JOHOR BARU: With just over a week to polling day, campaigning in Johor is set to be ramped up with political parties bringing in the heavy artillery.

       Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is expected to be in Johor from today for a series of events over the next three days.

       The 239 candidates, including 16 Independents, have been busy not only with walkabouts but also on social media to push their messages.At least two PKR candidates – Naim Jusri for Gambir and Chiong Sen Sern for Bukit Batu – have been campaigning remotely from home. Both are in quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19.

       Among the hot topics being raised in coffee shops and social media include the reopening of the border with Singapore to spur Johor Baru’s economy, more job creation, rising costs of living, more public housing, better healthcare and better public transport.

       A few parties, including Barisan Nasional, Perikatan Nasional and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), have already announced some of these plans in their election manifestos.Barisan has outlined 43 initiatives encompassing five core pillars, including creating 100,000 jobs in modern farming, the digital economy and the creative economy.

       Perikatan is offering free water to the lower income group and pushing for the reopening of the land border with Singapore.

       Almost all the major parties are also working hard to woo Felda settlers and rural folk.

       Johor has one of Malaysia’s largest Felda settlements with 70 schemes, covering about 30 of the 56 seats.A political observer said that with the high palm oil price, Felda settlers were now raking in almost RM10,000 a month from their 4ha plots, adding: “This price is double what they got during GE14 in 2018.”

       Felda Global Ventures share prices have also risen by RM2 in recent weeks, promising a windfall for the farmers who are shareholders.

       “Barisan will obviously be working hard to keep its ‘fixed deposit’ Felda votes,” the observer added.

       Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analysis Dr Mazlan Ali said he felt that the political temperature wouls rise over the next few days.

       He said unlike the recent polls in Melaka, where Barisan strode to victory, it was still not a clear picture in Johor.

       “Based on a poll we conducted with 2,500 respondents, many people are actually upset as to why this election is being held,” he said.

       “They want the government to focus on bread-and-butter issues and how to earn more money.”

       He noted that Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was still popular in some parts of Johor while fellow former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad, who heads Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, was not well liked in the state.

       “Barisan cannot be overconfident. If it wants a two-third majority, the turnout needs to be low at between 60% and 65%.

       “If there is a high voter turnout of 80% or higher, it will be bad for Barisan,” Mazlan said, adding that Johor’s voter demographic was 60% Malay and 40% non-Malay.

       Some 2.59 million people, including about 800,000 new voters, are eligible to cast their votes on March 12, which will see at least 10 party state chiefs in the fray.

       They include Umno’s Datuk Hasni Mohammad who is contesting in Benut, DAP’s Liew Chin Tong (Perling), PAS commissioner Abdullah Hussin (Pulai Sebatang), Parti Bangsa Malaysia’s Steven Choong (Puteri Wangsa) and MIC’s R. Vidyananthan (Kahang).

       The others include Bersatu affiliate wing (non-Malays) leader Dr Chong Fat Full (Tangkak), Malaysian United Democratic Alliance’s (Muda) Azrol Rahani (Bukit Permai) and Aminolhuda Hassan from Amanah (Parit Yaani).

       Pejuang’s Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh will contest in Machap while Johor Parti Bumiputra Pesaka Malaysia’s (Putra) Datuk Dr Kamarul Zaman Jidin will contest in Semerah.