JOHOR BARU: A total of 55 candidates lost their deposits after failing to obtain one-eighth of the total number of votes counted for the 16th Johor state election yesterday.
Perikatan Nasional, which fielded 33 candidates comprising 16 from Bersatu, 11 from PAS, five from Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) and one from Pejuang, had the highest number of candidates losing their deposits, with 21.
Official results published on the Election Commission’s (EC) website showed that Perikatan not only failed to expand its influence, but also lost the three state seats it won in the 2022 state polls, namely Bukit Kepong, Maharani and Endau.
Meanwhile, Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), a newcomer to the country’a political landscape, suffered a major setback as all 15 of its candidates lost their deposits.
Meanwhile, seven candidates from the Pakatan Harapan coalition lost their deposits.
In addition, all six Independent candidates, four candidates from the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), and the sole candidates representing Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (Asli) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) also lost their deposits.
Candidates aged between 18 and 40 recorded the highest proportion of deposit losses, accounting for 41 per cent or 21 of the 51 candidates in that age group who contested.
The 16th Johor polls saw Barisan Nasional winning 48 of the 56 seats contested to form the state government once again with a larger two-thirds majority.
For Barisan, Umno won 36 seats, MCA eight and MIC four.
Pakatan won eight seats (DAP six, PKR one, Amanah one), while Perikatan, Bersama, Muda, Asli, PSM and the independent candidates failed to win any seats. - Bernama
