After the six state polls, what’s next for Muda? Political observers suggest where to focus in the future | Malay Post

KUALA LUMPUR, August 17 — Despite disaster in six state elections, analysts polled Malay Post He said that the United Democratic Alliance of Malaysia (Muda) needs more time and experience to achieve better performances.

While political observers say the state elections are over and the fledgling party should continue to reach voters, Datuk Jayum Jawan of the University of Malaysia Putra said that gathering experience and knowledge will ensure that it really brings something to the table rather than relying on luck. .

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“Muda is not going anywhere. The last state election was his second disastrous trip,” he said. Malay PostIt refers to Muda’s first foray in the 15th general election.

The political science professor stressed that Muda’s biggest disadvantage is its rivalry with the youth branches and their splinters of more established parties such as Umno Youth, Puteri Umno, PAS Youth, PKR’s Angkatan Muda Keadilan, DAP Socialist Youth and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s Armada.

“Malaysia can expect that,” he said, referring to Muda and his future potential.

Meanwhile, Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University in Malaysia said that another disadvantage of Muda is the voters’ perception that Muda is disconnected from the public.

Repeating Jayum, Syaza said that Muda needs to work the ground up to gain more support to combat the impression.

“They need to focus on the people, not their candidates. Muda pushes their candidates who are not recognized by the voters.

“So go to the people for the next few years,” said the assistant professor of political science.

However, Syaza pointed out how Malaysia’s post-the-post (FPTP) electoral system did not work in favor of the party.

The system adopted from the UK requires a winner to be the candidate with the most votes from the total ballots used. Therefore, a candidate who does not dominate the majority can still win as long as he leads the other candidates.

Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University agrees with Syaza’s analysis of the FPTP system, saying Muda will need to push the electoral system to include the party-list proportional representation (List-PR) system and local council elections.

“Muda is trapped in the FPTP electoral system, with only federal and state elections where the electorate is wide,” the professor said.

He explained that in the FPTP system, small parties have two ways to gain representation: by joining a coalition where they are allocated winnable seats, or by competing alone against larger parties capable of emerging as one of the two leading candidates.

“List-PR and pushing for local elections have a better chance of success than in the past because these two will also benefit Umno, which is now a medium-sized party and could go into decline under the FPTP and without local council elections,” he said. .

Muda has so far been barred from joining the ruling pact Pakatan Harapan (PH) and had to join forces with the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) in the state elections.

However, until the two proposed reforms take place, Wong said, the Muda can do two things: advocate for issues neglected by the larger parties and give voice to women and youth in the provinces controlled by the Perikatan Nasional (PN).

He explained that if he did the latter, Muda would have an advantage in Kelantan, where 39 percent of registered voters could not vote, but would face zero opposition in Terengganu.

In Kedah, where the populist minister of state Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor is “a follower of a rock star among Malay youth,” Muda may also have an advantage, he said.

Muda lost RM 95,000 in deposits in six state elections, as all 19 of its candidates failed to receive either one-eighth or 12.5 percent of the vote in their respective constituencies.

After the votes were counted, party chairman Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the party took full responsibility for the election result.

Muar MP described Muda’s participation in state elections as a necessary step to create a platform for new leaders to demonstrate his ideals to the people of Malaysia.