BARISAN Nasional (BN) has officially won a two-thirds majority in the Johor assembly, the Election Commission (EC) said tonight.

With 40 out of 56 state seats, it can now form a strong government and have the political stability it said it lacked previously when it had only a one-seat majority in the assembly.

Its supermajority is also likely to increase pressure on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to dissolve Parliament and hold a snap general election.

In the 2018 general election, BN won only 19 seats in Johor and Pakatan Harapan (PH) formed the state government for the first time.

However, since then BN has now taken back Bekok, Serom, Bukit Naning, Yong Peng, Paloh, Pulai Sebatang and Pekan Nanas.

BN also reclaimed Pemanis, Tenang, Bukit Pasir, Gambir, Larkin and Bukit Permai from Perikatan Nasional (PN).

At a press conference tonight after the EC declared BN the winner, coalition chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Umno president, confirmed he would nominate Benut assemblyman Hasni Mohammad to continue as menteri besar.

“I will propose Hasni to the Johor Ruler, to continue his work as menteri besar,” Zahid said.

Hasni, who is also Johor BN chief, told the press conference that Johor folk had chosen BN and stability for the future “with one voice”. – March 12, 2022.