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MUAR – As a fledgling political outfit formed less than two years ago, Pejuang’s prospects in the upcoming Johor election certainly seem beguiling.
Like the new party, its young candidates, offering fresh faces and personalities in the political arena, are equally intriguing. Though their chances are up in the air, they are no less determined and idealistic in wanting to make a difference.
Their aspirations may well mirror the hankering of thousands of new voters now eligible to cast their ballots under the new Undi18 legislation that has lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18.
The candidates running for the state seats of Maharani and Sg Balang, under the Muar parliamentary constituency, are bent on assisting micro-businesses in seeking out more sustainable solutions amid the current economic downturn if they are elected.
Interestingly enough, both are business owners themselves, and are quick to point to the deteriorating plight of small-scale businesses in Muar as a major issue they plan on tackling.
Maharani hopeful Riad Ahmad, 37, told The Vibes that he plans to elevate the local businesses to make them more profitable, and in turn, raise the standard of living of those residing here.
The Johor Pejuang Youth chief said the waning profitability of these enterprises have directly affected job prospects for the youth in the area. He added that the unemployed are mostly unaware of the assistance offered by the state and federal governments.
Riad said that should he win the Maharani seat, he would gather up such local business operators to educate them on ways to elevate their income to be on par with those from major local cities.
“If I win, I want to guide them to success, for them to get out of the village mindset and be on par with other businesses in the world.
“I plan to do this either by educating them on transitioning their businesses online or other avenues available which they are currently unaware of,” he said in an interview.
Riad, who runs a construction and metal business, said as a small business owner himself, he would be able to relate better to these struggling micro entrepreneurs.
Sharing similar sentiments was party colleague and Sg Balang candidate, Intan Nadira Shafika Mustafa Kamal, 28, who views assisting the dying businesses within the constituency as a priority.
The graphic design graduate and insurance agent who owns several car wash businesses said something drastic must be done about the sad situation plaguing these small businesses.
The Pejuang Johor Women Youth chief asserted that despite numerous forms of assistance and aid being rolled out by the federal government, pockets of society have still fallen through the cracks without receiving any help.
“So many areas within Sg Balang itself have been left behind, many suffering the economic effects of the pandemic and loss of income, and never receiving any form of aid.
“Many were also forced to close down their businesses permanently, so these are those who I want to help, especially businesses by youth and women,” she said in an interview.
Intan said another pressing issue hampering the area’s economic development is the lack of stable internet and phone coverage, making communication and e-commerce difficult.
She said the situation only exacerbates their problem of being left behind by the government when even basic connectivity is not there.
Igniting newfound political interest among youth
Despite both candidates holding leadership posts within their party’s ranks, they both offered slightly different views when commenting on how the Undi18 movement affects them.
Born and bred in Muar himself, Riad said he sees a large chunk of today’s youth as being disinterested in local politics.
However, he said he plans to meet these voters, who are in their late teens, in person over the campaign period to explain to them the current circumstances the country is in.
“We have to go out and meet as many of these youth as possible to properly explain the current political situation so they can better understand not only state but also federal level politics.
“Our main message to them would be to explain the difference to do with Pejuang, which is contesting as a solo party.
“If a government can be formed by Pejuang, it would be more stable than one with a coalition; there won’t be any threats or withdrawal of support to collapse the government and burden the people,” he said, explaining his intended message to new young voters.
However, Intan expects brighter days ahead with the introduction of teenaged voters; she feels that most of them are mature enough to understand local politics.
She said today’s youth are being exposed to the outside world and local news through their use of social media, making them more informed than what most people give them credit for.
“To me, they seem to know what is happening outside and inside Malaysia; they are also more curious, more mature and able to make their own comparisons between political figures.
“I am also a youth candidate. I can understand how the other youth feel compared to other candidates,” she said.
Intan said she plans to leverage on the youth’s use of social media to push her campaign material across.
Asked on how they saw their chances of winning the respective seats, both candidates appeared grounded when they admitted that much must be done to ensure victory.
Riad said he hopes that his service and relationships forged over the years while he was attached to Pejuang’s Muar parliamentary office and the Maharani service centre would benefit him in the six-cornered fight.
“So I hope to achieve success for me and the party, but we need to work hard to get the success,” he said.
As for Intan, she said being the only female candidate for the Sg Balang seat and facing off against three men would undoubtedly be a challenge – one she is prepared to fight for.
She hoped her objectives of championing the plight of the women and youth would shine through to voters to elect her as their representative.
“It will be a big challenge, as other candidates are experienced, so I will have to try hard to perform to be able to defend the rights of women and the youth,” she said.
Maharani and Sg Balang share similar voter demographics, with 59% of the population being Malays, around 38% Chinese, 2% Indians, and 1% listed as others.
More than 2.59 million eligible adults will be able to cast their votes when Johor goes to the polls on March 12. – The Vibes, March 1, 2022
