PN merely served to split Umno votes, says analyst

 

Muhyiddin Yassin’s intense campaigning was not enough to win over voters in his home state of Johor, who preferred to stick with Umno.

PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional’s role in the Johor polls seems to have been reduced to one of just splitting Umno votes, according to an analyst.

While Barisan Nasional won 40 seats in the 56-seat Johor state assembly, PN – which formerly held power in Putrajaya – was only able to claim three seats, with Pakatan Harapan winning 12 and Muda grabbing one.

“It would appear that PN is like an enlarged version of Pejuang and Warisan, splitting the votes of Umno to a small extent,” said Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

PN’s result was so dismal that its chairman, Muhyiddin Yassin, said he was prepared to resign following the coalition’s poor showing.

Oh suggested that Muhyiddin’s intense campaigning was not enough to win over voters in his home state of Johor, who preferred to stick with Umno.

Muhyiddin got his start in politics after joining Umno in 1971, eventually making his name as the state’s menteri besar from 1986 to 1995 before helming several ministries and going on to become the deputy prime minister, from which he was dismissed in 2015.

“His support in Johor dates mainly back to his Umno days, and these supporters apparently remain loyal to Umno,” he said.

When asked what PN should do in light of its loss in the Johor polls yesterday, Oh said that the coalition will need to “bide their time a bit” before deciding on future plans. - FMT