JOHOR BAHRU - The stability of the Johor government led by Barisan Nasional (BN) should be maintained until the 16th general election (GE16).
BN leaders across the state shared the same views and explained that the good relationship with Pakatan Harapan (PH) should not be destroyed by establishing a Unity government in Johor.
Johor Umno secretary Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman said the state government at the time must be maintained until GE16, which included the Exco lineup not being reshuffled.
"Let’s not ruin our current relations by suggesting a united government. The connections between BN and PH in Johor are currently good.
"Maintain the current state government, and after GE16 we can find a new mechanism together,” he told Sinar.
He said the relations between BN and PH were based on trust between one another; even the state assembly areas represented by PH gained the same allocations.
"All parties must understand that the Johor state government was established before the existence of the unity government at a central level.
"If the status quo for the current state government is changed, there would be unpleasant matters, including the state’s stability, being disrupted.
"We now have overcome the doubts of DAP against Umno, and likewise for Umno’s doubts on DAP,” he said.
The state Health and Unity Exco, Ling Tian Soon, said he did not agree with the push towards establishing a unity government in Johor.
The MCA National Youth Chief said the victory in the Pulai Parliament and Simpang Jeram State Assembly by-elections used as a basis for the formation of the unity government in Johor was not a strong factor as it did not reflect the true reality of the state.
"In the Johor state elections in March last year, BN won 40 seats with a two-thirds majority. Currently, the state government is stable and could attract a high investment total.
"The Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections represented the start for us to move together. However, both the by-elections did not represent what is currently happening in Johor today.
Johor State Assembly BN Government Supporters Club chairman Datuk Jefridin Atan said the Exco line-up was formed because of the previous Johor GE.
"I view that if we wanted to work for the public, there’s no need to ask for the position of Exco. The state government has accepted the PH assemblymen with various rooms given by the Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
"The state government received them openly as part of the unity government team, but that did not mean they must sit for an Exco post,” he said.
In the Johor state elections in March last year, BN won a two-thirds majority of 40 out of 56 seats contested.
PH won 13 seats, with DAP obtaining 10 seats, while PKR, Amanah, and Muda each won one seat.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) won three seats, with Bersatu winning two seats and Pas (one seat).