Pending crisis for PH-BN in Selangor on Saturday

Low voter turnout could mean loss of Selangor

MURRAY HUNTER

Word around Selangor over the last couple of days is suggesting there is massive voter apathy for the coming Selangor state election, which may lead to an aggregate vote even lower the 55 percent recorded in the last Johor state election.

Postal votes are coming back fewer than expected, and ceramahs have been attended by much fewer people than past elections.

It is impossible to analyse what hasn’t happened yet. However, the potential consequences of an extreme low voter turnout would most probably hurt then incumbent state government.

Voters just don’t appear inspired to continue supporting the current Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari with questions of shady deals. Voters just haven’t been won over by the Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional coalitions. Indian voters are angry the MIC is on the sidelines. Traditional DAP voters are angry their party hasn’t stood form on a number of issues.

The Anwar Ibrahim-Ahmad Zahid Hamidi duo just isn’t a political winner.

These are just pieces of speculation about the current apathy in the electorate.

If this translates across to Penang and Negeri Sembilan, both state governments could just hold onto very slim majorities on Saturday.

There are just so many uncommitted voters out there four days before the elections. The ball is now in PH-BN to give them good reasons to come out and vote for them.

The good news is these uncommitted voters may not cross over to Perikatan Nasional. However, they will just stay at home, meaning PN could pick up seats on a very small percentage of total voters in each electorate. This could also potentially assist MUDA and PSM, if they can get their people out.

The key to PH holding Selangor now is getting their people out to vote. Maybe the rest of the campaign should be concerned with getting drivers to take voters to the polling booths to vote. That’s the only way now.