GE15: Strategy of fielding new faces as candidates gives equal competition

KUALA LUMPUR: The strategy of fielding new faces as candidates in the 15th General Election (GE15) by Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) is seen as giving the three coalitions an equal competition.

Deputy Director of the Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Prof Dr Kartini Aboo Talib @ Khalid said such a strategy was not new for BN as it had used the approach in several by-elections and state elections and given the coalition a big victory.

"If you look at BN's strategy during the 2019 by-election where the coalition fielded a new face as its candidate, it gave the coalition a big victory in the Cameron Highlands and Tanjung Piai by-elections. In fact, the same strategy was used in the Melaka and Johor state elections with both showing very effective results, more than two-thirds majority in the two states.

"I cannot say the strategy is ineffective. All parties have adopted a new strategy by introducing new faces, not only in BN, but also in PH and PN...giving them a challenge of equal competition," she said when appearing as a guest on the Ruang Bicara programme produced by Bernama TV last night.

The other guest at the programme was ILHAM Centre head researcher Associate Prof Dr Mohd Yusri Ibrahim.

GE-NEW FACE 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

Meanwhile, Mohd Yusri said having new faces as candidates in GE15 would also give new hope to the country's political landscape, especially for the young generation, many of whom would be voting for the first time, as they are more inclined to go for candidates with capability and credibility.

"This is based on our study, whereby before the dissolution of Parliament, the young voters opted for candidates with capability.

"However, when the campaign starts, they look at the credibility of the candidates fielded by the political parties. At the end of the campaign, their attention shifted to the party represented by the candidates," he said.

He said throughout the campaign, the most effective issues that could attract voters' attention were employment opportunities, cost of living, rising prices of goods and poverty eradication.

-- BERNAMA