THE Johor state legislative assembly has been dissolved following weeks of rumours that the state UMNO chapter is planning to hold snap polls, given its wafer-thin majority.
Taking to Facebook, Johor Ruler, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said he had signed the dissolution notice after granting an audience to Johor menteri besar Datuk Hasni Mohammed.
“I have consented to the dissolution of the Johor state legislative assembly to make way for state wide election to be held.
“This is in line with Schedule 23 (Chapter 2) of the Johor state constitution 1895,” His Majesty added.
Earlier, Sultan Ibrahim met Hasni at the Istana Bukit Serene, at 5pm, to discuss the matter. The latter rushed to the state palace to seek the Ruler’s consent after getting greenlight from Johor UMNO to call for snap polls.
The UMNO-led Barisan Nasional (BN) holds a one-seat majority in the state following the demise of Datuk Osman Sapian, a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
With BN winning a supermajority in the Melaka state polls in November and its ally Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) “decimating” its adversaries in the Sarawak state polls held in December, the coalition has been emboldened in its quest to reclaim lost ground following its defeat in the 2018 General Election.
While Pakatan Harapan is seen as its “natural political opponent”, it is widely speculated that UMNO is actually planning to get rid off Bersatu from the political equation so as to get PAS to align itself to the nationalist party again under the Muafakat Nasional charter.
It is to note that PAS aligned itself to Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional coalition in both state polls and did not win a single seat, with several of its candidates even losing their deposits. – Jan 22, 2022
