Re-engineer change to attract new voters: Jamawi
Published on: Thursday, November 27, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno's political survival appears to be depending on the support of new voters in the 14th general election in 2018, which is expected to be 6.7 million.However, what concrete measures were taken by Umno to register new voters while the party is seen as eager to implement changes and give more room to the youths?In reality, despite winning 133 parliamentary seats in the 13th general election the popular votes did not favour the Barisan Nasional (BN).ADVERTISEMENT What are the implications from the expected increase of 6.7 million new voters to the BN? Umno Youth Information chief Jamawi Jaafar said a total of 4.2 million Malaysians who were eligible to vote have not registered as voters in 2013."Assuming that 500,000 young voters would be eligible to vote every year, this means that there would be an increase of 2.5 million young voters within the next five years," he said in supporting the motion of thanks for the policy speech by Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin at the wing's general assembly today.Election Commision (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, when contacted by Bernama, said so far only 296,000 voters had registered after the last general election.ADVERTISEMENT He said voter registration was very low compared to the number of people eligible to vote, and according to EC's sources, the opposition had registered more voters compared to Umno and Barisan Nasional since 2008.While there is pressure for more opportunities to be given to the younger generation in the leadership line-up, what is the Umno strategy to register this group as voters?
ADVERTISEMENT
Puteri Umno Chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, meanwhile, said the movement would restructure and downsize its 23 bureaus to 15 in order to face the coming general election, as well as to focus on the bureaus which concern the youths such as training, information, new media and wooing new members.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
He said among the bureaus to be given emphasis were membership and voter registration, information and oratory, training and cadership, social and digital media, economy and entrepreneurship as well as sports, culture and heritage."Until three days ago (Nov 22), we have a total of 375,356 members and continuous efforts must be carried out to increase membership. I will change whichever state Puteri Chief who fails to achieve the target set," he said. – Bernama