Over 70 per cent BN voters migrate to PN

Badrul Hisham said that the increase in the number of votes had given a positive sign for PN to win the next election.

(Sinar Daily) – Although Perikatan Nasional (PN) failed to win Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections, there was a massive migration of Barisan Nasional (BN) voters especially among the Malays to the coalition.

Bersatu information committee member Badrul Hisham Shaharin said that although the turnout in Pulai Parliament had dropped from 71 per cent in the 15th General Election (GE15) to 47.33 per cent, the number of PN votes had instead increased to over 9,000 votes.

He said that this gave an impression of a migration of BN votes to Pakatan Harapan (PH) by 23 per cent, BN to PN by 74.5 per cent and BN to independent parties by 2.5 per cent.

“The results of Simpang Jeram state assembly showed an increase in turnout from 54.72 per cent in Johor election 2022 to 60.85 per cent, thus giving the impression that there had been a shift in votes from BN to PH by 55 per cent, BN to PN by 40.5 per cent and BN to independent parties by 4.5 per cent.

“The increase in votes for PN candidates happened only in less than a year. In the next four years, if the Johor government is not careful, it is likely to see a bigger wave of PN. It is up to Umno-BN leaders to accept it or not,” he told Sinar Premium.

Badrul Hisham said that the increase in the number of votes had given a positive sign for PN to win the next election.

In the by-elections, PH won both seats thus proving that the people of Johor had rejected the green wave.

Meanwhile, political analyst from Universiti Malaya Dr Muhammad Shamsinor Abdul Azzis said that PH’s victory showed that PN had failed to gain the support of non-Malay voters and that Gerakan had failed to play the role it should have.