BAHAU: Norasman Md Alias has spent almost all his life at a Felda settlement. He knows the inclinations of most of the folk of his generation and those before him.
However, the younger ones are an enigma to him.
“We are worried about the young people. They have many choices now. They may split their votes and support other parties,” the 50-year-old said when met in Felda Kepis, a Barisan Nasional stronghold.
However, political differences are not the biggest issue for most of the people at the Felda settlements – a key component of the voter base in Negri Sembilan.
Instead, conversations over morning tea quickly turn to fuel in plastic bottles and unpredictable rubber prices, among others.
Norasman said rubber prices remain a constant source of anxiety because they fluctuate too frequently, making it difficult for smallholders to plan their income.
He said he has decided to switch from rubber to oil palm, hoping it would provide more stable returns.
“We hope rubber prices can stay stable for a while instead of going up and down almost every day,” he said.
Still, Norasman believes there are signs that Barisan can retain its foothold.
“From what I’ve seen, more young people have started joining Umno. If this continues, I think Felda can remain Barisan’s stronghold,” he said.
Oil palm smallholder Ramli Husin, 70, said the rising cost of fuel had become another pressing concern for settlers.
Many had already exhausted their Budi Madani fuel subsidy quota while others were unable to claim it because they did not have a driving licence, he said.
With Bahau town about a 30-minute drive away, many settlers chose to buy fuel sold in small bottles within the Felda despite having to pay more.
“People buy the RM5 bottles because driving all the way to Bahau just to fill up also costs money and burns petrol,” he said.
For stall worker Zoni Idris, 52, everyday living costs matter most for many settlers.
“We hope the government can look into issues affecting Felda people, especially fuel costs and our livelihoods,” he said.
Zoni said whoever forms the next state government should not lose sight of the issues affecting Felda communities.
“Young people have their own choices now but we also want solutions for fuel costs and better, more stable rubber prices,” he said.
Like many of the older Felda folk interviewed, he too was rooting for Barisan but did not know how the younger ones might vote.
Retired rubber smallholder Abdul Rahman Awang, 80, agreed that the youth are unpredictable.
The uncertainty surrounding younger voters, he said, is unlike anything his generation had experienced.
“We have always supported Barisan. The young people are different now, so we don’t know how they will vote,” he said.
