By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Nov 9: As expected, immediately following Nomination Day, Kuching is awash in political party flags, billboards, banners, and buntings have been placed along roads, roundabouts, road junctions, and practically anywhere else political parties deem appropriate to woo the voters of Kuching to choose their candidate in the 15th General Election (GE15).
The war of campaigning material between political parties has begun, and most people refer to it as election fever.
Kuching has undoubtedly evolved into a fierce battleground between Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Democratic Action Party (DAP), and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) as they “paint” the City of Gastronomy with forests of red and white flags.
Based on visual estimations by DayakDaily, there seems to be nearly equal numbers of GPS, DAP, and PSB flags planted across the Bandar Kuching constituency.
P195 Bandar Kuching will see a three-cornered fight between incumbent Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (Pakatan Harapan-DAP), Eric Tay Tze Kok (GPS-Sarawak United Peoples’ Party), and Voon Lee Shan (Parti Bumi Kenyalang) who is contesting under the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) logo.
As a federal seat encompassing key areas in the State capital, Bandar Kuching is highly coveted, and DAP has represented the constituency more often than GPS which is the State government.
Meanwhile, GPS’ Kenyalang flags can be seen mostly in commercial and residential areas in the P196 Stampin constituency, along with banners and billboards featuring its candidate Lo Khere Chiang.
The Stampin parliamentary seat will see a three-way fight between incumbent Chong Chieng Jen and two challengers.
DAP’s Chong will face Lo (GPS-SUPP) and PBK’s Lue Cheng Hing, who is also contesting under the PSB logo.
Furthermore, while conducting checks, DayakDaily was able to interview locals about their thoughts on GE15.
A young voter who did not wish to be identified, stated that she is very excited to vote for the first time since she was unable to vote in the State election.
“Knowing one’s own political perspectives is crucial when choosing who to vote for, in my opinion,” she said.
When asked if the campaign material war in Kuching had any effect on her, she replied, “Honestly, I don’t think they have any effect on me; perhaps if they use some bombastic or very creative digital ads that appeal to Generation Z.
“Also, I believe that the messages on billboards and banners aren’t strong enough to attract attention.”
She added, she thinks young people have a voice in the politics of their nation, particularly given how loud they speak out or how they frequently express their opinions on social media when they have strong feelings about an issue.
“The influence of youth is significant. Youths will eventually serve as kingmakers, sooner or later,” the 23-year-old asserted.
In contrast, another voter who also wished to remain anonymous, 36, expressed very strong convictions regarding young voters.
She opined many young voters are unaware of the power of their individual vote, which is due to the current education system and persistently low public awareness as to what voting rights entail for each voter.
“If they are well-informed about what voting means to them personally, they will be influential.
“Some may vote blindly, while others may vote based on the influence of a third party, whether good or bad, but their choices are not informed. They might act as kingmakers who are simple targets for manipulation,” she claimed.
As for the effect of campaign materials, she said: “Some flags and banners irritate me. I want to see actual policies, not statements about how bad the other party is.
“I hope to see actual campaigns in which candidates discuss the policies they intend to implement to improve the lives of the people. Not pointing fingers at one another or speaking negatively about one another.
“We managed to change the fate of the nation once during the last election; I hope politicians understand this well enough to demonstrate actual change.”
When asked for advice for voters who won’t be voting in the GE15, she responded, “Your vote will have a significant impact on the next four years of the nation. Knowing your prospective candidates will aid you in making a prudent decision.”
DayakDaily also interviewed Liew, a 28-year-old keen political watcher who works in Singapore and is on a brief visit to his hometown.
“It is not uncommon for political parties to host dinners and seminars for the public, but vote-buying among some parties may still be able to garner votes, whereas the more educated group is immune to such tactics,” he told DayakDaily when asked how effective political mobilisation efforts are.
He also noted that many young voters may be undecided, noting that the age group consists primarily of fence-sitters.
“I think this group of voters will cast their ballots in accordance with the political manifestos or laws that will be favourable to their future,” he added.
Regarding the outcome of the election on Nov 19, Liew emphasised that having too many parties in the running could lead to wildly divergent outcomes.
“Sabah and Sarawak will be kingmakers as West Malaysia competes to propose and garner support for forming a government with a sufficient number of MPs,” he asserted.
When asked for advice for non-voters in the GE15, he responded, “This is your country, and it is about your future and the future of your children. You should exercise your right to vote for the party that you believe will improve the lives of all Malaysians and, more importantly, will provide a better future for the next generation.” — DayakDaily
