Candidates should brace themselves for personal attacks as campaign heightens
The Melaka Polls won't be your typical elections as previous years due to the new norm limiting campaign methods for the candidates.
The candidates must think about other ways to tackle the voters' heart as there will be no rallies, speeches or house-to-house campaigns allowed in compliance to the Health Ministry's standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines.
Social media has become the most relevant way to campaign but comes with a price. Modern technology open doors for the people to launch personal attacks to the candidates.
No candidates have yet to use any dirty campaign tactics against their rivals. However, they still need to face vicious comments from social media users.
Actress and TV host Datuk Zira Abu Zahar, who is competing for the Rim state seat under the Barisan Nasional (BN) flag, is one of those victims.
Another BN candidate for Kesidang the seat, Leong Hui Ying has also received hate from netizens across the web for allegedly unable to speak or understand the Malay language following a video showing her stutter while being interviewed by a journalist. Leong is also the youngest candidate representing the coalition. Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Sungai Rambai seat Farzana Hayani Mohd Nasir has been under scrutiny due to her young age as social media users questioned her capabilities and labelling her as incompetent.
Hate messages has not only been spewed to the new faces but senior political figures as well.
Pas Melaka commissioner Kamarudin Sidek, who is Perikatan Nasional's (PN) candidate for the Duyong seat, was accused of faking Pas-Melaka commissioner, Kamarudin Sidek who is the candidate for Perikatan Nasional (PN) for the chairs in DUN Duyong was accused having a "fake degree" from Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.
Former Chief Melaka Datuk Seri Idris Haron has been under attack on by netizens as they blames him for the state government's downfall.
All candidates needs to brace themselves for the worse as the campaigns heightens.
Nevertheless, the personal attacks and vicious comments will determine the perseverance of these candidates as they are bound to face more hate in the future as they are elected as state leaders.
