PETALING JAYA: Gerakan Johor's decision not to contest in the upcoming Johor state election was based on practical considerations rather than dissatisfaction over seat distribution, the party said.
Gerakan vice-president Koo Shiaw Lee said the decision included the party's current organisational readiness, grassroots mobilisation capacity and resource allocation.
The decision was reached unanimously by the party's Johor state committee after careful deliberation.
"As such, there is no situation where we were forced to accept difficult constituencies or withdrew from the election due to seat allocation issues," he said in a statement on Thursday (June 25).
Previously, Johor Gerakan chairman Teo Kok Chee confirmed that the party would not contest in the state election.
The decision was unanimously agreed upon during a meeting involving the state liaison committee, women's wing and youth wing.
Teo described the withdrawal as a rational collective decision made in the interest of the broader Perikatan Nasional coalition.
Koo, who is also secretary of Johor Gerakan's liaison committee, stressed that the party respects the Perikatan consultation mechanism.
He said Gerakan would continue to fully cooperate with the coalition's overall strategic plans.
He added that the commitment was important to ensure efforts towards better political development and public service could continue.
"We urge the public not to believe unverified speculative reports and to rely on official statements," he said.
