DAP Secures Victory in Kuala Kubu Baharu Amidst PN's Own Blunders: Analysts

Analysts have refuted allegations of DAP leveraging fear tactics to retain Chinese support in Kuala Kubu Baharu, asserting that it was Perikatan Nasional's missteps that cost them crucial non-Malay votes.

Wong Chin Huat from Sunway University pointed out PN's tendency to undermine itself, citing PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari's failed attack on DAP's Pang Sock Tao before the by-election. "PAS's misstep in targeting the DAP candidate's Chinese education background backfired, akin to a non-Malay seeking Malay support while disparaging Islam," he remarked to FMT.

MCA president Wee Ka Siong's claim that Chinese voters were losing faith in DAP but were coerced into supporting the party due to fear-mongering was dismissed. Wee argued that DAP's demonization of PN, particularly PAS, swayed the Chinese community to stick with Pakatan Harapan despite doubts about the coalition's reform commitments.

Acknowledging DAP's flaws, Wong noted a decrease in enthusiasm among Chinese voters, evident in the lower voter turnout in Kuala Kubu Baharu compared to the previous state election. Despite gaining Malay votes, PH lost 862 votes, indicating a shift in support.

Pang clinched the by-election with a significant majority, securing 14,000 votes against PN candidate Khairul Azhari Saut's 10,131, Parti Rakyat Malaysia's Hafizah Zainuddin's 152, and independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin's 188. However, the voter turnout was lower at 61.5% compared to the state polls last August.

Oh Ei Sun from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs highlighted Chinese voters' apprehension towards PAS's "theocratisation" agenda and PN-led states' policies. He attributed the sustained support for DAP to the fear generated by PAS's focus on hudud law and Kelantan's dress code fines.

This fear of PAS's agenda, particularly its advocacy for hudud law and stringent dress code enforcement in Kelantan, has solidified Chinese voters' allegiance to DAP. Despite DAP's own shortcomings, such as the dampened enthusiasm among its support base, the party's stance against perceived threats from PAS and PN resonated with the electorate.

The by-election outcome serves as a testament to the significance of addressing voters' concerns and perceptions. While PN's blunders may have cost them non-Malay votes, DAP's ability to capitalize on these concerns and present itself as a bulwark against perceived threats proved decisive. Moving forward, both coalitions must navigate these dynamics carefully, understanding that voter sentiment can be swayed by issues of fear, identity, and perceived threats to communal interests. The challenge lies in striking a balance between addressing legitimate concerns and avoiding divisive rhetoric that could further polarize an already fragmented electorate.

Zulaikha Farhana is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!

The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.