Veteran Johor rep urges calm ahead of expected clashes over former MB’s loyalties in state assembly tomorrow

Veteran state lawmaker and Bukit Permai assemblyman Tosrin Jarvanthi urged the state’s assemblymen, irrespective of their political affiliation, to prioritise Johor and its people. — Picture by Ben Tan

JOHOR BARU, Sept 9 — A veteran Johor lawmaker has asked fellow assemblymen to be calm and restrained at tomorrow’s assembly sitting that it is set to be fiery as the state government could collapse.

Bukit Permai assemblyman Tosrin Jarvanthi asked all state lawmakers to prioritise the interests of the state and its residents, regardless of their affiliations.

The Johor assembly is balanced on a knife edge, with the ruling Perikatan Nasional holding a questionable one-seat advantage in the 56-member assembly.

“We should leave behind any political disagreements for the sake of the state and its people,” Tosrin said during a press conference at the Iskandar Islamic Centre here today.

The 70-year-old Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) member, who is also the Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman, is considered the oldest and most senior assemblyman in the state.

The sittings between from tomorrow until Sunday are expected to be tense after Bersatu appeared to expel former Johor mentri besar and Kempas assemblyman Datuk Osman Sapian before reversing course.

His expulsion would have effectively resulted in a hung assembly.

While five motions related to the state’s economy, the Covid-19 pandemic stimulus package, budget and land tax are on the agenda, the focus will likely be on Osman’s membership in Bersatu.

Osman’s loyalty to Bersatu and the ruling PN pact was questioned after he was seen publicly among those campaigning for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s still-informal Pejuang party at the Slim by-election.

Dr Mahathir, who co-founded Bersatu, lost control of the party in February and was later removed as a member.

Bersatu disciplinary board chairman Tan Sri Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas, who both announced and walked back on the termination of Osman’s membership, purported that the latter could still be expelled for consorting with the party’s rivals.

At present, Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad from Umno only retained control of the administration by virtue of Osman’s continued membership in the party.

Pakatan Harapan controls 27 seats in the assembly. The coalition would have as many lawmakers as PN in the event Osman goes independent and allies with it.

In the state assembly, both Umno and DAP have 14 seats each. The others are held by Bersatu (12), Amanah (nine), PKR (four), MIC (two) and PAS (one). - malaymail