PETALING JAYA: Caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he is adopting a casual and harmonious approach to his campaign for the Bera parliamentary seat in the general election, and will not make personal attacks against his opponents.
Young Malaysians theSun spoke to see this as an honourable move as they do not favour the old-fashioned “anything goes” style of political campaigning.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate said yesterday the mindset of today’s voters, especially first-timers, is different, and they are wiser and more mature in making decisions.
“I will only (campaign) based on facts. This is what I have done and will continue to do to convince them (young voters) to vote for BN,” Ismail Sabri previously said.
He added that the most important thing is to focus on promoting and “selling” one’s “products” instead of discrediting others.
Ravinder Singh, 28, said using facts in an election campaign to gain votes is the right thing to do.
“I don’t want to vote for those who lie or attack the character of their opponents just to win votes. I think that is an old and outdated tactic. I’m not interested in such politics.
“Those who conduct such political campaigns can gain a few votes in an election. But in the long run, they will lose our respect and ruin the harmony among Malaysians. That should not be the way. So enough is enough.”
Megat Harris Iskandar Megat Annuar, 27, said the new generation is keen on political campaigns that are truthful and factual.
“Gone are the days of falsely accusing opponents or twisting facts during political campaigns. Young Malaysians now are more knowledgeable. Things have changed.
“We need politicians who know the issues facing the country and how to deal with them using facts and figures like Ismail Sabri does.
“What we do not want are those who just use the campaign trail to run down their opponents. I am glad our (caretaker) prime minister has declared that he will run a clean campaign in his constituency based on facts and not insults.
“I hope others will follow in his footsteps, so we can all listen to some good ceramah.”
David Ng, 32, said attacking others for political gain does not sit well with today’s voters.
“I am a first-time voter and I want to see clean campaigns. If our (caretaker) prime minister conducts a clean campaign for his seat, then it shows he is a good leader and can continue to be a good prime minister.
“I am looking at the credibility of our politicians. Those who make personal attacks lose credibility as far as I am concerned. If a candidate can deliver, and has the credibility to move this nation forward, then I will likely vote for him.”
Mohammad Faiz, 24 said: “While Ismail Sabri has said he will not debate with other politicians as it is not our culture, the fact that he continues to speak up during his campaign trail on issues of concern to voters means he is on the right track.”
Another young voter, Muhammad Hanafi Razali, 25, also gave the thumbs up to Ismail Sabri’s campaign style.
“I think he spends his time wisely and for the people. Let’s not insult one another. We are Malaysians. Harmony must be maintained for the good of the country, not destroyed during elections.”