Johor Polls: Analysts Urge Mature Campaigning, Not Political Hostility
By Hasnah Jusid
JOHOR BAHRU, July 7 (Bernama) -- The 16th Johor state election should serve as a platform for mature campaigning among contesting parties, with competition centred on policies, performance and offerings to voters rather than political hostility that could undermine cooperation at the federal level.
Sociopolitical analyst Prof Datuk Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said parties should openly compare their respective pledges and manifestos, including their ability to manage Johor, attract investment, engage urban and rural voters, and address issues such as the cost of living, employment, housing and public welfare.
As such, he said they should avoid using overly aggressive rhetoric that could close the door to post-election cooperation.
“Competition in a democracy is legitimate and healthy, but it must be conducted firmly and respectfully. Those parties can compete in Johor without destroying the bridges of cooperation that remain necessary at the federal level,” he told Bernama.
The Malaysia National Civics Academy fellow said campaigns that focus excessively on attacking party identities, narrow state sentiments or portraying political partners in Putrajaya as “absolute enemies” in Johor would only confuse voters.
“Parties advocating for a state mandate can argue based on their administrative track record, government stability, economic development and state leadership, while parties presenting a check-and-balance narrative can emphasise institutional reforms, diverse representation and the concerns of urban and middle-class voters.
“This is healthy competition because it is based on policies and direction,” he said.
Awang Azman said the key boundaries that must be respected throughout the campaign were avoiding personal attacks, as well as attacks based on race, religion or the fundamental existence of political partners.
“After the election, some of these parties will still need to sit together in the Cabinet, Parliament and Federal government affairs. Therefore, political wounds that run too deep during the campaign will make it more difficult to rebuild relationships after the election,” he said.
In the Johor context, he said voters needed debates that focus on policies and public interests, including the border economy, cost of living, job opportunities, the development of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), affordable housing, congestion, technical education and public welfare.
Meanwhile, political analyst Dr Norman Sapar agreed that contesting parties must moderate their campaign tone to ensure political competition at the state level does not affect stability and cooperation at the federal level.
The author of the book Perang Politik Media Sosial said competing parties must clearly distinguish between electoral rivalry in Johor and their responsibility to ensure national affairs continue to function effectively.
He said open competition was part of democracy, but it should not go so far as to damage the political trust needed to govern the country after the election.
“To me, political maturity today is not measured by who is the loudest in attacking opponents, but by who is most capable of managing differences without compromising national interests,” he said.
Norman said that based on his observations, the Johor election campaign had so far demonstrated a good level of maturity, although some issues had been raised and certain parties had attempted to claim credit for various initiatives.
He said the situation remained within the bounds of controlled political competition, with Johor leaders tending to use subtle criticism rather than open confrontation.
“I see this as part of Johor’s political culture, which continues to uphold courtesy and decorum,” he said.
Norman said contesting parties should make the people the main focus of their campaigns by highlighting ideas, administrative records, policy proposals and their ability to solve public concerns.
Campaigns, he noted, should not be used to question Federal-level cooperation or create controversies that could undermine broader national interests.
“I believe voters today are increasingly mature. They can distinguish between political competition in Johor and the need to maintain political stability at the national level.
“That is why parties that offer more solutions are usually viewed more favourably than those that focus excessively on attacking their opponents,” he added.
A total of 172 candidates are contesting 56 seats in the Johor state election, with polling set for this Saturday.
For the latest updates on the 16th Johor state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/johor/.
More news to follow.
-- BERNAMA