Signs of higher voter turnout in Johor state polls than 2022

Singapore, Singapore Jul 11, 2026 ALN: JOHOR BAHRU – Johor’s state polls on July 11 will be closely watched for clues to Malaysia’s national political direction, with the next general election due to be called by February 2028.

Polls opened at 8am across the state’s 1,076 polling stations, where up to 2.7 million voters will pick their representatives from 172 candidates to fill Johor’s 56 constituencies.

As at 5pm, the Election Commission said turnout was at 67.4 per cent, up from 53.1 per cent at the same hour in 2022. This was already higher than the 55 per cent final figure at the last Johor state election in 2022 – which was among the lowest turnout recorded in Malaysia’s electoral history.

The Election Commission is projecting that seven in 10 eligible voters will cast their ballots, with train and bus tickets to Johor reportedly sold out ahead of polling day.

Larkin voter Ally Chang was first in line at Tanjung Puteri Primary School along Jalan Dato Jaafar to dip her index finger in purple ink at the ballot box. She had been queuing since 7am.

“My hope is that Johor will continue to prosper,” said the 44-year-old accountant.

Second in the queue was retiree Md Sis Talkam, 79, who fussed about being made to wait under the morning sun. “Usually they open the voting centre early and I’m done by 7.30am. I pity the elderly who have to wait and dry themselves out in the hot sun.”

However, over in Muar, heavy morning rain has dampened voter turnout, with Simpang Jeram and Bentayan constituencies recording the lowest turnout numbers across Johor.

At a breakfast place in Jalan Khalidi, Rosli Mat Noor, 46, said there is no need to rush.

“We have all day,” he said.

Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) candidate for Simpang Jeram, Ainie Haziqah, meanwhile is concerned as storm clouds continue to hang over Muar, one hour since polling began. “I hope it will slowly subside,” Ainie told The Straits Times.

MUDA candidate Rashifa Aljunied, 26, who is defending the party’s only seat in Puteri Wangsa, said she is aiming to be the first Gen Z state assemblyman. Speaking to ST at a voting centre in Mount Austin on July 11, she said: “I am living the dream of many young people who are interested and want to be in politics. I feel the heavy responsibility and want to do my best.”

As a voter in Johor Jaya, she said she caught up on the candidates’ election pledges the Gen Z way – on social media – having been busy on the campaign trail herself for the past two weeks.

Over in Permas Jaya, Mut Siew Lin, 80, cast her vote within 10 minutes at around 8.30am, after being helped by voting centre officials. She said that she has supported the same party her whole life and was confident in voting for a winning candidate.

“We will see the results tonight,” she said.

On social media, politicians and voters alike shared photos of their fingers stained by indelible ink, as proof that they have voted, as they encouraged others to exercise their democratic right.

Cross-border traffic

Cross-border traffic from Singapore into Johor Bahru on July 10, the day before Polling Day, was moderate. Congestion across the Causeway was minimal for a Friday night, with longer queues for cars.

Southbound traffic on the North-South Expressway was reportedly congested as voters living in Klang Valley head back to their hometown after work to cast their ballots.

Nasuha Suhaimie, 34, a bank employee who will be voting in Tiram in Johor, likened the trip home to a “balik kampung” rush. Her trip from Kuala Lumpur took over six hours.

Johorean Chong Li Yun who rode pillion across the border on her partner’s motorcycle at around 11pm on July 10 described the traffic as “smooth like butter.”

Singaporeans on online traffic monitoring Facebook pages asked regular visitors to take a break from shopping this weekend. “Let the Johoreans go back with less traffic, Johor will always be there,” one wrote.

At around 9pm on July 10, some 200 Johoreans returning from Singapore gathered at JB Sentral to board eight coaches bound for Kluang, Batu Pahat, Segamat, Labis and Muar. ST understands the buses were arranged by Malaysian NGO SKLHA Youth and Rakyat Supervision, coordinated by members of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance.

Jane Low, 29, who works in Singapore in informational technology support and bound for Segamat, said the federal government has done well the past four years and that her vote shows her hope for the country to continue to prosper.

“I hope that all races, Malays, Indians and Chinese can all live and work together,” she said.

Last appeal to voters

In their last sprint before Polling Day, parties fell back on familiar political rhetoric.

Campaign flashpoints included renewed calls for jailed former prime minister Najib Razak’s release and racial issues sparked by Johor caretaker menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s pledge not to work with the Chinese-majority Democratic Action Party (DAP) if Barisan Nasional (BN) forms the next state government in Johor.

Parties also turned to crowd-pleasers at their final rallies, offering everything from free durians to performances by popular artistes.

On July 9, hands and camera phones were raised to welcome Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who apologised for his late arrival just before midnight at a campaign event for the Puteri Wangsa candidate. It was his third campaigning stop that day, a day after crooning My Way with his visiting Thai counterpart Anutin Charnvirakul.

In a call to voters to come home to vote, PM Anwar said the votes cast on July 11 represent the “power of the people of Johor” and that voters should not “compromise on your humour and dignity.”

“No sakau (stealing) in this nation!” said Anwar, who is PH chairman, invoking his government’s anti-corruption rally to the crowd of more than 1,000 gathered in a field surrounded by vendors selling snacks and PH gear in the coalition’s red.

In the final week of campaigning, BN candidates were seen on social media reaching out to non-Malay voters during rallies and walkabouts.

Candidate Pandak Ahmad for instance – who is defending his seat in Kota Iskandar where a sizeable 35 per cent are Chinese and 17 per cent are Indians – uploaded several videos on his social media accounts meeting elderly Chinese folks in markets and parks.

At a BN rally in Johor Bahru’s Kempas suburb on July 9, former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin weighed in on the Najib controversy. He said that Najib’s jail verdict has already been decided and that if there is any authority that could free Najib, it would be the King.