Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dismisses claims of a lacklustre campaign as political perception, insisting the coalition’s machinery is in full swing for the Johor state polls.
KOTA TINGGI: Claims describing Barisan Nasional’s (BN) campaign for the upcoming Johor state election as ‘lacklustre’ are merely a matter of political perception and do not reflect the reality on the ground.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition’s election machinery was actively campaigning, adding that rival coalitions were entitled to their own views.
“BN believes the campaign is in full swing. Naturally, whatever assessment is made by other coalitions outside the BN component parties is their prerogative, whether to support us or otherwise,” he said.
He said this at a press conference after officiating the Southeast Johor Development Authority’s (KEJORA) Excellent Service Awards 2025 and Santunan Kasih programme, which was also attended by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Ahmad Zahid also said BN appreciated the support it had received from various quarters and hoped it would translate into votes on July 11 to ensure victory for the coalition’s candidates.
Commenting on claims that the close cooperation between BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) at the federal level could confuse traditional voters in Johor, Ahmad Zahid said the issue did not arise.
The Deputy Prime Minister said Johor was in a unique position as the state government had already been formed before the establishment of the Unity Government at the federal level.
“There is no issue with cooperation between the state and federal governments, especially since those of us in the Unity Government at the federal level work closely and professionally together,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said BN, which is contesting all 56 state seats, is aiming for a resounding victory to strengthen its mandate, buoyed by the strong performance of the administration led by Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He said the Johor government, under Onn Hafiz’s leadership, recorded revenue of RM2.26 billion last year, the highest among states in Peninsular Malaysia.
He said BN was confident that securing a stronger mandate would enable the state government to continue implementing the development agenda outlined in its manifesto over the next five years.
Commenting on PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s call for voters to reject PH outright, including in straight fights involving BN, Ahmad Zahid said the coalition preferred to adopt a professional approach.
“That is their approach. We conduct ourselves professionally. Our focus is on our candidates, and naturally, any additional support would be welcomed.
“What we will see at the ballot boxes on July 11 will be the clearest indication of whether what they are saying is true or otherwise,” he said.
The Johor state election will see BN and PH fielding 56 candidates each, Perikatan Nasional (33), Bersama (15), MUDA (four), Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (Asli) (one), Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) (one), and six Independent candidates.
Polling for the Johor state election will be held on July 11, while early voting is scheduled for July 7.
