Opposition’s decision against naming Johor chief minister candidate ‘strategic move’, says Muhyiddin
Mr Muhyiddin (centre) said that he could probably select at least 10 persons who are qualified for the Johor Chief Minister post.
AYER HITAM — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) president Muhyiddin Yassin on Thursday (May 3) defended the opposition alliance’s decision not to name a chief minister candidate for Johor, calling it a “strategic move” against the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).
His comments came hours after Johor’s caretaker chief minister Khaled Nordin challenged the Pakatan Harapan (PH) pact to make public who it intends to appoint as his successor, if it sweeps the state in the May 9 polls.
Mr Khaled had suggested that Mr Muhyiddin was keeping mum on the issue as he was hoping to get a federal appointment, which he will not likely snag if he had declared himself a chief minister candidate for Johor.
Mr Muhyiddin dismissed such a notion.
“Not naming (our choice) is a strategic move... because we know the situation in Johor is quite peculiar as there are certain things that we need to take into account,” Mr Muhyiddin told a press conference in Ayer Hitam, Johor on Thursday evening. He did not go into detail about these considerations.
“The people vote for the party and the party representing them will choose whoever in our leadership is qualified,” added the former deputy prime minister, who was sacked by Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2015 owing to disagreement over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund scandal.
PPBM is part of the four-party PH opposition pact chaired by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has come out of retirement in his bid to oust Mr Najib.
Saying there were many qualified leaders for the post, Mr Muhyiddin explained: “We only need one person and I could probably select at least 10 of them who are qualified for the post. Just look at their qualifications, be it state or federal.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Khaled asked if PH meant to have Mr Muhyiddin, who was Johor’s chief minister for nearly a decade from 1986 to 1995, reprise his role.
Mr Muhyiddin is contesting the Pagoh parliamentary seat and the Gambir state seat in northern Johor.
“Why did (Mr Muhyiddin) contest here in Gambir? Does he wish to be the (chief minister)? If so, then why did he not announce his intention to contest in Gambir, because he wants to be the (chief minister)?” asked Mr Khaled.
He added that voters should be wary of Mr Muhyiddin leading them on in the belief he would be PH’s chief minister — or menteri besar — in Johor.
“Why would you choose him? He does not want to serve you nor will he be the next menteri besar,’’ he said.
Asked about this, Mr Muhyiddin said there were other PH leaders such as Democratic Action Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali who were contesting dual seats in the election as well.
He added that it was not too difficult for someone to become a chief minister if given the chance.
“I, too, was once an inexperienced individual when I took on the mantle but after 10 years, no one said I was incapable,” he added.
Also addressing reporters at the press conference on Thursday was Mr Liew Chin Tong, Johor’s Democratic Action Party chief, who is in a three-cornered race for the Ayer Hitam seat.
Mr Liew threw Mr Khaled’s question back at the BN, asking the ruling coalition who its candidate for chief minister will be, amid talk Mr Khaled would not continue in the post.
Mr Khaled, BN’s chief in Johor, was nominated by his party for both state and parliamentary seats in the coming polls, raising the prospect the former minister for higher education could return to the federal government.
Speaking to TODAY after the press conference, Mr Liew also weighed in on the opposition alliance’s confidence in taking control of Johor, saying there was a “fighting chance”.
PH is gunning for a simple majority in the 56-member Johor state assembly. Right now, it has 16 seats. It is also targeting to gain 10 parliamentary seats, on top of its present six.
“To win 10 to 12 more parliamentary seats is very doable,” said Mr Liew, who was member of parliament for Kluang, Johor until he moved to contest in Ayer Hitam.
“The threshold to win state government is a bit higher — not impossible, but a bit tougher.”
