Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Low turnout could hurt opposition PKR in Permatang Pauh by-election: survey

KUALA LUMPUR — After the ruling Barisan Nasional’s win at the Rompin by-election yesterday (May 5), attention now turns to tomorrow's by-election for the parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh in the northern state of Penang.

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Photo: Channel News Asia/ Melissa Goh

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Photo: Channel News Asia/ Melissa Goh

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

KUALA LUMPUR — After the ruling Barisan Nasional’s win at the Rompin by-election yesterday (May 5), attention now turns to tomorrow's by-election for the parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh in the northern state of Penang.

The seat fell vacant after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was disqualified following his court conviction for sodomy in February. The Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is standing in for her jailed husband, is struggling to match his 11,000-plus majority secured in the last general election.

The voter turnout for the general election in 2013 was almost 88 per cent, and securing a similar-size majority will be a tall order given that a by-election turnout is always lower.

According to a survey conducted by independent pollster, Merdeka Centre, although tomorrow has been declared a public holiday in Penang to encourage people to come out and vote, around 7,000 registered voters work outside the state.

Given it is a working day elsewhere, and the next election is not due till 2018, many may not see the urgency to vote in the Permatang Pauh by-election.

A low voter turnout is the biggest worry for the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which the PKR is a part of. The coalition, which also includes the Democratic Action Party (DAP), is already plagued by in-fighting with fellow coalition member Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), the Islamic party which is pushing for the implementation of the Islamic penal code or hudud.

It is no surprise why the PKR has been quick to sound the alarm over low voter turnout. If voter turnout falls below 70 per cent, Dr Wan Azizah could lose Permatang Pauh, which has been the political base for the PKR in recent years. CHANNEL NEWSASIA

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.