KOTA KINABALU: Young voters are now a ‘crucial force’ in elections, especially in Malaysia with the introduction of Undi18.
To gain their support, former Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak believes political parties should recognise that young voters are not a uniform group.
In his latest Facebook post, he mentioned that young voters are not necessarily anti-establishment but are more concerned with various current issues.
Salleh, who is also the assemblyman for Usukan, noted that these issues include economic opportunities, jobs, economic stability, and affordable housing.
He added that young voters also consider education and skills opportunities, particularly access to quality education that aligns with the job market.
Furthermore, Salleh pointed out that young voters tend to focus on social justice, digital engagement, political involvement, environmental policies, anti-corruption, and good governance.
In the context of Sabah and Sarawak, the former Chief Minister of Sabah believes young voters are more focused on autonomy issues, infrastructure development, and access to economic resources.
They prioritise basic development such as roads, schools, and internet access in rural areas, as well as job opportunities and living costs in urban areas, he said.
Therefore, Salleh emphasised that political parties need to adopt different approaches to strengthen support from young voters in Sabah and Sarawak, while also considering the needs of young voters in Peninsular Malaysia.
