Najib’s house arrest fails to sway Melaka voters, affordability remains top concern

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s release from prison to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest did little to sway Melaka voters, whose main concerns remained affordability and the rising cost of living, a political scientist said.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Social Sciences associate professor Dr Azmil Tayeb said voters were more worried about the affordability crisis, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) had not been particularly successful in showcasing its achievements in addressing the issue.

He said the election result reflected voters’ economic concerns more than any political sentiment arising from Najib’s release.