JOHOR BAHRU - Perikatan Nasional (PN) is confident that the wave of support for the party's victory in the recent state elections will provide a major impact in Johor.
PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the impact of the wave would lead to the success of the Pulai Parliamentary by-election and the Simpang Jeram state by- election on Sept 9.
He said the PN wave would break through Johor which was Umno’s birthplace.
"In the nation’s current political situation, the elections in the two areas will have a significant impact. The by-election would be held after the state elections that saw PN win 146 seats which is about 60 percent.
"The two areas which are the Pulai Parliament and the Simpang Jeram state seat will witness the PN wave as how it took over in the state elections in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah,” he said.
Muhyiddin was speaking at a press conference during the PN Candidate Nomination Ceremony for the Pulai Parliamentary by-election and the Simpang Jeram state by-election in Kempas on Wednesday.
Also present were Gerakan president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau who is the PN deputy chairman, PN Information chief Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Johor Pas Commissioner Abdullah Hussin and Johor PN chairman Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal.
The ceremony had Muhyiddin announcing Zulkifli Jaafar as the Pulai Parliament PN candidate and Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya as the Simpang Jeram state seat candidate.
Muhyiddin who was is also the Bersatu president reminded PN machineries to raise their efforts to convince over 90 per cent of the Malay voters to come out and vote to ensure the coalition is victorious in both seats.
"The Pulai Parliament which was a greyed-out area can now be changed to white and we have a high chance of winning.
"We have gone through many elections and it is possible despite previous analysis that the area is a grey area. If we can gain 90 per cent of the Malay voters, we are confident of winning,” he said.
The recent state elections maintained the status quo when Pakatan Harapan (PH)-BN maintained governing Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan while PN remained governing Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
However, the victory was said to side with PN as they breached the PH-BN strongholds while reducing the unity majority in the three states led by PH and BN including ending the two-third majority of PH in Selangor successfully setting foot in Negeri Sembilan.
The elections in Pulai Parliament and Simpang Jeram state must be held following the unexpected death of its Incumbent who was the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.