BN-PN’s Melaka election landslide puts spotlight on jobs, investments and political divides

Résumé détaillé

Analysts say the win reflects united Malay votes rather than a surge in Barisan Nasional’s strength

Analysts say the win reflects united Malay votes rather than a surge in Barisan Nasional’s strength

[KUALA LUMPUR] For civil engineer Devan Chandran, 47, the prospect of returning to his hometown of Melaka is becoming more appealing as his parents age.

But having built a career in Australia, he hopes to see more high-value job opportunities in his home state before he makes the move.

“Melbourne isn’t too far from Kuala Lumpur, but my parents are getting older. I want to stay closer in case anything happens,” he told The Business Times.

Retail worker Nurul Aida who works in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, noted a different side of the same problem – young people turning to gig work such as e-hailing because entry-level corporate jobs pay too little.

“My cousin graduated from business school, but was offered a starting pay only slightly above minimum wage (of RM1,700). In contrast, his e-hailing gig brings in RM3,000 to RM5,000 (US$734 to US$1,223) a month,” she said.

Such concerns highlight the challenge facing Melaka’s election winners – translating political stability into better-paying jobs at a time when residents are increasingly looking abroad or turning to the gig economy for opportunities they struggle to find at home.

The electoral pact between Barisan Nasional (BN), anchored by the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), and Perikatan Nasional (PN) swept 24 of the state’s 28 seats on Saturday (Nov 14). BN took 21 seats and PN, three. Pakatan Harapan (PH) won four.

The landslide gives the winning alliance a commanding mandate, but also raises expectations of the state attracting higher-value investments.

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