Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has called on Bersatu supporters to follow PAS’s stance and back Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in seats where Perikatan Nasional (PN) is not contesting in the upcoming Johor state election on July 11.
Speaking while campaigning for BN candidate Najib Samuri in Parit Yaani, he said BN is working to expand its appeal among non-Malay voters, but efforts to strengthen Malay political unity should not be overlooked, particularly in Johor.
Khairy said that in constituencies where PN is not fielding candidates, Bersatu supporters are being encouraged to lend their support to BN.
He added that while BN does not want any community to feel sidelined, there remains a strong sentiment among Malays who favour greater unity among Malay-based parties.
He also described PAS’s directive for its members to support BN in non-PN seats as a form of broader Malay political cooperation, saying Bersatu and PAS should not be viewed as adversaries of BN but as sharing common roots.
According to him, in seats such as Parit Yaani, BN is open to welcoming support from PAS and Bersatu supporters where PN is absent from the contest.
Khairy stressed that BN machinery should not rely solely on discontent among non-Malay voters toward Pakatan Harapan (PH) and DAP, but must actively engage and win their support.
He said BN still needs to persuade voters directly, warning that dissatisfaction with one party does not automatically translate into support for another.
PAS has reportedly instructed its members and supporters to back BN candidates in constituencies where PN is not contesting in the Johor polls.
Under PN, PAS is contesting 11 seats, Bersatu 16, MIPP five, and Pejuang one, while BN and PH are the only coalitions contesting all 56 state seats.
