Can Umno regain the Tebing Tinggi seat after redelineation?

Question

Accepted Answer

Umno is confident of regaining the Tebing Tinggi state seat following the Election Commission's redelineation exercise.

Ipoh Timur Umno believes that the recent redelineation process has significantly improved Barisan Nasional's (BN) prospects in the Tebing Tinggi state seat. This confidence stems from a demographic shift that has seen approximately 12,000 more Malay voters added to the constituency, a change that Umno asserts will benefit BN against the incumbent DAP candidate.
Demographic Shift Favours Barisan Nasional

The redelineation exercise has altered the ethnic composition of the Tebing Tinggi constituency, transforming it from a predominantly Chinese-majority seat into one with a Malay majority. Previously, in 2013, ethnic Chinese voters constituted 73% of the electorate, with Malays making up 21%. The current figures indicate a significant reversal, with Malays now representing 57% of the voters and Chinese voters at 34%. This demographic adjustment is seen by Ipoh Timur Umno as a key factor that will enhance BN's chances of victory.
Candidate's Remarks Perceived as Beneficial

Umno division chief Datuk Azian Osman suggested that comments made by the DAP candidate, Abdul Aziz Bari, regarding Umno and the former mentri besar Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir, could inadvertently aid BN's campaign. Azian posited that voters might perceive these remarks as seditious, thereby potentially driving votes towards the BN candidate. Azian also dismissed Aziz's claims that Umno and Zambry had neglected the constituency, attributing development and infrastructure improvements to their administration.
Development Claims Countered

Azian Osman refuted allegations of neglect made by Aziz, describing the DAP candidate as a "parachute" candidate unfamiliar with the constituency's realities. He asserted that numerous housing developments, economic improvements for residents, and infrastructure upgrades in Tebing Tinggi were initiated and completed by Barisan Nasional and Datuk Zambry. This counters Aziz's narrative that the constituency had been overlooked by the incumbent government.
Concerns Over Ethnic Segregation in Redelineation

The redelineation process has drawn criticism regarding potential increases in ethnic segregation. Tindak Malaysia had previously cautioned that such exercises could lead to the consolidation of ethnic groups into specific constituencies. In Perak, the movement of Malay voters into seats held by BN, such as Tebing Tinggi, has been highlighted as an example of this trend, raising questions about the impact of electoral boundary changes on the state's diverse electorate.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Can Umno regain the Tebing Tinggi seat after redelineation?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends