PETALING JAYA: Analysts are split on how politically informed first-time voters are in Negri Sembilan but all agree that they are not loyal to any political party, preferring to “shop” first before casting their votes.
The Election Commission stated that those aged between 18 and 20 years old are assumed to be first-time voters, making up 5.8% of the total of 889,490 registered Negri voters.
Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said first-time voters are entering the political landscape with a more informed and pragmatic outlook.
However, he said this group is less influenced by traditional party loyalties and more focused on issues that directly affect their lives.
“First-time voters in Negri Sembilan are generally politically aware, but not necessarily politically loyal. With information readily available through digital platforms, they tend to assess parties and candidates based on current issues, performance and credibility rather than historical party affiliations.
“As a result, they are more likely to behave as swing voters, with their support determined by who best addresses concerns such as the cost of living, jobs and future opportunities. For many of them, party loyalty is secondary to practical outcomes and effective leadership.
“Political parties seeking to win the support of first-time voters will need to present credible leadership, practical policy solutions and a clear vision for the future, rather than relying solely on traditional support bases or party branding,” said Sivamurugan.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) political analyst Dr Mazlan Ali said first-time voters are increasingly behaving like “political consumers”, carefully comparing candidates before deciding who to support rather than remaining loyal to any political party
Mazlan said the majority of the more than 50,000 first-time voters may not possess sufficient political knowledge and are more likely to evaluate individual candidates than political parties.
“Many studies, including my own, show that first-time voters vote based on candidates, not parties.
“First-time voters act like political consumers who browse through all the candidates before making their choice.
“Many rely heavily on social media platforms for political information, making them more vulnerable to misinformation, propaganda and fake news.
“Political parties, especially those in government, need to respond quickly and correct inaccurate information,” said Mazlan.
He pointed out that economic issues remain the biggest concern among first-time voters with employment opportunities, access to quality education and financial assistance to start businesses among their top priorities.
“Those aged between 18 and 20 are generally more influenced by people close to them, particularly their parents, while older first-time voters tend to make independent decisions based on current issues affecting their communities.
“Many Malay first-time voters continue to support Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional, while most non-Malay first-time voters have traditionally backed Pakatan Harapan.
“However, recent survey indicate a gradual shift – about 20 to 25% of non-Malay first-time voters have started to support Barisan, including MCA and MIC,” he said.
