With the voting age lowered from 21 to 18 in time for the upcoming fifteenth General Election (GE15), many Malaysian youths are excited concerning the alternative to solid their vote and play a job in formulating their future.
There are 1.4 million voters aged between 18 and 20 who’re routinely registered to vote on Nov 19.
However, most of them are nonetheless new to politics and elections, and have been equipping themselves with information and details about the significance of voting and who to vote for.
One instance is Foofieado Juan Morgan, a 22-year-old scholar from Sabah presently learning in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
“(Social media) is a quick source but I am mildly influenced by it. I prefer to be careful not to make my judgement too easily.
“I’d rather see what they have done in parliament and start from there but it (a Twitter account) does help,” he shares.
Foofieado intends to watch out and never make his judgement too simply on the subject of deciding who to vote for this GE15. Photo: Foofieado Juan Morgan
Khairunadia Badrul Hizam, 20, an undergraduate from Perak, says that she would use Twitter and in addition perform some research within the Internet.
“I will do some reading first, mainly on Twitter, and sometimes I just search their names on Google,” she says.
Khairunadia feels that as essential as Twitter is as a platform for political causes, it will also be a double-edged sword.
“I try not to trust social media news 100%. Pro-agenda accounts try to persuade you and it is the same with fake news,” Khairunadia provides.
Kolej Mara Seremban (KMS) scholar Muhammad Ameer Hazwan Mohamad Iskandar, 18, additionally voices out a unfavourable facet of social media.
“People say what comes to mind based on their beliefs and perceptions. I tend to notice that many accounts try to bring down others with prejudice.
Khairunadia will do some research on the Internet before casting her vote. Photo: Khairunadia Badrul Hizam
“Some big accounts on Twitter use #RakyatIngat to remind everyone of the political shambles,” says Norman Hakim Atan, a 23-year-old scholar from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam.
“It gives an outlook of what we should know and expect but it is not good if it brings bias to the table, clouding people’s judgement and decision-making,” he says.
Although it’s typically anticipated that many younger folks will exit and vote within the upcoming GE15, the precise turnout could also be affected by exterior components similar to floods and transportation prices.
“It is a bit unsettling that the election date is set during the monsoon season. There are those who’d rather focus on dealing with the flood than going to vote,” Muhammad Ameer says.
Muhammad Ameer says if each celebration presents the identical ideology, it may be exhausting for them to decide on who to vote for. Photo: Muhammad Ameer Hazwan Mohamad Iskandar
While most college students in Peninsular Malaysia have made plans to return dwelling to vote, some college students from Sabah and Sarawak are unable to return as a result of they’ll’t afford the costly airfares.
“I genuinely wanted to go back to vote once I heard there was a price cut in flight tickets, but it was not much. I cannot afford to spend almost a thousand ringgit just to go back and vote and then return to campus,” Afnie Natasha Affandy, a 23-year-old scholar from UiTM Puncak Alam, says.
Shanice Suresh, 23, from Universiti Malaya, provides that she needs postal voting is feasible for Sabahan and Sarawakian college students in Peninsular Malaysia.
Shanice needs that postal voting is feasible for Sabahan and Sarawakian college students in Peninsular Malaysia. Photo: Shanice Suresh
“It would make sense for us to use postal voting because we must balance between our studies and going back. I do not think we have the time,” she provides.
Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak’s Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister, acknowledged that postal voting ought to be carried out.
“There are many eligible voters from Sarawak in Peninsular Malaysia. To vote, they need to buy expensive flight tickets and take leave.
“Things like this need to be looked into to ensure that citizens can carry out their responsibility,” he mentioned throughout the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association’s Sarawak home tourism marketing campaign on Oct 17.
Wan Muhammad Addin will have a look at every candidate’s work historical past, monitor file, political idealism and method in the direction of the welfare of the folks in deciding who to vote for. Photo: Wan Muhammad Addin Mohd Aidil
Wan Muhammad Addin Mohd Aidil, a 21-year-old undergraduate from Klang, Selangor, says he tends to have a look at every candidate and see what they’ve to supply.
“I’ll look at his work history, track record, political idealism and his approach towards the welfare of the people.
“I will judge from my own observations and make informed decisions.”
Syazana Najwa Khairudin, 23, from Melaka, says that younger voters have a tendency to have a look at what’s specified by entrance of them.
Syazana says voting reluctance is as a result of instability of the political scene. Photo: Syazana Najwa Khairudin
“Most of us can agree that voting reluctance in the first place is due to the instability of the political scene. Scandals and corruptions leave a mark.”
Campaigning performs an enormous function in attracting votes, however younger voters should know what they’re on the lookout for.
“We want what is best for everyone, not just us. If every party offers the same ideology, it can be hard for us to choose,” Muhammad Ameer says.
Adrian Erl Kusau, 23, Sarawakian undergraduate from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) provides that new faces carry recent concepts to the marketing campaign, however sentiment and recognition nonetheless win you votes.
“If your ideology is the same as others, I would rather vote for someone who is already upholding the idea because they stay true to it,” he says.
