How Johor royals' influence may make naming MB candidate a bad idea for non-BN parties

 

Pakatan Harapan is set to unveil its candidates for the Johor election tomorrow, and observers are curious whether the coalition will name a poster boy or menteri besar candidate, in an effort to form the next state government.

However, doing so might be a misstep for the coalition and risks upsetting Johor's royals.

While Johor is a constitutional monarchy, it is no secret that the state palace has exercised significant influence over politics in the state - including who becomes menteri besar.

This is despite the state constitution having wording similar to federal law on the appointment of the chief executive, which provides that the monarchy makes a choice based on who commands the confidence of a majority in the legislature.

In 2019, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar pushed Osman Sapian out as menteri besar.

Later in 2022, he blocked Hasni Mohammad from a second term as the state's chief executive.

The ruler revealed over a year later that he had dropped Hasni to affirm his powers to appoint the menteri besar.

"They made a mistake. Hasni was made to be a poster boy, and all of them (BN assemblypersons) signed declarations supporting him.

"What, you push me to the wall? Within our (Johor) constitution, the only person who can decide on the menteri besar is the sultan.

"That's why I changed it (appointment) and shocked everybody," Sultan Ibrahim said in an interview with The Straits Times.

Lesson learned

It's a lesson that Hasni's successor - Onn Hafiz Ghazi - appeared to have internalised.

In a recent media interview, Onn admitted that as the caretaker menteri besar, he would naturally be seen as BN's poster boy.

However, he cautioned that the one who decides the menteri besar will either be Sultan Ibrahim, who is serving as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.

"Assent from the Johor palace is very important," Onn was quoted as saying by Bernama.

However, in the same interview, he also egged on Harapan to reveal their menteri besar candidate.

The discrepancy is being used as fodder to attack Onn as being wishy-washy.

Speculation is rife that former education minister Maszlee Malik will lead Harapan's charge, while other contenders include Johor Amanah chief Aminolhuda Hassan and his vice-chief, Suhaizan Kaiat.

Caretaker MB Onn Hafiz Ghazi

Meanwhile, there has been no development on that front from Perikatan Nasional - which is distracted by an ongoing power struggle between PAS and Bersatu.

Nomination day for the Johor state election is on June 27, with polling on July 11. - Mkini