JOHOR BARU, Oct 10 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) is hoping for a higher voter turnout for the 15th general election (GE15) to repeat the success of the 2018 national polls that led to the defeat of the then Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Johor PH deputy chief Liew Chin Tong said after Undi18 and automatic voter registration, the number of registered voters nationwide now exceeds 21 million.

He said that the increase of almost 40 per cent will definitely have an effect on all political parties in GE15.

“If only 12 million people or less turn out to vote, there will be a high chance for Barisan Nasional (BN) to win based on their loyal voters.

“However, a turnout of more than 16 million voters will translate to a higher chance of victory for PH.

“Therefore, we urge outside and young voters not to forget their responsibility to vote as a strong turnout is the barometer that will determine the outcome of GE15,” said Liew during a press conference at the Stulang assemblyman’s service centre in Taman Maju Jaya here today.

The Johor DAP chief was responding to the dissolution of Parliament earlier today, which paves the way for GE15 to be held.

The total turnout in the last general election (GE14) was at 83 per cent, involving 12.4 million out of a total of 14.9 million registered voters.

Liew, who is also the Perling assemblyman, said the prime minister’s decision to announce GE15 during the north-east monsoon period would likely have a negative effect after many parties voiced their disagreement to snap polls.

He believes that the decision will likely arouse the people’s anger, and ultimately, cost BN at the ballot box.

“In the previous national polls, the Election Commission (EC) declared Wednesday, which is a working day, as polling day in the hope that not many people would turn out to vote.

“The decision proved to be wrong when many voters turned up,” he said.

This afternoon, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of Parliament, following weeks of intense speculation, to pave the way for GE15 that must be held within 60 days from today.