PETALING JAYA: Results from the 2022 Johor state election suggest that predominantly non-Malay constituencies remain competitive, with political analysts saying local factors continue to play a decisive role in shaping voter behaviour.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said four largely non-Malay seats – Bekok, Yong Peng, Paloh and Pekan Nanas – were won by MCA with comfortable majorities.
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The results, he said, challenged the perception that Chinese-majority or predominantly non-Malay constituencies automatically favour DAP.
In the polls, Bekok, where non-Malays made up 71.4% of the electorate, was won by MCA’s Tan Chong with a majority of 3,569 votes. The party’s Ling Tian Soon captured Yong Peng, where non-Malays accounted for about two-thirds of voters, with a 2,741-vote majority.
Lee Ting Han retained Paloh with a majority of 3,176 votes, while Tan Eng Meng won Pekan Nanas by 4,835 votes.
Azmi noted that several constituencies won by DAP also recorded comfortable margins, including Johor Jaya and Perling, reflecting the party’s continued strength in urban areas.
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In 2022, DAP’s Liow Cai Tung won Johor Jaya with a 1,922-vote majority, while Liew Chin Tong secured Perling with a 3,347-vote majority.
Azmi said attention would also be on constituencies where parties have fielded new faces in place of incumbents.
“It happened in several seats where familiar names have been replaced by relatively new candidates. It will be interesting to see how voters respond,” he said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said MCA’s victories in the four seats showed that support among non-Malay voters remained contestable rather than guaranteed.
“Candidate credibility, constituency service and local dynamics continue to matter. Electoral support should not be viewed as fixed, even in areas where parties have traditionally performed well.”
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Dr Mazlan Ali cautioned that the 2022 election took place under exceptional circumstances during the Covid-19 pandemic, when turnout averaged about 55% across the four constituencies.
“The relatively low turnout meant the election may not fully reflect the level of competition we can expect this time,” he added.
Mazlan expects voter turnout to increase significantly in the coming state election and believes parties that previously won marginal seats could benefit from stronger voter participation.
For the latest updates on the 16th Johor state election,visit https://elections.thestar.com.my/
