Nobody else defecting, says Johor Pakatan who even claim to have majority support

JOHOR BARU: Johor Pakatan Harapan's 27 remaining assemblymen will not be following in the footsteps of PKR's Pemanis assemblyman Dr Chong Fat Full in jumping to the other side, says its coordinator Aminolhuda Hassan.

The Parit Yaani assemblyman, who is also the Johor Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chairman, even claimed that they were now able to get majority support, including from those in the new coalition.

He said they were requesting a special assembly sitting to prove it.

“I am confident that our assemblymen will not be jumping, but some of the assemblymen coming from the new coalition showed their interest in supporting us.

“If the new Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad claims to have a simple majority, then we, at Pakatan, will request for a special sitting to prove it once and for all, ” said Aminolhuda during a press conference at the Kota Iskandar assemblyman service centre in Taman Mutiara Rini here on Thursday (March 5).

He pointed out that Pakatan assemblymen would be going to the Johor Speaker's office on Sunday (March 8) to officially hand in their request to hold the special sitting.

When asked if the support would come from Umno, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), PAS or MIC, Aminolhuda said to wait and see.

Meanwhile, state PKR deputy chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said any of the party’s elected representatives wakil who jumped or quit after winning a seat would need to pay RM10mil in damages.

“Every one of our candidates, including myself, and I am sure even Dr Chong, signed an agreement before receiving our surat watikah in the last general election.

“We will leave it to our party leadership (to pursue the matter) but as far as I know, Dr Chong has already been kicked out from our WhatsApp group following his announcement (to defect), ” he added.

On Wednesday (March 4), Dr Chong quit PKR and pledged support for the new coalition state government.

His move has likely made him the sole Chinese representative in the upcoming state exco line-up.

His defection changes the state's composition with the new ruling coalition having 29 assemblymen compared with 27 from Pakatan. Dr Chong, a dentist, made his decision known during a special press conference with Hasni.

Johor has 56 state assemblymen.

Hasni said they had submitted more than 10 names for the exco line-up to the Johor Ruler. He added that he hoped the new line up, representing all races, would be sworn in by Friday (March 6).