PETALING JAYA: With one week to go before the 14-day campaigning period in the Johor elections begins, political parties are making final preparations ahead of announcing their candidates.
Bersatu information chief Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said his party will be announcing its candidates in two separate events, with the first being an election machinery launch for Johor on June 21.
“A second group of candidates will be revealed in a separate event,” he said when contacted.
He declined to say when the announcement would take place, saying only that it would be made before nomination day on June 27.
The party is expected to launch its Johor election machinery in Bakri at 8pm on June 21.
For Pakatan Harapan, Johor PKR chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said their candidate list is expected to be announced on Monday at an event attended by coalition chairman Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The announcement of candidates has been agreed upon by the state and central Pakatan.
“We may hold it in the north of Johor, possibly in Bukit Gambir, Tangkak,” Zaliha was quoted as saying by Bernama.
She said Bukit Gambir was chosen to capitalise on growing public support, following encouraging turnout at several recent events in the northern zone, including Bukit Naning.
When contacted, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party will announce its candidates soon, without elaborating when it will be made.
PRM secretary-general Koh Swee Yong said the party wants to field two candidates in Johor and one in Negri Sembilan.
He added that the party is expected to announce its candidates about two days before nomination day on June 27.
“Johor will be soon. We only needed to finalise (some matters),” he added.
Koh also said PRM has an agreement with PSM and Parti Orang Asli to avoid clashing in the polls.
“We are still talking to others like Muda and the Green Party,” he added.
Muda will announce its candidates and the seats it will contest in the Johor state election on Saturday and Sunday.
In a statement yesterday, its Johor election director Rasid Abu Bakar said the announcement marked the next phase of the party’s preparations following the candidate selection process by its candidate selection committee (JPC).
Muda vice-president Leben Siddarth said the party’s candidate selection committee has finalised its evaluation and interviews of candidates for Johor.
“The committee has forwarded a list of endorsed candidates to the party’s leadership for consideration and approval,” he added.
PSM deputy chairman S. Arutchelvam said an announcement will be made on June 24.
“We will announce seats and candidates on that day,” he said briefly when contacted.
Nominations for Johor have been set on June 27 and polling on July 11.
For Negri Sembilan, nominations have been set for July 18 and polling on Aug 1.
