JOHOR BAHRU (May 17): Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) has defended its decision to contest all 56 state seats in the next Johor election, saying the move would not affect the stability of the federal government.
Johor Umno and BN secretary Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman said contests between coalition partners at the state level were not unprecedented, citing the Sabah state election where Pakatan Harapan (PH), BN and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) contested against one another despite being part of the federal administration.
“Contesting in Johor will not in any way threaten the stability of the federal government in Putrajaya,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
He added that PH Johor should not portray BN’s decision to contest all state seats as a “major shock” or an attempt to undermine political stability.
Earlier, Johor PH chairman Aminolhuda Hassan said the coalition was prepared to contest all 56 Johor state seats, noting that PH had previously demonstrated its ability to secure electoral success in Johor during the 2018 general election, when it ended BN’s long-held rule in the state for the first time.
Abdul Halim said BN’s decision to go solo in the state election was driven by grassroots aspirations, adding that the coalition was not seeking absolute power but wanted voters to decide the state’s future through a “healthy and mature” democratic contest.
He said Johoreans were capable of assessing BN based on its governing track record, citing economic growth and billions of ringgit in investments brought into the state under the coalition’s leadership.
“Voters today are wise. They do not judge leaders based on seat negotiation documents, but on tangible results delivered on the ground,” he said.
Abdul Halim also accused PH Johor leaders of practising “double standards”, claiming they had long criticised BN Johor publicly while simultaneously seeking cooperation in seat negotiations.