I’d rather not be MB than govern with DAP, says Onn Hafiz

 The Johor menteri besar says the state BN has never been aligned with DAP and rejects claims that a vote for BN amounts to support for DAP.

Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said BN will contest all 56 seats in the state election and will not form a government that includes DAP if given the mandate. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi has said that he would rather give up his position than be part of a state government that includes DAP.

Speaking at the launch of BN’s election machinery in Iskandar Puteri, Onn Hafiz rejected claims that a vote for Barisan Nasional would translate into support for DAP, calling the assertion “slander”.

“God willing, when our new state government is formed with the consent of the Sultan of Johor and the Regent of Johor, and we are given the mandate to lead again, we will never at any time be with DAP in a BN state government.

“I would rather not hold the position of menteri besar or sit at the same table with them. This is the spirit of Johor, the Bangsa Johor spirit,” he said.

Johor BN has confirmed it will contest all 56 seats, effectively ruling out the possibility of seat-sharing with its federal ally Pakatan Harapan (PH), as well as Perikatan Nasional (PN) or Muda. PH has likewise said it will contest all 56 seats.

BN currently holds 40 of the 56 seats, while PH holds 12, PN three, and Muda one.

Onn Hafiz, who is Johor Umno and BN chairman, said he had been tasked by BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to gather feedback from the divisions before the coalition’s strategy for the Johor elections was finalised.

He said almost all 26 BN divisions in Johor wanted the coalition to contest on its own.

“When I gave the feedback to the president, he gave me the permission to announce that we would contest all 56 seats. That is the reality,” he said. - FMT