BARISAN Nasional (BN) is taking proactive steps to ensure that its supporters vote for Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates in the two by-elections in Johor on September 9, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said the measures included explaining to Umno members the need to support PH based on BN-PH cooperation and teaching older members to select candidates using the PH symbol.

The explanation sessions began on the eve of nominations, and Johor Umno chief Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi would be taking follow-up actions to ensure members were properly briefed, he said.

“I am confident of the help from divisional leadership throughout Johor to clarify this matter (need to vote for PH). Voters should not be confused, and the Johor Menteri Besar said practice sessions have been held to teach hardcore BN voters to pick PH. 

“This has been done at the polling district centre and locality level since yesterday,” he told a press conference after launching the Risda palm oil mill biogas project at the Ulu Keratong biogas plant in Rompin today.

Zahid said this when asked what measures BN was taking to ensure its supporters especially senior citizens would know they should vote for PH and not be confused by the absence of the scale symbol from ballot papers.

The Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections were triggered by the death of Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

PH has fielded Suhaizan Kaiat in Pulai and Nazri Abdul Rahman in Simpang Jeram, and they are involved in three-cornered fights with Perikatan Nasional and independent candidates.

Zahid also said BN was stepping up its use of social media in the election campaign as during the general election last year and the recent six state elections showed that they were lagging behind in this area of psychological warfare.

He said campaigning through social media had proven to be effective in the battle for the hearts and minds of voters in recent times.

Asked about the possibility of 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues being played up in the by-elections, Zahid said he was optimistic that Johor voters would not be influenced by such tactics.

“Johor people are different, and I see that they actually reject ‘narrow’ issues raised in the six state elections,” said the Umno president. – Bernama, August 27, 2023.