By Kurniawati Kamarudin

Female voters may well be holding the trump card in the 13th General Election (GE13), as they make up almost half of the 13.3 million eligible voters in the country.

Women have an important role to play with their votes contributing significantly to the total vote count, especially in Penang and Kelantan where they represent more than 50 percent of the voters.

However, do women really have the upper hand in deciding GE13's outcome when they are often considered as being highly emotional and not well versed in politics?

Whether one is aware or not, women display better sense of judgment and more often think rationally than men. Their sensitivity and empathy enables them to evaluate the facts better.

Though men may be more open in thinking and quick in changing their minds, women are more careful and focused.

These are the women's defining attributes and that is why parties contesting in GE13 will not ignore the 'women power' in GE13, says Malaysian Councillor Authority President Assoc Prof Dr Mohamed Fadzil Che Din.

WOMEN'S SIGNIFICANCE IN ELECTIONS

So how are the political parties and their candidates going to win over women?

Hitherto, the contesting parties have been approaching women beyond ensuring their attendance at the election campaigns.

Though more women are coming out to listen to the election campaigns, many more are comfortable within their own spaces, observing and evaluating the developments quietly behind the scene.

Campaigns that take on a personal approach are the ones that can really reach out to women effectively, including home visits or meeting them at locations where they frequent - markets or association activities.

Mohamed Fadzil says in reaching out to women, all contesting parties should go to the ground to put forth their points to the women.

Their points should cover matters relating to the family's well-being, public order, children's education, women's and worker's rights, social issues including home economy which is very relevant to them.

"It is much easier for them to digest these information and make their stand and once they are convinced they will pass the message within their brethren," he says.

Therefore, if there are female fence sitters still not sure on which side to vote, the best person to help them decide are their fellow womenfolk.

"Moreover women do not like aggressive approach. Therefore campaigners or campaign machinery made up of women will be more effective in enticing the womenfolk," he said.

IMPORTANT POINTERS DURING CAMPAIGN

Though various approaches are used to conduct campaigns including the new and the social media to woo voters, yet when speaking of women the conventional approach will prove to be more effective.

This way, campaigners can also meet working women face to face during weekends.

Through casual meetings, campaigners can relate the message and convince women and this is an effective way to get into the women's heart.

Meanwhile, a communication expert Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Muati Ahmad, notes that the effectiveness of the house-to-house campaigns very much depends on the campaigner's approach and the communication skills involved.

This includes the way one speaks, the body language and most importantly, one should never forget the courtesy involved when visiting homes.

Campaigners have to trained with these skills especially the youngsters.

"Many youngsters fail to understand of the courtesy involved when campaigning from house to house. When people ignore them, they get angry, disappointed," said the deputy dean of Universiti Putra Malaysia's Communication Department.

THE CAMPAIGNER'S INFLUENCE

Every action of the campaigners going out to solicit votes has strong influence on the voters as they are the one who represent the party and the candidate's image.

Abdul Muati pointed out that among the things that one should never forget is to introduce themselves with a handshake, and inform people on the purpose of coming there instead of just gate crashing into someone's house.

"They must choose the appropriate time. Avoid noon, as most housewives will be busy preparing lunch for their husband and children. There are many other things to be taken into consideration as well," he says.

At the beginning of a conversation, ask how are they doing to set the tone for the interaction before moving into the campaign and the political ideology.

Those campaigning at the homes of the supporters of the opposing party, have to be more tactful in their work to avoid conflicts and to ensure their target is achieved, he says.

"Courtesy is paramount. If the dwellers in the house prefer the opposing party, ask them why politely, and only then continue with your party's struggle and what your party has to offer than the opposing party.

"This is where the skills to coax and persuade come into play," he says.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Abdul Muati reminds campaigners that the house to house campaigns should not be long so as to not distract the household routine.

Most importantly, campaigners should not look down on women, with many of the women, nowadays, being highly educated and well versed on their rights as voters.

And the testimony to this is the fact that women are the earliest to make their way to the polling stations to exercise their rights.