COMMENT | Polling outfits are telling you that the 15th general election (GE15) will be a close race and that Malaysians are divided in the coming general election. They point to supposed greater public support for Malay dominance, syariah law, and conservative rule.

This sort of analysis misses the point. In fact, it completely misses the reality on the ground.

Malaysia’s GE15 is not about values. It is about vulnerability and the politicians who are capitalising on this vulnerability.

Post-Covid pain

Few appreciate how difficult the current situation is for more ordinary Malaysians compared to other recent elections. The prices of goods are shocking. Diets are changing, as some households just cannot afford to buy meat. For those who do not have their own trees, fruit is now a luxury good.

Housing loan payments are skyrocketing. The increase in the interest rates is really hurting those who are counting every ringgit. More cannot afford to pay their mortgage, least of all find the funds to buy property.

Wages have long stagnated. The political talk that wages will increase next year is just that, talk. The same studies find that the same increases will be negated by inflation.

There are concerns in some sectors of...