JOHOR BARU, Feb 24 — Barisan Nasional (BN) today named 41 candidates out of the 56 seats it plans to contest in next month's Johor state election.

In making the announcement, Johor BN chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said 37 are from Umno and four from MIC, adding that MCA still needs to finalise its candidates list.

"The BN list is not complete yet because our MCA component partner needs to finalise their candidates to ensure that it is in line with the coalition’s intentions and goals for the upcoming Johor state election.

"MCA wants the best to contest and they will look over their potential candidates who they think are worthy,” he said at the Johor Umno headquarters here.

MCA is expected to field 15 candidates, completing the BN's plans to contest all 56 state seats in the March 12 election.

Also present at the BN announcement were coalition chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from Umno and senior coalition officials.

Hasni as caretaker mentri besar will headline BN’s candidates list by defending his Benut seat.

Umno supreme council member Datuk Puad Zakarshi will contest in Rengit.

The Election Commission has set early voting for March 8. Nomination is this Saturday.

Here is the list of 41 BN candidates that have been announced so far:

• Buloh Kasap – Datuk Zahari Sarip
• Pemanis – Anuar Abd Manap
• Kemelah – N. Saraswathy
• Tenang – Haslinda Salleh
• Bukit Kepong – Ismail Mohamad
• Bukit Pasir – Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh
• Gambir – Shahrihan Jani
• Serom – Kharinnisa Ismail
• Semerah – Mohd Fared Md Khalid
• Simpang Jeram – Datuk Lokman Md Dun
• Bukit Naning – Datuk Md Fuad Tukirin
• Maharani – Noor Farah Shamsudin
• Sungai Balang – Mohd Helmy Abd Latif
• Sri Medan – Datuk Zulkurnain Kamisan
• Semarang – Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali
• Parit Yaani – Datuk Najib Samuri
• Parit Raja – Rashidah Ramli
• Senggarang – Mohd Yusla Ismail
• Rengit – Datuk Puad Zarkashi
• Machap – Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi
• Layang Layang – Haji Mutalif Rahim
• Mahkota – Datuk Sharifah Azizah
• Kahang – Vidyananthan Ramanadhan
• Endau – Yuzaimi Md Yusof
• Tenggaroh – Raven Kumar Krishnasamy
• Panti – Hahasrin Hashim
• Pasir Raja – Rashidah Ismail
• Sedili – Muszaide Makmur
• Johor Lama – Noorliza Noh
• Penawar – Fauziah Misri
• Tanjung Surat – Datuk Syed Sis Abd Rahman
• Tiram – Azizul Bachok
• Permas – Baharuddin Md Taib
• Larkin – Md Hairi Md Shah
• Kempas – Datuk Ramlee Bohani
• Kota Iskandar – Pandak Ahmad
• Bukit Permai – Datuk Md Jafny Md Shukor
• Bukit Batu – S. Supayyah
• Benut – Datuk Hasni Mohammad
• Pulai Sebatang – Hasrunnizah Hassan
• Kukup – Datuk Jefridin Atan

The remaining 15 seats expected to be filled by MCA candidates are:

• Jementah 
• Bekok 
• Tangkak
• Bentayan 
• Yong Peng 
• Penggaram 
• Mengkibol 
• Paloh 
• Puteri Wangsa 
• Johor Jaya 
• Stulang 
• Perling 
• Skudai 
• Senai 
• Pekan Nanas