So the voter turnouts in the Pulai parliamentary by-election and the Simpang Jeram state seats have been poor: about half the voters in Pulai turned up compared to 70% in the last general election. The turnout at Simpang Jeram of 56% at 4pm was only slightly better.
Fear not the ‘green wave’: Build a nation where everyone has a place
Many voters in urban and semi-urban areas are worried about Perikatan Nasional’s inroads in the recent elections in six states.
PN’s rhetoric about the “three Rs” – race, religion and royalty – did not help.
Why bulldoze mega-reclamation in Penang?
The Penang state government today announced it is pushing ahead with damaging plans to dump tons of rocks and sand into fish-breeding waters to create a “Silicon Island”. Civil society groups like CAP, Sahabat Alam Malaysia and Aliran have responded. This is Aliran’s media statement:
Aliran is alarmed that the Penang state government is bulldozing through its mega-reclamation plan to create a so-called “Silicon Island” off the southern coast of Penang Island.
Penang exco line-up: What should be their priorities?
The Penang exco line-up has been unveiled.
PKR’s Batu Maung assembly member Mohamad Abdul Hamid, is deputy chief minister I. Jagdeep Singh of DAP is the new Penang deputy chief minister II.
Let’s just say that the Penang public and civil society will be watching their every move very carefully, especially in housing, sustainable mobility and the environment.
Quickly come up with a sustainable local plan. We have waited far too long for that one.
Scrap the ecologically damaging reclamation south of Penang Island.
Don’t succumb to corporate capture and developers’ greed. Build more genuinely affordable housing, ie not more than three times the annual disposal income of the bottom 40% and the middle class. Examine why there is a glut especially in higher end housing.
Now that elections are over, focus on an inclusive People’s Agenda!
13 Aug 2023
Post-election statement from Aliran:
It’s time to acknowledge that the mainstream economic model has left many youths from low-income households feeling anxious, insecure and marginalised.
Why did PN’s vote share rise?
This Malaysiakini graphic above speaks for itself.
Popular vote:
Penang
2018 – PH 67.2%
2022 – PH 60.0%
2023 – PH+BN 66.6%
Selangor
2018 – PH 63.4%
2022 – PH 52.8%
2023 – PH+BN 60.6%
Negeri Sembilan
2018 – PH 53.9%
2022 – PH 44.8%
2023 – PH+BN 60.8%
Kedah
2018 – PH 36.5%
2022 – PH 23.3%
2023 – PH+BN 30.1%
Terengganu
2018 – PH 7.3%
2022 – PH 5.5%
2023 – PH+BN 32.0%
Kelantan
2018 – PH 10.0%
2022 – PH 8.8%
2023 – PH+BN 30.5%
What are the reasons for this? Is there an economic angle to it – economic insecurity and alienation arising from our development model and the urban-rural disparities?
What can Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani government do about this?
State polls: Crucial figures to watch out for
Check out the BFM live coverage of results here
LIVE – Results for DAP candidates
LIVE – Malaysiakini score board
Turnout
- Penang – 80.2% (2018); 72.7%
- Selangor – 85.2% (2018); 72.0%
- Negeri Sembilan – 81.7% (2018); 67.4% “
- Kedah – 82.0% (2018); 73.4% “
- Terengganu – 84.2% (2018); 74.8% “
- Kelantan – 78.2% (2018); 60.1% “
- General election – 74.0% (2022 nationwide, with automatic voter registration)
Bear in mind that the 2018 figures were before Undi18 and automatic voter registration in 2022. Many older voters who had not bothered to register as voters earlier were included in the 2022 rolls: many of them were unlikely to vote and this drove down the turnout figures for the 2022 general election. I expect the turnout this time to fall just short or close to the 2022 general election figure of 74%
Penang state election predictions and poll
In six separate posts, I will be asking two pundits about their personal predictions on the outcome of the 12 August elections in six states.
First let me introduce these two, one from Pakatan Harapan and the other from Perikatan Nasional. Emen Jamal is the Tasik Gelugor PKR information chief while Abdul Rahman Kasim is the Tasik Gelugor Pas information chief.
Selangor state election predictions and poll
Today, we will look at the upcoming Selangor state election.
In the 2018 state election, Pakatan Harapan won 51 seats out of 56 (63.4% of the popular vote, including Bersatu’s 5.6%), Umno-Barisan Nasional picked up four (21.9%), and Pas just one (14.4%).
Kedah state election predictions
Tonight, we will look at the upcoming Kedah state election.
In the 2018 state election, Pakatan Harapan won 18 seats out of the 36 seats (36.5% of the popular vote, including Bersatu’s 12.2% or five seats), Barisan Nasional picked up three (29.6%), and Pas won 15 seats (33.7%).