This anger had spilled over to DAP and Pakatan Harapan, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned.
Chinese voters hold a kingmaker role as they comprise 34% of the 66,318 electorate.
The leader said that based on interaction with grassroots in the state, “many” were upset with DAP’s perceived silence over Umno Youth chief Akmal’s actions, including his attack on party vice-chairman Teresa Kok.
The source also observed increasing unhappiness towards the unity government component parties for playing up racial and religious issues, which in turn have led to calls for the Chinese community to boycott the by-election.
“Calls for the Chinese community to avoid voting at the Mahkota by-election are growing,” the source told FMT, noting the distribution of poison pen letters written in Mandarin at several housing areas.
“Some in the community are fed up with the Barisan Nasional and Umno. Those who turn up to cast their ballots may vote Perikatan Nasional just to teach Umno a lesson for not gagging Akmal.”
The leader went on to say that the sentiment among the Chinese voters in Mahkota was similar to the mood at the Lunas by-election in 2000, when then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had branded Suqiu “communists” over the Chinese lobby group’s 17-point election appeal.
The appeal was initially agreed to in principle by the Cabinet before the general election.
“Mahathir later backtracked and voters backed Saifuddin Nasution Ismail of PKR, which was in the opposition then,” he said.
The controversies sparked by Akmal has shown the Chinese community that Umno has not changed, the source added.
“Any reduction in the Chinese voter turnout is a referendum against Umno’s transgressions in the unity government.”
An Umno leader, who also did not wish to be named, believes Akmal is being positioned as DAP’s scapegoat if there is low Chinese voter turnout.
He said DAP was using Akmal to cover up its and Pakatan Harapan’s shortcomings.
The source said any low voter turnout among the Chinese community would be due to the PH-led federal government’s performance.
The withering Chinese support during the Sungai Bakap by-election in July, which saw only 47% of the Chinese electorate turning out to vote, was proof of this, he said.
The leader pointed out that Ilham Centre, a think tank, had noted that Chinese voters then were not “enthusiastic” about voting and choosing PH due to dissatisfaction with the government’s economic performance.
“It’s the same here,” the Umno leader claimed.
The Mahkota by-election was called following the death of Umno assemblyman Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain on Aug 2.
It will see a straight fight between Barisan Nasional’s Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah and Perikatan Nasional’s Haizan Jaafar for the Johor state assembly seat.