JOHOR BAHRU: Senior leaders of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) have defended the timing of Johor’s impending state election, even as a newly-relaunched party helmed by two former federal ministers announced on Wednesday (Jun 3) it would enter the race, setting the stage for four-cornered fights across parts of the southern Malaysian state.
The Johor state assembly was dissolved on Monday, as announced by Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi, paving the way for snap polls to be held within the next 60 days.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) – which is led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – and opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) had previously confirmed they will contest the polls.
On Wednesday, Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) – which was relaunched by former ministers Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad – announced it would contest the election.
Although UMNO’s Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is aligned with Anwar’s PH at the federal level, they are rivals at the state level in Johor.
Several UMNO leaders have said that Onn Hafiz has the right to call for polls at a time when the state’s ruling party believes is appropriate, local news outlet The Star reported.
It is the prerogative of the state’s ruler or governor to dissolve the state assemblies on the advice of the chief minister, who is typically from the state’s ruling party or coalition.
UMNO vice-president Khaled Nordin on Tuesday said that “no time is a good time” to call for the polls, given the southern state’s packed calendar of events.
Concerns over weather conditions and festive seasons have also made it difficult to identify suitable periods for elections, he added. With the state assembly dissolved on Jun 1, the 16th Johor state polls have to be held by Jul 31. It was due only by June 2027.
“Johor only has a few months left this year. By November, December and January, we face monsoon and flood season, especially in areas such as Kota Tinggi,” he was quoted as saying by local media.
