OPPOSITION parties must return to the negotiating table and work out an understanding to face Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming general election if they want to emerge victorious, political pundits said. 

They said even if they don’t enter into a coalition, they could work out an electoral pact that would help ensure the opposition votes were not split. 

They noted how the Pakatan Harapan (PH) pact with Muda had seen it win a seat in Puteri Wangsa.

The opposition’s biggest takeaway from the Johor elections, observers said, was that the defeat was due to their discord and failure to ensure a straight fight against BN. 

BN won 40 out of the 56 seats in Johor, PH with only DAP and Amanah won 11, while PKR, which used its own logo, won one.

Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) won three seats, with the former prime minister calling themselves “underdogs”. Youth-based party Muda, an ally of PH, won one seat. 

None of the other new parties, including Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pejuang and PKR splinter Parti Bangsa Malaysia, won any seats. All their candidates lost their deposits. 

There are 2.59 million voters registered, including 18-year-olds and new voters under the automatic voter registration system in the state elections. 

Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar believed that there is no other way for PH, PN and the likes of Pejuang, Warisan and Muda to beat BN if they fail to reach an understanding.

He said although it is impossible for PH and PN to be under one coalition, the two biggest opposition groups can at least agree to unite under an electoral pact and avoid contesting against each other. 

“We at Ilham Centre have outlined that if there is no straight fight (between the opposition and BN), BN is going to win. 

“The opposition is currently not united. It is impossible for the bloc to be in one coalition but they can agree on a pact like how Muda did with Amanah and DAP. 

“There needs to be a line for example, in a Malay-majority seat they can let Bersatu or PAS contest there, in a mixed seat they can let PKR, Warisan and Amanah while in Chinese-majority seats, DAP and Gerakan can contest. 

“But a discussion with all opposition parties is needed and if they fail to negotiate, we will see another Malacca and Johor happening again,” said Hisommudin.

Muda contested for the first time in the Johor polls and won in Puteri Wangsa – a DAP seat – following an agreement with DAP and Amanah.

However Muda fought against PKR, BN, PN and Pejuang in Larkin. 

Following the defeat, Anwar Ibrahim said yesterday that the opposition must regroup to face the general election. 

“Congratulations to BN for the win. PKR accepts the decision of Johor folk. 

“This defeat should serve as a reminder for all parties to shore up their strength again to face the general election.”

Mohamad Sabu echoed Anwar’s sentiment saying if there is anything to be learnt from the opposition’s crushing defeat in yesterday’s Johor elections, is that it needs to unite, or lose the next general election. 

“To me, the results show that BN has not grown in strength, but instead benefitted from clear divisions among the opposition,” he said in a statement on his Facebook. 

The Kota Raja lawmaker said in terms of ballots cast throughout the state, non-BN parties had collectively taken nearly 200,000 more votes than BN. 

“With those 200,000 votes, if divided evenly across 56 constituencies, opposition parties could overcome BN with a nearly 4,000-vote majority. 

“This is a lesson for us all on how we should close ranks and strategise together to confront the looming 15th general election,” he said. 

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng too acknowledged the opposition’s weakness and must work on presenting a united front to voters. 

“DAP and PH must correct our weaknesses, especially in communicating to the public a united opposition to BN under PH’s ‘Big Tent’ approach,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Reach an agreement

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia academic Dr Mazlan Ali called for the opposition to reach a consensus or face Umno retaining its hegemony again.

He concurred that BN may not have won the Johor polls had the opposition agreed to collaborate. 

“It is good that the opposition lost. They can use this to reflect on what went wrong. We also know that parties such as Pejuang, Parti Bangsa Malaysia, Putra and Warisan have no future and they are only splitting the votes further. 

“PH and PN must find a common goal. Or else, Umno hegemony will return and if the hegemony returns, we will see rampant corruption and abuse of power once again but, having said that, we will also see stability,” said Mazlan.

In the 2018 general election, BN won only 19 seats in Johor and PH formed the state government for the first time. 

However, since then BN has now taken back Bekok, Serom, Bukit Naning, Yong Peng, Paloh, Pulai Sebatang and Pekan Nanas.

BN also reclaimed Pemanis, Tenang, Bukit Pasir, Gambir, Larkin and Bukit Permai from PN.

Not impossible for opposition to unite

Veteran political observer Sayuti Omar said nothing is impossible in politics.

However, he added that political leaders must drop their egos to achieve an understanding. 

“They need to forgo their egos, whatever happened in the past should be forgotten if not BN may win two-thirds majority in the general election. 

“Leaders must have a big heart to sit down and negotiate and ensure a straight fight. This can happen because in politics nothing is impossible, just like in GE14 when opposition parties accepted Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Bersatu,” said Sayuti. – March 14, 2022.