JOHOR BARU – Touted by many as a testbed of their influence among young voters, coupled with its diverse demographic, results from Saturday’s Johor election is proving to be an interesting barometer of voters’ sentiments for local parties.
Bogged down by strict standard operating procedures, election machineries have found creative ways to get their messages across to potential voters during the two-week campaign period.
These include questionable perks like replacing campaign attendees’ motorcycle engine oil, to offering free petrol, and some unorthodox methods such as giving speeches under the rain on the back of a moving pickup truck and taking part in race-car drifting challenges.
The split between urban and suburb dwellers also made campaigning not as straightforward, with both demographics having differing expectations from their elected representatives.
With every peninsula-based party contesting, and even Sabah’s Parti Warisan not wanting to miss out, voters in Johor will have a plethora of candidates to choose from, possibly a harbinger to how parties could line up at an impending general election.
Ultimately, the race in Johor remains wide open with sentiments among locals split, even up to days before polling and politicking largely under control without major controversies.
Voters and candidates both cried and promised for infrastructural development, economic prosperity, and high-paying jobs, but these have been their demands and promises for decades.
Only time will tell if those elected on Saturday will remain true to their word in putting the people first.
Either coalition or party has to secure at least 29 seats in the legislative assembly to gain a simple majority to form the new government, and at least 38 seats to secure a two-third majority.
A total of 56 seats are being contested.
Youth empowerment
Following the Undi18 initiative, which was voted through with bipartisan support in Parliament in 2019, youths aged 18 to 21 will be creating history when they vote in Saturday’s polls.
For Johor, this means around 750,000 new voters have been added to the electoral roll, with youth-based party Muda eager to capitalise on the new voters.
Despite being aligned with opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH), Muda has had their share of roadblocks when deciding to contest in Johor, in particular their clash with PKR in the Larkin seat.
Both parties have since downplayed notions of cracks among opposition parties despite the clash, instead stressing how they both plan to campaign against mutual enemy Barisan Nasional (BN).
The new party, according to Central Executive Committee member and co-founder Lim Wei Jiet, is also out to prove their worth and gain trust as a reputable entity among fellow opposition parties and one able to command support.
Interestingly, the youngest candidate for the Johor polls is not from Muda, but rather from BN and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s party, Pejuang.
BN component party MCA’s Mengkibol candidate Kelly Chye Pei Yee and Pejuang’s Tangkak candidate Muhammad Airel Zabrihin, both 26, are the youngest candidates in the Johor polls.
Muda’s youngest candidates, meanwhile, are a year older; namely party secretary-general Amira Aisya contesting in Puteri Wangsa, and Muhamad Fikri Musa for the Parit Raja seat.
Pakatan largely ignored by BN, Perikatan campaigns
Over the campaign period, BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has accused Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of scheming to weaken Umno.
In response, Muhyiddin claimed Zahid had made requests to dismiss his criminal charges when he was the prime minister in an attempt to discredit the Umno chief.
While this back and forth between BN and PN continues, what seems to be nearly non-existent from their campaigns are attacks against PH.
This was confirmed by Johor Umno chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who told The Vibes previously that there is no reason to attack PH because the coalition is “no more”.
Najib still a force; PKR out to make inroads into Umno fortresses; Dr Mahathir still influential
Consistent with responses garnered during the Melaka polls, convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is still managing to pull in the crowd despite not having any leadership position.
It appears whenever Najib heads down the campaign trail in the southern state, the Pekan MP seems successful in drawing in crowds even from the Chinese community who were thought to be pro-opposition.
His presence was recently affirmed by Umno president Zahid, who said Najib’s “Bossku” aura still strongly reverberates among the people.
Also making grounds were opposition party PKR, who expressed their confidence in making inroads in constituencies and Felda settlements previously seen as Umno’s fortresses.
Encouraging responses from locals towards opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was evident during several campaigns held within the plantations, with the PKR president himself expressing confidence over the response received.
Also down on the campaign trail is nonagenarian Dr Mahathir stumping for Pejuang, just weeks after being discharged from the National Heart Institute, who also decided to kick off his tour with a visit to the Felda settlements in Ayer Hitam in central Johor.
Several people who attended Dr Mahathir’s packed programs had admitted to travelling more than an hour just to witness the former prime minister in the flesh.
What also raised eyebrows was the presence of property tycoon Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew who stumped alongside Dr Mahathir in several campaign programs, where he urged members of the Chinese community to vote in candidates from Pejuang.
The party later confirmed that Lee had no ties with Pejuang and was merely displaying moral support for an old friend.
However, Lee has yet to be seen stumping alongside daughter and Muda’s CEC member, Dian.
Covid-19 positive
As the new Omicron variant rages through the country, Johor is not spared with at least six election candidates testing positive for Covid-19 over the course of campaigning.
They include DAP’s Skudai, Jementah, and Pekan Nanas candidates Marina Ibrahim, Ng Kor Sim and Yeo Tung Siong, alongside party PKR’s Gambir hopeful Naim Jusri and Bukit Batu candidate Arthur Chiong Sen Sern.
BN’s Penggaram hopeful Ter Hwa Kwong is also among those who tested positive.
With mandatory quarantine for those testing positive, these candidates have instead vowed to keep on campaigning through social media.
Even members of the press were not spared with at least eight individuals from separate news agencies testing positive for Covid-19, resulting in most ending up missing a large chunk of campaign period coverage.
Early voting took place on Tuesday, with polling set for Saturday March 12, with approximately 2.59 million people eligible to cast their votes. — The Vibes, March 11, 2022
Additional reporting by Emmanuel Santa Maria Chin
