Johor polls: Muhyiddin may not defend Gambir seat

SHAH ALAM: Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin may not defend his Gambir state seat he won in 2018 in the upcoming Johor state election.

According to Malay daily Berita Harian, Muhyiddin said this was to allow more new faces to represent Perikatan.

“I might not contest. It is up to the leadership to decide (on candidates). I want to fully focus on important matters, such as Parliament, managing the party at a federal level and to deliver the message of our struggles.

“I want to give a chance to leaders in Johor and it is up to them who to field. We will decide later,” he told reporters when met before chairing the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia meeting in Shah Alam on Tuesday (Jan 25).

In the 14th General Election in 2018, Muhyiddin won the Gambir seat with 3,088-vote majority over Barisan Nasional’s Datuk M. Asojan and PAS' Dr Mahfodz Mohamed.

Prior to the dissolution of the state assembly on Saturday (Jan 22) evening, the state government led by Barisan Nasional had a simple majority of 28 (Barisan 16, Bersatu 11, PAS one) compared to Pakatan’s 27 following the death of Bersatu Kempas assemblyman Datuk Osman Sapian last month.

The EC will have a special meeting on Feb 9 to decide on key dates and matters on the 15th Johor state election, namely polling day and nomination day.