Jais cited the last state election in March 2022, where BN’s candidate Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain won the seat with a 5,166-vote majority against candidates from Pakatan Harapan (PH), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Warisan.

PH’s candidate Taqiuddin Cheman, Jais said, had won over 11,000 votes in that election.

“If this (BN-PH) cooperation can be translated in that context, I’m confident we can achieve (a 10,000-vote majority win).

“The state election back then and this by-election aren’t much different. Voter turnout during the state election was around 57%, and this time round, I expect it to be no more than 70%,” he told a press conference at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.

Asked if the strategy used in the Nenggiri state seat by-election would be repeated in Mahkota, Jais said the demographics in the latter were different.

He pointed out that Mahkota’s electorate comprises about 56% Malays, 38% Chinese and roughly 18% Indians. In comparison, the Nenggiri constituency is made up of about 87% Malays, 14% Orang Asli, and less than 1% Chinese and Indians.

“The composition of voters is different and (in Mahkota) there are a total of 18 polling districts, out of which, eight are dominated by non-Malays and the remaining 10 by Malays.

“So, it’s not the same, but we will consider a similar strategy to how we won (Mahkota) in the last state election,” he said.

The Mahkota by-election was called following Sharifah Azizah’s death on Aug 2. Nominations will be held on Sept 14 and early voting on Sept 24, with polling day falling on Sept 28.