CHINESE voters hope to see a fair allocation of resources, especially allocation for all streams of schools, when the budget is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat before the election, says current affairs commentator Tang Ah Chai.
“Schools should be built systematically based on the population growth in the area, training of teachers for all streams of schools should be taken care of too.
“Talents should be groomed with intervention attributed to racial and religious factors minimised,’’ says Tang.
Tang Ah Chai
Chinese voters believe that Malaysia is on track for steady growth if the government is fair to all Malaysians in its policies and implements good governance with a comprehensive mechanism free from corruption, he says.
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Tang says Chinese voters are disappointed with politics and they are suspicious whether politicians are exercising power for public interest or self-interest.
“They have mixed feelings towards politics. On the one hand, they feel helpless over the current political scenario with the perception that all politicians are the same. They are also beginning to doubt the purpose of voting.
“On the other hand, voters are hoping for a new political scenario,’’ he says.
After seeing the series of defections, voters would want to hear from candidates and the political parties the reason they deserve voters’ support.
“Voters are suspicious of election manifestos where pledges are not honoured. Voters would want to pay attention to implementation of election manifestos," he says.
Good governance, fair policies, comprehensive systems, a corruption-free society, economic development and allocation of resources are important to Chinese voters.
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The requests of Chinese voters has never changed, according to Prof James Chin, political analyst and academic director of the Asia Institute, University of Tasmania.
Since the 1970s, the Chinese have been asking for fair treatment.
The Chinese also want emphasis placed on education, recognition of Chinese culture, and they oppose corruption and want a clean government.
Prof James Chin
Prof Chin says young Chinese voters may have a different focus where they stress more business opportunities than rights and privileges. The Chinese hope that the country is in a stable state so that it will be able to achieve better economic results, he adds.
“The Chinese need to earn a living. They need a stable country. At the very least, a country governed by the rule of law.”
The Chinese often feel that the election is unfair as the 70 to 80 seats in rural areas plus seats in Sabah and Sarawak are sufficient to form a government.
“The rural Malays are badly affected by the impact of Covid-19 pandemic such as the slowdown in economy and the drop in palm oil prices which have affected their income. They believe that Umno is able to offer political stability. This is proven by the fact that Malaysia changed three governments in three years,’’ he says.
Political researcher Wong Chin Huat says from the perspective of the Chinese, there is no need to diversify their political investment.
Wong says recently a view has emerged in the Chinese community calling for diversification in political support so that there would be Chinese representatives in the government whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Harapan wins the election.
The objective is to convince some Pakatan supporters to vote for Barisan instead.
“Such a view disregards the possibility of a hung Parliament which will lead to a post-election coalition government.
“The coalition government will have representatives from Sabah and Sarawak.
“In Peninsular Malaysia, the coalition which wins the most number of seats will lead. This will depend on whether Barisan, Pakatan or Perikatan Nasional wins the largest number of seats in the election,’’ says Wong.
Wong Chin Huat
The imprisonment of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak could help to convince some pessimistic Pakatan supporters and first-time voters to vote.
About young Chinese voters, Wong says many are concerned by employment, prices of properties, tuition fees and cost of living. There is no indication that this group of voters is less likely to vote, he says.
“In contrast, abstention is most likely among automatically registered voters,” he says.
“This is because most of them are apolitical. They did not take the initiative to register themselves as voters, and likewise would not be keen on voting now.
“Unless there is an excellent candidate who wins their hearts, or a candidate who has provoked these voters to support his or her opponent, the turnout rate of these automatically registered voters will not be high,’’ he says. – Sin Chew Daily/Media in Arms
