Johor Amanah denies BN’s claims that two of its assemblymen will join new coalition govt

Ben Tan

25 February 2020 at 9:02 am·2-min read

JOHOR BARU, Feb 25 — The Johor chapter of Parti Amanah Negara has denied two of its assemblymen will join Barisan Nasional and PAS in a new and unnamed coalition that will be the next state government.

Johor Amanah chief Aminolhuda Hassan called the announcement by Johor BN chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad who is the incumbent state Opposition leader an act of provocation.

“Datuk Hasni’s statement is an act of provocation to break-up PH,” he said in a statement.

Aminolhuda clarified that all nine Amanah assemblymen in Johor are still loyal to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, which has collapsed at the federal level following Bersatu’s withdrawal and the dissolution of the Cabinet.

Amanah has nine seats in the Johor assembl: Parit Yaani, Kota Iskandar, Senggarang, Kemelah, Simpang Jeram, Serom, Maharani, Mahkota and Pulai Sebatang.

Altogether, PH has 39 seats in the 56-member Johor state. The remainder are 14 from DAP and five from PKR.

Bersatu has 11 seats.

BN or Muafakat Nasional, on the other hand, has 17 seats comprising 14 from Umno, two from MIC and one from PAS.

Earlier today in a press conference held at the Johor Umno liaison office here, Hasni claimed that all 11 assemblymen from Bersatu, three from PKR and two from Amanah have expressed their support for a new coalition, following a discussion with them that he said was mandated by BN.

Hasni said the 16 assemblymen will join the 16 BN assemblymen and and one from PAS to support the establishment of a new state government.

For Johor, it has been widely speculated that the southern state will see a hung state assembly if there is an emergence of a new political bloc or coalition.