KLUANG: Mahkota's 66,000 registered voters will cast their ballots in a by-election seen as a key litmus test for Johor's leadership and the strength of the unity government.
The one-on-one contest for the Mahkota seat (N29) pits Kluang Umno youth chief Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah, under the Barisan Nasional flag, against Perikatan Nasional's Mohamad Haizan Jaafar, or Coach Haizan.
Syed Hussien, 40, is a rising youth leader who is bilingual, and 61-year-old Coach Haizan is a former sports assistant at the state National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN).
He is also a former state football player and a licensed coach, thus the moniker coach.
The 20 polling centres will be opened at 8am tomorrow with 109 channels.
The by-election, closely watched as a gauge of support for Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, will be a test of his leadership as director of the election campaign and Johor BN liaison chief.
A strong showing for Syed Hussien would reflect growing endorsement of Umno's unity efforts, particularly if Chinese voters, who represented about 34 per cent of the electorate, turned out in large numbers to support the BN candidate.
Analysts who preferred to remain anonymous suggested that concerns over issues like the halal certification, a key theme in national discourse, might not have a significant impact on Chinese voters in Mahkota, who seemed more focused on stability and local governance.
This could bolster BN's efforts to appeal across ethnic lines.
The Mahkota by-election could also be seen as a test of Umno's leadership under party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Should Syed Hussien emerge victorious tomorrow, it would vindicate Zahid's decision to field a party Youth leader rather than a Wanita Umno candidate as done previously.
The Election Commission (EC) recorded an 86.5 per cent turnout for early voters at three polling centres on Sept 24.
EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun announced that 4,226 out of 4,911 early voters had cast their ballots across 11 channels at three polling stations.
The numbers reflect a strong preliminary turnout; however, all eyes will now be on how Mahkota's broader electorate responds tomorrow.
Candidates are expected to cast their votes at separate polling stations — Syed Hussien at SK Taman Kluang Barat and Haizan at SK Taman Sri Kluang.
Mahkota is one of several by-elections this year, following key contests in Pulai, Simpang Jeram in Johor, and Nenggiri in Kelantan.
The state election will not impact the ruling government, which still enjoys a two-third majority.
However, it will definitely see national implications as they reflect broader political trends and voter sentiments.
Based on Kluang's current atmosphere, political observers said Syed Hussien, who submitted his nomination papers first on Sept 18, was anticipated to win the state seat.
However, PN supporters claimed that Coach Haizan was not out of the race yet.
Born in Layang-Layang, Kluang, Haizan might not have the storytelling flair of Syed Hussien, but it's far too early to count him out of the race.
"He does not speak Chinese, Tamil or Iban, he speaks the language of Kluang, and that is exactly what voters need," said a man known only as Sabaran, who is a member of the PN campaign team.
"He understands the people's needs, and when they are around him, they know he is authentic and genuinely cares for the people."
PN supporters remained optimistic, believing Haizan could pull off an upset.