Johor Opposition rejects snap polls over estimated RM150m cost, offers commitment to political stability

JOHOR BARU, Jan 18 — Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) today questioned the need for premature state election here, estimating it would cost RM150 million to conduct.

As part of the Johor Opposition, they offered a political stability commitment to the state government, in an effort to halt any attempts for a premature state election.

In a joint statement, it said the estimated RM150 million was wasteful and could be better used to assist state residents recover financially.

“The government should instead channel all of its available resources to protect the people’s economic welfare, instead of the political interests of the party.

“The Opposition Bloc has also agreed to jointly offer a stability commitment to ensure that the state government can continue to fully focus on the people’s welfare as well as efforts to restore the state’s economy at this difficult time,” they said.

The statement was jointly issued by Johor Opposition Leader and state PH chief Aminolhuda Hassan, who is also the state’s Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chapter chief, and his PKR and DAP counterparts Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Liew Chin Tong, respectively.

Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was also a signatory.

Earlier, they reiterated that holding a snap state election in Johor is an unreasonable move and does not prioritise the people’s interests and the state.

They repeated demands that the state government devote its full efforts to fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, especially with the emergence of the new Omicron variant.

They also highlighted that there is no urgent need to dissolve the Johor state assembly.

“The Opposition Bloc has given our full cooperation to the state government led by Datuk Hasni Mohammad, despite the difference of only one-seat majority in the state assembly.

“A responsible government is a government that puts the people first. On this basis, the Opposition Bloc unanimously rejects any attempts to hold a snap state election,” read the statement.

The Melaka state election cost RM46 million, while the recent Sarawak state election was at RM150 million.

Of late, speculation is rife that Johor may hold a state election soon. Rumours about a snap state election started shortly after the death of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) Kempas assemblyman Datuk Osman Sapian last December 21.

The death of Osman, whose party is part of the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, had put the current state government situation as a one-seat majority in the Johor state assembly.

Hasni leads the state government with 28 seats (Barisan Nasional (BN) holds 16 seats while Bersatu has 11 seats and PAS one).

The Opposition PH coalition controls 27 seats in the Johor state assembly comprising DAP with 14, Amanah (six) and PKR (seven).