PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang today urged voters in Umno's southern stronghold Johor not to be left behind as the wave of change sweeps across the Malaysian peninsula.
"We hope the people of Johor will join us in this change and are not left behind," he told more than 500 people at a luncheon in Tokang Pechah, Batu Pahat this afternoon.
Urging the locals to back the Pakatan Rakyat, Hadi drew the analogy of a lizard's tail, telling the locals to help capture Nusajaya, the seat of power in Johor in tandem with the opposition coalition’s march towards the federal capital Putrajaya.
"Don't be like a lizard's tail that becomes severed from the body, it wiggles away and falters," he said, referring to the state administrative centre Nusajaya.
"We hope the people of Johor will join us in this change and are not left behind," he told more than 500 people at a luncheon in Tokang Pechah, Batu Pahat this afternoon.
Urging the locals to back the Pakatan Rakyat, Hadi drew the analogy of a lizard's tail, telling the locals to help capture Nusajaya, the seat of power in Johor in tandem with the opposition coalition’s march towards the federal capital Putrajaya.
"Don't be like a lizard's tail that becomes severed from the body, it wiggles away and falters," he said, referring to the state administrative centre Nusajaya.
Drawing parallels to the recently concluded presidential election in France which saw Nicholas Sarkozy defeated, among others, for allegedly receiving funds from deceased Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Abdul Hadi urged the locals to similarly eject the incumbent.
"In Malaysia, the more goodies they give, the more support they get. But for these westerners who are seen to be more materialistic, they would still choose good governance," he said.
"In Malaysia, the more goodies they give, the more support they get. But for these westerners who are seen to be more materialistic, they would still choose good governance," he said.
Winning Johor 'not impossible'
Speaking at a press conference later, Abdul Hadi insisted that it is possible for Pakatan to capture the birth state of Umno.
"We see this as not impossible, though it is not going to be easy... But even Suharto and Marcos can fall," he said.
He added that the party has completed 95 percent of the seat negotiations with its Pakatan partners and was confident their joint effort will give Umno a run for its money in Johor.
Speaking on the sidelines later, Johor PAS deputy commissioner III Mazlan Aliman said PAS expects to contest 28 to 31 of 56 state seats and eight parliamentary seats in Johor.
"We plan to maintain the status quo in 2008 but we are looking into requests for seat swaps or changes from our partners," he said.
Mazlan added that the final configuration will be announced at a PAS rally in Johor Bharu on June 29 where the party revered spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat will make an appearance.
"The rally will also announce the entry of several respected leaders who were formerly from the public service, the military and even celebrities," he said.
Two-week blitz in Johor
The luncheon today was the first event of the PAS green wave in northern Johor which will conclude with a rally in Ledang tonight.
The all-day blitz, Mazlan said, will continue across the state for the next two weeks - leading to the June 29 rally in Johor Baru - as part of an attempt to loosen the stranglehold of Umno on Johor.
Taking the stage earlier, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim joked that he may need to come in an armoured vehicle, in reference to a series of violent acts that broke out during his earlier visits to the southern state.
"But I feel there is now something new in Johor - it's noon, and yet there are so many people here, braving the hot sun. We wouldn't even get such a crowd in Terengganu," he quipped.
While PAS leaders criss-cross the northern half of Johor today, Anwar is expected to lead PKR's charge in the southern part of the state later tonight, including making a return to Sembrong where hisvehicle was attacked by a pro-Umno mob in February.
"We see this as not impossible, though it is not going to be easy... But even Suharto and Marcos can fall," he said.
He added that the party has completed 95 percent of the seat negotiations with its Pakatan partners and was confident their joint effort will give Umno a run for its money in Johor.
Speaking on the sidelines later, Johor PAS deputy commissioner III Mazlan Aliman said PAS expects to contest 28 to 31 of 56 state seats and eight parliamentary seats in Johor.
"We plan to maintain the status quo in 2008 but we are looking into requests for seat swaps or changes from our partners," he said.
Mazlan added that the final configuration will be announced at a PAS rally in Johor Bharu on June 29 where the party revered spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat will make an appearance.
"The rally will also announce the entry of several respected leaders who were formerly from the public service, the military and even celebrities," he said.
Two-week blitz in Johor
The luncheon today was the first event of the PAS green wave in northern Johor which will conclude with a rally in Ledang tonight.
The all-day blitz, Mazlan said, will continue across the state for the next two weeks - leading to the June 29 rally in Johor Baru - as part of an attempt to loosen the stranglehold of Umno on Johor.
Taking the stage earlier, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim joked that he may need to come in an armoured vehicle, in reference to a series of violent acts that broke out during his earlier visits to the southern state.
"But I feel there is now something new in Johor - it's noon, and yet there are so many people here, braving the hot sun. We wouldn't even get such a crowd in Terengganu," he quipped.
While PAS leaders criss-cross the northern half of Johor today, Anwar is expected to lead PKR's charge in the southern part of the state later tonight, including making a return to Sembrong where hisvehicle was attacked by a pro-Umno mob in February.
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