Watching the Johor campaign these past few weeks, I can’t help but feel that Anwar Ibrahim is campaigning like a man who knows this election matters far more than just Johor.
Everywhere you look, he’s there.
Of course, every Prime Minister wants to help his coalition. That’s normal. But when you campaign this hard, people naturally start asking, “Why does it feel so desperate?”
Because if your coalition is confident, you don’t usually need to throw everything you’ve got into one state election.
From what I’ve seen on the ground and across social media, BN looks calm. They aren’t campaigning like they’re chasing votes, they’re campaigning like they’re protecting what they’ve already built.
One person who has surprised me is Onn Hafiz.
Whether you support BN or not, it’s hard to ignore that many Johoreans seem to appreciate what he’s done. Even more interesting is seeing quite a number of Chinese voters openly expressing support for him. That’s not something people would have predicted a few years ago.
When you start seeing support crossing traditional voting lines, you know something is shifting.
I still think BN is in a strong position to retain Johor.
At the same time, don’t underestimate PAS. They have built a loyal grassroots machinery, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they pick up several Malay-majority seats.
And here’s something that may surprise some people.
I actually hope MUDA wins a few seats too.
Not because I agree with everything they stand for, but because every democracy needs fresh voices. Young Malaysians deserve representatives who speak their language and understand their generation. Politics shouldn’t become a game played only by the same old parties forever.
Johor voters have always been practical.
They don’t simply vote because someone gives a fiery ceramah or makes big promises. They look at who can deliver, who shows up, and who earns their trust.
Whatever happens on polling day, one thing is certain.
Johor isn’t just choosing a state government.
It’s sending a message to Putrajaya.
And I think Putrajaya should pay very close attention.
RAJA SARA PETRA
Raja Sara Petra (rajasarapetra@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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