SHAH ALAM - Perikatan Nasional (PN)'s victory in the Sungai Bakap by-election is seen not as a stroke of luck but as a clear indication of shifting political sentiments among the electorate.
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) political analyst Associate Professor Dr Syaza Shukri stressed that PN's win reflected a significant shift in the political landscape.
"I think it was challenging for Pakatan Harapan (PH) given the strong sentiment favoring PN.
"I think it shows that it was not a fluke that PN won the seat but is a representation of the shift among the people," she told Sinar Daily when contacted.
Syaza further highlighted the hurdles PH faced in appealing to Malay voters in Sungai Bakap.
"Regardless of the candidates or campaign strategies employed, PH struggled to sway Malay voters and failed to instill confidence among their own supporters about the prospect of a PH victory," she added.
She also noted the pivotal role of non-Malay voters in the outcome, suggesting their perceived lack of influence contributed to a self-fulfilling prophecy where their turnout was affected.
"In other words, I think non-Malay voters didn’t vote because they didn’t think they could overturn the strong support for PN.
"It became a self-fulfilling prophecy," Syaza said.
PN candidate Abidin Ismail was officially declared the winner of the Sungai Bakap state by-election, garnering a larger majority of 4,267 votes than his predecessor’s 1,563 votes.
Abidin, who is also the Nibong Tebal Pas vice-chief, managed to secure 14,489 votes against his challenger Joohari Ariffin’s 10,222 votes.
The announcement was made by returning officer Khairulnizam Hashim at the Jawi Multipurpose Hall in Nibong Tebal
Also present are Election Commission chairperson Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun and his deputy Azmi Sharom.