JOHOR BARU, July 24 — Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong penned a heartwarming farewell to Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who he described as his close political ally during Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) foray into Johor a decade ago.

In last year’s 15th general election (GE15) and the state election before it, the Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) deputy president retained his Pulai parliamentary seat while Liew won the Iskandar Puteri parliamentary seat which are adjacent to each other.

The close friends are also Johor state representatives, with Salahuddin being the Simpang Jeram assemblymen and Liew the Perling assemblyman.

Liew, a DAP strategist, said he was deeply saddened by the sudden demise Salahuddin, who he described as his good friend.

“It is heartbreaking to see him gone too soon, too sudden.

“There’s so much more for us to do together for Pulai, for Johor, and for Malaysia. Alas, his life is cut short,” he said in a Facebook post today.

Liew, who is also the Johor DAP chairman, said over the years, he worked very closely with Salahuddin to make Johor a political stronghold.

“In the Johor state elections held in March last year, we were brought even closer when I contested and won the Perling state seat, within the Pulai parliament.

“In the Johor state assembly, we were also seated next to each other.

“In Pulai and Perling, we visited many places together and we also campaigned together throughout the November 2022 parliamentary elections, when I contested in Iskandar Puteri, which is exactly adjacent to Pulai,” he said.

Liew explained that Johor PH under Salahuddin’s leadership saw the coalition win 15 out of 26 parliamentary seats in the state.

He said this included Salahuddin’s Pulai parliament seat that he won with a landslide majority.

“I was very happy when he was appointed as a minister (domestic trade and cost of living minister) in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet,” he said, adding that within months he saw the impact of Salahuddin’s Menu Rahmah initiative.

Liew described Salahuddin as a very decent man and a leader who brought team members, as well as the wider public together.

He was multi-ethnic in outlook and a “unifier” in all meanings of the word.

“Words can’t describe my pain. Salahuddin was an older brother to me, a comrade-in-arms who fought many battles together for 15 years, especially in the last decade in Johor.

“May his soul rest in peace and may his legacy live on.

“My deepest condolences to Datin Seri Fatimah Taha and the rest of the family,” said Liew.