KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke today defended his ministry’s engagement with the Johor government, citing several transport-related events attended by Johor caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi as he renewed his invitation for the latter to join Tuesday’s KTM Komuter Selatan launch.

The DAP secretary-general’s response came after Onn Hafiz said he had yet to receive a formal invitation to the event despite being “touched” by Loke’s public invitation to ride the train service together.

In a Facebook post, Loke thanked the Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman for his lengthy response and for accepting the invitation.

“Thank you YAB Dato’ Onn Hafiz for such a detailed response and for your willingness to accept my invitation to ride the KTM Komuter Selatan,” he wrote.

Loke then listed several Ministry of Transport (MOT) programmes that Onn Hafiz had attended personally.

These included the RTS Link ceremony witnessed by the prime ministers of Malaysia and Singapore on January 11, 2024; the arrival of the first RTS Link train in Singapore on June 30, 2025; the special launch of the ETS3 service and official opening of the KTM Kluang station on August 23, 2025; and the completion ceremony for the Gemas-Johor Baru Electrified Double Track Project, as well as the launch of ETS services to Johor Baru, on December 11, 2025.

Loke also noted that representatives from the Johor government had attended several other MOT programmes, including the signing ceremony for the Kluang Heritage Railway Linear Park project on September 7, 2023, a working visit to the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex on January 11, 2024, and the reopening of the Pasir Gudang-Kempas Baru railway line on May 9, 2025.

However, he pointed out that no representative from the Johor government had attended the launch of the MyLesenB2 programme for school students in Johor Baru on May 11 this year.

“I understand election season is indeed busy. Perhaps some things were forgotten,” Loke wrote.

He added that there was a distinction between official functions and working visits.

“If it is merely one of my working visits, I do not wish to take up the menteri besar’s valuable time,” he said.

Loke said a formal invitation letter would be sent to Onn Hafiz and reiterated that the Johor menteri besar would be given an opportunity to speak at the event.

“However, the invitation letter will arrive as soon as possible. See you in Kulai on Tuesday,” he wrote.

In a postscript, Loke referred to a March 3 “dry run” of the Komuter Selatan service involving Johor’s transport exco.

“Johor’s transport exco had already boarded the train for a ‘dry run’ of the Komuter Selatan, even though the service had not been finalised at the time.

“The MOT was not informed either, but I did not make a fuss about it,” he said.

Yesterday, Onn Hafiz said he had yet to receive a formal invitation to Tuesday’s launch despite Loke’s public invitation.

The Johor menteri besar also said the state government had not been invited to several previous transport-related programmes in the state, including working visits involving the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex and the ETS Segamat project.

The exchange comes ahead of the Johor state election, where BN and Pakatan Harapan are expected to contest against each other despite remaining partners in the federal unity government.

The invitation itself followed remarks by Onn Hafiz that he would rather relinquish the Johor menteri besar post than sit at the same table with DAP.

In response, Loke had said DAP had never regarded anyone as an enemy and remained open to working with different political parties, before inviting Onn Hafiz to join him on the KTM Komuter Selatan journey from Kulai to Johor Baru.

Johor goes to the polls on July 11, with nomination day set for June 27 and early voting scheduled for July 7.

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.