JOHOR BARU: There is a sizable group of urban Malay voters who no longer fit the traditional mould of automatically choosing between Umno and PAS, says Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli.
The Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) leader said the Johor state election would be a test of whether such progressive Malay voters, who evaluate parties based on issues rather than political loyalties, would make their voices heard.
“There is a misconception that Malay voters could only be divided into two groups.
“People will tell Chinese and Indian voters that Malays only have two choices, that if they do not support Pakatan Harapan, then automatically they support Umno or PAS. That is not true,” he said at Bersama’s Kancil truck ceramah in Taman Pelangi here on Sunday night (June 28).
He said Malays, like other communities, have both conservative and progressive groups, with the latter being open to change and new solutions to address issues faced by society.
“In Malaysia, conservatives would naturally choose Umno and PAS because they are comfortable with the same approach for decades, even though that approach may no longer be suitable to solve people’s problems.
“However, being progressive did not mean rejecting religious values, but instead refers to those who were willing to consider new ideas and reforms,” he added.
He pointed to Malay voters in urban areas such as Johor Baru, Pasir Gudang, Pulai, Tebrau, Kulai and Iskandar Puteri, saying there was a significant group who did not vote blindly based on party labels.
“This group of progressive Malays will decide on a case-by-case, issue-by-issue basis.
“They will not be influenced by racial politics. They will judge what is right and what is wrong,” he said.
Rafizi, who was born in Kemaman, Terengganu, said his own political journey showed that Malays could not be defined by stereotypes.
“I grew up in an environment where if you are not Umno, you must be PAS. But how did I end up in PKR then and now in Bersama?” he said.
He said Bersama believes the Johor state election would be a key test of whether voters were ready to move beyond traditional political divisions.
Rafizi added that the party’s performance in Johor would be an indicator of its acceptance, despite being formed only about 40 days before the state election.
“If Bersama does not lose our deposit, it means the concept we bring is accepted by the people,” he said.
Bersama is contesting in 15 seats in the Johor state election - Bukit Naning, Mahkota, Tiram, Puteri Wangsa, Stulang, Perling, Kempas, Skudai, Kota Iskandar, Bukit Permai, Bukit Batu and Senai.
Johor will go to the polls on July 11.
