One vote, big impact: Ayer Kuning’s future is in voters' hands

Today, voters in the Ayer Kuning constituency will determine whether the seat changes hands or remains under the control of Barisan Nasional (BN) in the upcoming by-election.

According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 31,281 eligible registered voters are set to cast their votes at 19 designated polling stations.

In terms of voter composition, 56.8 per cent are Malay voters, followed by 21.1 per cent Chinese, 14.4 per cent Indian, 6.7 per cent Orang Asli and 0.7 per cent others.

The highest segment of voters is the youth group aged 21-40 years, comprising 42.8 per cent, followed by those in their mid-40s to 60s at 31.6 per cent and voters aged 61 and above making up 20.5 per cent. The remaining voters are new voters aged 18-20 years.

The three-cornered contest between BN candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Abd Muhaimin Malek and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) candidate Bawani KS makes this by-election not only a testing ground for the contesting parties but also a crucial indicator of political unity within the unity government in Perak.

Although the independent research firm, Ilham Centre, predicts that BN would not face significant threats to retain the seat, the main question remains how successful the unity government would be in securing a high majority vote, as targeted.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Hisomuddin Bakar reportedly said that BN appears to be in a comfortable position based on a two-week campaign period, but the actual number of votes remains uncertain, including whether it will meet the target of 18,000 votes as announced by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

Voter turnout is an important and worrying issue, especially since interviews by Ilham Centre found that young voters, particularly those residing outside the area, such as in the Klang Valley, Penang, Ipoh and Teluk Intan clearly stated that they are not interested in returning to vote.

Even more concerning is the possibility that voters may not turn out due to unpredictable weather conditions, as the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecasted sunny weather in the morning with thunderstorms expected in the afternoon.

Therefore, all party machinery must engage in effective mobilisation to ensure that weather conditions do not become an obstacle for Ayer Kuning voters to fulfil their responsibility.

As a result, heed the advice of the EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun to vote early due to the recent unpredictable weather conditions.

Remember, voters' confidence in the strength of their chosen party should not be an excuse to stay at home on election day.

Thus, Ayer Kuning voters, especially those living away from home, must return and cast their votes to determine the future direction of their constituency.