KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — Umno is targeting to contest at least 42 seats in the upcoming Johor state election, said its deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

"For Umno alone, we are looking at a minimum 42 out of the 56 seats,” he told reporters when met at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex here today.

 On Umno’s cooperation in Muafakat Nasional to face the state election, Mohamad said the matter would be decided at a special supreme council meeting soon.

However, he added that Johor Umno was more keen for the party to move solo with Barisan Nasional (BN).

"The Johor Umno Liaison Committee chairman and state BN chairman is more keen to go it alone, so we will discuss at the central committee level and decide at the special meeting,” he said.

On Saturday, the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, consented to the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly to pave the way for the state election.

Yesterday, the media reported that Johor BN planned to contest without the cooperation of parties outside of BN because the coalition was confident of winning two-thirds of the 56 seats up for grabs.

In a related development,  Mohamad also said the High Court’s decision today to order Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to enter his defence on 47 charges would not affect the party’s chances of winning the state polls.

"We are hoping for the best; what we are doing is for the betterment of the party and the country,” he added.

 Zahid was ordered to enter his defence on all the 47 charges of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving millions of ringgit from charitable foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.

 On the Undi18 implementation, Mohamad said Umno needs to work harder to get support from young voters in the snap polls.

According to the law, the state election has to be held within 60 days from the date of the dissolution of the state assembly. — Bernama