MUHYIDDIN Yassin has a perfect record – winning every electoral contest in northern Johor since 1978.

Over a span of 40 years, he has won two state seats and seven parliamentary contests in Pagoh. But, that was when he had the backing of the powerful Barisan Nasional machinery, and a network of influential village and community chiefs to tap into.

In the 14th general election, the former deputy prime minister finds himself in unfamiliar territory in Pagoh. ‎There is no phalanx of officials from government agencies, such as Biro Tatanegara, campaigning for him, no limitless funds and no convoy of vehicles to ferry voters.

This time, Muhyiddin has to depend on Bersatu members, a handful of loyal supporters and volunteers like Norlia Ishak, an ardent supporter of the Reformasi movement in 1999.

The 52-year-old cooks for party workers at the Bersatu election centre in Pagoh‎.

So, is Muhyiddin at a disadvantage without a well-oiled election machine? Probably.

Does this mean he has little hope of emerging victorious on May 9? No.

The combination of factors that have driven down his winning majority over the years could help him this time around.

Over the years, Pagoh has changed, from a cluster of farming villages and Felda settlements to a university town (University Pagoh) in northern Johor. It is no longer an area disconnected from the rest of the country.

There is a direct exit point from the North-South Expressway, and it will soon house a station for the high-speed rail linking Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. It has even attracted the likes of mega developers, such as Sime Darby.

“When I first bought my house here 10 years ago, it was only RM120,000. The house value has tripled,” said Amin Mohd Ali, who runs a sundry shop in Pagoh Jaya.

He said house rentals have also more than doubled, from RM400 to RM900, due to the influx of students.

While there are still several Felda settlements in Pagoh, the nature of the constituency has changed.

This change was reflected in Muhyiddin’s electoral results when he was still in BN. In 2004, he had 83% of the votes. But then, his share dropped to 71% and 66% in 2008 and 2013, respectively.

“Since 2008, voters have reduced their support for BN here because the flow of information has improved and we are affected by urban issues, such as the cost of living and the goods and services tax,” said K.M. Wong, who runs a sundry shop in Pagoh’s main town.

Being connected to the rest of Malaysia also means being influenced by the issues raised on the national stage, such as the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal and endemic corruption.

Bersatu, led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been at the forefront of the campaign to highlight BN’s excesses, and Muhyiddin, by virtue of being the party No. 2, is gaining traction among non-Malay voters in Pagoh.

Tee, a hardware store owner in Gambir, said in the last few years, Chinese voters have not backed Muhyiddin because he represented BN.

“But now that he’s in Pakatan Harapan, the Chinese are going to support him,” said the 40-year-old.

Tee’s optimism was reflected by the enthusiastic support Muhyiddin received from Chinese voters at the row of pre-Merdeka double-storey wooden shoplots in Gambir. The voters, who knew he was visiting on Sunday, waited eagerly for him, and overwhelmed the 70-year-old with requests for photos and autographs.

So, while Muhyiddin has lost a well-oiled election machinery backed by government agencies, he has found a new kind of support that he has never witnessed before.

Be it Norlia, or the Chinese who lined up as PACA volunteers outside his office in Pagoh, Muhyiddin will take on the BN machinery with some measure of confidence. – May 4, 2018.