COMMENTARY, Feb 28 — Three days in, most of the parties vying for seats in the state election still seem to be searching for the "soul” of their campaign.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has yet to stick to one main issue that can attract Malay voters and get them to abandon its enemy Umno.

The party which is aiming to replace Umno as the sole Malay party in the country has been having lots of trouble setting up bases in Malay areas.

A splinter of Umno, the party pioneered and formerly led by former Umno president and prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has yet to be accepted by the Malays as reflected in the defeats it experienced in several previous by-elections.

Party Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) is a splinter group of Bersatu. Dr Mahathir started the party after being ousted by Muhyiddin Yassin in the coup dubbed the Sheraton Move. Pejuang is making its debut in Johor, contesting all seats that Umno is contesting.

In short, Bersatu and Pejuang have the same objectives. Too bad they are not joining hands to "kill” their common enemy.

Bersatu’s comrade-in-arms PAS has yet to fully gear up its election machinery as it faces subtle resistance from grassroots members who want to continue and strengthen Muafakat Nasional (MN), an agreement with Umno signed in 2019 which was abandoned by the party leadership just before the Malacca state election.

Now for the Johor election, Bersatu which has no grassroots base is banking on PAS’ election machinery which is currently not in full capacity.

PKR and DAP with its Islamist wing Amanah are seen as stagnant and may even fare worse this time around.

Instead of political rhetoric, people in Johor are looking for concrete solutions to the economic doldrum they find themselves in because of the pandemic.