MCA Says Voters Are No Longer Angry With Najib So It's Confident To Win 6 Seats In Johor
Johor MCA secretary Ng Keng Heng said the 1MDB scandal is no longer a dark cloud haunting its party.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 17 Feb 2022, 05:04 PM
MCA is confident that it will win six seats in the upcoming Johor state election, as it believes that voters are no longer angry with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak
Speaking to The Malaysian Insight, Johor MCA secretary Ng Keng Heng said the all-Chinese party can win because Barisan Nasional's (BN) tried-and-tested formula of stability and economy will win voters' confidence.
"A stable state government will help reboot the Johor economy by providing better business opportunities," Ng said, reported Malay Mail citing The Malaysian Insight.
In November last year, BN used the "stability for prosperity" theme in the Melaka state election.
As a result, the coalition with over 60 years of ruling history won 21 out of 28 seats in the polls.
Elaborating further on why Ng thinks MCA will win the seats, he said it is because Najib's involvement in the 1MDB scandal is no longer a dark cloud hovering over the party
"He (Najib) has been coming to Johor lately and wherever he goes there are crowds of people who approach him," said the Kota Tinggi division chief.
"I believe most voters are no longer as angry as they were in 2018."
A photograph of Najib outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court after he was found guilty in the SRC International trial on 28 July 2020.
Image via BBCNajib was found guilty of abuse of power, corruption, and money laundering involving RM42 million in the SRC International trial on 28 July 2020.
SRC International was a former subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.
In December last year, Najib failed to appeal his verdict at the Court of Appeal.
However, the convicted leader was able to get a stay of execution — which is essentially a temporary suspension of the defendant's punishment — pending a fresh appeal to the Federal Court.
When BN won the Melaka state election in November last year, Najib was considered one of the reasons why his coalition won as he was able to draw in large crowds wherever he went.
In 2018, MCA lost all 15 Johor state seats it contested
Malay Mail reported that it was the party's worst performance since the 2008 and 2013 elections when it won 12 and two state seats respectively.
Johor will hit the polls this 12 March. There are 56 state seats up for grabs.
It is also a historical election, as it is the first time Malaysians between the ages of 18 and 20 can participate in voting as the implementation of 'Undi 18' has come into effect since 15 December 2021.
