GE14 | Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has confirmed that he will contest for the Gambir state seat in Johor.

He made the announcement during a talk at a coffeeshop in Bukit Gambir today.

"My friends told me to ask the people of Gambir is it okay, (because) I will contest here," he said to cheers from the crowd.

He later confirmed his candidacy at a press conference.

“There is very good support here and so this is the state seat which I will contest in,” he was quoted as saying by The Star.

The incumbent Gambir assemblyperson is MIC's M Asojan, who won in 2013 with a razor-thin majority of 310 votes against PAS' Mahfodz Mohamed.

It is a mixed seat with 40 percent Chinese voters and 53 percent Malay voters.

If Muhyiddin wins Gambir, it could pave the way for him to be a potential menteri besar candidate.

Muhyiddin had served as Johor menteri besar from 1986 to 1995, before being appointed to a federal post.

Harapan has thus far held off from naming a menteri besar candidate due to concerns of backlash from the Johor palace.

Besides Gambir, Muhyiddin is also expected to defend his Pagoh parliamentary seat.