Parti Bersama Malaysia could siphon Chinese votes from Pakatan Harapan in the Johor state election on Saturday, though analysts say the extent of its impact is still uncertain.
Bersama is contesting 15 seats, where Chinese voters make up between 24.5% and 61.1% of the electorate. Chin Yee Mun of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman observed that Chinese voters have historically favoured PH, and Bersama is positioning itself as an alternative by addressing issues that matter to the community.
Chin said Bersama might attract voters who have grown disillusioned with both PH and BN. He cautioned, however, that the party’s newness and lack of coalition ties could make some voters reluctant to support it.
He also noted that many Bersama candidates are relatively unknown and lack political track records, factors that pragmatic voters may consider before switching their votes.
PH candidate for Pemanis, Jalex Lee, has urged the Chinese community to reject Bersama candidates, warning that their presence could split PH support and benefit rivals.
Lau Zhe Wei of the International Islamic University Malaysia said ideological overlap between Bersama and PH could help Bersama draw votes from PH’s base in Johor.
He added that Bersama poses a particular threat in marginal seats, while in constituencies where PH enjoys large majorities the effect would be less significant.
Bersama is not yet as influential as PH, Lau said, but its challenge could be decisive in close contests.
PH and Barisan Nasional are contesting all 56 state assembly seats in the Johor polls. Bersama is contesting 15 seats.
Voting takes place on Saturday, July 11, with early voting held on Tuesday, July 7.
