PENGUNDI MUDA DAN PILIHAN RAYA KECIL PARLIMEN: TUMPUAN KEPADA PILIHAN RAYA KECIL PARLIMEN PERMATANG PAUH, KUALA TERENGGANU DAN BUKIT GANTANG

Abstract

These three parliamentary by-elections furnish important empirical data to measure
the present level of support for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition
coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR). The results of 2008 General Election were a major upset
to the BN government. BN was defeated by the opposition coalition in five states and
lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time in 40 years. In most of the past
general elections, BN had an advantage because of its strong cross-communal support
and always won in the parliamentary constituencies with a fairly mixed electorate. But
in the 2008 general election the BN lost in most of such mixed constituencies. One of
the reasons behind this shift is the voting pattern of the young voters who are relatively
more aggressive and tend to vote in favour of change. In the 2008 general election, most
of them voted for the opposition rather the BN government. These three parliamentary
by-elections took place soon after 2008 general election. This article examines the voting
pattern of young voters and considers its implication in terms of support for the various
political parties.