Bersama a spoiler that helped BN, Pua says after Harapan's drubbing

 

DAP disciplinary committee chief Tony Pua has accused Bersama of splitting the opposition vote in several Johor seats, arguing that the latter's presence in the race effectively helped BN pick up additional seats at Pakatan Harapan's expense.

In a short analysis posted on Facebook, Pua (above) set Perling as the clearest example, where Harapan lost by approximately 1,800 votes while Bersama polled nearly 3,000 - a margin he suggested could have swung the result the other way.

He said Bersama also came close to repeating the feat in Stulang, where Harapan scraped through with a majority of just 600 votes, and that PKR lost Bukit Batu to a Bersama spoiler effect as well.

However, despite winning some votes, Bersama failed to retain its deposit in any of the seats it contested.

"Bersama will only be a spoiler. We lost Perling by approximately 1,800 votes. Bersama got nearly 3,000 votes.

“They nearly succeeded in spoiling Stulang as well, where we eked through with a 600-vote majority. PKR lost Bukit Batu to Bersama spoiler as well.

"A vote for Bersama is effectively a vote to let BN win more seats," the former MP said.

Structural disadvantages

Pua also listed structural disadvantages - including BN's push for early polls and PAS's strategic manoeuvring as factors behind Harapan's disappointing showing.

The former Damansara lawmaker said Harapan had gone into the election bracing for a difficult outcome, noting that Johor is "indisputably Umno's strongest state", a decision he suggested reflected BN's confidence in its home turf advantage.

"PAS decreeing its members to support BN in seats that they have strategically not contesting made the already arduous challenge even more difficult.

"When asked earlier, I had responded that retaining seven of 10 seats would be a good result. We got six, lost two marginally. Not great but credible.

"We survived, just about. But we need to do better. Next up is Negeri Sembilan, where the political landscape is very different. The struggle continues," Pua added.

DAP contested 17 seats in the Johor election and only retained Bentayan, Penggaram, Mengkibol, Senai, Skudai and Stulang.

PKR, which contested the most seats at 20, only won Puteri Wangsa.

Amanah, meanwhile, retained the Simpang Jeram state seat which it won in 2022. - Mkini