Johor polls: PM Anwar's PH fields refreshed candidates, opposition PN offers lean lineup as campaigning begins

The campaign for Johor's state elections officially kicked off Saturday, setting the stage for contests in all 56 state assembly seats with a total of 172 candidates vying for victory. The incumbent ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), and the main opposition bloc, Pakatan Harapan (PH), have pledged to contest every seat. PH, in particular, is introducing a lineup dominated by new faces, signaling a potential leadership transition.

In contrast, Perikatan Nasional (PN), the largest opposition bloc at the federal level, will only contest 33 seats, a significant reduction from its earlier stated intention to compete in all 56. This decision comes amid internal strife between its core parties, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu). Analysts suggest PN's limited participation could inadvertently benefit BN, as it may prevent the fragmentation of ethnic Malay votes, thereby increasing BN's chances in the contested constituencies.

While BN maintains no formal pacts exist for this election, observers note that PN's strategic withdrawal in certain key battlegrounds could pave the way for future cooperation between PAS and BN's anchor party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). BN and PH are partners in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's federal unity government but have been rivals in the Johor state assembly since the 2022 elections.

Several prominent PH Johor leaders, including Deputy Minister of Finance Liew Chin Tong and coalition state chief Aminolhuda Hassan, have been excluded from the candidate list. This move is seen by observers as part of a deliberate strategy to promote younger politicians to handle state-level issues, while experienced leaders are expected to assume greater responsibilities at the federal level.

Beyond the three major coalitions, smaller parties like Parti Bersama Malaysia, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA), The Socialist Party of Malaysia, and the Orang Asli Party of Malaysia are fielding a limited number of candidates. Six independent candidates have also been approved. The election commission confirmed a variety of contest types, including 14 straight fights, 27 three-way contests, 12 four-way battles, and three five-way showdowns.