MASAI: Pakatan Harapan is hopeful that voter turnout in the upcoming Johor polls will surpass that in 2022, which was held when borders were closed and Malaysians working in Singapore could not return to vote, says Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
The DAP secretary-general said the coalition was going all out to get voters back to the ballot box on July 11.
"We are doing our best to boost the turnout rate. That is why we are carrying out many campaigns, most of them on the ground, as well as online," he said at a Pakatan ceramah here on Sunday (July 5) night.
Loke, who is also Transport Minister, acknowledged that there was fatigue and some disappointment among voters, but said the coalition had managed to drive home the importance of the election after a week of campaigning.
"There may be some disappointment, but voters must still make a choice. Not making a choice would be the worst scenario – if you do not make a choice, someone else will make the choice for us. Someone else will decide for us."
He said he hoped the message would resonate with Johoreans living and working outstation.
The Johor election in March 2022 recorded a turnout of just 54.92% – the lowest in the state's history – as it was held under Covid-19 restrictions, with the land border with Singapore still shut.
Pakatan is contesting all 56 seats – 20 for PKR, 19 for Amanah and 17 for DAP.
Johoreans will go to the polls on Saturday (July 11), with early voting on Tuesday (July 7).
