He added that he would also be using the free time to catch up on Asian television dramas.

.

Zhi Qi says voters going back home for polling day should take the time to de-clutter their bedroom.

10. De-clutter mission

Zhi Qi, who is from Kajang, pointed out that those from out-of-town would usually pack a lot of things to bring back home.

“So de-cluttering the bedroom is a must. We need to clear out our old stuff so that we can have space for new things,” she said. 

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Pakatan Harapan government plunges in popularity

 

The Pakatan government has little choice nor time to check the slide on its popularity and goodwill from voters.

WHAT a difference a year makes. In a week, the Pakatan Harapan government will mark its first year in power but in stark contrast to the height of popularity it enjoyed then, support for the coalition has plunged.

A recent poll by the Merdeka Centre showed that the administration’s approval rating sank to 39% in March, a drastic drop from 79% recorded in May 31 last year.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s performance approval rating as Prime Minister declined too – from 71% in August 2018 to 46% last month.

The survey firm polled 1,204 registered voters in March to gauge their opinions on the country’s economy, leadership and current issues.

Pakatan’s descent in popularity was attributed to the state of the economy as felt by consumers, the perceived strength of the government, anxieties over Malay rights and privileges and the treatment of other races in the country.

According to the findings, public satisfaction in Pakatan’s administration of the economy fell from 60% to 40% with voters largely unhappy with the rise in the cost of living.

The majority of respondents also disagreed with policies such as the move to abolish the death penalty while many were also against the scrapping of exams for Primary 1 to 3 and the plan to impose taxes on sugary drinks. Only 34% of voters polled were of the view that the country was headed in the right direction, with Malay respondents weighing in lower at 24%.

The survey showed that the main concern of Malaysians was the economy at 63%, followed by race-related issues and the flip-flop on decisions such as the government’s decision to withdraw from ratifying the International Conven­tion on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd).

On the plus side, worries over corruption declined to 23% from 33% while 67% of respondents agreed that the government should be given more time to fulfil its election promises.

Its support rating may have dropped but to be fair, the Pakatan government has not done too badly since taking over, considering the state of the economy and the massive debts that it inherited from the previous disgraced administration.

Of course, there is much more to do, like addressing the cost of living, fulfilling housing needs and providing sustainable healthcare but the government has already fulfilled nearly a third of its pledges, im­p­roved its overall financial position and has made significant moves to tackle corruption in the civil service.

Ironically, the freer media landscape today is contributing to the perception that the Pakatan government is performing poorly or unable to handle issues raised by the opposition, especially those related to race and religion.

Malaysia has risen 22 places to rank 123 out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It now tops countries in South-East Asia – above Indonesia (124), the Philippines (134), Thailand (136), Myanmar (138), Cambodia (143), Singapore (151), Brunei (152), Laos (171) and Vietnam (176).

Unlike in the past, opposition parties now get unfettered coverage in the media and the welcome change has led to the diffusion of a more diverse range of views.

However, the new government has been rather inept in conveying its message on a wide range of issues in the print, online and social media since taking over Putrajaya.

It is also guilty of being sluggish in countering negative reactions or stemming news designed to elicit racial or religious sentiments, as could be seen in the cases of ratification of the Icerd, the Rome Statute and the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple riots.

Opposition politicians and their supporters have been quick to exploit this weakness to manipulate opinion in the freer media environment.

A recent example is lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s briefings to the media in the ongoing trial of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over funds worth RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd. It is clear that he is using the media to advocate the defence’s contention that Najib’s bank account was misused by people who were unauthorised, including Jho Low, as well as some rogue bankers.

In statements designed to strike a chord with those who may find it tedious to follow the proceedings, he claimed that the former PM would most likely turn out as a “victim” in the end.

As for getting away with untrue claims in the media, one such example was a supposedly secret “side agreement” for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) to enable a trade-off of 4,500 acres of land to China Com­munications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC). It was based on a non-legally binding Memoran­dum of Understanding (MoU) under which the Malaysian Investment Develop­ment Authority (Mida) was supposed to assist local companies to cooperate with CCCC to create special purpose companies for development of the economic accelerator projects worth RM10bil over 10 years.

Instead of clarifying the matter immediately, the media handlers of the Transport Ministry and Mida left it to Dr Mahathir’s special envoy to China, Tun Daim Zainuddin, to respond instead.

Ineffective communication teams in the various ministries and the lack of media coordination among them are the main reasons why Pakatan appears to be losing control of its narratives on performance and service.

What Pakatan needs is expertise and a clear media strategy to re-establish political credibility and trust among the people, especially the now disillusioned voters who had pinned their hopes on a better “New Malaysia”. Instead of just leaving the ministries to handle their own issues, the approach should be on keeping to the same page, through synchronisation of information and making better use of social media to enable agencies to engage directly with citizens.

With Malaysians having higher expectations and lower levels of patience, the Pakatan government has little choice nor time to check the slide on its popularity and improve on its public relations.

Along the Watchtower by M.Veera Pandiyan



Media consultant M. Veera Pandiyan likes this quote by George Bernard Shaw: The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.


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