Politics was never a priority for Aidil Riduan, who runs a road-marking business in Kulai, Johor. Despite being eligible to vote, the 28-year-old has never cast a ballot.

But in June, he signed up to become a candidate for Bersama, a new party launched just over a month earlier by former ministers Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi.

“I am now on my 10th day of campaigning,” Aidil told The Straits Times on July 6 after a walkabout in Bukit Permai, Kulai, where he is contesting.

Aidil’s journey from disengaged non-voter to candidate reflects a broader disconnect in Johor politics. Nearly half of the southern state’s 2.7 million voters are under 40, but only one in four candidates contesting the election is in the same age group – a gap broadly mirrored across the country.

Many young voters say politicians do not fully understand the economic pressures they face, from low wages to changing patterns of work.

Malaysia lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 in late 2021.

Johor’s state election will be held on July 11.

Johor’s economy has strengthened since the 2022 General Election.

Unemployment fell to 2.5 percent in 2025 – higher than the 1.8 percent for Selangor, the most economically developed state in Malaysia, but below the national average of 3 percent – although the figure includes residents who commute to higher-paying jobs in Singapore.

-The Strait Times