In the Pulai parliamentary by-election, Pakatan Harapan emerged victorious, helping the unity government maintain its two-thirds majority in Parliament. This outcome leaves the status quo of 148 out of the 222 seats unchanged. Moreover, Pakatan also managed to retain the Simpang Jeram state seat with a 3,514-vote majority. However, in Pulai, their majority decreased from 33,174 in the 15th General Election (GE15) to 18,641 votes.
The candidate Suhaizan Kayat secured a total of 48,283 votes, while Zulkifli Jaafar from Perikatan Nasional received 29,642 votes in the Pulai parliamentary by-election. Additionally, in Simpang Jeram, Pakatan’s Nazri Abdul Rahman obtained 13,844 votes, whereas Perikatan’s Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya received 10,330 votes.
Pakatan achieved a larger majority in Simpang Jeram compared to the state elections in March last year. Their majority this time was 2,399 votes. On the other hand, both Independent candidates, Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi and S. Jeganathan, lost in their respective constituencies and failed to secure enough votes.
Notably, voter turnout in the by-elections was relatively low, with only 47.33% of eligible voters turning out in Pulai and 60.85% in Simpang Jeram. In contrast, the previous general election saw a voter turnout of 71% in Pulai and 53.4% in Simpang Jeram during the state polls.
The victorious candidate in the Pulai by-election, Suhaizan, had previously made several unsuccessful attempts in previous elections. This is his first electoral victory after seven attempts. Grateful for the support, Suhaizan expressed his thanks to the voters and the election machinery of both Pakatan and Barisan Nasional parties.
Zulkifli, who conceded defeat in the Pulai by-election, pledged to continue advocating for the people through his non-governmental organization. Meanwhile, Nazri, the successful candidate in Simpang Jeram, affirmed that his victory puts to rest doubts about the acceptance of the cooperation between Pakatan and Barisan.
Umno vice-president, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, described the victories in Pulai and Simpang Jeram as a rejection of extremist views by the people of Johor. He believes that these wins will fortify the unity government and rejuvenate the spirit of Johor.
The Amanah president, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, expressed his gratitude to the Barisan-Umno coalition for their contribution in delivering Malay votes and securing the victories in both constituencies. He pledged to send a strong Amanah team to Pelangai in Pahang for the upcoming by-election to support the Umno candidate there.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
