Johor MB hopes Chinese voters won't shun ballot box to punish him

MAHKOTA BY-ELECTION | Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi hopes the Chinese community will not punish him by not turning up to cast their ballots on polling day this Saturday.

In a recent interview with local Chinese press, he said he had received reports from the business community about Chinese electors in Mahkota having little interest in voting in the by-election.

“If it’s true, I am very very sad. Because of federal issues, they (Chinese voters) are punishing me.

“If it really does happen, I will feel that I am being punished, because I am working very hard for the people of Johor regardless of skin colour, regardless of weather,” he said.

A video of the interview was posted on the China Press website.

The issue Onn Hafiz (above) was alluding to is believed to be the halal certification spat between Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Before the by-election campaign began, two Pakatan Harapan leaders expressed concern that Akmal’s attacks against Kok may hurt BN’s chances of winning.

About 35 percent of the Mahkota electorate are Chinese, 54 percent Malay, and eight percent Indian.

During the by-election campaign in Mahkota, leaders from both the coalition government and opposition were seen courting Chinese voters.

Unhappiness among Chinese folk

Perikatan Nasional by-election director Azmin Ali told Malaysiakini that Chinese voters have expressed their unhappiness with Putrajaya over several issues, including the high cost of living, rising inflation and declining job and business opportunities.

At the same time, BN candidate Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah has gone on the ground with his Mandarin-speaking skills to lure Chinese votes.

In the interview, Onn Hafiz said that he still has hope in Chinese voters as they can see the efforts he is making in the BN campaign.

“I do it for Bangsa Johor, which includes our children, the children of Kluang who commute back and forth.

“So I hope I won’t be punished for other people’s differences of opinion,” he said.

He went on to express his confidence in Syed Hussien, who is also the Kluang Umno Youth chief.

“He will serve the people of Mahkota because I will personally monitor and make sure if he wins he will work hard to help Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi and I,” he said.

Syed Hussien and PN candidate Haizan Jaafar will battle it out on Sept 28 for the Mahkota seat, which fell vacant following the death of incumbent assemblyperson Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain on Aug 2.

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