PETALING JAYA: It turns out that the cliche that every vote counts has rung true in some elections in the past.
In the 11th General Election (GE11) in 2004, PAS candidate Hassan Mohamad defeated Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Wan Mohd Zain Wan Mohd Amin by a razor thin majority of just two votes to win the Kemuning seat in Kelantan.
Similarly, in GE14 in 2018, PAS candidate Maliaman Kassim defeated Barisan’s Ghazali Taib for the Ajil seat in Terengganu by just four votes.
In 1999, for GE10, Mohd Jafri Abdul Rashid of PKR won the Chini seat in Pahang with a five-vote majority.
And in the 2020 Sabah state polls, Warisan’s Rina Jainal beat Barisan’s Chaya Sulaiman for the Kukusan seat by just 10 votes.
Data scientist Thevesh Thevanathan, who compiled the data, said the 10 closest elections in Malaysian history have all been for state seats – the closest was won by just two votes.
“Imagine the regret if you choose not to vote,” he said.
Political pundit Dr Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar, from the International Islamic University Malaysia, said that a majority of over 50% is not necessary to win a seat.
Every vote counts has become a cliche because it’s true.
“There are at least 10 examples from past elections. The margin can be as small as only two votes. Especially in our first-past-the-post system where the winner just needs to have more votes than the opponent,” he said.
“That explains why contestants in our elections try to mobilise voters to cast their votes. One vote can indeed make a difference.
“Even in a multi-member, proportional representation system, every vote counts for candidates to have a chance of winning in the elections,” he added.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
