KLUANG: Pakatan Harapan must address the growing voter apathy, particularly among its urban supporters, as it prepares for the next general election, says Anthony Loke.
The DAP secretary-general said the coalition's biggest challenge was to restore the confidence of fence-sitters and supporters who previously voted for Pakatan but chose not to vote at the recent Melaka polls.
"Lower voter turnout among Pakatan supporters is a worrying trend that needs to be addressed with a collective effort from all component parties.
"There are several factors we need to identify, including political apathy and disappointment. Some voters feel they have no reason to vote," he said at a press conference after officiating the Johor DAP convention here on Sunday (Nov 15).
He added that it was not necessarily new voters who chose not to turn up at the ballot box, but also those who previously supported Pakatan and were now disillusioned.
Loke said the trend was particularly evident in urban constituencies, including several seats in Kota Melaka where voter turnout was among the lowest, when compared with rural areas.
"The challenge for us is to give them renewed encouragement and a reason to believe we remain the best choice for them," he said.
Loke said Pakatan needed to work collectively to mobilise its supporters and convince voters to return to the ballot box to ensure the coalition is able to maintain support in the next general election.
He said the coalition must also prepare for the possibility of Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional continuing their cooperation as seen in the in the Negri Sembilan and Melaka state elections.
Loke said this presents a significant challenge for Pakatan, which needs to develop strategies to counter the cooperation while consolidating support among progressive political forces.
"All Pakatan leaders must work collectively to rebuild this movement and ensure that we can retain the support of our voters and supporters," he said.
Loke said the coalition's immediate focus would be the coming Sarawak state polls, which DAP is contesting, before stepping up preparations for the next general election expected within the coming year.
In the recently concluded Melaka state election, Barisan won 21 of the 28 seats contested, while Pakatan secured four and Perikatan won three.
DAP retained all four seats it contested, including the mixed constituencies of Ayer Keroh and Kesidang.
