JOHOR BARU – Is Pakatan Harapan (PH) a threat to Barisan Nasional (BN) in the upcoming Johor election?
According to state Umno deputy chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, the answer is in the negative, adding that PH is “no more”.
“There’s no more PH, because PKR, DAP and Amanah are not even using the same logo,” Jazlan said in a conversation with The Vibes.
Meanwhile, the former three-term Pulai MP said that all that is left for BN to attack during this campaign period is Perikatan Nasional (PN).
But, even then, he contended, the coalition led by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is not an actual danger to BN, as he believes PN’s political composition may prove to be its downfall in Johor.
PN has PAS with it, and PAS is not popular in Johor.
“PAS is actually an anchor to Bersatu in Johor. Therefore, we want to remind people that PAS is unsuitable for Johor,” Jazlan added.
Already an anchor for Bersatu, yet PAS ‘still wants to practice polygamy’
Regarding claims that there are PAS members in Johor pushing away PN and being friendly towards the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact which features Umno, Nur Jazlan labelled the Islamic party as opportunistic.
“First of all, it is an anchor for Bersatu in PN, and yet it still wants to practice polygamy. It still wants to join Umno after we have regained strength.
These kinds of people are not principled, and they just take advantage (of the situation). This is Bersatu’s partner,” Jazlan quipped.
PN’s failure to lead could repeat in Johor: Nur Jazlan
Further, he noted that PN had the chance to lead a federal administration, but had failed to do so.
Such failures, Jazlan warned, can be seen repeating in Johor.
He pointed at Muhyiddin, whom he had labelled as irresponsible for pulling away from his constituency in Gambir.
There’s no PH, and PN has also failed with Muhyiddin as prime minister.
“Muhyiddin contested two seats – parliamentary and state ones in 2018. Now that he knows the writing is on the wall and he will lose in Gambir, he leaves it behind,” he claimed.
Given that, Jazlan believes the situation in Johor will give BN a victory in the polls scheduled for March 12.
The youth want BN’s ‘good old days without 1MDB’
Even with the influx of youth voters with the implementation of Undi18, Jazlan believes those within the 18 to 21 age bracket will opt for BN.
He added that even Muda has failed to ignite interest in the young electorate, because the youth is still on the fence about the newly registered party.
Many of them are apathetic because they have tried everything already. Young voters want to turn back to the good old days of BN without 1MDB,” Jazlan said.
Electing reps not just about individuals, but choosing parties
Touching on the notion that the Johor election may be more about the candidates as individuals rather than the parties they represent, he said it may be the case only in some constituencies.
Jazlan went on to remind voters that they are also electing parties to become a state government, not just individuals.
“They elected Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2018 and he didn’t have any party backing him, relying heavily on PKR and DAP.
“Although in some places, people will choose personality, they also know they are choosing a party.” – The Vibes, March 3, 2022
