Simpang Jeram by-election will pave way for Perikatan to capture Johor, says Sanusi

MUAR: The Simpang Jeram by-election will set the path for the 'Perikatan Nasional wave' to make its way into Johor, says Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

The Kedah Mentri Besar said that the matter has been studied by the coalition and it was only a matter of time before the wave reached Johor.

"The wave that was triggered in the recently concluded state elections will reach this state all the way down to Singapore.

"Johor will not be excluded. It will start here (Simpang Jeram). In another two-and-a-half years comes the Johor state election, and we will take over this state," said Muhammad Sanusi, who is also Perikatan election director.

He said this in a press conference after launching the Simpang Jeram Perikatan election machinery here on Wednesday (Aug 23) night.

Asked how Perikatan plans to woo Chinese voters, who make up about 44% of the voters in Simpang Jeram, he said that Perikatan will make them understand the actual reality of the coalition.

"They need to make them understand that we are not extremists.

"They think that (in states under Perikatan), the Chinese are not allowed to wear shorts and that unisex salons are banned. That did not happen. We are not that extreme," he said.

He said that Perikatan's component party, Gerakan, will also assist in gaining the support of the Chinese community.

"We have speakers that can talk to the community in Mandarin. The important thing is for them to understand what we really are," he said.

Meanwhile, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that both the Simpang Jeram and Pulai by-elections will be the yardstick to measure the momentum of Perikatan's support in Johor.

"The wave did not happen in the Johor election last year as it was held earlier, before the general election.

"That is why this election is important as we will see whether the wave that has swept the whole country will happen here," he said.

Also present were PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, Johor Perikatan chief Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal and Perikatan's candidate for the Simpang Jeram seat Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya.