JOHOR BARU, Oct 6 — DAP has today urged its Pakatan Harapan (PH) allies to stop lobbying for a unity government in Johor, saying that Barisan Nasional (BN) currently holds the majority in the state.
Harian Metro quoted secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook saying that DAP is happy in providing confidence and supply in state legislative assembly.
“The fact is, in the 2022 state election, BN won 40 seats and comfortably formed the government. PH, which at the time competed against BN, only won 12 seats, including one seat for Muda, while Perikatan Nasional (PN) won three seats.
“That is the reality that [PH] must accept. That is why I hope the recent polemic regarding the unity government in Johor should not be raised and must be stopped,” he reportedly said during the Johor DAP Convention here.
Speaking later in a press conference later, Loke said that DAP has never brought up the matter.
“We accept the fact that the Johor government was established before the federal government or unity government was formed. Johor already has a state government, and we do not want to disrupt its operations or complicate the situation.
“DAP has never ‘opened the book’ on the unity government, so don’t blame DAP, as we have never proposed, raised, or demanded its formation. No one should be blaming DAP,” he reportedly said.
He also downplayed the alliance between Johor BN and its PH counterpart in the 16th general election, saying they will cross the bridge when they come to it later.
“We’re not there yet. We will discuss it when the time comes at the federal level, including what the cooperation model will be, seat allocations, and so on, whether we cooperate or otherwise, that will be decided later,” he reportedly said.
Among those who have pushed for the unity government in Johor were Parti Amanah Negara’s Youth chief Hasbie Muda and Johor Amanah chief Aminolhuda Hassan.
