THE battle lines for the 16th Johor state election have been officially drawn following the smooth conclusion of the nomination process across all 56 state seats today.
The one-hour submission window, which opened at 9.00am, closed promptly at 10.00am across the state’s 56 nomination centres. Returning Officers are currently finalising and announcing the official list of eligible candidates.
This election is set to feature highly competitive multi-cornered fights, drawing heavyweights from traditional coalitions alongside a brand-new political challenger.
Incumbent Johor Menteri Besar and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, officially submitted his nomination papers at 9.10am at the Muafakat Hall of the Simpang Renggam District Council to defend his Machap state seat.
Onn Hafiz arrived with high-profile backing, accompanied by UMNO President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, former federal minister Khairy Jamaluddin, and former Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad.
Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan (PH) made its presence felt at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Dato’ Onn.
Joint PKR election directors – PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail – arrived early at 8.14am to flank their star candidate for Puteri Wangsa, former education minister Dr Maszlee Malik.
Puteri Wangsa stands out as a major battleground with a whopping 128,723 registered voters.
Adding a layer of unpredictability to the polls is Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), which is making its debut just 40 days after its founding by former ministers Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Bersama announced a lean, 15-candidate lineup consisting primarily of fresh faces and at least three former PKR members who applied via an online portal. President Syukri Razab unveiled the roster, which focuses heavily on semi-urban seats.
Addressing supporters in Johor Bahru, former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad drew parallels to his surprise 2008 victory in Seri Setia, Selangor, as a political novice. Former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli remarked that securing even a single seat in Johor would be a massive “miracle” and entirely worth the effort for the nascent party.
According to the Election Commission, a total of 2,727,926 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in this election. This includes 2,703,175 ordinary citizens, alongside military and police personnel and their spouses. — June 27, 2026
Main photo credit: CNA
