KUALA LUMPUR: A Johor Umno delegate has urged the party leadership to consider holding the Johor state election separately from the 16th General Election (GE16).
Tebrau division chief Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman said Johor Umno does not want to be dragged into any narrow polemics or racial posturing.
He said that the state chapter would leave it to the top leadership to determine the direction and future of the party itself.
"Johor Umno will not borrow any strength, let alone depend on anyone else as a lifeline.
"We would like to request some space and support so that the state elections can be held separately from the general election," he said in his speech while debating the party president's policy speech at the Umno General Assembly here on Saturday (Jan 17).
"In Johor, we will continue to create success after success. It is true that there are those who feel threatened, uncomfortable with others’ success, and uneasy when others are at ease.
"To those parties, if they choose to become obstacles and continue acting as agents of sabotage that hinder Johor’s and the nation’s progress, they must realise that Johor Umno will not stop moving forward.
"Instead, we will move on and leave them behind," said Abdul Halim.
On Dec 10 last year, it has been projected that the Federal Government could save up to RM200mil if the Melaka and Johor state elections are held simultaneously with GE16.
On that basis, former top officers of the Election Commission (EC) suggested that the state elections be conducted together with GE16, as it would not only save government funds but also fully utilise the roughly 500,000 additional personnel required to manage the elections.
Former EC deputy chairman Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Wan Omar had reportedly said that from an election management perspective, holding the state election and GE simultaneously is the best method to save funds, manpower, and resources.
