KUALA LUMPUR – Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for a radical shift in the coalition’s campaign tactics, urging a transition from traditional methods to a digital-first approach to remain relevant in the upcoming 16th General Election (GE16).
Speaking at the “Better Nation” forum, Ahmad Zahid emphasized that with a maximum of 22 months remaining before the national polls, the coalition must adapt to a rapidly shifting political landscape and changing voter demographics.
Capturing the Youth Vote
Central to this new strategy is the need to engage with the massive influx of young voters. Ahmad Zahid noted that the “Undi18” implementation brings in approximately 500,000 new voters annually.
“We must acknowledge that the cohort of first-time voters—those aged 18—grows by about half a million every year. In this environment, our strategy must evolve,” he said.
He further explained that relying on face-to-face communication alone is no longer feasible for reaching the 2.5 million new voters expected by the next election. “A digital approach is mandatory; it is impossible to reach them all through conventional means,” he added.
A New Political Reality
The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted a “new normal” in Malaysian politics: the end of the era of single-party dominance. He urged BN to be realistic about its current standing following the 15th General Election (GE15), where the coalition secured only 30 parliamentary seats.
To regain its footing, Ahmad Zahid outlined several key focus areas:
- Tactical Flexibility: Learning from the Sabah political experience, where strategic timing and positioning proved more effective than sheer volume of seats contested.
- Proactive Communication: Moving away from a defensive posture in the media to a more aggressive, dominant narrative.
- Inclusivity: Developing strategies that are inclusive of various demographics to form a more stable and representative government.
Strategic Evaluation
The forum, moderated by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, featured insights from prominent analysts, including Dr. Bridget Welsh and Dr. Lee Hwok Aun.
Ahmad Zahid concluded by stressing that BN must conduct a deep dive into the internal and external factors—including multi-cornered fights and internal friction—that led to previous losses to ensure those mistakes are not repeated in GE16.
