AS Malacca heads to the polls today, voters are not likely to be swayed by the politicians’ election promises and goodies, analysts said.

They said manifestos don’t carry much weight in the polls as the people are more concerned about socio-economic issues.

The analysts added pledges given in these manifestos are just that – pledges to woo voters.

Political analyst and senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Oh Ei Sun said fewer people, besides those politically aware, care about the manifesto these days.

“Typically only the more vocal and politically conscious voters care to read the manifestos.

“Most voters care more about socio-economic issues or ideological distinctions of the various parties,” Oh told The Malaysian Insight.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the state in the last general election but the government collapsed in 2020 following defections that allowed an Umno-led administration to take over.

However, the Malacca government was also ousted after four assemblymen, two of them from Umno, withdrew support for chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali.

Political analyst and senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah Dr Lee Kuok Tiung said the manifestos are just election promises and a way to attract voters.

“We must understand (that) a manifesto is just a promise made by a political party or candidate on what they will do if they win, to attract voters. In other words, it is just an election promise.

“We have heard a seasoned politician say that the ‘manifesto is not a Bible’,” he said.

After winning the 14th general election, then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the PH manifesto was not a Bible to be strictly followed but just a guide.

Lee added that while political parties do come up with a manifesto for each election, he is unsure if this has an effect on the election results.

The PH manifesto for the Malacca polls is called the “Action Plan for Progress”; Barisan Nasional’s “Stability for Prosperity”; and Perikatan Nasional’s, “Melaka Bangkit Gemilang”.

“The same political party or candidates will come up with a new manifesto at every election. That’s the truth.

“They can say the manifesto is based on the development of the current situation. The extent to which the manifesto affects the actual voting pattern is subjective,” said Lee.

Meanwhile, lham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar said that based on a study conducted by the centre, the manifestos would not affect voters’ decision when choosing any political coalition.

“The reliance of the campaign through social media is so limited. The manifestos are not known in detail by the voters.

“In fact, the percentage of voters the manifestos has affected is actually very small, where below 10% respondents believe the promises in the manifesto,” Hisommudin said.

No-party hopping pledge

PH pledges in its manifesto to enact an anti-party hopping law while BN has made all 28 candidates sign agreements to prevent them from switching parties.

BN election director Mohamad Hasan had said that those who defect after the elections would need to pay a hefty fine.

According to Oh, such agreements are unconstitutional and are considered to be just a “comfort” document.

“Such agreements have been held by courts to be unconstitutional as they restrict political freedom. So they are just comfort documents,” he said.

Lee, however, agreed that the candidates’ pledges were meaningless as the federal government has yet to come up with an anti-party hopping act.

“It’s a meaningless agreement,” he said.

Singling out BN, Hisommudin said that the coalition’s strength was not in the manifesto promises or the anti-hopping agreement. He said these were moves just to convince voters.

“That’s more of an effort by the party to show that action can be taken in order to convince voters,” he said.

Who has the advantage?

Oh said PH would have the upper hand in urban areas while the rural voters could opt for the traditional parties.

“PH will be ahead in the more urban constituencies where voters care about fulfillment of manifestos.

“Rural voters wil care more about promises of socio-economic disbursements and racial and religious issues,” he said.

Lee believed the majority of the voters would leave it up to the last minute to decide which way to vote and that this could swing the results.

“Voters can change their minds at the last minute. This group is the majority, known as the fence-sitters and is always called the silent majority,” he said.

As physical campaigning is banned, Lee said communication is vital to attract this group.

“I look at the role of communication, especially the use of social media. Those who are capable of producing more creative media content will definitely be more influential among the internet savvy young people,” he said.

BN is contesting all 28 seats up for grabs in the election with Umno vying for 20, MCA (7) and MIC (1).

PH is also contesting in all 28 seats with PKR fielding candidates in 11 seats, Amanah (9) and DAP (8).

PN is also contesting in all 28 seats in Malacca. Bersatu will contest 15 seats, PAS eight and Gerakan five. – November 20, 2021.