POLITICAL analysts are deeply divided over the role the politically naive voters will play in hotly contested seats of Sarawak.

University of Tasmania’s James Chin dismissed them outright saying he would not “worry too much about the youth” voting for the first time.

However, Simon Siah, the lawyer who represented the five teenagers in court calling for speedy implementation of Undi18,  said the youth have a lot to say in the general election.

Siah said the party that wins over the “more opinionated and well informed” young people to their cayse could tilt the balance in fiercely contested seats where urban Chinese and rural Dayak folk make up thr majority.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s Lee Kuok Tiung said among the 5.8 million new voters added to the electoral roll as a result of a lower voting age and automatic voter registration (AVR), more than 670,000 of them could not be traced.

Chin said the two biggest political blocs in Sarawak, GPS and Pakatan Harapan, should continue to go after the traditional adult voters.

“They will decide most of the urban seats,” he said.

DAP is looking to hang on to its urban Chinese seats of Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sarikei, Lanang, Sibu and the semi-rural Dayak seat of Mas Gading.

Only the state’s 31 parliamentary seats will be contested in the general election as Sarawak held its state elections in December last year.

DAP has come under increasing pressure to draw up a new strategy to retain its seats after GPS won most of the state seats in the December elections.

In Stampin, which is represented by Chong Chieng Jen, a resurgent Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) ousted DAP the state seat of Kota Sentosa, held on to Batu Kitang and defeated the party’s poster boy Kelvin Yii in Batu Kawah.

PKR’s lone parliamentary seat, Bandar Miri, is also expected to fall to SUPP, which has won all the three state seats – Pujut, Piasau and Senadin – in the contituency.

Chin, in dismissing young voters, said they are bound to follow the usual race-and-religion pattern.

“I don’t think the youth will revolt against the government in any significant numbers. Their voting pattern will be the same as the established voters,” he added.

Lawyer Siah, however, believes the new young voters will have a decisive role to play.

The 18-20 age group were not eligible to vote in the Sarawak elections as the law to lower the voting age only came into effect on January 1.

“Youth these days are more opinionated and better informed due to social media,” Siah said.

Siah said more young people are involved in online discussions on current political issues.

“They will vote based on their own opinion. It is very unlikely that they will vote according to their parents’ political inclinations,” he added.

He said people in the semi-rural, semi-urban areas of Bau, Puncak Borneo or Serian near Kuching with good access to the internet

“Youth in these areas will not be easily influenced by their parents or their village elders. They will likely decide on their own or together with their peers.

“The popularity of the candidate or the party among the youth will play a role in their decision.”

Siah said only the youth in rural areas with little access to information are likely to vote like their village elders.

“These young first-time voters will be more likely to vote for the candidate who is more prominent in their areas.” – September 8, 2022.