Parties fielding young candidates a victory for Muda, says Amira

KUALA LUMPUR: Muda president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz tonight described her party’s ability to influence others to field youths in elections as a victory in itself.

Amira said that when Muda was established, it was not formed merely to win elections, but also to change the political landscape.

“We want youths to determine their future. And when the other political parties started fielding more youths in elections, that was because of Muda.

“When these parties replaced their ‘dinosaurs’ with candidates in their 30s or 40s, we saw that as a win for Muda,” she said at a fund-raising event for the Johor state election here this evening.

Present was Parti Sosialis Malaysia deputy chairman S Arutchelvan.

Muda and PSM have formed a political cooperation dubbed the “progressive bloc” for the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections.

Nomination day for the Johor election is June 27, with early voting on July 7 and polling on July 11.

Of the 1,386 candidates who contested in the 15th general election, only 241 were below the age of 40.

A total of 443 or 31.9% of the candidates were between 50 and 59, while 352 candidates were over 60.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who stood in Langkawi, was the oldest candidate at 97, while the youngest was Peggy Chaw, a 23-year old Independent candidate.