RANTAU, April 13 ― After days of back-to-back ceramahs for both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN), Rantau voters will finally decide today on who will best represent their constituency.

But as both PH and BN appear preoccupied with attacking each other’s candidates as well as the political coalitions they are a part of, both have failed to address a pressing concern: an increasingly disillusioned youth populace.

For youths in Rantau, both BN and PH’s campaigns have just been focused on issues of race, politics and the credibilities of Dr S. Streram and Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan from BN.

Neither coalitions have presented any solutions to issues like the lack of  genuine job opportunities, shrinking wages, rising cost of living and even discrimination at the workplace.

Some told Malay Mail that while they were initially excited by the promises PH made with regards to the creation of new jobs when they took over Putrajaya, that excitement has since worn off.

"Quite a few of us work in the factories in Senawang but honestly many feel trapped there but they do not know where else to look.

"Either they lack the proper qualification to seek better employment or those who do have, failed to seek a job that provides a proper career in the field that they had studied in.

"So many of us were thrilled when Pakatan (Harapan) announced that they wanted to create one million new jobs and ensure that graduates would have better opportunities. 

"But after 10 months of waiting, we feel a little less hopeful as time goes by,” Rahim, 27, said.

Rahim, who has been working as a despatch rider for the past two years after graduating from a public university with a diploma in information management, said he had to take up the job after failing to find any others that fit his qualifications for nearly half a year.

"Many of us here have taken a 'don’t care' attitude towards politics. It provides us with some entertainment here and there but we have to move on and figure out how to survive,” he said.

Earlier in the campaign, Dr Streram had pledged to bring in investors to create a tertiary education centre in the district, while PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he will ensure major developments in Port Dickson will have a spillover effect in the district.

"It is great if they can get it done, but at the moment the details remain vague and it seems to be half-measure actions,” added Rahim.

However, the most pressing issue for local graduates is the failure of the PH administration to abolish the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), a key pledge which led to many youths backing PH back in GE14.

"We won't be so mad if they weren't so dismissive about the whole thing. First, you promised us PTPTN would be abolished, then you come back and tell us that we should pay our debts and be merciful to others who want to borrow from PTPTN?

"It goes without saying that we had pushed for the issue out of necessity, not a sense of entitlement. Many of us here are struggling to get jobs and yet are already straddled with debts we can barely afford to pay,” 24-year-old Rantau resident Naim Raizuddin told Malay Mail.

Some youths also admitted they were put off by the Umno-PAS narrative of race and religious politics as well as PH having to constantly explain why they had chosen Dr Streram as their candidate.

Contending with growing dissatisfaction among youth voters, PH also had to deal with Mohamad's popularity in the state.

Although PH has accused Mohamad of financial impropriety, many locals find the matter a non-issue.

"If it is true, then they need to investigate it. However, you cannot dismiss the fact that the people here are content with him and everyone here knows Tok Mat and his deeds to Rantau. I don't think the people here are sick of him yet,” said a self-employed 28-year-old Kampung Sega resident who wished to be known as Gannaraj.

This was also indicated by a recent survey released by Ilham Centre last Thursday that credited Mohamad's credibility as a potential win in the by-election.

The survey which interviewed  396 respondents in Rantau from April 6 to 10  found that voters were pivoting on Tok Mat’s credibility factor (81.6 per cent), issues affecting cost of living (66.7 per cent), PH’s failure in carrying out their manifesto promises (65.4 per cent), unsatisfactory state government performance (50.8 per cent), and the perception among Malays that PH has failed to defend Malays and Islam (85.6 per cent).

The survey also found that voters were unhappy with Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) choice of candidate as Dr S. Streram is virtually unknown in the state.

The by-election today will possibly see 20,804 voters decide the outcome of a four-cornered contest among Dr Streram, Mohamad and two independent candidates, namely R. Malarvizhi, a housewife, and Mohd Nor Yassin, a former lecturer.