By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 6: Young voters could play a very significant role in the upcoming 13th Sarawak Election, with new voters estimated to account for approximately 40 per cent of the electorate, amid a substantial expansion of the State’s voter base.
A total of 2,058,781 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the coming election, compared with 1,252,014 registered voters in the 12th Sarawak Election held on Dec 18, 2021.
This represents an increase of 806,767 voters, or approximately 64.4 per cent, reflecting the significant growth in the electorate since the previous State election.
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the growing number of young voters made it crucial for political parties to reach out to them and encourage them to exercise their democratic rights.
“I must admit that young voters will play a very significant role because their numbers are quite substantial. For this particular election, if I am not mistaken, new voters account for approximately 40 per cent of the electorate.
“Where they will cast their votes is something only God knows,” he said during a press conference at his office here today, following the Election Commission’s (EC) announcement of the key dates for the Sarawak Election, with polling scheduled for Dec 12.
Abdul Karim said encouraging voter participation was a shared responsibility among all political parties, whether from GPS or the opposition.
He noted that voter turnout in Asajaya, his constituency, had consistently ranged between 74 and 76 per cent over the past five elections, adding that sustained efforts were needed to maintain a strong turnout.
He said the coming election would also see the participation of a new generation of young voters following the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration in 2022.
Abdul Karim illustrated the impact of the changes by highlighting the growth in the number of registered voters in Asajaya, which had increased from slightly more than 12,000 at the previous election to over 19,000 based on the electoral roll as of May this year.
He said the figure could exceed 20,000 following the addition of several hundred voters since September.
“An increase from 12,000 to 20,000 is substantial. I believe other constituencies are facing the same situation,” he said.
He stressed that political parties should not focus solely on mobilising their own supporters but should instead encourage all eligible voters to turn out and exercise their democratic rights.
He said young people, in particular, should be encouraged to make informed choices based on their own judgement and assessment of candidates, rather than be swayed by political sentiments or partisan narratives.
Abdul Karim also cautioned against exploiting racial or religious sentiments to influence voting decisions, describing such an approach as a dangerous trend.
“We should never tell people not to vote for a candidate simply because they are of a different race or religion. Politics should never be approached in that manner,” he said.
Instead, he said young voters should be nurtured into becoming responsible citizens with an open outlook, capable of thinking critically and independently assessing who would best represent their interests.
He said this was also part of the responsibility of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, which sought to encourage young people to develop independent views rather than be coached into adopting particular political positions.
“We need to give young people an open perspective so that they can make their own decisions using their own wisdom and judgement,” he said.
Abdul Karim added that political parties and community leaders must find effective ways to engage and guide young people while respecting their ability to think independently and make their own choices. — DayakDaily
