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SHAH ALAM - Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) decision to contest in Johor despite wanting Barisan Nasional (BN) to retain power was aimed at attracting undecided voters and preventing anti-BN supporters from shifting their support elsewhere.
Speaking to Sinar Daily ahead of Negeri Sembilan’s state election Nomination Day, Parti Wawasan Negara president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said PN’s strategy in Johor differed from its approach in Negeri Sembilan due to the different objectives in both states.
He explained that Johor was already under BN’s administration and PN’s focus there was not necessarily to take over the state government.
“In Johor, BN is already the ruling party and based on the remarks by Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, it symbolises that giving BN a victory there is also something PN wants.
“The strategy, however, is to attract voters who are undecided or unwilling to support BN. Once these voters are drawn in, the more committed supporters will remain with their preferred choice.
“PN does not want voters who reject BN to shift their support elsewhere, which is why the approach in Johor differs from Negeri Sembilan,” he mentioned.
Hamzah said the situation in Negeri Sembilan differs from Johor as PN’s objective is to challenge the PH-led state government and form a new administration.
Unlike Johor, where BN is already in power, PN believes that a shared objective among all parties within the coalition can help it achieve a significant victory in Negeri Sembilan.
He added that the focus should be placed on PN as a coalition rather than individual component parties, including Pas.
“The focus should not be placed on any single party within PN, such as Pas or other component parties, but rather on how the coalition as a whole approaches the state election.
“This time, there is stronger confidence within PN to secure victory, particularly through strategic candidate placements and seat arrangements where BN does not contest in certain areas and PN also avoids contesting seats where BN is competing.
“The response on social media over the past few days suggests that many people have been waiting for such an approach,” he said.
Hamzah said voter support for PN’s leadership in the Negeri Sembilan state election could create momentum beyond the state polls and potentially strengthen the coalition’s position ahead of the next General Election (GE).
He added that if the people of Negeri Sembilan unite behind PN’s vision, it could pave the way for a stronger electoral outcome.
The state election is expected to attract close attention following the formation of electoral understandings between BN and PN, with analysts suggesting that the arrangement could reshape the state’s political landscape by reducing vote splitting, particularly in Malay-majority constituencies.
