Young people’s votes will play a very significant role in the nation’s 13 th general election.

Speech by M Kula Segaran , DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat at DAP Ceramah held at Nilai , Negeri Sembilan on Saturday, September 1, 2012

Young people’s votes will play a very significant role in the nation’s 13 th general election.

It has been more than 3 years since Datuk Seri Najib became the nation’s sixth prime minister.Yet till today he is still undecided when to call for the dissolution of Parliament to pave way for the nation’s 13 th general election. 

The single most important factor for his indecision is due to his lack of confidence in the BN’s performance in the coming general election. 

Najib’s knows the political landscape has changed since the 2008 general election and he knows too that the political mood for change that prevailed in the 2008 general election has continued to grow till today. 

Therefore when some BN leaders openly say that the people’s support for BN has grown, they are actually not very convinced themselves in what they say or what they say are unconvincing. 

Let’s see what a MIC deputy minister said on August 22. 

Datuk S K Devamany said that a majority of Malaysians openly accept and support the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the 1 Malaysia concept.

He also said that more importantly, the youth who are the biggest demographic group in determining the direction and future of the country, are so very confident with Najib's leadership style, capability, 

performance and vision, which Is seen as being more open as well as having Integrity.

He justified his claim by saying that the Hari Raya open house hosted by the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet is proof of the peoples support for Najib's leadership.

 I shall not dispute the official figure reported—that 100,000 people attended the prime minister’s open house. But when former prime minister Tun Abdullah Badawi held the open houses, reports said too that 100,000 attended the event.

But then what happened? Abdullah Badawi led BN in the 2008 general election and delivered BN’s worst ever electoral result. 

Devamany said that the people support the 1 Malaysia concept but can he tell us how this concept has brought about fair, just policies to the people especially the long marginalized Indian community? 

How much has been done by Najib’s administration to resolve the many long standing problems faced by the Indian community? 

Can MIC list out the results and achievements? Definitely not because MIC and BN have not been able to meet the expectations of the Indian community.

I am sure even Najib is not convinced by the Devamany’s claim of tremendous people’s support for him, otherwise he will not have to continue to suffer wondering when will be the best timing to dissolve the Parliament.

I nevertheless agree that the young people’s votes will play a very significant role in the nation’s 13 th general election. 

As of the end of June 2012, there are 12.9 million registered voters. About 20 % or 2.5 million of these voters are first time voters. 

2.5 million is no small number and without a doubt, how they vote will have a significant impact on the outcome of the next general election. 

Looking at the number of youths of all races who attended the Bersih 3.0 event and the vibrant political involvement of youths in the cyber world, I can say with confidence that majority of the young people will vote Pakatan Rakyat in the next general election. 

I don’t dispute that much efforts have been carried by the prime minister to woo the young people’s support but he cannot offer the most important thing that the youths are looking for – the hope for a better Malaysia. 

Without a doubt, majority of the young voters will vote for change and help bring about A Better Malaysia for All.