PAKATAN Harapan (PH) cybertrooper Jason Yew is pulling no punches, firing off politically loaded questions about the Election Commission’s (EC) recent decisions.
He fiercely criticised the SPR’s decision to split the state elections for Johor and Negeri Sembilan, despite their assemblies dissolving just three days apart.
Citing the 2023 joint polls as precedent, Yew labels the delay highly suspicious. He argues the staggered timeline provides a tactical advantage and political “lifeline” for UMNO and PAS to gauge Johor’s results before forming a Negeri Sembilan alliance.
He questions the background of the EC chief Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun, whom he suggests has UMNO leanings.
“This matter puts the credibility of the EC chairman under the microscope of the people. It is common knowledge that his background includes serving as a secretary-general in a ministry led by the President of UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“This past relationship creates a reasonable perception and suspicion that a “hidden hand” is attempting to manipulate this independent institution,” he wrote in a missive on X.
With the EC chairman’s historical ties to Zahid, Yew demands immediate, transparent technical justifications, warning against sacrificing democratic integrity for political engineering.
“Is this election schedule intentionally calculated to serve as a ‘lifeline’ to UMNO and PAS? It clearly gives space, time, and tactical advantage to that camp to use the Johor state election results as a testing benchmark before they finalise any coalition decision in Negeri Sembilan,” he asked.
He outright said it is highly suspicious when the Johor and Negeri Sembilan State Assemblies, which were dissolved with a time gap of only three days, failed to be synchronised.
“Even more absurd, the Nomination Day date for Negeri Sembilan was intentionally delayed…”
In a statement, the EC chairman said logistical demands and preparations for election workers were among the main reasons Johor and Negeri Sembilan will not hold their state elections simultaneously.
Ramlan said Negeri Sembilan’s ‘unexpected dissolution’ of its state assembly left insufficient time for preparations to be completed, Harian Metro reported this afternoon.
“(The Negeri Sembilan assembly) was dissolved suddenly. So the situation was not ready at all,” he was quoted telling reporters after announcing key dates for the two state elections.
“Negeri Sembilan only has the ballot boxes. So we need time for them (EC personnel) to really focus,” he added.
Johor voters will head to the polls on July 11, with nomination day fixed for June 27 and early voting on July 7. Negeri Sembilan will hold its election on Aug 1, with nominations on July 18 and early voting on July 28.
The commission estimates the combined cost of both state elections at RM167.4mil, comprising RM86.8mil for Johor and RM80.6mil for Negeri Sembilan.
In Johor, Barisan Nasional won 40 of the state’s 56 seats in the 2022 election, while PH secured 12 and Perikatan Nasional four.
In Negeri Sembilan, PH currently holds 17 of the 36 seats, followed by BN with 14 and PN with five. — June 13, 2026
PRN Johor Dahulu, Negeri Sembilan Kemudian — Kebetulan atau Percaturan?
Keputusan SPR untuk mengasingkan pelaksanaan PRN Johor dan Negeri Sembilan secara sengaja telah mencetuskan satu tanda tanya besar dalam kalangan rakyat. Tindakan ini bukan sahaja ganjil, malah dilihat… pic.twitter.com/jDGF9sXrBH
— Jason Yew (@jasonyew) June 12, 2026
