BEKOK: As the Johor election campaign enters its final stretch, Pakatan Harapan’s Bekok candidate Tay Yok Jiuen says she is drawing confidence from what she sees as growing momentum on the ground.
The first-time candidate said support has steadily picked up over the two-week campaign period, with larger crowds turning up at events and more outstation voters indicating they will return home to cast their ballots.
Tay attributed the momentum in part to support from Pakatan’s central leadership, which deployed campaign teams from other states to bolster the coalition’s machinery in Bekok.
“The additional support has helped the campaign gather pace,” she said in an interview.
Recalling the early days of campaigning, Tay said voters were initially non-committal when volunteers asked whether family members working outside Johor would return home to vote.
“At first, many would simply give vague answers. Now, more and more are telling us they have already bought their tickets and will be coming back to vote,” she said.
The campaign has also relied heavily on social media and personal networks to reach voters.
A Labis native, Tay said she served as a village chief during Pakatan’s 22-month administration in 2018 and operated a tuition centre in the area for nearly 30 years.
She added that years of involvement in community programmes have made her a familiar face among residents in Labis and Chaah.
Tay described the contest as “a tough fight”, saying she has never underestimated incumbent Barisan Nasional assemblyman Tan Chong’s experience and longstanding presence in local politics.
“He contested twice before winning the seat in 2022, while I’m the newcomer,” said Tay, who is facing Tan in a straight contest.
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Still, Tay said she remains focused on meeting as many voters as possible before campaigning ends.
She also acknowledged that some Malaysians remain frustrated by the pace of reforms under the federal government, but urged voters to base their decisions on facts rather than online narratives.
“We understand the frustrations, but reforms cannot happen overnight. I hope voters will use their own eyes, ears and judgment to decide what is best for Malaysia instead of relying solely on what they read online,” she said.
