The shift in support from some Perikatan Nasional (PN) voters to Barisan Nasional (BN) was among the key factors behind BN’s landslide victory in the Johor State Election (PRN), according to DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Loke said voting patterns showed that a significant number of Malay voters supported BN, which affected Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) performance in several contested seats.
He explained that the situation was different from the previous Johor election, where a three-way contest allowed PH to secure victories in several constituencies.
“In the previous election, we won because there was a three-cornered fight, where we received support from around 40 per cent of voters.
“But this time, with a one-on-one contest, the transfer of votes did not happen in our favour. Instead, it benefited BN candidates,” he said after attending the launch of the 2026 Kampung Angkat Madani Programme by the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) at Kampung Chennah on Sunday.
Loke said the additional support from PN supporters gave BN an advantage and resulted in PH losing several seats that it had previously won.
However, he noted that DAP continued to receive strong backing in the six seats it retained, particularly in urban areas, where the party secured more than 50 per cent of the votes.
“The result in Johor is certainly disappointing for PH. However, every day is a new beginning, and we will now focus on the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election,” he said.
Loke added that BN’s strong performance in Johor was not unexpected, given the coalition’s strong support base in the state.
He said PH had given its best effort throughout the campaign but respected the decision made by Johor voters.
Loke also rejected claims that Chinese support for DAP had declined significantly, saying voting patterns in areas won by the party still showed strong backing.
He said the main factor behind the outcome was the shift of support among PN voters, who chose to back BN in the latest state election.
In the Johor PRN, BN secured a landslide victory by winning 48 out of the 56 state seats contested, while PH won eight seats.
