Sheikh Ibrahim (left) and Pakatan candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman (third from right).
MUAR: Pakatan Harapan can win the Simpang Jeram by-election if at least 60% of Chinese voters cast their ballots, says the coalition's campaign director Dr Sheikh Ibrahim Salleh.
Dr Sheikh, who is also former two-term Sungai Abong (now Simpang Jeram) assemblyman, said the Chinese votes is important in this by-election.
"It should have been easy for us to win but this time, we have a bit of difficulty.
"We have Barisan Nasional with us as well as DAP and PKR but we are facing a 'wave' coming from afar.
"We want at least 60% of Chinese voters to come out on Saturday (Sept 9) – only then can we win," he said in a ceramah at Wisma DAP Muar on Friday (Sept 8) night.
He added that although the result of the Simpang Jeram by-election will not affect the unity government's position, it should not be taken lightly.
"If Perikatan Nasional win the seat, they will never let it go," he said.
Meanwhile, Pakatan candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman said that he was concerned about a low voter turnout.
"In the last Johor election, only about 21,000 of the 40,000 over voters came out to cast their votes.
"As a candidate, I am worried that in this by-election, young voters working in other places will not cast their votes.
"I hope that you could urge them to return home," he told the crowd in the ceramah here.
Nazri is in a three-cornered fight against Perikatan Nasional's Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya and independent candidate S. Jeganathan.
There are 40,488 registered voters in the semi-rural state constituency where 51.87% are Malays, 44.58% are Chinese, 2.53% are Indians, and 0.99% are from other communities.
In the state election last year, voters turnout stand at 53.4%.
