BN Solidifies Influence in Traditional Areas, Rivals Eye Urban Seats

JOHOR BAHRU: The intensity of the 16th Johor State Election (PRN) is reaching its peak as the strategies of the major political parties begin to unfold following the close of the nomination process, signaling that the real ‘war’ has now begun.

Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies (MassComm), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Dr. Abdul Aziz Azizam said the candidate line-up by the major parties is not merely about filling seats, but involves well-orchestrated political calculations laden with implicit messages.

According to him, what is unfolding this time around shows that each party is deploying its ‘warriors’ in strategic territories to pave the way for capturing more areas.

“From what can be observed, the heavyweight candidates have been placed according to local geopolitics, the economic strength of the area and the party’s influence.

“This is not a regular placement, but an arrangement that shows the parties are mapping out their respective battlefields,” he said.

He said Barisan Nasional (BN) appears to be trying to solidify its influence in traditional Malay and Felda areas, while rival parties are focusing on urban areas with more diverse demographics.

He said after the nomination process, the battle has now entered a more challenging phase where the war of perception will become each party’s main weapon.

“The battle after this is no longer about who is contesting, but who is able to create confidence and control the voters’ emotions,” he said.

Dr. Abdul Aziz also opined that several seats are now in the warning zone and are expected to become the most intense battlegrounds in this PRN.

He said seats such as Tangkak, Parit Raja, Serom and Pengerang have the potential to become ‘hot seats’ because the victory margins in previous elections were very slim.

“Seats like these are highly sensitive.

“A slight shift in sentiment, local issues or a change in support would be enough to flip the result,” he said.

He said attention is also focused on seats involving top leaders because the results in these areas not only determine the candidate’s victory, but also serve as a measure of the people’s acceptance.

“This is not just a contest for seats, but a battle of dignity, influence and the political future of the parties.

“After the nomination process, that is when the real ‘war’ of the Johor PRN begins,” he said.

Kosmo Online