GE14 | Since Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's foray into politics, he has had to deal with opponents dismissing him simply because of his age.

At just 26, Syed Saddiq will be fielded in Muar as Pakatan Harapan's candidate against Umno incumbent Razali Ibrahim, making him one of the youngest candidates in the 14th general election.

The seat was ceded by PKR to Bersatu, which in the last general election also fielded its youngest candidate Hizwan Ahmad, who was 30 at the time.

Hizwan narrowly lost to Razali by a 1,646-vote majority. Razali's majority has gradually been shrinking in the last three general elections, from 13,415 in 2004 to 4,661 in 2008.

This time around, Harapan, the successor of Pakatan Rakyat, will have another go in Muar with an even younger candidate, but the question of whether Syed Saddiq will be taken seriously has again cropped up.

But it is not an issue that afflicts only Syed Saddiq. Many of his ‘Gen Y’ peers are spoken about with contempt by their elders, because they have supposedly “had it easy” in life.

As evidence of this, some point to comments from Syed Saddiq’s followers on social media, that swoon over his looks.

The issue of maturity has also been used by MPs to oppose lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.

But whether the political establishment likes it or not, an increasing number of Gen Y voters will go to the polls, many for the first time in GE14.

For many young voters, Syed Saddiq is not another old politician that dictates politics should always be serious and talks them down for supposedly being 'immature'.

At a ceramah in Muar recently, 22-year-old fresh graduate Nur Fazila Zaidi (photo) turned up to see Syed Saddiq speak.

She conceded between giggles that she found Syed Saddiq to be "handsome," but that didn't mean she had no understanding of the issues he spoke of.

Nodding in agreement to his speech, Nur Fazila lamented the state of governance in the country.

"The things he (Syed Saddiq) says are true, we need to be united to change how the country is governed, or things will get worse," she said.

Nurul Maizatul Akmar, 32, sees her younger siblings in Syed Saddiq.

People may say that the young generation has it easy, but many are shackled with debt as soon as they come out of university.

Poster boy for change

Syed Saddiq's remarks that youths should not have to suffer if they cannot afford to pay their National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loans resonated with Nurul Maizatul (photo).

"Our country should be able to give free higher education to our younger siblings. What he is fighting for is good for the next generation.”

She added that with his educational background and oratory skills, Syed Saddiq can attract youth voters.

"This includes me. At first, I didn't support the opposition because I'm from a BN family.

"When we see what's going on in the country and wonder about our siblings' (fate), I can see that he can change how things are," she added.

Despite Syed Saddiq’s opponents dismissing him due to his age, older voters at the ceramah were prepared to hear him out.

"(His age) is not a problem, even I can contest," 42-year-old trader Amrina Kamis said with a laugh.

She added that it was his confidence that made him a viable candidate.

Her sister Amira concurred, adding that it was his capabilities that mattered, not his age.

As for Syed Saddiq himself, he wants to be judged for his efforts to be the voice for youths in the country.

"What's important is my commitment to bring back the glory days of our country," he told Malaysiakini.

More than five million youths are expected to vote in GE14, with the Election Commission estimating that they make up about 720,000 or 40 percent of Johor's voters.

Syed Saddiq will be the second young candidate to take on Razali, but he will also likely face a tougher challenge than Hizwan did five years ago.

The recent redelineation exercise could give Razali an edge, as the Chinese-majority opposition stronghold of Bandar Barat has been moved to the neighbouring Bakri parliamentary seat.

With all else being equal, Muar without Bandar Barat could double Razali's vote majority from the last general election.

Whether Bersatu can generate its much touted ‘Malay tsunami’ against BN to defeat the odds remains to be seen.