IPOH, Nov 13 — Four candidates are vying for the Tambun parliamentary seat in the 15th general election, but for a section of young and first-time voters, there may as well just be two.
In an informal poll, voters from these categories Malay Mail met in the constituency were able to identify just the Perikatan Nasional incumbent Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, or Peja as he prefers to be known, and Pakatan Harapan chairman and candidate, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
While the Gerakan Tanah Air and Barisan Nasional candidates should be concerned that neither was known to these voters, they could take solace in knowing that most were still undecided how and if they would vote.
“I know Peja and Anwar, but I have no idea who the other two are,” said AIman Samat, 21, who will be voting for the first time in the GE15.
The two leaders’ names were consistent as Malay Mail continued with the poll. Ahmad Faizal appeared to benefit from being a local boy as well as a minister while Anwar, despite being “parachuted” in, has national profile through his decades in politics and for being PH’s candidate to be prime minister.
“I think everyone knows Anwar, he is a prominent leader and Peja is a local. Both of them are famous,” Muhammad Najmi, 20, said when pleading ignorance of the other two candidates.
M. Sugentiran, 19, who will be eligible to vote courtesy of the Undi18 movement to lower the voting age, said he was unfamiliar with politics but even he knew Anwar and Ahmad Faizal.
“I know [Ahmad Faizal] because I received help on the registration fee for my diplomatic studies from his office. And I also know Anwar,” he said.
Tambun will be a four-way battle between PN, PH, BN and GTA.
GTA will be represented by Pejuang’s Abdul Rahim Tahir while BN has fielded Tambun Umno division chief Datuk Aminnudin Md Hanifiah.
Aminuddin was previously the assemblyman for Hulu Kinta, a state seat within Tambun, but lost to PKR’s Muhamad Arafat Variasi Mohamad in the 2018 general election.
As for Abdul Rahim, he told media that he is a Perak native and has resided in Tambun for the last 17 years.
Despite both being locals, Aminnudin and Abdul Rahim failed to register with residents.
Irwann Azlan, 31, said he might have heard of the BN candidate previously but could not be certain.
“And for the GTA candidate, I don’t know who he is,” he said.
Nur Anis Lafti, 21, said she knew of Ahmad Faizal and Anwar as she has seen them on her social media.
“Anwar has been the centre of attention when we talk about politics. And his name was associated for the prime minister post many times, while Peja has been famous in social media for various reasons and he was the former Perak mentri besar,” she explained.
For some, however, recognition did not help sway their decision. A college student who asked to be named only as Sailaja complained there were too many parties in too many coalitions.
Worse was that they did not appear to stay in these same coalitions, she added, alluding to the shifting alliances that has caused Malaysia to have three prime ministers in just a single term since 2018.
“For one moment, you will see a party will be in a coalition. Then, all of sudden, it will be in a different coalition. And we also have parties who do not belong to any coalition, but will be working with one,” she said, before calling it all too much for a layperson to track.
For Wani Yazid, 25, the choices have made it harder to decide which of the four should deserve her ballot.
“I don’t know who should I vote for. Probably I need to start reading about them. For now, I only know Anwar and Peja,” she said.
Similarly, Harith Kamarul Azri, 19, said he was not excited to cast his vote despite being a first time voter.
“I actually don’t know who to pick. Too many parties and I’m confused to be honest,” he said.
In 2019, Parliament unanimously voted to amend the Federal Constitution to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 and register all citizens aged 18 years and above as voters automatically.
For GE15, the two measures meant Perak would have nearly 550,000 young voters, who may play a crucial part in deciding the future government, but only if they come out to vote.
The state has 111,800 voters between the age of 18 and 20, and another 404,336 aged between 21 and 29 who are eligible to vote on November 19.
