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THE outcome of the latest Johor state election should serve as a stark reminder to Pakatan Harapan (PH) that voters should not be taken for granted.
Former DAP lawmaker Charles Santiago said that the Johor state polls have delivered a clear political message that the coalition should not dismiss as an isolated setback.
“First, PH no longer enjoys a monopoly over the non-Malay vote. The assumption that non-Malay voters have nowhere else to go has been decisively challenged.
“Second, the voting pattern suggests an important generational shift. Younger non-Malay voters were more willing to support Barisan Nasional and Bersama, while older voters largely remained loyal to Pakatan Harapan. This emerging divide deserves serious reflection,” the former Klang lawmaker said.
Santiago also noted that the long-standing strategy of invoking PAS as the religious bogeyman to consolidate non-Malay support appears to be losing its effectiveness.
“Fear is no longer a sufficient substitute for governance, reform, and delivery,” he said.
The former three-term Klang MP also said rather than blaming the newly founded Bersama party for splitting votes, PH should take accountability for failure to honour key reform commitments for the poor outing in the polls.
“Voters are expressing disappointment with unfulfilled promises, not merely reacting to the presence of another political party,” he said.
According to Santiago, PH should not rely on political rhetoric but return to the reform agenda that brought them to power.
He said that the agenda should begin with concrete actions, including making public the investigation report into former Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki, and demonstrating an uncompromising commitment to institutional accountability.
“Present a credible new socio-economic development deal that addresses the long-standing structural challenges facing the Indian community.
“Also, introduce a comprehensive social protection package for Malaysia’s two million gig workers, providing meaningful living wage, healthcare, and retirement savings,” he added.
Santiago reminded that PH’s window to change course is closing rapidly and warned that it would be ignorant to view Johor as merely a by-election defeat.
It was also a referendum on broken promises. Ignore it, and Negeri Sembilan may become the next chapter in the same story, he said. – July 13, 2026
