It is always a tricky subject, trying to understand what the youth of any country want. In Malaysia, this could be crucial as the record number of first-time voters could have a huge impact on the outcome of GE 13.
With new voters now making up one in five of the country’s 13.1 million voters or about 22 per cent (2.9 million) of the electorate, both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are expected to focus on them in their campaign strategies.
Key issues for such voters will be education and jobs, and on both these counts BN has a strong edge over the Opposition.
After all, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has focused on reforming the education system and creating job opportunities.
With the recently-announced Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, Najib has effectively set out a roadmap for Malaysia to achieve educational success for the next generation, in the same way his successful economic roadmap will see the country reach high-income status by 2020. That is true vision.
This is also part of the Government’s concerted approach to promoting the youth. Across the country, one of the key messages that the Government is trying to foster is just how vital a role young people have to play in Malaysia’s growth.
This is a logical approach for a nation’s future: invest in, encourage, and nurture today’s youth, and tomorrow our talent pool will be of the calibre our country needs to move forward.
Najib recognises this, as evidenced by his commitment to engaging directly with young people – either over his social media accounts like Twitter and Facebook, or during his public walkabouts.
By reaching out and asking directly what it is that they want, he is better equipped to help in providing those measures.
And young people across the country are reacting well to his policies. Najib enjoys 61 per cent support among 21-30 year olds, according to a recent survey by Merdeka Center.
Another recent study also found that 52 per cent of the youth will vote BN.
The academic paper prepared by International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) Electoral Studies head Datuk Prof Syed Arabi Idid, surveyed 1,370 people in the 21-35 age group.
When respondents were asked which party they would vote for if “elections were to be held tomorrow”, 52 per cent said BN is their choice.
This comes as no surprise. After all, according to the study, Malaysian youths are concerned about the economy, crime, social woes and illegal immigrants, and these issues will decide how they vote in the next general election.
Well, who is steering the economy successfully through the global uncertainty? Najib. The economy is on track to grow by 4-5 per cent this year, with unemployment at around 3 per cent.
Compare that with the stagnant West – even the much-vaunted Germany economy will barely grow 1 per cent this year, while it faces unemployment of 6.8 per cent.
Secondly, who is reducing crime in Malaysia? The Government – having achieved a 10.1 per cent fall in crime cases since last year. Pakatan has tried to ignore this fact, while claiming some kind of crime wave through the pro-Opposition media.
Next, who is spearheading social harmony? Najib, through his 1Malaysia programme – in spite of the regular attacks against 1Malaysia by PAS and PKR, who feel threatened by the Prime Minister’s all-inclusive approach to development.
It’s therefore clear that on all the issues important to the youth the Government has delivered. No wonder the survey has found a strong majority support for BN among young voters.
This is bad news for Pakatan Rakyat, a coalition that claims to represent the new generation but is still led by a 64-year old career politician who last occupied office in the 1990s.
Instead of making empty promises such as cheaper cars, Pakatan leaders should be considering the issues that new voters face. While it cannot do much now in the lead up to GE 13, perhaps Pakatan should instead aim to improve its standing among the youth in time for GE14, under a new younger Opposition leader.
That is something that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the aging leaders of PAS and DAP will have to consider.