‘We lost the narrative’, Penang CM says over Sg Bakap loss
Published: Jul 7, 2024 1:48 AM
SG BAKAP BY-ELECTION | In conceding Pakatan Harapan’s defeat, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said his coalition lost control of the narrative to Perikatan Nasional in today’s polls.
He said Harapan’s defeat and the decline in votes from the Chinese electorate were due to national issues.
“It’s nothing to do with the candidate’s (problem). It’s the national issues, the subsidy, perceived inflation, cost of living, and the burden the people have to face with all this…
“It is probably we lost the narrative, despite all the effort, but the narrative, this did not produce the result (that we want),” he told reporters at the Bukit Jawi Golf Resort, in Sungai Jawi, Penang.
The Election Commission announced that PN, through its candidate Abidin Ismail, managed to retain the Sungai Bakap state seat with a larger majority of 4,267 votes, compared to 1,563 in last year’s state election.
Commenting further, Chow said the credibility of Harapan’s candidate Joohari Arifin was not a factor in the loss and that the candidate worked hard throughout the campaign period.
Perikatan Nasional celebrates their victory at the Sungai Bakap by-election results announcement.
He said the people in Sungai Bakap were still disappointed over various decisions made by the government and the loss has reflected the dominant sentiment in the constituency.
“I think it’s beyond that individual who worked very hard and the whole campaign machinery was with him. So, I think it is beyond him,” he added.
The question was posed against the backdrop of allegations that Joohari was perceived as “unfriendly” while interacting with voters in Sungai Bakap throughout the two-week campaign period.
In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, the former educator denied the allegation, saying he had multiple experiences in dealing with the masses, particularly in Sungai Bakap.
Results influenced by turnout
Meanwhile, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli claimed that the coalition’s drubbing was a reflection of a low turnout among the non-Malays.
Taking to X, Rafizi said the Malay voter turnout was 70 percent, while only 47 percent of Chinese and 58 percent of Indian voters cast their ballots for the Sungai Bakap by-election.
“With a stark difference in turnout between Malay and non-Malay voters, the Sungai Bakap seat has become a major Malay-majority seat.
“Even though there was a small shift in Malay votes, the results are largely influenced by the number of voters who turned up,” he added.
Earlier this week, Rafizi, who is also the economy minister, said the focus of the final hurdle of the campaign was to woo Malay fence-sitters as he claimed Malay support for PN had declined from 75 percent to 48 percent.
The minister previously claimed the opposition’s campaign in Sungai Bakap was a lost cause as PN focused on playing up ongoing national issues such as subsidy rationalisation, the cost of living, and the selling of Malaysian Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) shares.
Rafizi said Harapan centred its campaign around local issues such as water disparity, fly infestation, and dilapidated roads.
He said the people in Sungai Bakap were still disappointed over various decisions made by the government and the loss has reflected the dominant sentiment in the constituency.
“I think it’s beyond that individual who worked very hard and the whole campaign machinery was with him. So, I think it is beyond him,” he added.
The question was posed against the backdrop of allegations that Joohari was perceived as “unfriendly” while interacting with voters in Sungai Bakap throughout the two-week campaign period.
In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, the former educator denied the allegation, saying he had multiple experiences in dealing with the masses, particularly in Sungai Bakap.
Results influenced by turnout
Meanwhile, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli claimed that the coalition’s drubbing was a reflection of a low turnout among the non-Malays.
Taking to X, Rafizi said the Malay voter turnout was 70 percent, while only 47 percent of Chinese and 58 percent of Indian voters cast their ballots for the Sungai Bakap by-election.
“With a stark difference in turnout between Malay and non-Malay voters, the Sungai Bakap seat has become a major Malay-majority seat.
“Even though there was a small shift in Malay votes, the results are largely influenced by the number of voters who turned up,” he added.
Earlier this week, Rafizi, who is also the economy minister, said the focus of the final hurdle of the campaign was to woo Malay fence-sitters as he claimed Malay support for PN had declined from 75 percent to 48 percent.
The minister previously claimed the opposition’s campaign in Sungai Bakap was a lost cause as PN focused on playing up ongoing national issues such as subsidy rationalisation, the cost of living, and the selling of Malaysian Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) shares.
Rafizi said Harapan centred its campaign around local issues such as water disparity, fly infestation, and dilapidated roads.
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