New faces must earn voters' trust, not ride on party popularity - Analysts
The short campaign period also makes every approach adopted by candidates crucial in demonstrating their ability to earn the mandate to serve as elected representatives.
JOHOR BAHRU - Party strength alone is no longer an automatic passport to victory in the 16th Johor state election, as voters are increasingly placing greater emphasis on the credibility and personality of individual candidates.
The short campaign period also makes every approach adopted by candidates, whether on the ground or through digital platforms, crucial in demonstrating their ability to earn the mandate to serve as elected representatives.
Political observers believe that while party machinery remains the backbone of any campaign, voters are now more inclined to assess candidates based on their track record, understanding of local issues and communication skills before casting their ballots.
Senior lecturer at the Department of Administrative and Political Studies, UniversitI Malaya (UM), Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub said the way voters assess new candidates has shifted, with decisions no longer based solely on party symbols, endorsement by party leaders or the strength of the campaign machinery.
"Voters now want to see whether candidates understand local issues, are approachable, communicate clearly and have a record of serving the community, even if they have never been elected representatives before," he told Bernama.
Tawfik said the shift has become more pronounced following the implementation of Undi18 (lowering of voting age from 21 to 18) and automatic voter registration, which have created a more diverse, critical electorate that is less influenced by traditional political sentiments.
He said public confidence in new candidates must be built strategically, beginning with effective self-introduction, followed by demonstrating the ability to address public issues, and reinforced through the support of local leaders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youths and the local community.
In the modern campaign era, he said candidates are judged simultaneously through their physical presence on the ground and their performance on social media, requiring a communication narrative that is consistent, mature and convincing.
Meanwhile, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) political analyst Prof Dr Azizuddin Mohd Sani said the two-week campaign period is particularly challenging for new candidates seeking to build their profiles compared with incumbents who already have an established service record.
Azizuddin, who is also UUM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), said new candidates must make full use of the first week of campaigning to raise their profile among voters.
"Door-to-door campaigning and small-group talks remain the most effective methods of introducing candidates and explaining their aspirations and plans to the community," he said.
However, Azizuddin acknowledged the important role of social media in reaching different segments of the electorate, while noting that the presence of senior party leaders is also needed to enhance candidates' appeal and boost voter confidence in the constituencies they contest.
Sharing a similar view, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) political analyst Associate Professor Dr Mazlan Ali said the main challenge for new candidates is to move quickly from simply introducing themselves to earning voters' trust.
He said this requires face-to-face engagement as well as effective use of digital platforms to reach educated voters and those living outside the constituency, as they tend to assess candidates based on their background, vision and capabilities before voting.
He expects new candidates, who may initially appear somewhat awkward in their interactions with voters, to become more composed and confident by the second week of campaigning with the support of party machinery and experience gained on the ground.
A total of 172 candidates are contesting 56 state assembly seats in the Johor state election, with polling scheduled for July 11 and early voting on July 7. - BERNAMA
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