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Johor polls set to be a
general election bellwether...
The Johor state elections next month, coming at a time of inflation, growing unemployment, struggling businesses and a more than year-long second Covid-19 wave, are not what the people want or need. But the elections were forced by Umno, which claimed that a new mandate was necessary because the ruling Barisan Nasional plus Perikatan Nasional government was shaky with only a one-seat majority in the state assembly.
Obviously there is more to it than that. What is clear, and confirmed by party insiders, is that the elections are aimed at further “destroying” Bersatu which had nearly annihilated Umno by luring its MPs with positions and power after the 2018 general election. Umno set off on this vendetta in Melaka last November, deciding on a head-on collision with its federal government partner resulting in PN being left in a debilitated state.
And now Umno is all set to roll over not only Bersatu in Johor but also the opposition parties which are feuding openly. Pakatan Harapan (PH) is busy warding off the punches thrown at it by a couple of newbies in the fray. Umno, with its formidable election machinery obviously has the advantage. Another upside is that the opposition seems to be fragmented.
If this happens, Najib Razak and his so-called “court cluster” members will see their positions in the party strengthened to prepare for the next general election (GE15), whether one likes it or not. Minus the independents in past elections, Johor will see the most crowded election in terms of the number of registered political parties that are contesting. The results could well see some of them starting their decline while others may see their fortunes rising.
With 2.5 million voters eligible to vote including the 750,000-odd Undi18 fresh and young newcomers, Johor could well be a bellwether of the national mood. The Sabah polls in 2020 were carried out in a cautious mood while the Melaka polls saw tough SOPs with the same opposition parties groping in the dark. So they were not the right electorate to gauge the mood of voters.
As for the Sarawak elections, as expected it was a landslide victory for the pro-Perikatan Nasional Gabungan Parti Sarawak which is also a close friend of Umno. But that state is far from national politics, and it cannot be used to gauge voter sentiments in West Malaysia.
With the government relaxing the SOPs in Sarawak to a certain degree compared to Melaka, the voter turnout which was low there is expected to improve in Johor although it is not expected to hit the high of 80% achieved in GE14.
The Undi18 voters are a mystery, really. No one is sure how these young untainted minds who are chiefly dependent on social media for political fodder are going to vote, if ever they decide to cast their ballots. Of course many of them are likely to be influenced by their parents and relatives and that could have a bearing.
Even if 50% of them decide to come out and vote, we will have about 375,000 voters which will make a difference in many seats, especially the marginal ones. Then comes Muda, a party which hopes to make an impact among the youths, especially the Undi18.
Will they opt for the party led by Muda’s Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman or parties which can field notable politicians with vast experience such as Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim, Najib Razak, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Lim Kit Siang, Muhyiddin Yassin and Shafie Apdal among others? Another first in this election is the entry of Parti Bangsa Malaysia.
For the first time since GE14, PKR has decided to use its own logo instead of the PH flag after its disastrous outing in Melaka where the party lost in all its contests. On the other hand, DAP and Amanah will use the PH logo. If this switch succeeds in Johor, it may see a new trend but if it fails, the coalition has to go back to the drawing board.
In all this hustle and bustle, PAS appears to be unusually silent as it licks its wounds caused by Umno’s open “divorce” from its Muafakat Nasional (MN) partner. It had asked the Islamic party to choose between it or Bersatu. It chose to stick with Bersatu and Muhyiddin Yassin who gave them more than their fair share in the Cabinet and other government positions. Caught in a bind, the likely outcome for PAS is that it will becoming insignificant in states other than Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
The Johor elections may see a considerable weakening of PAS’ political influence, especially with the Umno leaders openly saying Malaysia is for all races and religions. Unlike the previous three state elections held since 2018, Johor is going to be a different ball game altogether. Be prepared for a new national political landscape come polling day on March 12. - K.Parkaran
Nur Sajat (above) says she is very comfortable and proud to be a woman.Cosmetics entrepreneur Nur Sajat has legally changed her gender status to female in Australia.
In a post on Instagram live, Nur Sajat, 35, said she felt as if she was “reborn” and was happy because the process of changing her gender status in Australia was easy. “I am very happy that everything is over. I feel comfortable and proud to be a woman. I appreciate that this country understands my situation.
“I can finally be myself and I hope people will accept me for who I am,” she said according to a report by Kosmo. Asked by her followers whether she would change her name, she said she would continue to go by ‘Nur Sajat’. - fmt
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