JOHOR Umno must move a confidence motion against Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad to test the legitimacy of his government, said Simpang Jeram assemblyman Salahuddin Ayub.

The Amanah deputy president’s statement comes in the wake of a confidence motion moved in the Perak assembly against outgoing Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

The motion by an Umno rep saw strong support among Perak reps to oust Faizal.

Following that, Salahuddin said Johor Umno should also do the same to show that Hasni, who is from Umno, enjoys majority support in the Johor assembly. 

At present, the ruling pact in Johor enjoys a two-seat majority over Pakatan Harapan. 

Of the 29 seats the ruling pact has, Umno has the most with 14, followed by Bersatu (12), MIC (2) and PAS (1). 

“Tomorrow is the last day for the Johor state assembly to sanction the state budget for 2021,” he said in a statement. 

“There’s a possibility something important will happen tomorrow since it is the last day for the budget,” said Salahuddin, who is also Pulai MP.

He said the Perak episode and the development in national politics have drawn attention to the legitimacy of state and federal governments. 

“It is important for the people to see if the current government, be it federal or state, has that legitimacy,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the Johor PH leadership said in a separate statement that it will closely scrutinise any step or motions filed by state Bersatu reps in the sitting tomorrow. 

“Johor PH has 27 assemblymen. This is significant in all confidence motions filed in the state assembly,” they said. 

The joint statement was issued by Johor DAP, Bersatu and Amanah chiefs Liew Chin Tong, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Aminolhuda Hassan.

DAP has 14 seats in Johor, followed by Amanah (9) and PKR (4). 

Following the ouster of Bersatu’s Faizal as Perak MB yesterday, former Johor menteri besar Osman Sapian, who is also Bersatu’s Kempas rep, said his party could punish Umno by doing the same to its menteri besar. 

Bersatu and Umno have a fractious relationship although they are allies in the ruling Perikatan Nasional pact.

In another development, Johor Speaker Suhaizan Kayat was reported as saying his office has not received any motions to test Hasni’s support in the state assembly. 

However he added that it was still possible for an elected rep to table an emergency motion. – December 5, 2020.