MIRI – The automatic registration of youth voters in Sarawak is expected to shake up the coming state election as smaller parties anticipate changes in voting patterns.
The Vibes found that Miri district – with the Senadin, Piasau, and Pujut state seats – has almost 60,000 new voters.
Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) Piasau branch secretary Karambir Singh said the party has updated its electoral list.
“There will be many new voters. How they will vote will be very interesting.”
SUPP is part of the ruling state coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
The other component parties are Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Parti Rakyat Sarawak, and Progressive Democratic Party.
SUPP will field candidates in Senadin, Piasau, and Pujut under the GPS ticket.
Opposition party Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) also finds the new electoral roll very interesting.
Pujut PSB chairman Bruce Chai told The Vibes that the new voters are mostly youth and young working adults.
“It will be unpredictable how these new voters will vote,” he said.
Chai is a former Miri councillor, and one of the potential PSB candidates for the Pujut seat.
The Pujut seat is now vacant after DAP assemblyman Ting Tiong Choon was disqualified two years ago following disputes over his citizenship status.
Senadin and Piasau are under SUPP. GPS controls 68 of the 82 state constituencies.
Sarawak is still under a localised health emergency until February next year due to Covid-19.
However, GPS chairman and Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg is expected to petition the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to lift the emergency for the state polls next month. – The Vibes, October 12, 2021
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