JOHOR BARU: Barisan Nasional is expected to drop some of its incumbents to make way for new faces in the upcoming state polls.
It is learnt that Umno is expected to field at least 12 new faces including state puteri chief Rina Farhana Abdullah.
Talk is rife that Umno wanita chief Asiah Md Ariff would make a possible comeback. Asiah, a former state exco last contested in 2013.
Among the leaders tipped to be dropped include former mentri besar Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad (Benut) and speaker Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi (Rengit) and Abd Mutalib Abd Rahim (Layang Layang).
A senior Barisan leader said several seat trade-offs are currently being negotiated.
One of the seat in question is Tenggaroh, where Umno is said to be planning to take back from MIC, which has held the seat for about 40 years.
The seat is presently held by exco K. Raven Kumar and the party has never lost there.
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Raven Kumar, who is Johor MIC chief, is expected to contest in Kemelah.
The leader said that talks were also underway for MIC to move to Perling, a seat that was previously contested by MCA.
“There is a lot of last minute talks going on including the possibility of Umno giving up Layang-Layang to MCA as part of the trade-off.
“We hope to finalise all seat negotiations within the next few days,” the leader said.
Sources also raised the possibility that Alwiyah Talib, who defected from Bersatu to return to Umno, would re-contest her Endau seat, this time under Barisan’s banner.
The same leader said Barisan’s top leadership should ensure that coalition candidates not only strengthen the state government but also their respective parties.
The leader said that it was good that Umno was willing to accept feedback from grassroots leaders in each constituency before deciding on the candidates’ list.
“We do not want leaders who cannot work as a team player after the election. This will complicate things,” the leader said.
Johor Umno information chief Md Israk Abdullah said candidate selection and seat negotiation were still underway.
He said the party’s top leadership would make an official announcement by June 21.
In the 2022 polls, Barisan won 40 seats – 33 won by Umno, four by MCA while MIC secured three seats.
