JOHOR BARU, Aug 18 — Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) will announce its candidates for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram by-elections during a unity coalition event on Wednesday.
The announcement will be held in conjunction with a Tahlil feast for the incumbent, the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, at the state constituency service centre in Simpang Jeram, Bakri.
Johor PH deputy chairman Aminolhuda Hassan said Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi will jointly make the announcement.
He said the names of the two candidates for both Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections have already been endorsed by PH’s central leadership.
“The two male candidates are Johor-born, have a good education and are highly qualified,” he said after a closed-door meeting with Johor Umno chief Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin at state Umno liaison office here today.
Also present were senior Johor Amanah and Umno leaders.
Aminolhuda, who is also the Johor PH election director, said its Barisan Nasional will assist PH in the campaign to secure a win.
Mohamed Khaled said his party was committed to supporting the PH campaign.
He also said he did not foresee Umno and BN supporters to swing towards the rival Perikatan Nasional coalition in the same way as the six state elections last week.
“The narrative that the federal government would collapse does not apply to the two by-elections in Johor.
“After all, its only one parliamentary seat and one state seat,” said Mohamed Khaled.
The Election Commission has fixed nomination day for both the Pulai parliament and Simpang Jeram state by-elections for August 26 and polling for September 9, while early voting on September 5.
The two by-elections were called after Salahuddin, who was the incumbent for both seats, died on July 23 due to a brain haemorrhage. He was 61.
Salahuddin was Amanah deputy president and the domestic trade and cost of living minister.
