WITH just four days left before polling day for GE14, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan in Johor are both ramping up their efforts to reach voters in the northern and central regions.

Ceramah organised by PH have been attracting thousands in the northern towns of Segamat, Labis, Bakri, Muar and Ledang.

In the central region, the bigger ceramah have revolved around the Ayer Hitam seat where DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong is taking on MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong.

BN has also held large-scale events in Yong Peng and surrounding towns, attracting more multiracial crowds compared with the largely Chinese crowds at PH events.

In the north, Pagoh, Bakri, Labis, Muar and Ledang candidates hold nightly ceramah in the Felda and Parit areas.

On Thursday night, DAP’s Bakri candidate Yeo Bee Yin attracted close to 800 for her ceramah, while Bersatu’s Pagoh incumbent Muhyiddin Yassin and Muar candidate Syed Saddiq had around 150 people in the most remote part of Parit Nawi two nights earlier.

Among the visiting PH speakers who have hit Johor include incumbent Puchong and Damansara lawmakers Gobind Singh Deo and Tony Pua, and Selangor exco V. Ganabatirau.

Also hitting the campaign trail yesterday was caretaker Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng. But apart from Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, there were no notable speakers from PKR in Johor.

BN has also stepped up its presence with Muar incumbent Razali Ibrahim holding three rallies each night starting Wednesday.

BN’s guest speakers have so far included former PKR leader Lokman Adam and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) CEO Arul Kanda, who spoke in Sri Gading two nights ago.

Interestingly, the southern region has been quiet, with only the caretaker Johor menteri besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin doing most of the campaigning for BN.

The campaigns in the south have also mostly been held in Johor Bahru and Iskandar Puteri, leaving Tanjong Piai, Pulai and Pontian largely quiet.

Many of the central region’s candidates have now turned to Facebook Live to broadcast their events. Most of the events and press conferences in the central region are now also live streamed on FB.

Both sides have also stepped up their advertising and social media presence. While it’s hard to find any poster and flag for both sides in downtown Muar, Razali’s digital posters appear when you use Google search in Muar.

What is missing in Johor this time is PAS. Other than some billboards, flags and posters of its candidates, there are hardly any ceramah by the Islamist party. – May 5, 2018.