In Malaysia, the good vibes are with a resurgent Barisan Nasional
The Johor polls suggest that the BN empire is striking back, while the grouping in power looks ragged.
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Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (second from left) embracing Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi after the coalition’s victory in the July 11 Johor polls.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
In the aftermath of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) crushing victory in the July 11 Johor state polls, Malaysia’s commentariat has been notably reticent about what the victor’s resurgence could mean for a general election.
On the part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) grouping, the aggregate view seems to be that no one should read too much into the result. BN was the favourite to win handsomely anyway, they argue, and outcomes in state polls should not be extrapolated to the national level. One way to look at this reaction is as a defence mechanism, at least outwardly. With a general election expected within the next 12 months, conceding that the once-hapless BN is on the rise – and that their own support is softening – is simply too jarring an admission for the bunch in power.