KUALA LUMPUR, Sunday, 12 July 2026 – With Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi now sworn in as Johor Menteri Besar, the election itself has passed into history. What remains, however, is the political message delivered by Johor voters — a message that extends far beyond the state’s borders. This was not merely an election to choose a government. It was a referendum on the leadership, priorities and direction of the Federal Government.

The Johor election was never just about Johor.

It evolved into the clearest referendum yet on the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the direction of the Federal Government.

The message from voters was emphatic.

As commentator Sara Petra aptly observed: “2018, rakyat mengundi harapan. 2026, rakyat memberi hukuman.”

Whether one agrees with that sentiment or not, the scale of Barisan Nasional’s victory cannot simply be dismissed as a routine state election result.

Many BN candidates not only retained their seats but significantly increased their winning majorities, with some doubling or even tripling their previous margins. Even MIC, often portrayed as politically weakened in recent years, won all four seats it contested.

These were not marginal victories.

They represented a decisive shift in voter sentiment.

Johor PRN More Than a Political Contest

For months, the national political conversation had been dominated by personalities, court cases and political narratives.

Johor voters appeared to have other priorities.

Across coffee shops, markets and neighbourhoods, conversations were less about political rhetoric and more about daily survival.

The rising cost of food.

Electricity bills.

School expenses.

Housing.

Running a small business.

The question many ordinary Malaysians asked was remarkably simple:

“How does all this political drama help me pay my bills next month?”

Politics is ultimately won in kitchens, not on social media.

When families struggle with their household budgets, campaign slogans lose their appeal.

Cost of Living Became the Real Campaign

In 2018, Pakatan Harapan successfully convinced Malaysians that change was necessary.

Eight years later, many voters appear to be asking whether that promise has translated into better lives.

Businesses today face increasing compliance obligations, including e-Invoicing implementation, withholding tax issues and additional regulatory requirements. E-hailing drivers have voiced concerns over rising operational costs, while many small and medium enterprises argue that compliance has become increasingly burdensome.

Whether every policy is justified economically is another debate.

Politically, however, perception matters.

Many voters believe government has become more focused on regulations than on reducing the everyday burdens faced by ordinary Malaysians.

That perception proved costly.

Campaign Miscalculations

Another significant factor was the tone adopted during the campaign.

Attempts to portray Onn Hafiz as inexperienced or dismiss him as merely a “budak-budak” appeared to backfire.

Rather than weakening him, such attacks arguably united Johoreans behind their Menteri Besar.

Voters generally dislike what they perceive as arrogance.

Campaigns that underestimate opponents often end up energising their support.

Likewise, repeated attempts to frame the election around Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor appeared increasingly disconnected from the immediate concerns of many Johor voters.

Whether supporters or critics of Najib agree, many Malaysians seem ready to move beyond years of political fixation on personalities and court battles.

Their priorities have shifted.

They are asking about inflation.

Jobs.

Economic security.

Public services.

Perceptions of Arrogance

Perhaps the most damaging political perception confronting Pakatan Harapan—and particularly DAP—is the growing belief among many voters that parts of the coalition have become increasingly dismissive of opposing views and overly confident that public support would remain intact.

Politics punishes complacency.

When voters believe their concerns are being dismissed, elections become opportunities to register dissatisfaction.

Johor appears to have become precisely that.

For many BN supporters, the election result also reflected unease over broader national issues, including debates involving the Malay Rulers, matters affecting Malay-Muslim interests and policies perceived as insufficiently sensitive to longstanding cultural and religious concerns.

Whether these perceptions are entirely accurate is less important politically than the fact that they exist.

Successful governments ignore public sentiment at their own peril.

A Lesson Beyond Johor

Johor should not be viewed as an isolated state election.

It is an early political warning.

Governments that fail to address bread-and-butter issues inevitably face electoral consequences.

The ballot box remains the rakyat’s most powerful instrument.

Johor demonstrated that voters are prepared to travel home, queue for hours and cast their ballots when they believe the stakes are high.

Not because they are instructed to do so.

Not because they are rewarded.

But because they want their voices heard.

The Road Ahead

For Barisan Nasional, victory in Johor is encouraging but should not become an excuse for complacency.

For Pakatan Harapan, the result offers an opportunity for honest reflection.

Election victories and defeats are temporary.

Public trust is not.

If Johor’s message is understood, there remains time for course correction.

If it is dismissed as merely another state election, Putrajaya risks discovering that Johor was not an exception—but the beginning of a larger political trend.

In the end, democracies have a simple way of correcting governments that lose touch with the people.

They vote. – NMH

The post Opinion | Johor PRN Verdict: A Warning Putrajaya Can No Longer Ignore first appeared on NMH.

Johor voters have seen this movie before. DAP wins big, then confuses a mandate with ownership.

In 2022 they swept 10 seats in Johor on the back of anti Barisan Nasional (BN) sentiment.

Fast forward to 2025, and the script has flipped. After Sabah showed DAP losing every seat they contested, the same arrogance that cost them there is now on display in Johor.

The difference is simple: DAP brings perspective, Onn Hafiz brings performance.

DAP’s Perspective Problem And Failure Of Delivery

DAP in Johor still acts like it is 2018. The messaging is national, the tone is top down, and the ground work is missing.

Seats like Skudai were won with 27k majorities because voters wanted change, not because they signed up for permanent DAP rule.

Four years later, that same seat faces traffic congestion at Taman Universiti, flood mitigation delays in Kempas, and business licence bottlenecks that kill small traders.

The answer from DAP? More press statements, less site visits.

That is arrogance, assuming the 2022 majority is transferable without delivery. Sabah proved it is not.

When a party mistakes presence on social media for presence in the constituency, voters notice.

Constituency service centres that were promised to be open daily are staffed part time.

Resident complaints on drainage, street lighting and illegal dumping get redirected to the local council with no follow up.

Townhall sessions are rare, and when they happen they feel like ceramah, not problem solving.

That is the arrogance of incumbency: we won, so you will wait.

Dapsy’s Arrogance On Full Display

If DAP Johor is detached, Dapsy Johor is worse. Dapsy leaders in the state talk like they own the future of Johor, but their track record is thin.

Instead of fixing potholes or helping traders, Dapsy lecture voters on national ideology and party doctrine.

Dapsy leaders’ Social media posts attack political opponents, but rarely show ground programmes that solve local problems.

The arrogance is in the tone. Dapsy Johor speaks down to voters, dismisses criticism as “cybertrooper” or “political”, and assumes young voters will fall in line because of party brand.

Sabah should have been a warning. Young voters rejected Dapsy candidates there because they saw no work on the ground, only noise online.

Johor Dapsy is repeating the same mistake. Brand is not a substitute for boots on the ground. Arrogance is not a strategy.

How DAP Treated Marina Ibrahim In Skudai

The clearest example is Marina Ibrahim, incumbent ADUN for Skudai since 2018.

Marina won with a huge mandate and has been one of DAP’s most vocal Johor reps on local issues, pushing for accountability and service for residents and businesses.

Yet within DAP Johor she received cold treatment compared to other ADUNs.

Less allocation for constituency work, less platform at state events, and internal pressure to move out of Skudai.

In a letter dated 30 May 2026 to DAP Johor Chairman, Marina revealed she rejected an offer made by DAP Women Chief Teo Nie Ching during a discussion on 17 May 2026 with Andrew Chen Kah Eng, Johor DAP Secretary.

The offer was for Marina to contest Tiram instead of Skudai, with a GLC chairmanship promised if she failed to win.

Marina declined the offer and announced she was quitting politics.

The letter went viral after she shared it in the DAP Johor WhatsApp group.

NST reported on 31 May 2026 that Marina declined to confirm the letter’s authenticity publicly.

This exposes DAP’s hypocrisy. Before GE14, DAP attacked political appointments to GLCs.

After taking power, GLC posts were dangled as a consolation prize to shift a vocal local rep out of her base.

The message to every Johorean: serve the people loudly and DAP will offer you an exit package.

Loyalty to the party line matters more than service to constituents.

Onn Hafiz’s Performance Track And Delivery

Compare that to MB Johor Onn Hafiz. Whether you agree with every policy or not, the man is visible.

Onn shows up for roadworks, flood projects, and local business forums.

The Machap representative speaks Johor’s language: development, investment, jobs.

Under Onn’s watch, Johor has pushed the Johor Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS SEZ) with Singapore and expanded Iskandar Malaysia investments.

Approvals for factories and logistics hubs have been accelerated, with the state government cutting red tape so projects move from announcement to construction faster.

The JS SEZ is being positioned as a game changer for skilled jobs and cross border commerce.

That is ribbon cutting and site visits, not rhetoric.

On the ground, Onn’s administration has focused on delivery voters feel daily.

Flood mitigation projects in Tebrau, Skudai and Pasir Gudang have been fast tracked after years of delay, with drainage upgrades and pump stations prioritised before the monsoon season.

Road upgrades and junction improvements in Iskandar Puteri and Johor Bahru are aimed at cutting traffic congestion that has frustrated commuters for years.

Through “Jom Niaga Johor” and dedicated business facilitation units, SMEs are getting faster approval for licences and permits, something traders say was stuck under the previous administration.

At the same time, more technical and TVET training is being aligned to JS SEZ jobs so Johoreans get first access to employment, not just foreign workers.

Onn has also made “turun padang” his signature style, turning up unannounced at markets, schools and project sites to check progress himself.

Johor Voters See Onn, Not Just His Poster

There is also stronger coordination with Singapore on water, energy and customs to make JS SEZ functional, not just another announcement.

The message from Onn is consistent: fix what is broken, approve what creates jobs, and show up where people live.

It is not just Johor. BN led state governments in Pahang and Malacca run the same playbook: infrastructure delivery, clear timelines, less political drama.

In Pahang, the ECRL alignment through Bentong, Temerloh and Kuantan is framed as a logistics boost, with the state attracting warehousing near stations.

In Malacca, tourism recovery and port expansion in Tanjung Bruas are backed by direct engagement with SMEs and traders.

Even on bread and butter issues, BN states hammer delivery. Flood mitigation, road upgrades in semi urban areas, faster processing for small business licences.

Fix the roads, approve the projects, turn up for constituents. That’s BN’s style.

Voters may be frustrated with the federal government, but they can still see the difference between an ADUN who appears at ground events and one who tweets.

The Johor Choice

If DAP loses Skudai, it will not be BN magic. It will be DAP arrogance meeting Onn’s ground game.

DAP thought perspective and slogans were enough; BN put boots on the ground and delivered projects voters can see.

Dapsy’s arrogance, DAP’s failure to serve after winning big, and the Marina case that exposed GLC hypocrisy are the story here.

Johor’s upcoming polls will be a referendum on performance versus perspective.

Right now, only BN is scoring points where it matters, at the grassroots, with spades in the ground and projects on the table. – NMH

The writer is Vice-President of Parti Cinta Malaysia and a commentator on governance and public policy. The views expressed are his own.

Also read:

PRN Johor 2026: Ujian Pertama BN Tanpa Faktor Najib

DAP Silence Exposes the Truth: UMNO was Always the Bogeyman

PKR Tears Itself Apart While In Power: The Real ‘Reformasi’?

Johor Polls: Can BN Win Big Without The Najib Factor?

The post Johor Polls: Performance Versus Perspective first appeared on NMH.

JOHOR BAHRU – Spekulasi yang berlegar sejak beberapa minggu lalu akhirnya terjawab apabila Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Johor secara rasmi dibubarkan hari ini, membuka laluan kepada Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) Johor ke-16.

Pembubaran tersebut tidak mengejutkan ramai pemerhati politik memandangkan pelbagai petanda telah muncul sejak kebelakangan ini, termasuk pemanggilan sidang khas DUN Johor selama sehari yang mencetuskan pelbagai persoalan mengenai hala tuju politik negeri berkenaan.

PRN Johor 2022

Dalam PRN Johor 2022, Barisan Nasional (BN) mencatat kemenangan besar apabila menguasai 40 daripada 56 kerusi DUN, sekali gus membentuk kerajaan negeri dengan majoriti dua pertiga yang selesa. Pakatan Harapan (PH) memenangi 12 kerusi, manakala Perikatan Nasional (PN) memperoleh tiga kerusi dan Muda satu kerusi.

Atas kertas, BN masih dilihat sebagai pilihan utama untuk mempertahankan Johor kali ini. Jentera parti di negeri itu kekal kukuh, manakala Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi turut menikmati tahap populariti yang sangat baik dalam kalangan pengundi.

Namun persoalan yang lebih besar ialah sama ada BN mampu mengulangi kemenangan luar biasa seperti pada tahun 2022.

Ini kerana landskap politik hari ini tidak lagi sama seperti empat tahun lalu.

Kelibat Mantan Perdana Menteri Menarik Perhatian

Ketika PRN Johor 2022 berlangsung, bekas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak memainkan peranan yang cukup signifikan dalam kempen BN. Kehadiran beliau ketika itu berjaya menarik perhatian rakyat dan mencetuskan gelombang sokongan tersendiri yang akhirnya menyumbang kepada kemenangan besar gabungan tersebut.

Kini keadaan berbeza apabila Najib masih menjalani hukuman penjara, sekali gus menimbulkan persoalan sama ada BN mampu menghasilkan impak kempen yang sama tanpa figura yang pernah dianggap antara aset politik terbesarnya.

Lebih menarik, pembubaran DUN Johor hari ini berlaku serentak dengan sambutan Hari Keputeraan Rasmi Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim, yang juga berasal dari Johor.

Kebetulan itu turut mengundang pelbagai spekulasi dalam kalangan penyokong Najib yang sebelum ini berharap akan ada perkembangan berkaitan pengampunan diraja terhadap bekas Presiden UMNO tersebut sempena hari istimewa berkenaan. Namun setakat ini, masih belum ada sebarang pengumuman rasmi mengenainya.

Pada masa yang sama, PH juga dilihat berdepan cabaran tersendiri untuk kembali menjadi pencabar utama BN di Johor.

PH Tidak Sekuat Dahulu

Berbanding beberapa tahun lalu, momentum politik PH dilihat tidak lagi sekuat dahulu, manakala isu-isu nasional dan persepsi terhadap kerajaan perpaduan turut dijangka mempengaruhi sentimen pengundi.

Turut menjadi perhatian ialah sama ada BN akan benar-benar bertanding secara solo di Johor seperti yang pernah dibayangkan beberapa pemimpin UMNO sebelum ini. Cadangan tersebut menerima reaksi kurang senang daripada DAPSY yang melihatnya sebagai isyarat bahawa kerjasama dalam Kerajaan Perpaduan tidak semestinya akan diterjemahkan ke medan pilihan raya. Sekiranya BN memilih untuk bergerak bersendirian, PRN Johor bakal menjadi referendum kecil terhadap kekuatan sebenar parti itu selepas membentuk kerajaan bersama PH di peringkat Persekutuan, selain memberi gambaran awal mengenai kemungkinan penjajaran politik menjelang PRU16.

Bagaimana PAS?

PN pula dijangka mengambil pendekatan yang lebih berhati-hati. Terdapat cakap-cakap politik bahawa PAS mungkin tidak akan bertanding di Johor kali ini, dengan fokus lebih terarah kepada usaha membina ruang kerjasama yang lebih luas bersama UMNO menjelang Pilihan Raya Umum ke-16 (PRU16).

Sekiranya perkembangan tersebut menjadi kenyataan, ia bakal menjadi antara faktor paling menarik untuk diperhatikan sepanjang kempen PRN Johor nanti.

Apa pun, pembubaran DUN Johor menandakan bermulanya satu lagi ujian penting buat parti-parti politik utama negara.

BN mungkin masih berada di kedudukan paling selesa untuk mengekalkan kuasa di negeri itu, tetapi persoalan sama ada ia mampu meraih kemenangan besar seperti 2022 tanpa faktor Najib masih kekal menjadi tanda tanya terbesar menjelang hari pengundian. – NMH

The post PRN Johor 2026: Ujian Pertama BN Tanpa Faktor Najib first appeared on NMH.

The announcement of Barisan Nasional (BN) Johor to go solo and contest all 56 seats in the country’s southernmost state has reopened one of Malaysian politics’ oldest questions: can the coalition win on its own machinery and brand, or did its 2022 landslide victory depended on a single man now behind bars?

On 16 May 2026, Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi declared that BN would go it alone, framing it as “a clear offer to the people that we are ready to continue to form a stable, strong government and fully serve to the development of the state”. This was later followed up with a statement by the Barisan Nasional Hq.

The response from Pakatan Harapan (PH) was immediate.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said PH was prepared to contest all 56 seats too, and warned that a solo BN push amounted to “betrayal” of the federal unity government.

The 2022 Playbook Is Hard To Replicate

In March 2022, BN swept Johor with 40 of 56 seats on just 43% of the vote.

The victory was widely attributed to a mix of low turnout, a divided opposition, and what Umno leaders openly called the “Najib factor”.

Former Prime Minister Najib Razak campaigned heavily, and his social media reach helped mobilise rural Malay voters at a time when the party was battered nationally.

That advantage no longer exists. For now, at least.

Najib has been in prison since August 2022, and for now, BN cannot deploy him on the ground or as a campaign drawcard.

The party’s own acting president, Mohamad Hasan, acknowledged during the 2022 election run that Najib’s contributions were “significant” to BN’s wins.

Complicating things for PH are renewed reports that Najib may receive a full pardon on the King’s birthday.

Several foreign news agencies have reported speculation around the timing, though no official confirmation has been issued by Istana Negara.

If the pardon materialises before polling, the Najib factor remains and it would reintroduce the single variable that BN has been planning to campaign.

What’s Changed On The Ground

The arithmetic is different. In 2022, PN, Pejuang and Warisan split the anti-BN vote, letting BN win many seats with under 50%. With PH now planning a straight fight in all 56 seats, that split is unlikely to repeat.

DAP’s Ong Kian Ming says BN wants the poll to “build momentum for GE16”, but it faces a more consolidated PH. State chairman Aminolhuda Hassan has called to “bury” BN again. PH’s urban base remains intact and will argue for state-level checks on BN.

That leaves BN exposed. Defending its record without PH’s coattails while governing with PH in Putrajaya creates a contradiction.

As Anwar put it, “Do not threaten us or move toward betrayal”.

The Incumbency Edge Remains

BN is not starting from zero.

Onn Hafiz has cultivated a relatively clean, technocratic image, and Johor’s economy has shown resilience post-pandemic.

Analysts say the MB’s best asset in the absence of Najib is his personal standing.

Francis Hutchinson of ISEAS has previously observed that PH performs better when state and federal polls are held together; a standalone Johor election favours the incumbent.

Most Probable Outcome

BN will likely hold Johor, but it probably won’t repeat the 40-seat landslide it had in 2022, unless the pardon speculation turns into reality before polling day.

With PH now planning to contest all 56 seats alone and Najib currently off the campaign trail, BN would need to keep that same 43% vote share against a less divided opponent.

The expectation remains that BN stays in power, but with a smaller majority, barring a late political shift.

The real test is whether BN can prove it still has a narrative beyond personalities.

If it cannot, Johor 2026 may mark the end of the idea that Umno/BN can win nationally on nostalgia alone. – NMH

The writer is the Vice-president of Parti Cinta Malaysia and a commentator on governance and public policy. The views expressed are his own.

The post Johor Polls: Can BN Win Big Without The Najib Factor? first appeared on NMH.

Oleh Kamarudin Ahmad, Peguam dan Aktivis Masyarakat
Persoalannya mengapa penyokong BN mahukan Parlimen dibubar segera?
Perkara perkara berikut menjadi punca mengapa Parlimen perlu dibubar segera :

1.Pembangkang telah mendesak PM supaya adakan Confidence and Supply Agreement (CSA 2.0) dengan tujuan PM takkan bubar Parlimen kerana sokongan kuat dari Pembangkang. BN bimbang jika ditangguh PRU 15 ketahun depan, ini akan beri masa kepada Pembangkang memantapkan kedudukan mereka yang kini berpecah dan lemah.

2.Kerajaan Persekutuan yang sedia ada sebenarnya ialah kesinambungan Kerajaan pilihan Muhyiddin. Kebanyakan Menteri Kanan datangnya dari BERSATU, PAS dan bekas pemimpin pemimpin PKR. Dan parti parti ini telah berlawan dengan UMNO/BN pada PRN Johor dan PRN Melaka tempoh hari. Hanya melalui PRU 15 dapat BN menubuhkan sebuah Kerajaan Persekutuan yang bersepadu dan kuat.

3. Muhyiddin masih memegang jawatan Pengerusi MAJLIS PEMULIHAN NEGARA (MPN). Sepatutnya beliau melepaskan jawatan ini kerana PN telah kalah teruk di PRN Johor. Amat jelas PN hilang keyakinan pengundi Johor. Dan sebelum ini PN hilang keyakinan pengundi Melaka. Justeru menjadi satu beban untuk BN terus bersama PN dalam Kerajaan Keluarga Malaysia Ismail Sabri.

4. Kerajaan Persekutuan Ismail Sabri tidak berikan layanan kepada cadangan baik untuk kebajikan rakyat. Sebagai contoh, cadangan I-Citra 10K One-off dari Najib tidak dilayan. Ketua Pembangkang turut menyokong cadangan yang Najib buat. Jika sikap PM Ismail Sabri berterusan seperti ini, BN akan turut menjadi sasaran kemarahan rakyat.

5. Menteri Menteri Kabinet sedia ada gagal berfungsi. Tiada pelaburan baru dibawa masuk oleh Menteri Ekonomi. Pelabur asing mula meninggalkan Malaysia. Menteri Ekonomi gagal sediakan rangsangan untuk menarik pelabur asing. Menteri Kewangan tiada cadangan atau tindakan untuk menambahkan pendapatan negara.

Dilema PM

6. Dilema PM. Kerana majoriti yang tipis, Ismail Sabri tak berani ambil tindakan untuk gugurkan Menteri yang tak berfungsi. Sekiranya empat Ahli Parlimen menarik sokongan, maka tumbang Kerajaan Persekutuan sedia ada. Perkara ini turut menyumbang kepada keadaan politik yang tak stabil.

7. BN perlu wujudkan sebuah Kerajaan Persekutuan yang mantap. Bagi tujuan ini anggota kabinet perlu datangnya dari parti parti komponen BN. Sangat sukar untuk mentadbir sebuah kerajaan di mana anggota kabinet terdiri daripada parti parti lawan seperti BERSATU,PAS.

Inilah kemelut politik yang hanya boleh diatasi dengan mempercepatkan PRU 15, kerana itulah Ismail Sabri perlu mengadap Baginda Agung untuk Bubar Parlimen. – New Malaysia Herald

Kamarudin Ahmad
Peguam, Aktivis Masyarakat

Kamarudin Ahmad adalah pembaca New Malaysia Herald. Perkara yang dinyatakan dalam artikel ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak mencerminkan pendirian New Malaysia Herald.

The post SURAT | Dah Tiba Masanya Untuk Bubar Parlimen – Bah 2 first appeared on NMH.

JOHOR BARU – By now everyone is aware that the UMNO led Barisan Nasional (BN) captured Johor on Saturday (12 March), winning 40 out of the 56 seats in the state polls.

With this victory, BN secured a two-thirds majority to form a strong and stable state government posting a stunning comeback that could spur it to press for an early general election.

Apart from its traditional strongholds in north Johor, BN managed to capture some urban seats near Johor Baru and Pasir Gudang that had been won by Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the 2018 14th general election.

Out of the 40 seats, UMNO won 33, MCA four and MIC three.

The majority of the remaining seats were scooped by PH, 10 by DAP and one by Amanah.

Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR won only one seat, repeating its dull performance at the recent Melaka and Sarawak state elections and putting into question his leadership of the PH coalition. 

Malaysia’s eighth Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Bersatu led Perikatan Nasional (PN) with PAS and Gerakan as its component parties also fared poorly. Contesting all 56 seats equally with BN, it won only three seats, two by Bersatu and one by PAS.

Muhyiddin, who portrayed himself as Johor’s stalwart during the election campaign accepted responsibility for the coalition’s defeat.

“I am ready to resign at any time if the party decides that I should go,” he said at a media conference on Saturday night.

Muar MP Syed Saddiq’s Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) contesting for the first time, won one seat.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) ran in 42 seats, while Parti Warisan, led by former Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal contested six seats, splitting the opposition vote with PH parties in all of them, returned empty-handed.

Tebrau MP Steven Choong’s Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) which contested four seats, also returned empty-handed.

UMNO Hammering Win

UMNO’s hammering win in its place of origin comes on the back of BN scoring a two-thirds majority in the Melaka elections in November last year.

Leading the charge for the victorious Johor campaign was former premier Najib Razak who thanked the Johor voters for giving the mandate to BN to rule the state.

“I thank all the Johor voters for voting BN in order to get Johor back on the development track while conserving harmony among the people,” he told the New Malaysia Herald when contacted for a comment.

Besides Najib, incumbent Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad, who is expected to be sworn in again, also thanked the voters for their mandate and said they had chosen stability. 

“I urge all voters, whether those who voted BN or otherwise, to be together with me for the future of Johor,” he said on Saturday night at the BN’s command centre.

Nevertheless, yesterday’s victory for BN went unacknowledged by any of the Opposition parties. It is a general practice that in a competition, the loser will usually congratulate the winner and will admit defeat with a vow to improve on its weaknesses and will fare better in the next round.

Alas, all the Opposition parties and the media closely aligned with them were shifting blame on these factors, but never themselves: Unrecognisable logo (PEJUANG) and insufficient time to campaign (DAP), among other excuses.

Most of them too pooh-poohed BN’s victory by saying that the latter won due to the poor voter turnout – slightly more than 50% when the voting centres closed at 6 pm. Some even said that since the voter turnout was low, the election should be considered null and void and there should be a re-election.

However, it was later acknowledged that BN took 66.25% of the popular votes, making them the more popular coalition and certainly deserving of the victory.

Historic Election

This election is historic as it is the first time a total of 173,177 youths aged between 18 and 20 are eligible to cast their ballots in Johor, making them the first in this age group to vote in elections in Malaysia.

The lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 years and automatic voter registration were gazetted on 01 Dec 2021 and was enforced on 15 Dec after obtaining the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

A total of 1,426,573 (54.92 per cent) voters turned out to vote in 1,021 polling stations which started at 8 am and ended at 6 pm.

239 candidates from 15 political parties contested in this state election with multi-corner battles in several areas.

The Johor state assembly was dissolved on 22 Jan after Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar gave his royal assent under Clause 23 of the Second Part of the Johor State Constitution 1895.

The Johor polls which were supposed to have been held next year along with GE15 but were called early following the demise of Kempas assemblyman Osman Sapian, 70, who died of a stroke on 21 Dec 2021 and the state government was left with a single-seat majority. – New Malaysia Herald

The post BN Crushed PN, PH In Historical Johor Polls first appeared on NMH.

Kerajaan Persekutuan yang sedia ada bukan sahaja nampak lemah namun tidak melambangkan kerjasama antara parti2 politik. Laungan Bubar! dah berkumandang

Tahniah kepada pengundi Johor yang telah memilih Barisan Nasional (BN). Keputusan bijak untuk memacu pembangunan negeri Johor yang teruk terjejas sepanjang Pakatan Harapan (PH) mentadbir Kerajaan Persekutuan. Track Rekod BN dibawah pimpinan Datuk Seri Najib sebagai PM menjadi bukti kemampuan BN untuk memajukan ekonomi negeri Johor.

Keyakinan Rakyat telah kembali kepada BN. Rakyat telah sedar dan insaf atas kegagalan Kerajaan PH untuk mentadbir Negara. Kini Rakyat kembali kepada BN.

Inilah masanya untuk perubahan dilakukan diperingkat kebangsaan. Sebuah Kerajaan Persekutuan yang kukuh perlu diwujudkan. Bagi tujuan ini, PRU 15 perlu dipercepatkan. Parlimen perlu dibubarkan selepas bulan Julai. Serahkan mandat kepada Rakyat untuk memilih Kerajaan Persekutuan.

Kerajaan Persekutuan yang sedia ada bukan sahaja nampak lemah, namun tidak melambangkan kerjasama antara parti parti politik. Anehnya Menteri Menteri Kabinet datangnya dari parti parti yang berlawan di PRN Johor pada 12 Mac lalu.

BN lawan PN, sedangkan BN adalah anggota dalam gabungan Kerajaan PN. Keadaan seperti ini tidak sihat. Rakyat nak melihat sebuah Kerajaan Persekutuan yang kuat dan berani mengambil keputusan keputusan demi kebaikkan Negara.

Kita Serahkan Kepada Rakyat

Malangnya buat masa ini, Perdana Menteri seperti terikat dengan sayarat syarat yang dikenakan oleh Parti BERSATU. Perdana Menteri seolah olah terpaksa merujuk kepada Parti BERSATU berkaitan isu isu tertentu.

Walaupun Perdana Menteri datangnya dari UMNO/BN, namun beliau maseh terikat dengan syarat syarat parti BERSATU. Inilah punca kemelut Kerajaan PN yang perlu diatasi dengan PRU 15.

Kita serahkan kepada Rakyat untuk menentukan Kerajaan baru diperingkat Persekutuan.

Kerajaan yang dilahirkan melalui LANGKAH SHERATON tidak boleh dibiarkan berpanjangan. Akhirnya pemimpin politik perlu akur kepada kuasa Rakyat.

Inilah masanya untuk bubarkan Parlimen bagi menghormati MANDAT RAKYAT. – New Malaysia Herald

Kamarudin Ahmad
Peguam, Aktivis Masyarakat

Kamarudin Ahmad adalah pembaca New Malaysia Herald. Perkara yang dinyatakan dalam artikel ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak mencerminkan pendirian New Malaysia Herald.

The post SURAT | Dah Tiba Masanya Untuk Bubar Parlimen Demi Kepentingan Rakyat first appeared on NMH.

JOHOR BARU – Setakat 11.21 malam ini, Barisan Nasional (BN) telah memperolehi 29 kerusi daripada 56 kerusi untuk membentuk Kerajaan di negeri Johor, seperti diumumkan oleh Suruhanjaya Pemilihanraya (SPR). Namun secara bukan rasmi, BN telah memperolehi majoriti 2/3 dengan 40 kerusi.

Sementara itu, Penasihat Barisan Nasional, bekas perdana menteri Najib Razak, apabila dihubungi New Malaysia Herald tadi, mengucapkan terima kasih kepada pengundi pengundi kerana memilih BN yang boleh mengembalikan Johor ke landasan pembangunan dan membela kesejahteraan rakyat.

Pilihanraya ini adalah bersejarah kerana ia diadakan untuk kali pertama dalam negara selepas Undi-18 (menurun umur pengundi dari 21 ke 18) diluluskan di Parlimen. Terdapat lebih dari 700,000 pengundi dalam kategori ini.

Dewan Undangan Negeri Johor telah dibubarkan atas pekenan DYMM Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar selaras dengan Klausa 23 Bahagian Kedua Perlembagaan Negeri Johor 1895.

Pilihanraya Negeri Johor sepatutnya diadakan pada tahun hadapan bersamaan dengan Pilihanraya Umum ke15, tetapi dibuat lebih awal selepas pembubaran Dewan Undangan Negeri pada 22 Jan apabila kerajaan negeri memperolehi hanya satu kerusi majoriti selepas ahli DUN Kempas, Osman Sapian, 70, meninggal dunia akibat mengalami strok pada 21 Dis tahun lepas.

Pilihan raya kali ini menyaksikan seramai 2,599,797 juta pengundi aktif daripada keseluruhan kira-kira 3.52 juta penduduk negeri ini. Namun demikian, setakat jam 5 petang, hanya 50% pengundi turun mengundi. – New Malaysia Herald

The post TERKINI | BN Tumpaskan PN, PH Di Johor, Membentuk Kerajaan Negeri first appeared on NMH.

JOHOR BAHRU – Polling for the 15th Johor state election which began at 8 am today has ended after all the 1,021 polling centres were closed at 6 pm.

After the polling stations were closed, all the ballot boxes from 4,638 voting channels were taken to 56 vote-tallying centres, and the official results will be announced tonight, the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) reported.

A total of 36,729 postal ballot papers were issued by the Election Commission (EC), while early voting on Tuesday (08 March) saw a turnout of about 87 per cent or 18,625 voters comprising members of the security forces and their spouses.

A total of 239 candidates from 15 political parties are vying for 56 seats in the Johor State Legislative Assembly.

A total of 2,539,606 regular voters of the 2,597,742 voters registered for this election were eligible to vote today. As of 4 pm, half of the regular voters have cast their ballots.

New Eligible Voters

A total of 173,177 individuals aged 18 to 20 were eligible to vote in this election, marking the first time youths in this age group were making their debut as voters in the country.

This followed the passing of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 in March 2019 providing for the eligible voting age to be lowered from 21 to 18 and automatic voter registration to be implemented.

In the 14th general election, Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the mandate to form the Johor government after winning 36 state seats, with DAP taking 14 seats, Amanah (nine), PKR (five) and Bersatu (eight).

Barisan Nasional (BN) won 19 seats while PAS obtained only one.

However, the PH government in Johor collapsed after Bersatu pulled out from PH at the federal level on 24 Feb 2020.

Bersatu then teamed up with BN and PAS to form the Johor Perikatan Nasional (PN) government with 29 seats.

The post Johor Polls: Voting Ends, Counting Process Begins first appeared on NMH.

BATU PAHAT – Johor police have received 140 reports for various offences during the Johor state election campaign period from Feb 26 until yesterday.

Johor police chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat said 37 investigations were opened, 13 of which were offences under Section 427 of the Penal Code for destroying political parties’ posters or banners.

Investigation papers were also opened for holding talks without a permit, flouting the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to check the spread of Covid-19 and posting defamatory statements on social media.

According to the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), speaking to the media after his briefing with officers and police personnel in conjunction with the Johor election at Dewan Sultan Ibrahim, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) here on Friday (11 March), he said police have identified 17 hotspots and 10,988 police personnel would be on standby to maintain public order and ensure the polling process runs smoothly today.

In addition, he said 112 teams known as ‘Pasukan Cantas PRN Johor’ involving 448 officers and members have been deployed to conduct intelligence activities and maintain security.

The post Johor Polls: Police Received 140 Reports, 37 Investigation Papers Opened first appeared on NMH.