Despite her national recognition, political analysts believe that the former senator may struggle to appeal to rural voters.
In the upcoming Negeri Sembilan elections, political analysts assert that the recruitment of Ras Adiba Radzi as a Bersatu member will not give Perikatan Nasional the winning edge.
Universiti Malaya sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Pawi emphasizes that while Ras Adiba is nationally known as a former newscaster and senator, she lacks recognition among rural communities.
“While she may have served as the (former) Bernama chairman, rural voters are more familiar with local figures,” he shared with FMT. Ras Adiba quietly left the national news agency in March, just over two years after her appointment.
Awang Azman further explains that while it is common for political parties to attract popular figures to gain additional support, rural voters require someone who can relate to their local concerns.
Even if Ras Adiba were to be fielded as a candidate, her impact would be limited due to the existence of other candidates who, although not nationally recognized, have strong followings in their respective states.
Despite joining Bersatu with the aim of helping Perikatan Nasional form state governments, Ras Adiba stated that she is not seeking candidacy herself.
Ras Adiba, who has been wheelchair-bound since a skiing accident, has long been an advocate for the disabled community and was recently honored with an award from Wanita Umno for her efforts.
However, International Islamic University Malaysia lecturer Lau Zhe Wei argues that issues like disability rights and the environment are not significant vote drivers.
“Regardless of the party you join to fight for the disabled community, we need to be realistic and acknowledge that these issues are still not mainstream in Malaysia. Relying on such matters to secure more votes would be unrealistic,” Lau stated.
Lau asserts that local voters are primarily concerned with issues of ethnicity, religion, and the economy.
