Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has urged its members and supporters to cast their votes for Umno or Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in Johor state constituencies where Perikatan Nasional (PN) is not contesting in the upcoming state election.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the directive reflects the party’s stance on unity within the Muslim community, adding that PN remains the main platform in pursuing that objective.
He emphasised that party members have been instructed to support BN candidates in seats not contested by PN, while clearly stating that votes should not go to Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Tuan Ibrahim said he is confident that PAS supporters understand the importance of strategic voting in seats where the coalition is not fielding candidates.
The Johor state election will see all 56 seats contested, with 29 needed for a simple majority to form the state government.
Under PN, PAS is contesting 11 seats, while Bersatu is contesting 16. Other component parties, including the Malaysian Indian People’s Party, Pejuang, Parti Wawasan Negara and Gerakan, are also involved in selected or limited participation, while some are not contesting.
Barisan Nasional has confirmed it will contest all 56 seats independently and has ruled out any formal electoral cooperation or government-sharing arrangements with other parties.
Pakatan Harapan is also fielding candidates across all constituencies, setting the stage for a multi-cornered political contest in Johor.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed claims of formal cooperation with PAS and PN, stating that any discussions between parties, if any, were likely informal and not at leadership level.
Meanwhile, DAP’s former Mengkibol assemblyman Chew Chong Sin has alleged a possible “tacit understanding” between BN and PN based on seat allocations, urging voters to turn out in large numbers to influence the outcome of the election.
Separately, PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan has indicated that the coalition will unveil several surprises in its Johor election manifesto in the coming days.
