KUALA LUMPUR – Election fever has reached its peak in Johor as voters head to the polls tomorrow to determine the state’s political direction for the next five years, following two weeks of intense campaigning by political parties vying for control of the 56-seat state assembly.
Campaigning for the 16th Johor state election will officially end at 11.59pm tonight, bringing an end to all physical and online canvassing efforts before polling begins at 8am tomorrow.
A total of 2.7 million registered voters will be eligible to cast their ballots across 1,076 polling centres, choosing from 172 candidates contesting the state seats. The number of candidates is lower than the previous state election, which saw 239 contenders.
The Election Commission (EC) expects the full election results to be known as early as 10pm tomorrow.
The election campaign, which began on June 27, saw parties focus heavily on bread-and-butter concerns including the rising cost of living, economic recovery, employment opportunities and public welfare.
The final stretch of campaigning saw top leaders making last-minute appeals, including Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Political analyst Dr Nazreena Mohammed Yasin of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) said voter turnout would be a crucial factor in determining whether the support generated during the campaign could be converted into actual votes.
“The impact of voter turnout cannot be generalised because it varies according to constituency and voter demographics. Higher turnout may benefit certain parties in some areas but have little effect elsewhere.
“Turnout should therefore be viewed as a factor that could influence electoral dynamics, particularly in marginal seats, rather than as a definitive predictor of victory for any party,” she told Bernama.
The previous Johor state election recorded a voter turnout of 54.92 per cent.
Nazreena said the ability of party machinery to mobilise supporters and manage polling day operations would be especially important in closely contested constituencies.
She added that fence-sitters and undecided voters could prove decisive, particularly in seats where victory margins are expected to be narrow.
“Election results can also be assessed from the perspective of voter confidence in the government’s performance, the credibility of candidates, political stability and each party’s ability to address economic challenges and the rising cost of living,” she said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mazlan Ali said political stability had emerged as the dominant theme among major coalitions throughout the campaign.
“I believe the campaign narrative has been dominated by BN and PH, given the performance of both coalitions at the federal and state levels, as well as their position within the Unity Government,” he said.
Mazlan said voters were increasingly evaluating parties based on their track records and ability to fulfil previous promises, rather than relying solely on election manifestos.
He also expects voter interest in the election to contribute to a higher turnout, making every ballot more significant in determining Johor’s political future.
The election sees BN and PH each fielding candidates in all 56 state seats, while Perikatan Nasional (PN) is contesting 33 seats, followed by Parti Bersama Malaysia (15), the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) (four), Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (one), Parti Sosialis Malaysia (one) and six independent candidates.
Before the Johor State Legislative Assembly was dissolved on June 1, BN held 40 seats, PH had 12, PN three and MUDA one.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has called on voters to come out in large numbers, saying a turnout of more than 70 per cent would ensure the elected government truly reflected the people’s mandate.
He said strong voter participation was a key measure of democratic maturity and public commitment towards shaping the country’s future.
“If only half of the electorate participates in the electoral system, it will raise questions about the credibility or legitimacy of a government because it does not represent the majority of voters.
“If we want Malaysia’s democratic system to continue to flourish and endure, then a high voter turnout is an important parameter,” he told reporters after launching the Pakatan Harapan (PH) operations room for the Seremban Jaya state constituency.
Loke, who is also Transport Minister, expressed confidence that turnout would improve as travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic were no longer a factor.
The 2022 Johor election saw lower participation partly due to border restrictions that prevented many Malaysians working in Singapore from returning home to vote.
He said the strong demand for public transport services, including train and express bus tickets from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to Johor Bahru, indicated many voters were determined to return to fulfil their civic duty.
“There are also non-governmental organisations and others providing buses for people to return (to Johor), and they are all fully booked. This is a good sign. If people cannot get public transport tickets, perhaps they can hitch a ride with friends to return to their constituencies,” he said.
PAS president Hadi Awang signals readiness to back BN if needed
Meanwhile, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s remarks that the Islamist party was prepared to help BN form the Johor government if it fell short of a simple majority have raised questions over the potential influence of PAS in the state administration.
Hadi said PAS was willing to combine its seats with BN to ensure the continuation of Malay-Muslim political leadership in Johor.
“If we win seats in Johor, Umno can have the Mentri Besar’s post. It is up to them to decide who they want to appoint as executive councillors.
“If there are weaknesses, PAS can help make up for them, but that depends on the number of seats PAS wins.
“If Barisan Nasional falls short of the numbers needed to form the state government, PAS seats can be combined with theirs to enable the formation of the state administration,” he told a press conference after the PN-PAS Grand Finale campaign event at Laman Muafakat in Bakri on Wednesday night, as quoted by The Star.
Hadi said PAS had no objection to supporting MCA and MIC as long as it did not weaken a Malay-led state government.
“What matters is that political power remains in the hands of the Malay-Muslim community, while non-extremist non-Muslim parties are acceptable.
“However, if Barisan Nasional has sufficient seats, PAS has no issue with that,” he said.
The remarks are expected to be closely watched by non-Muslim voters, particularly given concerns over PAS-led state administrations, where policies involving alcohol sales, entertainment regulations and gambling restrictions have previously sparked debate over personal freedoms and minority rights.
PAS currently governs several states, including Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis, where some regulations affecting lifestyle choices have drawn criticism from non-Muslim communities who view them as restrictive.
The party’s governance record and approach towards multicultural administration are likely to remain key considerations for voters weighing their choices at the ballot box.
Meanwhile, a large movement of voters returning to Johor is expected ahead of polling day, with more than 300,000 travellers projected to take to major highways, potentially causing congestion along routes leading into the state.
Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) chairman Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad advised motorists to plan their journeys carefully, while all non-emergency highway lane closures will be suspended on polling day to ease traffic flow.
“LLM also urged motorists to use the TuJu app to plan their travels, ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, and maintain sufficient balances in their Touch ‘n Go accounts, e-wallets and debit cards.”
Motorists travelling north were also advised to exercise caution at the North-South Expressway construction zone between Simpang Renggam and Senai.
“Motorists are also advised to adhere to speed limits and drive carefully through the third-lane construction zone on the northbound North-South Expressway between Simpang Renggam and Senai.”
The EC has set July 11 as polling day, with early voting involving 20,607 members of the Malaysian Armed Forces, police, General Operations Force personnel and their spouses completed on July 7. – July 10, 2026