PUTRAJAYA, Jun 4 — Barisan Nasional (BN) will finalise its list of candidates for all 56 Johor state seats in the near future and announce them a week before nomination day, its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, said the move would allow sufficient time to resolve any issues that may arise in specific constituencies.
“I will finalise the list of BN candidates for the 56 state seats as soon as possible. God willing, we will announce the names of the candidates a week before nomination day.
“This is to enable us to iron out any issues and resolve them early in the affected constituencies,” he told reporters after attending the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development’s (KKDW) monthly assembly here today.
Ahmad Zahid said BN would continue to apply the WALI concept in candidate selection — winnable, acceptable and likeable — while maintaining a balance between experienced leaders and fresh faces.
He said the coalition would also combine incumbent elected representatives with new candidates to strengthen Johor’s future leadership pipeline.
“These three principles will continue to guide our selection process. God willing, we will strike a balance between existing office holders and new faces.
“This time, new faces will also help shape the next generation of leadership talent in Johor,” he said.
On preparations for the Johor state election, Ahmad Zahid said BN was focused on strengthening its existing machinery while mobilising support from party members in other states.
“We are working to strengthen our existing machinery and are also mobilising friends from other states to assist Johor,” he said.
On June 1, Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly after receiving the consent of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail.
In the 2022 Johor state election, UMNO-Barisan Nasional won 40 of the 56 seats contested, followed by Pakatan Harapan with 12 seats, Perikatan Nasional with three seats and MUDA with one seat.
