‘Johor to remain Umno’s fort’
KUALA LUMPUR: Johor will remain Umno’s stronghold in the upcoming 14th General Election.
While Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was optimistic that the opposition would be able to wrest the state from the ruling coalition, political pundits said that was “quite impossible”.
They said Barisan Nasional had for decades built a strong foundation in the state.
“It will not be easy for the opposition to penetrate the strong presence of Umno supporters there,” Universiti Malaya political analyst Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said.
He said Umno’s machinery in Johor was solid due to the comprehensive groundwork by loyal and reliable grassroots.
Pakatan Harapan’s component party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), which is spearheaded by Dr Mahathir himself, had a lot of work to do in Johor, as the party was considered to be in its “infancy”, Azman said.
“PPBM may win a few seats but even then, it will have to work extra hard. PPBM mostly relies on its popular political personalities, like former Umno leaders (Dr Mahathir, PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and PPBM deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir).
“Umno, on the other hand, will introduce likeable and winnable candidates.”
Dr Mahathir had, during a talk in Tampoi, expressed confidence that Johor would become Pakatan Harapan’s stronghold.
Johor, the birthplace of the largest and oldest Malay-based political party in the country, has, for decades, been Umno’s stronghold.
Universiti Utara Malaysia political expert Dr Azizuddin Sani said Pakatan Harapan might win certain seats, but it would not be able to take over the state government.
Even so, he said, the loose coalition would need to score swing votes of a 10 per cent from the Malays, not just from the nonMalays.