KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Malay voters in Kelantan, Penang, Terengganu, and Kedah are more concerned about the cost of living and economy-related matters than social issues, race, and religion for the state elections, a survey has found.

In the survey by independent pollster Merdeka Center, it had asked Malay voters in these four states what issues they wanted candidates or political parties to discuss and debate during these state elections.

The overwhelming number one concern for Malay voters in all four states was inflation and the cost of living, with this issue being the first that was mentioned by 64.9 per cent of Malay voters polled in Terengganu, and 61.5 per cent (Terengganu), 52.3 per cent (Kelantan) and 59.5 per cent (Penang).

Issues related to money and the economy also dominated the minds of Malay voters in all four states, with 6.1 per cent in Kelantan citing economic growth, 5.6 per cent in Kedah, 5.2 per cent in Terengganu and 4.7 per cent in Penang.

Similarly, Malay voters also wanted candidates to talk about employment issues at 6.7 per cent (Kelantan), 5.4 per cent (Terengganu), five per cent (Kedah), while this was a much lower concern among Malays in Penang (1.4 per cent).

Corruption was the top-most concern among 7.4 per cent of Malay voters in Penang, and to a lesser extent in Kelantan (3.3 per cent), three per cent (Terengganu) and 2.4 per cent (Kedah).

People’s welfare was a top concern for 4.5 per cent of Malay voters surveyed in Terengganu, 4.1 per cent (Penang), four per cent (Kelantan), and 3.4 per cent (Kedah).

State water supply management stood out as a concern for Malay voters in Kelantan at 9.3 per cent and in Kedah at 5.1 per cent, as compared to 0.9 per cent (Penang) and 0.4 per cent (Terengganu).

While race and religion have often been featured during elections, Malay voters in these states were generally found to be least concerned about such issues.

For example, only about 0.8 to 0.9 per cent of Malay voters in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu cited Malay rights and equal treatment of races as their top concern in the elections, while 5.7 per cent in Penang cited this issue.

The issue of maintaining the position of Islam was also only cited by 0.2 per cent of Malay voters in Kelantan and 1.8 per cent in Terengganu, while 2.7 per cent cited this in Penang and no figures were recorded for Kedah.

Similarly, social issues like drugs and crimes, flood mitigation, local government services were also generally not the topmost concern of Malay voters in these states.

Merdeka Center carried out its survey from July 3 to August 11 on the six states where voters will be casting their votes tomorrow, interviewing voters of all ethnicities in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor and just Malay voters in the four other states.

Merdeka Center interviewed 501 Malay voters in Kedah from July 12 to August 2; 702 Malay voters in Penang from August 2 to August 4 and August 10 to August 11, 501 Malay voters in Kelantan from August 4 to August 8, and 504 Malay voters in Terengganu from August 8 to August 9.

A similar pattern was observed in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, where the top concern of voters across all ethnicities for these state elections were also predominantly about money and the economy. (Merdeka Center did not provide separate figures for the top concern of Malay voters in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan).

In Negeri Sembilan, the top concern among the multiracial voters polled was inflation and cost of living (56.8 per cent), followed by economic growth (9.1 per cent), corruption (6.6 per cent), political instability (3.6 per cent), Malay rights and equal treatment among races (3.5 per cent), and infrastructure development (3.1 per cent), among other things.

Maintaining the position of Islam was not cited as a top concern by Negeri Sembilan voters in the survey, while social issues like drugs and crime had the lowest figure at one per cent.

In Selangor, the top concern among the voters of all ethnicities polled was again inflation and cost of living (52.2 per cent), economic growth (5.9 per cent), people’s welfare (6.0 per cent), corruption (5.1 per cent), local government services (3.6 per cent), and employment issues (3.1 per cent).

In Selangor, Malay rights and equal treatment among races was a top concern for 2.5 per cent of the voters surveyed, while maintaining the position of Islam was at 1.1 per cent and social issues at 0.6 per cent.

Merdeka Center interviewed 1,005 voters in Negeri Sembilan (57 per cent Malay, 27 per cent Chinese, 16 per cent Indian) from July 3 to July 14, and 2,966 voters in Selangor (53 per cent Malay, 33 per cent Chinese, 15 per cent Indian) from July 26 to August 11.

"Due to intense interest on the political contestation in Selangor, a more comprehensive rolling survey was implemented there which commenced prior to nomination day and concluded on the eve of election day,” it said.