SEREMBAN: With the outcome in semi-rural and rural seats likely to determine the victor in the state election, political parties are pulling out all the stops to woo outstation voters to secure the mandate to govern.
This diaspora of voters has become the wildcard as their ballots carry immense weight with several crucial seats decided by notoriously razor-thin majorities in the last state election less than three years ago.
State Umno chief Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias acknowledged that securing victory in these outer rims requires a strategy that goes far beyond traditional campaigning.
“The Sg Lui seat, which has many Felda schemes, for example, has between 35% and 40% outstation voters. The number of outstation voters in traditional villages can be between 15% and 25% depending where they are located,” he said.
Realising their importance, Jalaluddin said Barisan Nasional has been engaging those living outside the state through their respective associations or other groups.
“Being from Jelebu myself, I helped set up Persatuan Anak Jelebu in Kuala Lumpur so we could keep in touch with the voters,” he said, adding that more than half of these outstation voters will come back to exercise their constitutional right on polling day.
Jalaluddin said the party’s election machinery has maintained continuous contact with these outstation voters, consistently reinforcing how invaluable their ballots are to the coalition’s success.
State Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said a large number of outstation voters is in parts of Kuala Pilah, Jelebu, Jempol and Tampin.
He said the number of outstation voters in Kuala Pilah, specifically across Seri Menanti, Pilah, Juasseh and Senaling, ranged between 20% and 30%.
Aminuddin said the Pakatan machinery is personally reaching out to families of outstation voters to request their relatives to return and vote.
“Some may be working or studying elsewhere and they may also be first-time voters. We want to encourage them to return and exercise their democratic rights,” he said.
Negri Sembilan MCA chief Datuk Leaw Kok Chan said his team is trying its best to reach out to as many as possible to encourage them to come back to vote.
He has reminded voters to urge their children or relatives working outstation to return and perform their duty as voters.
“As citizens of Malaysia, we have to commit ourselves to this,” he said, adding his team has also been reaching out to voters on social media to come back to vote.
Amanah communications director Khalid Samad said the party has been working with parents to get their children home to vote.
He said the party has been working hard to woo outstation voters as several seats are expected to see close contests.
Perikatan Nasional candidate for Sikamat, Datuk Razali Abu Samah, also appealed to outstation voters to come back.
“If we can be here for Hari Raya, family feasts or to visit our parents, I believe we should also come back to vote and decide the future of the place we call home,” he said.
He said his team focused on social media from the start to reach voters who wanted to see for themselves how a candidate worked.
State Bersatu information chief Mohd Nazree Mohd Yunus said the party’s manifesto containing 76 pledges, including a RM100mil affordable housing fund, will encourage more outstation voters to come back.
He said the party has also been using social media to woo these outstation voters.
