The Rocket predicted that Pakatan would score its biggest win in Johor, winning nine out of 26 parliamentary seats in the southern-most state.
Athi Shankar, FMT
The DAP media organ ‘The Rocket’ has predicted Pakatan Rakyat to win up to 15 parliamentary seats with an equal fighting chance to wrest away eight more in the southern belt of Peninsular Malaysia in the next general election.
The DAP mouthpiece’s latest September edition forecasts that Pakatan can considerably increase its parliamentary tally in southern states of Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor, which are now under Barisan Nasional’s control, boosting its chances to capture Putrajaya.
Currently Pakatan only has one federal seat each in Johor and Malacca, and three in Negeri Sembilan.
Of the three southern states, The Rocket predicted that Pakatan would score its biggest win in Johor.
It forecasts Pakatan to win nine out of 26 parliamentary seats in the southern-most state.
The three-page election analysis forecasts federal seats of Segamat, Labis, Ledang, Muar, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Gelang Patah and Kulai to fall to Pakatan.
It expects the DAP to retain Bakri. Current Bakri MP is Er Tech Hwa.
Titled – “Election Analysis: Southern Storm”, the article speculated that Johor Baru, Tanjung Piai, Pulai, Pasir Gudang, Simpang Renggam and Parit Sulong were dicey seats for BN.
Its writer, former Umno assemblyman for Pulau Manis, Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz speculated that a nine to 32 per cent vote swing towards Pakatan would actualise the forecast.
After the 13th general election, he claimed “Johor would no longer be Umno’s bastion.”
In the last general election in 2008, there was a 14 percent swing towards the opposition and The Rocket speculated the support for Pakatan to grow stronger in the next polls.
Mohd Ariff claimed that Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman, perturbed by the pro-Pakatan upswing, had apparently told Umno division leaders recently that some nine federal and 16 state seats could fall in the next election.
He said Pakatan would have the edge in Johor Baru if incumbent MP Shahrir Samad decided to retire.
Four seats winnable in Negeri Sembilan
In Negeri Sembilan, The Rocket forecasts Pakatan to win Rasah, Seremban, Telok Kemang and Rembau, currently held by Umno national youth chief Khairy Jamalauddin.
The article speculates Khairy not to seek re-election in Rembau this time.
Currently Pakatan holds Rasah and Seremban (both DAP), and Telok Kemang (PKR) out of eight federal seats in Negeri Sembilan.
The state’s other federal seats are Jelebu, Jempol, Kuala Pilah and Tampin.
In Malacca, The Rocket believes Pakatan can retain its sole parliamentary seat in Kota Melaka via DAP and add one more through PKR in Bukit Katil.
PKR youth wing chief Shamsul Iskandar Mat Akin, a Malaccan, has been speculated to contest Bukit Katil, considered as Barisan Nasional fortress.
He lost in Dungun federal seat in Terengganu in the 2008 general election.
