The Malaysian election issue no one can afford to ignore

Rising living costs feature heavily in the manifestos of Najib’s Barisan Nasional and Mahathir’s Pakatan Harapan. Whether voters believe either side can solve what polls suggest is their greatest concern is another matter

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A economically targeted message from the Barisan Nasional manifesto. Photo: Internet

Published: 9:15am, 14 Apr 2018Updated: 6:07pm, 30 Apr 2018

With official campaigning for Malaysia’s May 9 general election not due until the end of April, there are few clues available on the trump cards Prime Minister Najib Razak and his chief rival Mahathir Mohamad are likely to wield in their final bid to sway swing voters.

But one thing is clear: the country’s rising cost of living and the future of the country’s three-year-old goods and services tax (GST) will be among the hot-button topics that will occupy centre-stage when both sides take to the 11-day hustings.

Recent This Week in Asia interviews with voters and veteran political observers, along with comments on social media and the findings of a nationwide survey by the independent pollster Merdeka Centre, all point to a consensus that the election will be centred on the economy.

A statistically representative Merdeka Centre poll last November showed 72 per cent of voters viewed economic issues as their foremost concern.

The survey of 1,203 people found 15 per cent skipped meals because of overstretched budgets, and some four out of 10 respondents deferred paying or were unable to pay electricity and phone bills on time.