Bersatu man warns off PN supporters from backing BN in Johor polls

PETALING JAYA: A Bersatu leader has urged Perikatan Nasional not to call on its supporters to vote for Barisan Nasional in seats not contested by PN as doing so would amount to backing the Pakatan Harapan-BN federal alliance.

Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said “a vote for BN is the same as a vote for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, DAP and PH”, as BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had made it clear that if BN is given the mandate in the Johor state assembly polls, its position will be aligned with that of the PH-BN federal unity government.

Tun Faisal was responding to a call by PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who urged PAS members and supporters to vote for Umno or BN candidates in Johor state seats where PN is not contesting.

In a Facebook post this evening, Tun Faisal said Zahid’s remarks “further strengthens the justification for PN component parties to give their full support to PN candidates rather than BN candidates”.

Tun Faisal said Bersatu remained committed to PN and would support all candidates contesting under the coalition’s logo.

He said PN was contesting the Johor election as a single entity, and that victories by all candidates using the PN logo, including those from Pejuang, should be regarded as victories for PN.

Leaders of PN’s component parties must demonstrate clear “brand loyalty” to maximise the coalition’s chances of victory, he said.

Yesterday, Zahid said Johor BN would remain aligned with the federal administration if it returned to power in the state. He said the previous BN-led state government had never intended to go against the federal administration and would continue working alongside Putrajaya if BN is returned to power again.

BN and PH are both contesting all 56 seats in the Johor state assembly, with BN saying it will contest without any electoral pact or plans to form a state government with others.

PN candidates are contesting 33 seats through PAS (11 seats), Bersatu (16), the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (5) and Pejuang (1). PN members Parti Wawasan Negara and Gerakan are not contesting.

Others in the contest are Muda (4 seats), Parti Socialis Malaysia (1), Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (1) and six independents.

Polling takes place on July 11, with early voting set for July 7.