Malaysian election: Malay fortress Johor falls to Pakatan Harapan as ‘warlords are toppled by kids’
The loss of the third-richest state is a stunning blow for Najib Razak’s ruling Barisan Nasional coalition – experts say it is “ground zero” of a collapse in support nationwide
The “precious jewel” of Malaysia’s electoral landscape, third-richest state Johor, has fallen into opposition hands.
The Pakatan Harapan alliance has won 29 of Johor’s 56 state seats, compared to the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN)’s 16 seats, with 10 more seats yet to be counted.
Long a stronghold for the ruling party and a key front line in the power struggle between Prime Minister Najib Razak and his one-time mentor Mahathir Mohamad, the flipping of Johor comes as a stunning blow to BN but not a surprise to several commentators.
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Independent polling centre Merdeka Centre’s programme director Ibrahim Suffian said that Johor was “a most critical state” for the ruling party.
“They have never lost ever, since Independence. If they lose Johor, which looks increasingly possible, it implies an unprecedented loss of support across the country. It is one of those states considered safe by the ruling party.
“If Barisan loses the state government as well as a substantial number of parliamentary seats, this signals a large trend leading to the end of what we have always thought we knew about Malaysian politics,” he told This Week in Asia.
Ibrahim described the shift as being due to “voter revolt over taxes and unhappiness with the economy”.
“In addition to that, there is also a backlash against some of the government leaders that were in the line-up for the election. Voters are speaking out against problems with governance in the country.”
