Thought Leaders & Voters Say Political Stability Is Key Factor To BN's Victory In Melaka
According to one of the voters, BN has had a good track record by providing solutions to most of the issues faced by residents in the state.
By Sofia Pereira — 01 Dec 2021, 05:31 PM
On 20 November, Barisan Nasional (BN) secured 21 out of 28 seats in the Melaka state elections, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) winning five and two seats respectively
Since the coalition's landslide victory, many have weighed in on BN's approach to gain support from the mass public and appeal to fence-sitting voters.
Speaking to the New Straits Times, political and legal expert Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's Keluarga Malaysia vision was clearly reflected in BN's election campaign and manifesto.
"The main thrust of BN's campaign that focused on economic recovery and the people's welfare struck a chord with voters in Melaka.
"While the opposition attempted to push across similar messages, the voters had more confidence in BN to translate those plans into action.
"The Keluarga Malaysia vision that emphasises inclusiveness played a key role in attracting grassroots supporters and fence-sitting voters to favour BN," said Dr Nik Ahmad.
He continued to state that because of BN's readiness to work with its political rivals, Melaka voters felt that the coalition could ensure political stability for them
"The stability of the federal government was brought forward by BN's willingness to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with opposition parties.
"I believe this move also encouraged the people of Melaka to vote for BN," he said.
Political analyst Professor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia shared similar views with Dr Nik Ahmad on the matter of political stability being a crucial element in BN's victory in Melaka
"For Melaka voters, a stable government was more pertinent as a continuous turmoil in the state has resulted in political fatigue.
"Policies and initiatives such as the 12th Malaysia Plan, the Keluarga Malaysia vision, and Bajet 2022 would have promised political stability to them," he said.
Dr Sivamurugan also stated that BN is now in a better position to carry out its policy and manifesto to Melaka voters, especially since it helms both the state and federal governments.
"A good working relationship between federal and state governments is important to strengthen the implementation of policies and election manifestos.
"With BN leading both the state and federal leadership, it should draw up short, middle, and long-term plans to implement its promises so that they can retain the trust and confidence of voters," he said.
As for #UndiRabu co-founder Alzari Mahshar, on top of the people's aspirations for stability, he believes BN's success is also due to their different campaign strategies compared to the other parties
"BN was equipped with a better machinery that was able to adapt to campaigning under the new normal without house-to-house visits or physical ceramah.
"Furthermore, I feel voters were repelled by the uncertainties that arose during the short-lived PH leadership in the state.
"Malaysian voters are also sensitive when it comes to principles. So, I feel the decision by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) to allow 'political leapfrogs' to contest under the PH banner has further frustrated them.
"Therefore, all state assemblymen must deliver on the pledges they made to their constituents during the election to retain their voters' confidence," he said.
According to a recent voter in the polls, 39-year-old Adnan Haron, BN's experience and well-established track record in leading Malaysia was why the people of Melaka favoured them instead of the other parties
"Due to the PH leadership's poor performance in the past and Perikatan Nasional (PN) being a relatively new coalition, I feel people here felt comfortable with BN.
"Based on BN's track record, the leadership often provided solutions to almost all the local issues faced by residents here. Hopefully, the new state government's executive committee can formulate comprehensive policies and live up to our expectations," he said.
Written by: Dhesegaan Bala Krishnan
This article originally appeared on New Straits Times, with rights to be republished on SAYS.
