A SUBDUED election campaign in Malacca in the past week has failed to interest voters, thanks to strict Covid-19 standard operating procedures that prohibit ceramah and other political gatherings. 

Voters told The Malaysian Insight the candidates contesting for the 28 state seats had not been visible as the state heads to the polls on Saturday.

The rules have has forced candidates and parties to rely on social media to reach out to the voters, leaving less tech-savvy voters out of the loop, the voters said.

Pavitra Muthiah, 25, who will be voting in Ayer Keroh, believes the parties have not done enough to reach out to the voters. 

“I don’t think the parties have done enough to launch their candidates. We understand this is because of the Election Commission’s (EC) strict SOPs.

“So because of the lack of exposure, they (voters) are looking at the party’s performance and not so much the candidates.”

The law student said while she knows her candidates, the older generation are not as informed. 

This, she said, is because they are not not familiar and do not get their information from social media platforms.

“I think when it comes to the older generation, they are missing out. So I believe it is kind of hard to reach them. 

“But it’s easier to reach the younger generations through social media. So in one way they are reaching more youth and losing out on the older generation.”

Last week Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa said Barisan Nasional was finding it difficult to gauge the support of the people in the Malacca polls due to restrictions under the tight SOP. 

The Ketereh Umno division chief said this was based on information gathered by the party election machinery.

“There sentiment, spirit and commitment of the machinery are very high… I think that gives BN a big advantage. 

“However, the people’s sentiments are difficult to assess because we have fewer opportunities to meet them in person.”

On November 8, the EC said the only form of physical campaigning allowed during the elections is public addresses delivered from vehicles with the aid of loudspeakers, subject to police approval. 

This means no ceramah, door-to-door visits by candidates or supporters to canvass for votes and no walkabouts.

Soh Kim Choo, 72, from Machap Jaya, said that he doesn’t even know his candidates because there has been no campaigning. 

“I have no clue about the manifesto of the parties as well.

“If you ask me, you have to have ceramah because otherwise how are we voters going to know our candidates?”

He also said that he was worried about the election because Covid-19 cases are still high and they can’t afford to shut down their businesses again. 

“If it weren’t for the four frogs, we wouldn’t have to go through this nonsense. 

“I don’t understand why these people just want to make our life harder,” he said, referring to the four state reps who had withdrawn their support for the Uno-led state government, resulting in this state election.

Campaign messages missing their mark

Lawyer  P. Purshotaman, 30, from Bukit Katil in Hang Tuah Jaya, said that while he knows the candidates who are contesting in his area, he doesn’t know their campaign messages. 

“I know the candidates as I get my information from social media but I’m not sure what they are going to do for my area. 

“I see them going here and there, but how are they actually going to make things better here?” he said.

He said that since he is not getting much information on the candidates, he will have to fall back on the party manifestos decide how to vote.

“What the party offers the state – I will vote on that basis.”

Convenience store owner Chee Liang, 53, who will be voting in Gadek, said he knows nothing about the candidates. 

“I got to know about my candidates on Facebook but I’m not too sure about their background. 

“Also at such times, we don’t even know which news is true and which is fake.”

He said that the state government should have waited for the Covid-19 cases to drop before calling for an election.

“I only know the DAP candidate (G. Saminathan) because there’s a poster of him in front of my shop and he has been to my shop.”

Former civil servant Azman Atan, 54, from Pantai Kundor, said the candidates are not able to convince the voters the way they are campaigning now.

“There used to be talks and so on but now there is nothing. The elderly are not aware of the candidates at all.”

He also said the voters have difficulty identifying the new candidates.

“Veterans (long serving candidates) have an advantage as they have contributed to the people and have handled their problems.”

Lorry driver Che Ros Nordin, 40, who is voting in Pengkalan Batu, said the new rules have made it difficult for the candidates to reach the voters. 

“If the campaign is like this, it will be hard to get the message across to voters. Only party members will know the candidates.

“Other voters may only know the name through social media but they will not know who the person is. So it will be difficult to gauge the potential of the candidates.”

A security guard who wants to be identified as Sam said he is unsure if he will vote as he has no information about his candidates. 

He also said it is risky to go out and vote as Covid-19 cases are still high.

“I’m not sure I’ll vote. I will look at the number of Covid cases, if it’s too high then I will not go.

“I am not going to risk my life just to vote for candidates I barely know.”

An academic, who introduced herself as Karen and who will be voting in Melaka Tengah, said people are going to vote for the party and not the candidate. 

“If people are going to vote, they will vote for the party as they don’t know their candidates while they have known their party for years.”

On October 5, four assemblymen announced a loss of confidence in the Malacca chief minister, which led to the dissolution of the state assembly and for elections to be called.

The four assemblymen were Idris (Sungai Udang), Nor Azman (Pantai Kundor), Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu). – November 15, 2021.