Everyone knows why the Johor state assembly was dissolved.

It was already rumored that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the president of Umno, wants to show that he is still the boss even though he is no longer the big boss as someone more junior is the prime minister and holds considerable money, power and influence.

The theory is that if Umno wins big like in Melaka, it will be goodbye and sayonara Ismail Sabri and hello GE15 by July 2022.

Guess who will no longer be candidates for Umno? Semua orang kampung pun tahu!

Secondly, Zahid and Umno want to get rid of Bersatu once and for all and force PAS to come running back to the original ‘marriage’ pact of Muafakat Nasional.

The Muslims call this ‘rujuk kembali’ where a divorced wife can go back to the husband without the necessity of repeating the marriage vows after a divorce pronouncement was made by the husband.

Thus, these are the two things that Umno and Zahid want badly, but the question is, will they get it?

It would be a mistake for analysts to think a repeat of the Melaka election will happen in the Johor scenario.

I will paint several differences that would make this election a fantastically interesting one for the GE15 gaming scenario.

Firstly, the issue of PKR using its own logo and DAP and Amanah using the Pakatan Harapan logo is an interesting one.

Analysts say this shows that PH is doomed to fail and that it would be a walkover for Umno.

I do not think so. To me, this is a very interesting move and it may have huge implications for Malaysia beyond the Johor election.

PKR and Anwar have been suffering under the Umno-PAS-Bersatu assault of being a DAP stooge. Now this tactic will throw the Umno-PAS-Bersatu battle narrative in disarray.

In war, it is important to confuse the enemy and strike at their confusion.

Secondly, the alliance between Amanah and DAP brings in a new equation to the floor.

Amanah is the least strong of the three parties but it has an ideological Islamic base with a socialist multiracial party in DAP.

DAP needs Amanah to counter the ‘Parti Cina’ narrative and Amanah needs the machinery of DAP to survive.

What Malaysia needs is that these two parties would eventually merge and produce a strong ideological and multiracial party that would sweep Malaysia into a new age.

With the ghost of DAP to scare the Malays gone, what the hell would Umno and PAS use to sell their race and religion narratives?

Next is the debut of MUDA and their charismatic leader and possible future PM of Malaysia Syed Sadiq.

His party is the only truly breadth of fresh air against the stank of old Mahathirian, Umno and PAS politics of pendatang, ugama and bangsa.

With the automatic registration of Undi 18, MUDA is set to change the political landscape of Malaysia.

When Syed Sadiq stood up to speak at the launching of a book on Lim Kit Siang, I heaved a sigh of relief that there is a possible hope for this country with the presence of this young man and his followers.

Goodbye, Anwar, Zahid, Mahathir and Muhyiddin of the old ways. MUDA may not win many seats but if they do win one or two, it will be enough to carve a different future for Malaysia.

MUDA’s role is to break the vote banks of Umno and PAS who still can control the young minds with their old narratives of race and religion. But with such an economic mess, rising prices, highest unemployment and a government that does not know how to handle floods, Johor may signal a new era in new narratives.

It now depends on how Syed and the young media-savvy group can control the new narrative against the seasoned cybertroopers of the old narratives of Islam under siege, Malays being played and non-existent sex scandals.

Finally, this is the first election after the disastrous floods that claimed many lives and with untold billions in loss.

The retention pond issue and the slow responce from the disaster management people are still fresh in the minds of the people. So is the Azam Baki corruption scandal.

Malaysians are completely disgusted at how the head of MACC is still smiling confidently in front of cameras knowing that he is untouchable because he carries all the files of those who might rip him off from power. The word in Malay is ‘meluat’ or ‘menyampah’ or utter disgust.

Our late Novel Laurette, Shahnon Ahmad, once wrote a book called ‘Shit’ to express his utter and complete disgust with the way Mahathir dealt with Anwar’s sodomy trial and the bailouts said to benefit his family and Umno.

If Shahnon were alive, he would probably write a sequel ‘Shit 2.0’ on the Azam Baki case.

To add insult to injury, MACC is investigating whistleblowers and the police busying themselves with interviews of opposition parliamentarians and young people for demonstrating on this shameful issue that makes Malaysia seem the most corrupt nation on this planet.

If the opposition parties can play up these issues cleverly and add to that the idea that the economic collapse of Malaysia is imminent under Umno and gang, this would be a different ball game for GE15.

I predict that Umno will come off as winner in beating Bersatu and letting PAS come to their original senses.

But Umno may win the battle and lose the war if PH, PKR and MUDA can force a coalition government with Umno. It is therefore imperative that Malaysians come home to Johor and vote in a strong opposition. Better still an upset win for the opposition and send a strong message to BN that to the question who really is the boss…the answer is: it is the rakyat!

Umno may call the shots in this country, but in Johor, the field is flat and the ball is on the foot of the rakyat now.

It is only during election time that arrogant politicians are at their grovelling weakest and the rakyat have the weapon to place the killing blow to the nonsense in this country.

The last bastion of hope for Malaysia lies in Johor.

(Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at a local university and his writing reflects his own personal opinion entirely.)