JOHOR BAHRU, June 2 — Johor Perikatan Nasional (PN) has almost completed its seat allocation for the upcoming Johor state election, with about 80 per cent finalised.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Sahruddin Jamal said discussions on the remaining 20 per cent involve seats for the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) as well as proposed electoral pacts with other parties, including Muda and Ikatan Prihatin Rakyat (IPR).

“Seat allocation is still being finalised, but about 80 per cent has been completed. As announced yesterday, PN will contest all 56 state seats,” he told Bernama when contacted on the coalition’s preparations following the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly.

Sahruddin said PN had also mobilised the election machinery of its four component parties - Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan and MIPP, in preparation for the polls.

Yesterday, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced the dissolution of the state legislative assembly after receiving the consent of the Regent of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail, paving the way for a state election soon.

Meanwhile, Muda said it would defend the Puteri Wangsa seat and field more young candidates in the coming election. — Bernama

BATU PAHAT, June 7 — A fire that destroyed about 80 per cent of MCA’s office in Yong Peng yesterday has disrupted the party’s preparations for the upcoming Johor state election, its Youth chief Ling Tian Soon said.

Ling said MCA is considering relocating its operations to a temporary premises after investigations by the Fire and Rescue Department are completed.

“This incident will affect MCA because the building has long served as the party’s operations centre. We may need to find a temporary location to continue our preparations for the state election,” he told Bernama today.

The Yong Peng assemblyman said the blaze destroyed the building’s public address system, newly installed air-conditioning units, furniture, as well as documents and equipment used for community programmes.

He said the loss was also deeply felt by the local Chinese community, many of whom regarded the 70-year-old building as a landmark and a hub for community activities.

“Everyone feels saddened by the loss of an iconic building in Yong Peng. I ask the public to remain patient.

“MCA will make plans moving forward to ensure it continues serving as a centre for community and family activities in the area,” he said.

According to Ling, the building, measuring about 100 feet long, 70 feet wide and 20 feet high, had hosted a wide range of activities, including meetings, dance classes, exercise sessions, lion dance training and karaoke programmes held four times a week.

“Although the fire mainly spread through the upper section of the building, the entire interior is no longer usable, and all activities have been temporarily suspended,” he said.

The Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call on the incident at 8.28pm yesterday.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control and fully extinguished it by 9.56pm. — Bernama

KUALA TERENGGANU, June 2 — Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has submitted the coalition’s proposed candidates for the upcoming state election, with the list now being assessed, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

The Deputy Prime Minister and BN chairman said the lineup submitted by the Menteri Besar would be finalised after consultations with leaders of BN’s component parties.

“The candidates are still being assessed. At the same time, we must also respect the candidates put forward by BN’s other component parties,” he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Economic Convention (KEUB) 2026 at the Terengganu Equestrian Resort here.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, confirmed that Onn Hafiz would remain BN’s poster boy for the election.

He said BN is setting its sights on winning more than 40 seats in the state election, improving on its performance in the 2022 polls.

However, Ahmad Zahid stressed that no victory comes easily and that success would depend on hard work, sound strategy and a well-organised election machinery.

He expressed confidence that the various initiatives implemented by the Johor government under BN’s administration would resonate with voters and strengthen public support for the coalition.

Addressing perceptions surrounding BN’s relationship with Pakatan Harapan (PH) following the decision to contest separately, Ahmad Zahid emphasised that the Johor government was formed by BN before the establishment of the Unity Government at the federal level.

“The Johor government is a BN government, not a Unity Government. Johor BN has opened the door for friendly contests across all 56 state seats,” he said.

Yesterday, Onn Hafiz announced the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly after obtaining the consent of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, paving the way for a fresh state election.

He also confirmed that the coalition will field candidates in all 56 state constituencies.

In the 2022 Johor state election, BN secured a commanding victory by winning 40 of the 56 seats contested, while PH won 12 seats, Perikatan Nasional three and Muda one. — Bernama

JOHOR BAHRU, June 18 — The police will not compromise with any acts that provoke, threaten and incite hatred, including those linked to 3R issue (religion, race and royal institutions), for the upcoming state election.

Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said this includes acts of damaging public property, spreading false information or committing any offence that could affect public order throughout the election period.

“Strict action will be taken in accordance with the provisions under the law, irregardless of the background, political beliefs or position of any individual.

“In this regard, the Johor police contingent calls on all political parties, candidates, supporters and the public to adopt a sense of political maturity.

“This includes respecting the law to ensure that the democratic process takes place peacefully, harmoniously and responsibly,” he told reporters at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

Present was Johor deputy police chief Deputy Commissioner Hoo Chuan Huat and senior public order officers.

Ab Rahaman also reminded all parties to adhere to the guidelines set by the Election Commission (EC) and the authorities.

He said the Johor police have given an assurance that the security of the state would continue to be maintained and defended throughout the state election period.

“We will ensure that voters can carry out their responsibilities in a safe, orderly and conducive environment,” he added.

Meanwhile, a total of 12,710 police personnel in Johor are eligible to fulfil their responsibilities as early voters in the upcoming state election.

Ab Rahaman said the number involved officers and personnel working in the state from various formations.

He said the number was based on the list of voters registered by the EC as of May 21. 

The EC has set June 27 as nomination day for the Johor state election and July 11 as polling day, following the dissolution of the Johor state legislative assembly on June 1.

The upcoming state election will see several new and established parties contesting for the 56 state seats.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke has invited Johor caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to join him on a KTM Komuter Selatan journey next week, days after the Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman said he would rather give up the state’s top job than sit at the same table with DAP.

The remarks come ahead of the Johor state election, with BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) expected to contest against one another in the state despite being partners in the federal unity government.

Speaking at the launch of PH’s election machinery in Seremban yesterday, Loke said DAP had never regarded anyone as an enemy and remained open to working with different political parties.

“If there are those who say they do not want to sit with DAP, that is fine. We do not force anyone,” said Loke, who is also DAP secretary-general, as reported by Sinar Harian.

“But I would like to remind them that DAP is still part of the federal government, and I remain the transport minister.

“I would also like to inform Datuk Onn Hafiz that I will be in Johor Bahru next Tuesday to attend the launch of the KTM Komuter Selatan service.

“I would like to invite him to sit with me on the KTM Komuter Selatan from Kulai to Johor Bahru. Even though he has said he does not want to sit with DAP, that is alright. I am still extending the invitation for him to sit beside me on the train,” he added, according to the national daily.

Loke said DAP had experience working with various political parties, including PAS, for the benefit of the people and the country.

Onn Hafiz had previously said he would rather not become menteri besar than sit at the same table with DAP.

The Johor BN chairman said the position reflected the state’s political landscape, which differed from the situation at the federal level, adding that BN had never governed Johor together with DAP.

Loke also said political leaders should remain patient in managing differences of opinion.

“This is our attitude, this is our spirit. As politicians, our level of patience must be high because it is patience that will bring us victory and success,” he said.

“Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim waited patiently for more than 20 years before becoming Prime Minister.”

Election Commission chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun announced yesterday that Johor will head to the polls on July 11, with nomination day set for June 27 and early voting on July 7.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — PKR’s candidate for the Bukit Batu state seat, Arthur Chiong Sen Sern, has apologised to the Johor government after making an incorrect claim during his announcement as the coalition’s candidate last night.

Chiong, who is also the incumbent Bukit Batu assemblyman, said he was withdrawing remarks made during the launch of the Bukit Batu election machinery.

“After conducting further checks, I found that the statement that ‘there has been no allocation from the state government for this year’ was inaccurate.

“As such, I humbly apologise to all parties for the confusion caused by the statement. I am also withdrawing the remark and acknowledge that the mistake was unintentional,” he said in a statement today.

Chiong said he regretted the incident and appreciated the feedback he had received from various parties regarding the matter.

“I would like to correct the mistake and withdraw the following statement that I made during the Bukit Batu election machinery launch programme concerning the issue of state government allocations for this year,” he said.

Yesterday, Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced Chiong as the coalition’s candidate to defend the Bukit Batu seat in the upcoming Johor state election.

Johor voters will head to the polls on July 11. Nomination is set for June 27, while early voting will take place on July 7.

KOTA TINGGI, June 2 — Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties should consider fielding young and new faces as candidates in the upcoming Johor state election, particularly in constituencies with a high percentage of young voters, Umno Information Chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said.

The move would not only have a positive impact on BN but would also create opportunities for a new generation of leaders to emerge as the party’s future leadership through the state legislative assembly, she added.

“We have to accept the reality that many young people are now voters. Even in my constituency, about 40 per cent of the electorate are young voters. My hope is that this will be given emphasis,” she told a press conference after launching the Madani Adopted Village Programme in Kampung Tanjung Serindit here today.

She pointed out that the final decision on candidate selection rests entirely with the state BN leadership and political bureau.

At the same time, Azalina, who is also Pengerang MP, expressed hope that the two incumbent state assemblymen under her parliamentary constituency — Aznan Tamin (Tanjung Surat) and Fauziah Misri (Penawar) — would be retained as candidates for this election, and that the election would proceed in the spirit of democracy, free from violence or any untoward incidents.

On the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly, Azalina said the state government under Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi had the right to dissolve the assembly with the consent of the Johor Palace.

According to her, the decision was made following continued positive support from the people of Johor for the state government’s leadership under BN.

“Perhaps with what has happened, such as the Umno 80th Anniversary Celebration at Istana Besar Johor and Johor Darul Ta’zim’s 12th Super League title victory, I see a great deal of positive support from the people of Johor towards the state government’s leadership. Maybe these are among the factors,” she said.

Yesterday, Onn Hafiz announced the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly with effect from June 1 after receiving the consent of Johor Regent, Tunku Mahkota Ismail. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — A special meeting to discuss matters related to the 16th Johor state election will be held on June 12, according to the Election Commission (EC).

EC secretary Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said the commission had received notification from Johor State Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi regarding the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly on June 2, as provided under Clause 23(2), Part Two of the Johor Constitution 1895.

“Under Clause 23(4), Part Two of the Johor Constitution 1895, a state election must be held within 60 days from the date of the dissolution of the State Assembly.

“The special meeting, to be chaired by EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun, will discuss key dates for the 16th Johor state election, including the issuance of the election writ, nomination day, polling day, the electoral roll to be used, and other preparations for the conduct of the election,” he said in a statement today.

He added that a press conference would be held immediately after the special meeting.

The Johor State Legislative Assembly was dissolved on Monday after receiving the consent of Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail.

In a separate statement, Khairul Shahril said applications for domestic and overseas postal voting for the 16th Johor state election have opened online today via the MySPR portal at https://myspr.spr.gov.my

The facility is available to all postal voting categories: Category 1A (police officers, military personnel, election workers, EC members and officers, and media personnel), Category 1B (Malaysian citizens residing overseas), and Category 1C (agencies and organisations).

“All postal vote applications must be submitted online. Eligible voters who wish to vote by post must register for, or already have, a MySPR account before applying,” he said.

He added that the closing date for postal vote applications for all categories would be announced later.

For enquiries or further information, the public may contact the EC at 03-8892 7080 or email upup@spr.gov.my — Bernama

JOHOR BAHRU, June 19 — PKR and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) leadership will hold talks soon to resolve a dispute over the Puteri Wangsa state seat ahead of the Johor state election.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Fuziah Salleh said the matter has been sent up to the top leadership of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties for resolution.

“The issue has been handed over to the top leadership of the component parties to be resolved.

“The previous claim that the issue was resolved was made by Amanah, that maintained that the Puteri Wangsa seat belonged to them,” she told reporters during a Rahmah Madani programme at the Econsave Supermarket in Taman Daya here today.

Fuziah, who is also the deputy minister of domestic trade and cost of living, was commenting on the ongoing dispute between the two PH parties.

Yesterday, Amanah strongly objected to the Puteri Wangsa seat being handed over to PKR in the upcoming state election.

Johor Amanah vice-chairman Zuhan Zain reportedly said the party has never made any decision or agreement to hand over the seat to PKR.

He said Johor Amanah has made early preparations and has its machinery ready to reclaim and defend the Puteri Wangsa state seat.

The Puteri Wangsa seat has long been a point of contention within Johor PH and has become a power struggle between PKR and Amanah.

In the past, the seat was traditionally allocated to Amanah, but it was temporarily given to the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) during the 2022 Johor state election.

Following Muda’s split from PH, both PKR and Amanah have laid claim to the seat for the upcoming Johor polls.

The Election Commission has set nomination day for the Johor state election on June 27, with polling set for July 11, following the dissolution of the state legislative assembly on June 1.

The Johor state assembly has 56 seats. Prior to dissolution, Barisan Nasional held a supermajority of 40 seats, followed by PH with 12, Perikatan Nasional with three and Muda with one.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Police are preparing to deploy additional personnel and resources to ensure the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections proceed smoothly, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail said today.

Speaking after launching the Combat Scam initiative, Mohd Khalid said thousands of officers would be needed to maintain security and support the electoral process, according to a report by The Star.

He said Johor alone is expected to require between 4,000 and 5,000 additional police personnel.

“Johor is a large state with about 56 state seats being contested. We need to secure all designated polling centres and voting channels,” he told reporters.

Mohd Khalid said preparations were also underway for the Negri Sembilan state election, which will take place after the Johor polls.

He said personnel from across the country would be mobilised based on operational requirements identified by the respective state police leadership.

“We will do our utmost to ensure that the elections are conducted smoothly and effectively,” he said.

On June 12, Election Commission chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun announced that nomination day for the Johor state election would be held on June 27, followed by early voting on July 7 and polling on July 11.

For Negeri Sembilan, nomination day has been set for July 18, while early voting and polling day will take place on July 28 and August 1 respectively.

The Election Commission has estimated the Johor state election will cost RM86.8 million, while the Negeri Sembilan polls are expected to cost RM80.6 million.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Negotiations on seat allocation for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections are expected to be concluded next week, said Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

“We are currently in negotiations; insya-Allah, next week we will conclude everything,” he told reporters briefly when met after the launch of the Anti-Bullying Tribunal headquarters at the Asian International Arbitration Centre here today.

The launch was officiated by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

On BN’s campaign approach for both state polls, Asyraf Wajdi said the coalition would adopt a strategy of explaining policies and offering proposals that benefit the people.

“Within Umno and Barisan Nasional, we have made a clear decision in the previous Supreme Council meeting. We will not focus on attacking opponents or personal matters. We will state our policies and what we want to offer to the people.

“The president (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) has already said that we should not touch on personal issues or expose anyone’s shame,” he said.

The Election Commission (EC) has set July 11 as polling day for the Johor state election, with June 27 as nomination day and July 7 for early voting.

The 2022 Johor state election saw BN win 40 of the 56 seats contested, followed by Pakatan Harapan (PH) with 12 seats, Perikatan Nasional (PN) with three and Muda with one.

For the Negeri Sembilan state election, the EC has set August 1 as polling day, while July 18 is nomination day and July 28 for early voting.

In the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election, the PH-BN coalition form the state government after winning 31 of the 36 seats, with PH taking 17 seats, BN 14 and PN five. — Bernama 

JOHOR BARU, June 1 — Skudai assemblyman Marina Ibrahim today rejected claims she was defecting or had been “bought over”, saying her political decisions were made after consulting her closest supporters and stressing her focus was on solving problems rather than constant confrontation.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Marina invoked Sun Tzu’s Art of War to defend her non-confrontational style, arguing that “the best victory is one achieved without fighting”. 

She said politics should be measured by how many problems are resolved for constituents, not by how many disputes are waged. 

“Helping the people cannot wait for election season,” she wrote, describing her approach as “strategic diplomacy” rather than weakness.

Marina added that she believed in supporting government initiatives that benefit her constituency, while offering constructive criticism and solutions when weaknesses were identified. She said her priority was always the welfare of constituents, not political point-scoring.

The post followed controversy over a purported letter, dated May 30, where Marina rejected an offer to contest the Tiram seat and chair a government-linked company (GLC) if she lost.

In a Berita Harian report, Marina said she had shared “the letter” in a Johor DAP WhatsApp group. She did not verify if it was the same document now circulating on social media. 

“I don’t want to think about it now because it gives me a headache. What I want to do is rest so I can wake up tomorrow and continue helping the people,” she was quoted as saying.

The controversy erupted yesterday after Johor DAP chairman Teo Nie Ching revealed details of discussions held with Marina as part of the party’s preparations for the upcoming Johor state election.

In a Facebook post, Teo, who is also Deputy Communications Minister, confirmed talks had taken place on moving Marina to another constituency as part of DAP’s strategy to expand beyond its traditional strongholds. 

“To assure her that the party would stand by her regardless of the Johor State Elections outcome, I also shared my intention to propose her as the Chairman of a statutory body, which I believe she can contribute constructively,” Teo wrote.

The admission sparked online debate, with social media users questioning whether appointments to statutory bodies or GLCs should form part of candidate negotiations.

Earlier, New Straits Times reported that Teo had yet to respond to queries on the proposal or the type of statutory body involved.

The issue gained traction after Teo expressed regret if the discussions had made Marina uncomfortable, fuelling speculation over Marina’s surprise announcement yesterday that she would retire from politics and not defend her Skudai seat in the coming election.