PONTIAN, Nov 7 — Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) chief Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin acknowledged today that Tanjung Piai’s Chinese voters were unhappy with the ruling coalition over unresolved national issues.

However, he said was confident this would not prompt their swing towards MCA or Gerakan.

“The Chinese voters in Tanjung Piai look at the economy and cost of living issues.

“On my campaign rounds today at the Pekan Nanas market, many Chinese traders told me that such issues are not new as they have been around for the past three to four years.

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“This is not our (PH) time as this was the consequence of what Barisan Nasional (BN) did or did not do,” said Muhyiddin at the coalition's main Tanjung Piai operations centre in Rambah here today.

Present were Tanjung Piai by-election candidate Karmaine Sardini and Johor PH secretary Datuk Osman Sapian.

The 72-year-old Pagoh MP earlier chaired a meeting on early voter sentiments and preparations for the constituency ahead of the by-election on November 16.

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Muhyiddin, who is also the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president, also criticised the Opposition’s call for voters to give it a stronger voice.

“For me, the rakyat should want to settle the problems where action can be taken by the state and federal governments.

“Now MCA and Umno are in BN. BN On the other hand becomes Muafakat Nasional, so where does (Datuk Seri) Wee Jeck Seng stand?” questioned Muhyiddin.

He explained that the Chinese community knows that MCA is against PAS.

“But I think MCA can’t answer and the Chinese voters need to see where they stand.

“For them it’s a ‘yes but no’ situation. They (MCA) are part of BN, but it’s difficult to answer,” said Muhyiddin in reference to BN’s support of the Muafakat Nasional concept.

The Tanjung Piai by-election will see a six-cornered contest between PH’s Karmaine Sardini, BN’s Wee, Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam, Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia’s (Berjasa) Datuk Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz and two independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar.

The by-election was called following the death of incumbent PH’s Dr Md Farid from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) on September 21.

Election Commision (EC) has set early voting on November 12, while polling is on November 16.