Razali said leaders like Muhyiddin rarely sat down for meals with the people in local eateries.

“It’s a small gesture that I used to do all the time. Recently, a stall owner told me, ‘Thank you for coming here to eat’.

“Apparently, it was rare to see ‘Abah’ at warungs,” he said, referring to Muhyiddin’s moniker when he was prime minister.

“His name has always been known (in Pagoh) but physically? I found out that many actually have never met him. So, I think that is one thing that gives me an edge, because I like hanging out at warungs.”

Razali added that regardless of how busy an elected representative may be, he must make time for his constituency, even if he held a position at the federal level.

“In this regard, I believe I have the advantage because I like to frequent local eateries and food stalls,” he said in jest.

Razali and Muhyiddin are in a three-cornered contest with geophysicist Iskandar Shah Abdul Rahman, who is the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for Pagoh.

Muhyiddin is an eight-term Pagoh MP, who will be defending the seat he won on a PH ticket in the 2018 general election (GE14). He is also a former Johor menteri besar.