Former Umno supreme councillor says Barisan Nasional will continue ruling the state after GE14 despite claims by the opposition of eroding support.
Syed Hamid says Johoreans practise mature politics and will not be affected by the opposition’s propaganda. (Twitter pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno minister Syed Hamid Albar has dismissed claims that Barisan Nasional (BN) is struggling to maintain support among voters in Johor and has brushed if off as nothing more than psychological warfare by the opposition.
He said he was convinced BN would continue ruling over the state in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14).
“The BN’s standing in Johor is not threatened as has been so proclaimed through psychological warfare,” said the former Umno supreme councillor, who was MP for Kota Tinggi in Johor from 1990 to 2013.
“Johoreans practise mature politics and, God willing, they will not be affected (by the propaganda),” he told reporters at an event in Universiti Malaya here today.
The electoral battle in Johor, traditionally known as an Umno fortress, has drawn much attention in the wake of aggressive campaigning there by Pakatan Harapan (PH), including PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin, who is a former Johor menteri besar and now, MP for Pagoh.
Muhyiddin, a former deputy prime minister, was reported as saying that a “Malay tsunami” in favour of PH would take place in the state as Malays had lost confidence in Umno.
Syed Hamid also said the #UndiRosak social media campaign to encourage people to spoil their ballots or abstain from voting was regrettable as it provoked voters to “throw away” the power to vote which was in their hands.
“Do not throw away your power. Utilise it fully so that you can fulfil the trust and responsibility given to you as a citizen,” he said.
He said it was disappointing that the campaign was misleading the younger generation into disregarding their right to vote.
He said they should remember that they would inherit the country’s conditions in the future.
“This (GE14) is for the future of our youths. They should use the opportunity well,” he said.
The campaign was initiated in January after PH announced that PPBM chairman and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would be its prime ministerial candidate in the event the pact won GE14.
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Sumber Syed Hamid: Support for BN in Johor unaffected by ‘psychological warfare’