Datuk Onn Hafiz Urges Early Voters to Back BN for Johor’s Continued Progress

JOHOR BAHRU, July 7 – Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi today extended his best wishes to all early voters participating in the 16th Johor State Election, describing the voting process as a crucial responsibility in determining the state's future. In a message to early voters, Onn Hafiz said every vote cast carries hope and will help shape whether the stability, development and progress achieved in Johor over the years can continue. He called on eligible voters to place their trust in Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates, saying the coalition remained committed to ensuring political stability, accelerating development and safeguarding the welfare of the people of Johor. Onn Hafiz expressed confidence that, if given the mandate, BN would continue to serve the people with dedication and fulfil the trust placed in the coalition. He also prayed for the early voting process to proceed smoothly, safely and in an orderly manner, while encouraging voters to fulfil their democratic responsibility. The Johor Menteri Besar concluded his message by rallying support for Barisan Nasional ahead of polling day, expressing hope that the coalition would be given the opportunity to continue leading the state. -- MINUTESMY

JOHOR BAHRU, July 7 – Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi today extended his best wishes to all early voters participating in the 16th Johor State Election, describing the voting process as a crucial responsibility in determining the state’s future. In a message to early voters, Onn Hafiz said every vote cast carries hope […]

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan Meets Kota Iskandar Voters, Strengthens BN Campaign

ISKANDAR PUTERI, July 7 – Barisan Nasional (BN) Deputy Chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan continued his Johor state election campaign today by attending a casual meet-and-greet session with voters in the N.49 Kota Iskandar state constituency. The programme, held at the Lima Kedai Polling District Centre (PDM), was also attended by Barisan Nasional's Kota Iskandar candidate, Datuk Pandak Ahmad. Mohamad's visit was aimed at engaging directly with local voters while demonstrating support for the party's campaign machinery and candidate ahead of polling day. During the programme, he interacted with residents, listened to their concerns and views, and shared BN's commitment to delivering development and improving the well-being of the people of Johor. The event was held in a friendly atmosphere, with supporters and local residents taking the opportunity to meet the party leadership and its candidate. -- MINUTESMY

ISKANDAR PUTERI, July 7 – Barisan Nasional (BN) Deputy Chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan continued his Johor state election campaign today by attending a casual meet-and-greet session with voters in the N.49 Kota Iskandar state constituency. The programme, held at the Lima Kedai Polling District Centre (PDM), was also attended by Barisan Nasional’s Kota Iskandar […]

BN’s Pandak to put focus on housing, roads and clinics

PRINCESS ISKANDAR, July 6 -- Pandak Ahmad, the Barisan Nasional candidate in Kota Iskandar, has pledged to accelerate affordable housing projects, improve road infrastructure, and push for the construction of a health clinic if he is re-elected to the Kota Iskandar seat at the July 11 Johor polls. Housing, jobs and the rising cost of living have emerged as the defining issues in the battle for Kota Iskandar, home to Forest City and part of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone as candidates offer competing visions for one of Johor’s fastest-growing areas. Pandak said his priorities reflected the concerns consistently raised by residents throughout his campaign. He also said voters wanted political stability. He contends that Johor’s multicultural society had benefited from an administration that serves all communities under the “Bangsa Johor” concept.  “People want to live in peace and prosperity. They want jobs and housing. When they face problems, it is our responsibility as elected representatives to become the bridge between the people and the government,” he said. Pandak said Johor’s ambition of becoming a developed state by 2030 would generate more jobs and business opportunities for residents. He pointed to Forest City as an example, saying the township had shed its reputation as a “ghost city” following the launch of the JS-SEZ and the Forest City Special Financial Zone. Umno, BN leaders can’t be arrogant Reflecting on BN’s defeat in the 2018 general election, Pandak acknowledged that the coalition had made mistakes by failing to properly explain issues such as the 1MDB scandal to the public. “The lesson we learned is that Umno and BN leaders must not be arrogant. We have to go to the ground, engage with the people and listen to them closely.” He said the experience had prompted BN to place greater emphasis on grassroots engagement, with all 56 candidates campaigning directly among voters to rebuild public confidence. The Kota Iskandar seat is a four-cornered fight involving BN's Pandak, Pakatan Harapan's Dzulkefly Ahmad, Perikatan Nasional's Anna Pravina and Bersama's Sahrudin Omar. Pandak won the seat in 2022 with 23,133 votes for a 4,360-vote majority over Dzulkefly, who held the seat from 2018 to 2022. Cost of living tops PN’s agenda Anna said the cost of living remained the dominant concern among voters she had met. Her priority, if elected, would be to ease the people’s financial burden while ensuring that they benefited from the state’s economic growth. Anna said many young Johoreans continued to leave for Singapore because they believed better salaries and career prospects were available across the Causeway. “We need to help ease the cost of living and improve opportunities for local people,” she said. “They want good jobs, better salaries and a secure future. I want to create enough opportunities so they can build their future in Johor.”  -- SOURCE : Minderjeet Kaur   -- CREDIT : FREEMALAYSIATODAY 

  PRINCESS ISKANDAR, July 6 — Pandak Ahmad, the Barisan Nasional candidate in Kota Iskandar, has pledged to accelerate affordable housing projects, improve road infrastructure, and push for the construction of a health clinic if he is re-elected to the Kota Iskandar seat at the July 11 Johor polls. Housing, jobs and the rising cost […]

Zahid Hamidi Goes to Ground in Tiram, Engages with Locals at Community Gathering

TIRAM, JOHOR – A sea of blue flags reflected a strong spirit of unity among the people of Tiram during a community engagement session held despite brief rain showers last night. UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi attended the event together with Barisan Nasional candidate for the Tiram state seat, Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman, along with several party leaders including Khairy Jamaluddin and UMNO Tebrau Division Deputy Chief, Tuan Haji Azizul Bachok. The programme focused on a meet-and-greet session, where leaders engaged directly with local residents and listened to their views and concerns. Despite the unpredictable weather, turnout remained strong, reflecting continued support for ongoing efforts to engage with the grassroots community in the area. In his remarks, Zahid expressed appreciation for the warm reception, describing such unity as an important foundation in strengthening development initiatives and ensuring the well-being of the Johor community. He also emphasised that a people-centred approach will remain a priority in strengthening ties between leaders and local communities. -- MINUTESMY

TIRAM, JOHOR – A sea of blue flags reflected a strong spirit of unity among the people of Tiram during a community engagement session held despite brief rain showers last night. UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi attended the event together with Barisan Nasional candidate for the Tiram state seat, Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman, along with […]

BN Respects PH Manifesto – Ahmad Zahid

JOHOR BAHRU, July 3 -- Barisan Nasional (BN) respects Pakatan Harapan's (PH) manifesto for the 16th Johor State Election (PRN) to be held on July 11. BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that as a country that practices a democratic system, the political coalition always welcomes any offer from any party contesting. "I have studied the manifesto... we respect what they propose," he told reporters after the Leadership Engagement Ceremony with Parents of Tabika Kemas Bangsa Johor at the Larkin Court 1 Housing Flats here today. Also present were Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and candidate for the Larkin State Assembly seat Mohd Hairi Mad Shah. Earlier, PH launched a manifesto with 10 offers, including the Johor Health Scheme, deposit assistance for first-time homeowners, a RM500 million fund allocation to empower the development of the younger generation and the empowerment of the education sector. Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid in his speech said the BN manifesto was based on the record of excellence of the state government last term which successfully realised more than 90 percent of the promises made previously. He said this manifesto was drafted comprehensively to cater to every level of society without marginalizing any race or social background. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the benefits offered cover various levels of people's lives, from pregnant mothers, children, school students, university students to single mothers and fathers. "As long as anyone lives in Johor, they are considered part of the Johor people and receive the same benefits," he said. At the same time, he assured that he would continue to assist in the development of Johor as long as he led the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development. The Johor state election saw 172 candidates contesting for 56 state assembly seats with polling day set for July 11 and early voting on July 7. -- BERNAMA

JOHOR BAHRU, July 3 — Barisan Nasional (BN) respects Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) manifesto for the 16th Johor State Election (PRN) to be held on July 11. BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that as a country that practices a democratic system, the political coalition always welcomes any offer from any party contesting. […]

Johor’s Strong Economic Growth Driven by Stable BN Administration – Khairy Jamaluddin

PONTIAN, JULY 3 – Former federal minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said Johor’s strong economic performance is the result of the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government’s political stability and decisive leadership since securing a large electoral mandate in 2022. Speaking at a campaign event in the Pulai Sebatang state constituency, Khairy highlighted that Johor recorded an economic growth rate of eight percent, describing it as the fastest in the country. He attributed the achievement to the BN-led state administration’s ability to make decisions without political constraints or the need to negotiate with coalition partners. According to Khairy, Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has been able to implement policies efficiently because the Johor government is not dependent on the approval of multiple political parties. He said governments formed through broad political coalitions often face challenges in making difficult decisions, as leaders must balance the interests of various parties. In contrast, he argued that Johor’s administration has been able to focus on policies that directly benefit the people. Khairy said this was the type of governance BN hopes to maintain in the upcoming Johor state election by securing another strong mandate. He also addressed criticism surrounding Onn Hafiz’s stance against forming a Unity Government in Johor, saying the Menteri Besar’s position should not be interpreted as arrogance. Instead, Khairy said Onn Hafiz’s priority is to preserve the government's ability to govern effectively and continue implementing state initiatives without political interference. He cited programmes such as the Johor charitable assistance scheme, charity sales, and the Rumah Bangsa Johor housing initiative as examples of policies that the Menteri Besar aims to sustain. Khairy added that a government free from coalition pressures would be better positioned to continue these initiatives and avoid situations where political partners could threaten to withdraw support over policy disagreements. He concluded by expressing confidence that BN would secure another mandate in Johor, allowing the state government to continue its development agenda with political stability. -- MINUTESMY

PONTIAN, JULY 3 – Former federal minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said Johor’s strong economic performance is the result of the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government’s political stability and decisive leadership since securing a large electoral mandate in 2022. Speaking at a campaign event in the Pulai Sebatang state constituency, Khairy highlighted that Johor recorded […]

Johor Election: BN Determined to Defend Rengit, Senggarang and Seize Salting

BATU PAHAT, June 30 -- Barisan Nasional (BN) has set a big mission in Batu Pahat to defend the Rengit and Senggarang state assembly seats, as well as being determined to recapture the Penggaram seat in the 16th Johor State Election (PRN). Johor BN chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the party's target this time was to double the majority of victories in Rengit and Senggarang, thus strengthening the coalition's dominance in the areas concerned. "If in Rengit we won with a majority of almost 2,000 votes and our target this time is to double it, the same goes for the Senggarang seat where the majority is almost 4,000, we also need to increase that number." "In Penggaram, which is behind by more than 9,000 votes, we need to work harder to seize it and we are confident in the candidate this time," he said when speaking at the Mandate Presentation Ceremony to the Batu Pahat Division BN Machinery in Rengit, today. Also present were Penggaram DUN candidate Boo Chin Leong, Mohd Yusla Ismail (Senggarang) and Mohd Zaidi Japar (Rengit). The Johor Menteri Besar reminded voters and the party machinery not to be influenced by the actions of a few leaders who attempted to sabotage or carry out personal attacks after not being listed as candidates. He was referring to the actions of former Rengit Assemblyman (ADUN) Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, who was accused of carrying out attacks on social media, including linking royal institutions to the nomination issue. "You can attack me, but what's important is that voters don't follow that method and should follow in the footsteps of leaders who were not nominated but remain loyal." "We also found out about this through UMNO Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who he (Mohd Puad) wanted to nominate his own son," he said. The Johor state election saw 172 candidates contesting for 56 state assembly seats with polling day set for July 11, while early voting is on July 7. -- BERNAMA

BATU PAHAT, June 30 — Barisan Nasional (BN) has set a big mission in Batu Pahat to defend the Rengit and Senggarang state assembly seats, as well as being determined to recapture the Penggaram seat in the 16th Johor State Election (PRN). Johor BN chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the party’s target this time […]