Najib campaigning like he's Johor MB - Chin Tong

 

JOHOR POLLS | Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong said his party welcomed ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to campaign as if he was the Johor menteri besar candidate on a daily basis.

This was after Najib, who has been convicted of corruption, made a number of high-profile campaign appearances in Chinese areas where he appeared to be well-received, prompting his supporters to claim that the community was abandoning DAP.

"The way he campaigns is as if (he is) the menteri besar candidate. If I was (incumbent Johor menteri besar) Hasni Mohammad, I will be very angry.

"He (Najib) can't offer anything. He is offering Malaysians to turn back the clock as if it was before 2018 when Malaysia was a 'perfect place'.

"So, we welcome Najib and he should come here every day, Perling welcomes him," Liew told a press conference in the state constituency.

Liew, who is contesting in Perling, has been insistent that BN promoting a leader accused of grand corruption will backfire although Najib's proponents believe otherwise.

Among Najib's proponents include Johor Umno deputy chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who had also attacked DAP leaders for constantly changing constituencies.

Liew described Nur Jazlan as a "friend" whom he didn't want to "say bad things about".

He stressed that when DAP leaders switched seats, they move to dangerous areas to open a new political front.

"As a political leader, it is about service but also leadership - we are here to lead southern Johor into the future," he told the press conference at his election operations centre.

Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong

‘Not a straightforward election’

Liew acknowledged that Pakatan Harapan faced an uphill battle in Johor, citing many unknown factors in the election.

This was in part due to the fragmented political environment and a surge of new voters from the new automatic voter registration system.

"It's certainly difficult for Harapan... but it is also difficult for BN and PN (Perikatan Nasional) because, after 2018, voters know that they do not need to fear politicians anymore.

'Before, there was a segment of voters who fear the then BN government but today fear is no longer a factor and there are sizeable (amount of) voters who have never voted before," he said.

Liew cited his walkabout where he met voters who had never bothered to register in the past but will now vote because they have been automatically registered under the new system.

"We are facing many unknowns. It's not a straightforward election," he said.

Election manifesto

Liew also unveiled his manifesto for Perling, which include advocacy for the safe reopening of the Johor-Singapore border.

He also pledged to push for better job opportunities and a business ecosystem in Perling as well as to collaborate with local authorities to address public transport and housing issues.

He also acknowledged that Perling needed better urban planning, flood mitigation, and environmental management.

He said Johor had specific needs and these needs may not be met if the state government is subservient to Putrajaya.

While Liew launched his constituency-specific manifesto, Harapan has yet to have a firm date on the announcement of the coalition's manifesto.

However, Liew promised an announcement will be made "very soon" but added that it was unlikely to be called a manifesto.

Liew has been tasked to defend DAP's hold on the Perling state seat under the Harapan banner. He faces PN's Khoo Siaw Lee and BN's Tan Hiang Kee.

In the last general election, DAP won the mixed seat with a 19,533-vote majority.

The constituency comprised 44 percent Malays, 44 percent Chinese, and 11 percent Indians.- Mkini