PETALING JAYA: Johor Umno Youth has challenged Pakatan Harapan (PH) to name its menteri besar candidate after the coalition’s state chief suggested a “free-for-all” contest to resolve the electoral cooperation deadlock with Barisan Nasional (BN) in the state.
The wing’s youth chief, Noor Azleen Ambros, said Johoreans deserve to know who PH would be putting forward as the state’s top leader.
“I’m sure they would be able to name their menteri besar candidate if a free-for-all is the way to go for the next Johor state election. But can they name one?” he told FMT.
“We are more than ready to face any possibility in the Johor state election.
“Any political coalition cooperation is welcome but if we have to go solo, Johor Umno and BN are more than ready.”
Aminolhuda Hassan, the state PH chairman, had told FMT that allowing all parties to contest the seats they are eyeing would avoid the confusion surrounding unity government arrangements seen at the federal level. This will resolve the deadlock over seats between BN and PH in the state, he added.
The Sri Gading MP said this approach would mirror Sabah’s, where parties aligned under the federal unity government contested against one another in last November’s state election.
The current Johor state assembly term is set to end by April 2027.
In the 2022 state election, BN won 40 of the 56 seats, while PH secured 12. Perikatan Nasional won three seats, and Muda one.
Despite working together in the unity government at the federal level, PH is excluded from the Johor administration.
