KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) said today it will not place any candidate for the Mahkota state by-election in Johor.

According to the ruling coalition, it will instead give way to ally Barisan Nasional (BN) that is the incumbent, in return for BN’s decision to do the same in the Pulai federal by-election and Simpang Jeram state by-election in September 2023.

“Pakatan Harapan will be there to provide full support and backing, because retaining the Mahkota state seat is a priority in the spirit of the Unity Government today,” PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in a brief statement.

The Mahkota by-election would be held on Sept 28 following the death of its incumbent Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain on Aug 2.

The Election Commission has set the nomination day on Sept 14 and early voting on Sept 24.

In the March 2022 Johor State Election, Sharifah Azizah won the seat with a majority of 5,166 votes.