‘Increase in new voters a challenge for all parties’

KUALA LUMPUR: The 750,000 new voters in the upcoming Johor state election will be a big issue for all political parties including those in Barisan Nasional, said Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The Umno deputy president, who is the coalition’s election director, said the additional numbers would bring the state’s total voters to about 2.5 million, from 1.8 million in the 14th general election.

“This is a sharp rise in the number of new voters and it’s a big issue not only for parties in Barisan but also for all other political parties on how to gauge the attitude of the new voters,” he said during a Concorde Club forum here yesterday.

The Concorde Club, initiated by former Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang and Star Media Group adviser Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, is an informal gathering of journalists and opinion shapers with political and business leaders.

Mohamad pointed out that the bulk of the new voters comprised those above 21 years old.

“But don’t misunderstand this. From these 750,000 new voters, not all are aged 18 to 21.

“There are not many aged 18 to 21. They don’t even make up 30% (of the new voters). Most of them are 21 years old and above.

“This is also something that Barisan and Umno are looking at carefully, especially in terms of how we want to woo and approach this group of people to ensure that they will give their support to Barisan in the Johor election that will be held soon,” he added.

On seat allocation for the state polls, Mohamad said his party had shortlisted the names of candidates.

“We have asked the state liaison and divisions to shortlist the nominees.

“We heard that our component parties are doing the same and we are waiting for a suitable time to sit together to see which seats will be fielded by which party,” he said.

The main aim for Barisan, he added, was to win the state election.

Mohamad said Barisan was also eyeing to win more seats in the northern area of Johor, noting that there were 16 state constituencies there.

Of the 16, the coalition aimed to win 12, he said.

“Barisan only managed to win two out of these 16 seats in the last general election due to internal and candidate problems, with opposing parties winning only by a slim majority,” he explained.