Analysts say KKB vote shows Perikatan’s ‘green wave’ has hit saturation point, leaders need to rethink appeal
“Umno and Bersatu have done it before, and so can PAS. It is about employing strategies that do not alienate non-Malays.
(MMO) – Perikatan Nasional (PN) has reached a fork in its election campaigning with the recently-ended Kuala Kubu Baru by-election in Selangor and needs to rethink its strategies on what really appeals to Malaysian voters, especially its Malay core group, political analysts said.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan said the support of Malays towards PN’s “green wave” has hit a saturation point due to the coalition’s campaign strategy.
“The momentum of the green wave hasn’t seen much movement until yesterday. It seems that the support of Malays for PN’s green wave has reached a saturation point. However, the main issue lies not in this saturation point, but rather in PN’s campaign strategy, which focuses on vernacular schools,” Azmi said when contacted.
He said that when PN harped on the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Pang Sock Tao’s Chinese education background and her former position as a special officer to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, the strategy was to appeal to Malay sentiments.
But such a stance can alienate Chinese voters, Azmi said, adding that when PH’s base of supporters feel their rights are threatened, they will be moved to go out to vote.
“While they aim to court and gain sympathy from non-Malay voters, their approach scares them off. Therefore, the blame is on PN’s strategy, nobody else,” he said.
