IT was 9pm on a Sunday in Seberang Jaya but Muhamad Afiq Syaham was still hard at work in his second job as an Uber driver.

Afiq, who displayed a Kedah FA scarf on the dashboard, said he’s not a Penangite but was forced to uproot from the PAS-led Kedah because jobs have dried up in his home state.

“Development in Kedah came to a standstill during the PAS administration from 2008-2013. At first, things were looking better when Mukhriz Mahathir became menteri besar. But he was replaced,” said Afiq, who blamed the goods and services tax (GST) for his circumstances.

Apart from the home-packed lunch box breaks in his Viva, the burly 26-year-old drives 12 to 14 hours in Penang during weekends to make ends meet.

“I have just been married two months but I hardly see my wife as I need to work,” he said cheerfully despite the predicament.

And so when the question came to which party the first-time voter would pick this year, Afiq answered, “Bersatu, of course”.

“My parents are PAS members but I won’t vote for them (PAS),” said Afiq, who joined Bersatu last year.

“Although PAS says it fights for Islam, it quit Pakatan Rakyat to help Umno. This is a wrong strategy. They should have joined the other opposition parties.”

Afiq said the late PAS menteri besar Azizan Abdul Razak was a decent man but he did not do enough for Kedah’s development.

PAS ineffectual opposition

This is not surprising for long-time PAS researcher Dr Mazlan Ali, who told The Malaysian Insight that the Islamist party’s image has suffered since 2015.

“The perception today is that PAS cannot function as an effective opposition that will criticise the Barisan Nasional government’s policies.

“This is compounded by questions about PAS’ ability to govern Kelantan following allegations that it has mismanaged its natural resources and failed in local government services,” said Mazlan from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

During the launch of the Perak election machinery, PAS leaders said more younger voters are flocking to the party and this will be the basis for electoral success in the 14th general election.

PAS’ confidence in young voters supporting the party is backed by the institutions it built around religious teachers, said Universiti Malaya’s Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi. 

“Through its education arm, PASTI (Islamic Kindergarten Centre), it has shaped the thinking of young Muslims to that it is in line with the party’s ideology. This has developed in line with the madrasah or sekolah pondok system that is sympathetic to the PAS struggle.

“It is this generation who forms the bulk of young PAS voters. But this is the extent of the younger generation’s support for the party. PAS’ success is limited,” said Awang Azman.

What do the young want?

PAS does not appeal to many younger voters because it cannot match their “needs”, said Mazlan.

“In political science terminology, young voters are categorised as ‘participants’ or voters who decide based on issues and not party affiliation. More than 85% of their source of information is from social media.

“They act as developmentalist consumers and will evaluate the best offers from the different political parties. At a time when many Malaysians are suffering from the effects of GST and higher cost of living, those between 25 and 35 years old feel it the most because they have young families to support, the lack of good-paying jobs and fewer economic opportunities,” said Mazlan.

As such, it is difficult to see why young voters will pick PAS instead of BN or Pakatan Harapan, he said.

“Similarly, young voters will find BN’s promises unattractive as they blame them for their problems today.”

The Dr Mahathir dilemma

Ilham Centre director Hisommudin Bakar said younger voters have begun to accept former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mahathir again.

“They were initially confused over how a leader they learnt in the textbooks as someone who had contributed so much to the nation is now being attacked.

“As a result of the attacks, their ambivalence towards him has now turned into sympathy,” said Hisommudin.

The Dr Mahathir factor has helped push younger Malays to Bersatu, said Mazlan.

“Among the four Malay parties – Umno, PAS, Bersatu and Amanah – Bersatu has the momentum because of him.

“Those who were born after the 1990s may not know him (Dr Mahathir) well but they are influenced by the perception that Malaysia was at its height during his administration,” he said.

According to earlier reports, 55% of Bersatu’s 200,000 members consists of young adults.

Awang Azman, who lectures in the Academy of Malay Studies, said younger Malays preferred Bersatu because of Dr Mahathir.

“Although there is a small segment of young voters who don’t want Dr Mahathir because of his age, most have acknowledged that he can unite Pakatan and the country and make it great again,” said Awang Azman.

For Afiq, his vote in GE14 is as good as sealed.

“I picked Bersatu as it has Mukhriz and Dr Mahathir. Although, I was too young to know about his policies when he was prime minister, life was okay then. My parents did not have to work two jobs like me.

“I am going to pass on PAS,” said Afiq as he drove off after looking at the crowds gathered at the PAS ceramah in Kubang Semang on Sunday night. – February 6, 2018.