Johor polls: Snap state election nothing to do with 'court cluster', says Umno veep

JOHOR BARU: The coming Johor state election has nothing to do with Umno's "court cluster", says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic).

The Umno vice-president said that it was due to the unstable and weak position of the state government with only a single seat majority.

"The Johor election has nothing to do with the 'court cluster'. I agree that their issues needed to be referred to the courts. That has been the stand by Umno and Barisan Nasional all this while.

"The fact is that the Johor state government previously had only a single seat majority. So, the best way to regain a strong government with a legitimate mandate is through a state election.

"We cannot continue to have a government formed only by the manipulation of politicians who at the same time deny the people's choice," he said in a statement here Saturday (Jan 29).

He said this in response to PAS president's Tan Sri Hadi Awang's statement claiming that Umno's "'court cluster" had triggered the Johor and Melaka elections.

Earlier, Hadi was quoted as saying that the state election was due to a push coming from the "'court cluster".

"I acknowledge the greatness of PAS. PAS is a big and very great party. Hopefully, the strength and greatness of this party will be proven in the state election.

"I assure Tan Sri (Hadi Awang) that Umno-Barisan will not try to ride on the greatness and strength of PAS with its one million members.

"Just don't let Tan Sri scold us if we don't want to cooperate and ride on the greatness and strength of PAS," Khaled said, adding that he wished PAS all the best.