KUALA LUMPUR: The results of the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections show racial and religious sentiments and other forms of divisive politics are not well received in Johor state.
National Professors Council senior fellow Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir said that Johorean's more moderate way of thinking may have stymied the spread of the PN's green wave and secured Perikatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) win in the areas.
"What I can conclude from the by-elections is that PH-BN's strong cooperation has made it harder for PN to penetrate into the areas.
"Johoreans also tend to have a more moderate way of thinking, which is different from the political strategy adopted by PN that played up the 2R - religion and racial sentiments.
"So the same strategy might have worked previously in the six states but not in Johor," he said when contacted.
Political analysts, however, cautioned that they should temper their celebration, as the results may not serve as a reliable benchmark, given that Johor has traditionally been a stronghold for BN.
Asked whether the acquittal of Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi's corruption case may have resulted in protest votes, Jeniri said the effect was insignificant.
"The non-Malay voters particularly, know the negative effects on PH, so they have no other option but to vote for the coalition," he said.
Zahid, who is also a Deputy Prime Minister was recently granted a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) for all corruption charges for misappropriating funds belonging to Yayasan Akal Budi.
Jenari said the legacy of the incumbent candidate, the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub who passed away in July also played a role in contributing to the win.
"We have seen the same effects in past by-elections where voters would sympathise (with a party), particularly if it involved a well-known member of parliament who is liked by many.
"So they vote because they appreciate their contributions," he said.
In the 15th general election, Salahuddin won the Pulai seat with a 33,174-vote majority after polling 64,900 votes.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the areas, which have a mix of about 40 per cent Malay and Chinese voters, were never a strong battleground for PN.
"Pulai and Simpang Jeram share a similar characteristic in that they have about 40 per cent Malay and Chinese voters.
"A mixed area has never been a strong battleground for PN. They are only strong in areas where the Malay majority is over 70 per cent.
"PN will never win seats (with less than 70 per cent Malay majority) even in the future for as long as they fail to woo the Chinese voters," he said.
Awang Azman said the outcomes of the by-elections also demonstrated that the public respected the court's rulings in a few recent prominent court cases, which PN heavily emphasised during their election campaign.
"The opposition said Zahid's DNAA case, Bung's (Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin released from his corruption case) and Muhammad Faiz Fadzil's release (former Permatang Pasir assemblyman who was freed from a sexual assault charge) will be an advantage to PN.
"They will win because those who are against the decision will show it to them (PH and BN) in this election (by not voting for them).
"But it didn't work. The people can see and respect the process and court decision that one is not guilty until proven," he said.
Awang Azman believed that people are more interested in having a stable government and are opposed to political obsessions that revolve around religious and racial sentiments.
"The people want the government to retain power until the end, and they want the prime minister to be given the opportunity to perform his duty to rebuild the nation," he said.