After dull start to Penang DAP campaign, Kon Yeow says must work harder to turn things around

July 31, 2023

After dull start to Penang DAP campaign, Kon Yeow says must work harder to turn things around

GEORGE TOWN, July 30 — Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the party must campaign harder in the next 13 days, after the dismal turnout last night for the party’s first ceramah for the state election.

Chow said Pakatan Harapan candidates will also need to put effort into reaching more voters during campaigning.

“Yesterday was only the first day, we have 13 more days of various activities,” he told reporters after attending a tuition centre award ceremony here.

He said the low turnout at the ceramah in Penang Chinese Town Hall last night could also be due to the “new normal” of people preferring to follow such events virtually.

“We have Facebook Live of the ceramah, so maybe the reach is more online,” he said.

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Last night, the party failed to fill the hall and some audience members also started leaving even before the last speaker took to the stage.

In contrast, previous DAP political rallies from were typically known for the packed halls.

Chow drew comparisons of the low turnout to a tuition centre that said it used to have 200 students packed in a class but, after the pandemic, only 3.5 per cent of the students came back for in-person lessons while the rest preferred online classes.

“That’s the new normal,” he said.

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When asked to comment about audience members leaving even while one of the party top leaders was speaking, he said this was also normal.

“As the night grows older, people will leave,” he said.

He said he was always the last speaker and when it was his turn, the hall will be almost half empty or three quarters empty because it was late.

He said all Pakatan Harapan candidates have already started their campaigns to reach out to voters.

“It is more important to have walkabouts so that we can directly reach our target audience,” he said.

Chow, who is also Penang PH chairman, said he attended the opening of the Perai service centre and he was informed that the Perai campaign team had received very good response when they visited the Chai Leng Park market.

“I was in the Bayan Baru market this morning and I’ve received some positive responses,” he said.

He said even though the PH candidates for Pantai Jerejak and Batu Maung were new, most constituents were receptive to them because they recognise the PH logo.

“We have very strong branding and our performance for the past 15 years was good ,” he said.