Penang PR increased its popular vote by 7.7% for state seats from 58% in 2008 general elections to 65.7% in 2013 general elections. BN received 32% of the popular vote, with the remainder spoilt and independent votes. The swing of 7.7% towards PR is large by normal electoral swings of 3-4%and proves Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wrong that PR failed to get non-Chinese support.
For parliamentary seats PR increased its share by 4% from 63% in the 2008 general elections to 67% in 2013 general elections. BN received around 31% with the remainder spoilt votes.(see table below)
Penang PR % of Popular Vote GE2008 vs GE2013 (State and Parliament)
| Penang PR | % of Popular vote GE2008 | % of Popular vote GE2013 | Increase in % of Popular Vote |
| Parliament | 63.0% | 67.0% | 4.0% |
| State | 58.0% | 65.7% | 7.7% |
Including Spoilt votes
– Decrease in split voting from GE2008 to GE2013 shows that the majority of Penangites support Pakatan at the same rates at the parliament as well as the state levels
Penang PR # of Popular Vote GE2008 vs GE2013 (State and Parliament)
| Penang PR | # of Valid Votes GE2008 | # of Valid Votes GE2013 | Increase in # of Valid Votes |
| Parliament | 341,836 | 492,863 | 151,027 |
| State | 319,757 | 490,798 | 171,041 |
– Increase in # of votes at the state level is larger than the increase in # of votes as parliament. Shows increasing confidence in the capacity of the PR state government in Penang.
The increase in popular vote for PR by 7.7% can only be attributed to increasing support from all communities in Penang, Chinese, Indian and Malays. Even though there was a marked increase in support from Chinese and Indian voters, there was a slight increase in Malay support. Otherwise how could a state with more than 35% Malay voters give a 66-67% popular support for PR for both parliamentary and state seats? As it is impossible to win 100% support from both Indians and Chinese, the marked increase in popular vote and majorities as seen below can only come from slight increase in support from Malay voters.
Penang PR Majority GE2008 vs GE2013 (State and Parliament)
| Penang PR | PR Majority GE2008 | PR Majority GE2013 | Increase in Majority |
| Parliament | 141,733 | 263,004 | 121,271 (+86%) |
| State | 97,418 | 257,552 | 160,134 (+164%) |
PR majorities increased by 86% for Parliamentary seats and a whopping 164% for state seats for this general elections as compared to 2008. The facts show clearly that PR won in Penang as a result of increased support from all 3 communities.
DAP regrets that both UMNO and MCA continues to try to racialise the issue as a Chinese tsunami when it is a Malaysian tsunami coming from all 3 races in Penang. This is a dangerous game of racial fire by BN as we have seen throughout the election campaign that it is Chinese BN supporters form the 1Malaysia groups that were beating up Chinese and Malay BN supporters that were beating up Malays.
Malays and non-Malays are not as stupid as BN thinks to believe this racial line by BN and will reject the politics of racial confrontation of BN and adopt the politics of collaboration of PR. I had said in my swearing-in speech yesterday that PR Penang state government 2.0 would be fair to all regardless of race, religion and political affiliation, including BN supporters.