MUAR: The Simpang Jeram state seat can be an opening for PAS in Johor.

Several thousands of supporters showed up at the launch of Perikatan Nasional’s election machinery, vowing to make the northern Johor state seat a door for the PN coalition to penetrate Johor in preparation for it to eventually capture the entire state.

It is not impossible for PAS to win the state seat in this by-election.

Formerly known as Sungai Abong, PAS won the state seat in 2008 and 2013 elections against Barisan Nasional.

The state seat was renamed Simpang Jeram after the 2018 delineation exercise, with Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) from Pakatan Harapan winning the seat in the election that year.

Although Amanah won the seat in 2018 and 2022 in four-cornered fights, PAS’ votes increased remarkably from 2,136 (8.99%) to 6,350 (29.7%).

On the contrary, Amanah’s votes reduced from 14,640 to 8,749, while Barisan Nasional retained over 6,000 of its fundamental support votes.

PN’s popularity did not stop after the Johor state elections.

An Indian candidate fielded by PN to contest in Bakri parliamentary seat, where Simpang Jeram is one of the state seats under the constituency, polled 7,766 votes in Simpang Jeram in 2022 general elections, showing that the votes for PN had increased from 6,350 to 7,766.

Based on the vote counts in past elections, electoral support for PN or PAS have been pickng up.

With the “green wave” now sweeping across the nation, it would be difficult not to impact the local Malay voters in Simpang Jeram.

Hence, PAS has a chance to regain the seat.

Simpang Jerm is a mixed seat where 51.87% of voters are Malays, 44.58% Chinese and 2.53% Indians.

The turnout rate for Chinese voters and the voting trend of Umno supporters will be determinant factors in this by-election which will be held on September 9.

Simpang Jeram was the only state seat won by Amanah in the last state election, while PAS also won a single seat in Maharani under Muar in northern Johor.

Muar incumbent MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman successfully defended his seat in last November’s election but with a significantly thinned majority of 1,345 votes (from 6,953 votes) in a three-cornered fight.

PAS’ Abdullah Husin received the second highest number of votes, ahead of BN’s Mohd Helmy Abd Latiff.

Judging from the election results in northern Johor, the number of PAS supporters is rising steadily.

If the green wave is to spread to Johor, northern Johor could be a gateway!