No pact with PAS, but we share a common foe, says Nur Jazlan

JOHOR BAHRU: An Umno leader has welcomed PAS’s call for its supporters to back Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in seats not contested by Perikatan Nasional (PN) but maintains there is no formal pact between the two coalitions for the July 11 state polls.

Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed said PAS’s support simply stemmed from them having a common enemy in the state election: Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“We have been accused of having a formal agreement, a structured relationship with PAS for this state election. But I can tell you it’s simply a matter of having a common enemy.

“PAS doesn’t like PH. For BN also, in Johor, we don’t like PH either.

“At the federal level, it’s something else,” the Dewan Negara deputy president told FMT.

Nur Jazlan was responding to a call by PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man for the Islamic party’s members and supporters to back BN candidates in seats not contested by PN.

BN and PH are vying for all 56 state seats while PN has only fielded candidates in 33.

There will be straight fights between BN and PH in 14 seats: Buloh Kasap, Bekok, Tangkak, Bentayan, Yong Peng, Parit Yaani, Penggaram, Machap, Mengkibol, Tanjung Surat, Benut, Pulai Sebatang, Pekan Nanas and Kukup.

Nine seats (Mahkota, Puteri Wangsa, Johor Jaya, Larkin, Perling, Kempas, Skudai, Bukit Batu and Senai) will see multi-cornered contests also involving Parti Bersama Malaysia, Muda, Parti Sosialis Malaysia and independent candidates.

Nur Jazlan said Tuan Ibrahim’s directive would undoubtedly benefit BN, suggesting that more Malay votes could return to the Umno-led coalition.

“Because we have a common enemy, we welcome votes from PAS supporters,” said the former Pulai MP.

He said BN is also banking on greater support from Indian voters, particularly those dissatisfied with PH’s performance in the federal government.

Nur Jazlan added that he first floated the idea of fielding MIC’s B Pannir Selvam in Perling, a mixed seat with a marginally larger Chinese electorate, four years ago. However, the seat was allocated to the MCA.

Pannir Selvam has been picked to contest the Perling seat in the coming election.

“I saw that the Indian population there was rising and there was a need for more formal Indian representation in Perling,” he said.

Based on the 2022 data, Chinese voters make up 46% of the electorate in Perling, followed by the Malays (38%), Indians (13%) and others accounting for the remaining 3%.

The constituency has been held by DAP since it was established in 2018.