RACE and religion issues played up by PAS and Perikatan Nasional candidates are causing unhappiness and fear among non-Malay voters in Terengganu.

Chinese residents told The Malaysian Insight they fear PAS and PN will become even more extreme and deny minorities their rights if they win the elections.

An elderly voter who wished to be known as Ooi said he would not vote for PAS in the state elections.

“The Chinese here are starting to feel fear because PAS seems to place too much importance on Malays and Islam.

“We are afraid of becoming like Kelantan; there will be many rules that also apply to non-Malays. If we don’t obey, we will get punished. We are afraid of PAS,” he said.

A young voter in Kuala Terengganu, Tan Kim Shing, 21, said the PAS administration is backward.

He said there were no serious efforts to develop his birthplace, Kampung Cina.

The area is a famous tourist attraction but its potential has not been fully explored by PAS in the last five years, he said.

“A lot of the young people there depend on the tourism sector for income. They open restaurants, becoming travel agents and sell souvenirs.

“There should be more programmes or festivals to attract more tourists and projects to improve cleanliness and infrastructure,” he said.

Tan said he was more interested in the Muda candidate because he supported the youth party’s agenda.

According to data from the Election Commission, the Chinese make up only 3% of the registered voters in the Malay-dominated east coast state.

Although a small group, the Chinese could make the difference in seats such as the Bandar state and Kuala Terengganu parliamentary constituencies.

Bandar incumbent Ahmad Shah Muhamed is up against Armi Irzan Mohd of Barisan Nasional and Muda information chief Muda Luqman Long for the seat.

The Kuala Terengganu federal seat is up for grabs again after the court annulled the victory of PAS candidate Ahmad Amzad Hashim last year.

In 2022, Amzad won by almost 41,000 votes, nearly triple the majority of 14,773 votes he received in 2018.

PAS is confident of keeping the state and federal seats. Its main rivals are Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional.

No non-Malay candidates

Former BN assemblyman Toh Chin Yaw said Chinese voters reject PAS.

He said PAS is only promoting Malay-Muslim interests without paying attention to the fact that the country is multi-racial.

Toh said none of the parties have fielded a non-Malay candidate in any of the seats.

“Chinese voters here want non-Malay representatives,” he said.

Toh said Chinese voters might not vote in the Kuala Terengganu by-election because they do not expect the polls to change anything.

He said Muda will not win the by-election.

“Muda could split votes and give voters a choice. It might be able to get protest votes but its chances of winning are slim.” – August 9, 2023.