BN to go solo in Johor state election

BN will go solo in the upcoming Johor election and contest all 56 state assembly seats, Johor BN chairperson Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced in a Facebook post this evening.

He said the decision was made after a discussion with the party's top leadership and taking into consideration the aspirations of the Johor people.

"After discussions with the party leadership, I, with a deep sense of humility and responsibility, wish to announce that Johor BN will contest all 56 state legislative assembly seats in the upcoming state election.

"For Johor Umno and BN, the decision to contest all seats is a clear offer to the people that we are ready to continue forming a stable and strong government that is fully committed to the development of the state and the well-being of the Johor people," he said.

No cooperation with Harapan

The announcement effectively puts an end to talks about whether BN would cooperate with its federal ally Pakatan Harapan in the state election.

It also comes a day before Harapan’s national convention in Johor Bahru, where it is expected to discuss strategies for the upcoming polls and gear up its election machinery.

Johor Amanah vice-chief Suhaizan Kaiat was recently quoted as saying the convention would be an important platform to determine the direction of Harapan and BN cooperation, including for the state election.

While BN and Harapan are allies at the federal level, having come together to form the unity government post-2022 general election, it is not the same in Johor, where BN holds the majority of state seats.

BN grabbed 40 out of 56 state seats in the 2022 Johor election, securing a two-thirds majority that allowed it to form a state government without Harapan.

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