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Malaysia
This Week in AsiaPolitics

Snap polls in Malaysia’s Johor test Umno comeback bid and Anwar’s ruling alliance

The state contest is set to pit federal partners PH and BN against each other despite their power-sharing pact in Putrajaya

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An Umno flag outside the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur in July 2021. Johor, Umno’s birthplace and a traditional Barisan Nasional stronghold, will hold a state election within 60 days after its legislature was dissolved on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Iman Muttaqin Yusof
Malaysia’s southern state of Johor dissolved its legislature on Monday, setting up an election within 60 days that analysts said would test whether the once-dominant Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition can turn its state stronghold into a launch pad for a wider political comeback.
The vote will also put Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) reformist alliance in an awkward contest against its federal partner BN, with both coalitions set to run against each other in Johor despite sharing power in Putrajaya.

PH and BN became uneasy allies after Malaysia’s 2022 general election produced a hung parliament, joining forces to keep the Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition bloc out of power and give Anwar the numbers to form a government, despite decades as bitter rivals.

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Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced the dissolution at a brief press conference after an audience with Tunku Mahkota Ismail, the Regent of Johor, saying royal consent had been granted to dissolve the 15th Johor state assembly with immediate effect.
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Onn Hafiz said he had met Tunku Ismail earlier on Monday and received consent to dissolve the 15th Johor Darul Ta’zim State Legislative Assembly, effective June 1.

He said the dissolution was in line with Johor’s constitution and was intended to return the mandate to voters.

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“The dissolution is made to give way to the democratic process through the Johor state election, subject to the official determination by the Election Commission,” he said. “This decision was made with the intention of ensuring that the people of Johor continue to have a stable and strong government.”

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