Infighting in Pakatan Johor

Therefore, the DAP wishes to gain more seats in Johor, while PAS, currently having two state seats in Johor, wishes to expand its influence and the PKR, having no seat in Johor yet, is anxious to make a breakthrough. They are having their own calculations and a common goal.

By LIM MUN FAH
Translated by Soong Phui Jee
Sin Chew Daily

There are only about 500 days left before the deadline to hold the next general election. All parties have started making preparations and deployments for a life and death war, while factional fights have also gradually surfaced.

Let's start with the BN's Gerakan.

The Gerakan has lost Penang in the 2008 general election but managed to retain a parliamentary and two state seats in Johor. Many might think that the parliamentary and two state seats are not so important since there are so many seats in the parliament, as well as the state assembly. However, to the Gerakan, which is holding only two parliamentary and four state seats nationwide, the seats are indeed as precious as half of its life!

Unfortunately, there is an outbreak of infighting in this critical period. Gerakan central committee member and Pemanis state assemblyman Lau Chin Hoon has demanded Johor Gerakan chairman Datuk Teo Kok Chee's resignation. Lau also challenged Teo for an internal debate.

As for the Pakatan Rakyat, the Johor seat distribution negotiation between the DAP and the PKR has been trapped in a deadlock and they can only leave it to the central leaders. PKR state chairman Datuk Chua Jui Ming accused the DAP of violating the agreement for revealing the negotiation process to the public.

The infighting between Lau and Teo would bring less impacts to the overall situation compared the the inter-party fight between the DAP and the PKR as it a substantial issue affecting the state's development.

Johor is one of the strongest bastion of the BN. In addition to the seats in Sabah and Sarawak, Johor has also contributed much in helping the BN to retain power during the 2008 general election.

The fact is, in addition to the Gerakan, the MCA and the MIC also rely on Johor to survive. For the MCA, seven of its 15 parliamentary and 12 of its 35 state seats are from Johor. Meanwhile, one of the MIC's three parliamentary and four of its seven state seats are also from Johor.

Therefore, the MCA said earlier that Johor is going to be its battlefield in the forthcoming general election while the DAP take Johor as its front-line battlefield. It has even made winning the Johor state power as its ultimate goal.

Statistically, Johor has a total of 56 state seats. The Pakatan Rakyat, which is currently holding only six of the total seats, would need to win at least 23 seats to make state regime change possible.

Objectively speaking, it is almost a mission impossible to have a regime change in Johor. However, it is definitely possible for the alternative coalition to gain more seats in Johor and help the change of central power.

Therefore, the DAP wishes to gain more seats in Johor, while PAS, currently having two state seats in Johor, wishes to expand its influence and the PKR, having no seat in Johor yet, is anxious to make a breakthrough. They are having their own calculations and a common goal.

However, it is a standard taboo to have a chaos even before the war is started. It all depends on how the confronting coalitions settle their respective infighting or they might have to suffer a great defeat in the end.