PKR could go solo in Johor’s state elections, signalling trouble in PH

 

RUMOURS have it that PKR may contest solo in the upcoming Johor state election, leaving its Pakatan Harapan (PH) partners in limbo on the future of the coalition.

The Johor state elections are expected to be held by the end of this year, and there are already internal discussions on which seats the coalition partners will contest.

Sekijang MP Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa previously stated that the party had identified 28 potential seats to contest in Johor. This clearly indicates that PKR is potentially thinking of grabbing more seats in the state where it won only one seat in the last state polls.

In 2022, PKR contested 20 seats.

Meanwhile, Amanah and DAP are also targeting a significant number of seats in Johor. Amanah is reportedly targeting 20 seats, while the DAP is also unwilling to be left behind in the contest for constituencies.

In the 2022 Johor state election, DAP won 10 seats, a decrease from previous, in a challenging election where Barisan Nasional won 40 seats.

In November last year, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the party wants to defend its existing seats.

“We will fight for our incumbents to at least defend the party’s five parliamentary seats and 10 state seats, no matter what the cooperation model looks like later,” he said.

The Johor State Legislative Assembly consists of 56 seats. These seats represent 56 individual state constituencies within Johor, with representatives elected through a first-past-the-post system. As of 2026, these 56 seats form the unicameral legislature of the state. —  Focus Malaysia