Mr Mohd Firdaus Talha, a 21-year-old who studies at a religious school in Kelantan which is funded by PAS, told CNA that he voted for PAS as he did not want DAP and its “liberal ideals” to govern the northern state.
"When we ask young voters why they want to vote for PAS, they said it's because they want to bring down DAP. We are shocked, because in Terengganu and Kelantan, DAP does not have any presence,” he said.
Identity politics is closely linked to race and religion among Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia, according to a study released by American think-tank Pew Research Centre in 2023.
“They play up fear that Malays will lose their special rights (as enshrined in the constitution) and that Islam is being threatened. This is a deadly weapon to pull support,” added the policy studies programme lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu’s (UMT) faculty of business, economics and social development.
He added: “Now, Malays who pride themselves on their ethnicity and religion, based on Malay-ism and Islam-ism support PAS because PAS is the one party now flying the flag for both these issues.”
Looks like Malaysia heading towards One Race soon...