Johor polls: All 15 Bersama candidates lose their deposit

The newly established Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) faced a significant setback in the Johor state election, with all 15 of its candidates losing their election deposits. Party president Rafizi Ramli announced on July 12 that the candidates failed to secure the minimum 12.5% of votes required to reclaim their deposits.

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This means all Bersama candidates have lost their deposits as they did not achieve the minimum 12.5 per cent of votes required.

Based on preliminary information, Bersama candidates garnered an average of only 3% to 6% of the vote. This outcome fell short of the party's internal targets, which included avoiding deposit losses and achieving at least 15% of the vote. Rafizi attributed the results partly to a notable shift in voter support towards Barisan Nasional (BN) across various age groups and ethnic communities.

Candidates from other parties, including Pakatan Harapan (PH), Perikatan Nasional (PN), and the youth-focused Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA), were also impacted by this electoral trend. Despite the disappointing results for Bersama, Rafizi expressed gratitude to the voters who supported the party's candidates, acknowledging the party's young age of just 52 days.

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An initial analysis pointed to a significant swing in support towards Barisan Nasional (BN) across voters of different age groups and ethnic communities.

Bersama intends to conduct a thorough review of the election results to refine its approach and enhance its chances of gaining public support in future contests. "God willing, we will continue working and hope that Malaysians will one day be open to accepting Bersama," Rafizi stated, emphasizing the party's commitment to long-term growth.

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God willing, we will continue working and hope that Malaysians will one day be open to accepting Bersama.