GEORGE TOWN, July 30 — The low visitor turnout at the Pakatan Harapan (PH) political talk at the Penang Chinese Town Hall yesterday was not due to lack of support but because more preferred watching it online.
Penang PH chairman Chow Kon Yeow said that the political talk was broadcast live online on social media channels.
“This is the new norm, so they switched methods of listening to the talk, online… we have Facebook Live, so the reach there is much bigger compared to physical.
“But we need to put in the effort, physical we also need to reach a wide target, yesterday was just the first day, and we have 13 more days with various forms of more important activities, such as walkabouts,” he told reporters here in response to viral photos depicting the many empty seats during the PH talk, while the Penang DAP Facebook page revealed that the talk was watched by 16,700 people online.
Chow, who is contesting the Padang Kota seat, refuted allegations that those who attended the talk left the hall when a DAP leader spoke in protest, stating that visitors had left as it was getting late.
Chow said the public response to campaigning was good based on feedback and observations.
“I attended the Perai service centre opening just now and was informed that during a candidate walkabout in Taman Chai Leng market, the response was very good and I also was warmly received in Bayan Baru just now, but we can’t be over confident,” he added.
