ISKANDAR PUTERI: Intense speculation that the Johor state assembly will be dissolved this week quietened down substantially after the much-anticipated state executive councillors’ meeting did not discuss the matter.
State Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Tosrin Jarvanthi said the weekly meeting with Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad at Bangunan Dato’ Jaafar Muhammad ended without any problems.
Clearing the air: (From left) Tosrin and Zaiton said all exco members gave their full cooperation to Hasni during the meeting while Mohd Izhar said the non-stop speculation is causing uneasiness among the people.
The Bukit Permai assemblyman, who is from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, added that no exco member raised the matter with Hasni or touched on whether there would be an election.
“Nothing unusual happened in the meeting and it went on like normal. We discussed government paperwork, and nothing else.
“There is no discussion at all about the much-speculated snap polls,” he said when met after attending the meeting at Kota Iskandar here yesterday.
State women, family and community development committee chairman Zaiton Ismail also said likewise, stating that the subject was not raised in the meeting that lasted about six hours.
The Sungai Balang assemblyman, who is from Umno, added that all excos gave their full cooperation to Hasni during the meeting.
“There is no problem raised during the meeting and every exco just focused on their respective portfolios to make sure the government runs smoothly,” she said.
Johor has 10 state executive councillors, comprising five from Barisan Nasional and five from Bersatu.
The Umno-led state government has a simple majority, with 28 seats against Pakatan Harapan’s 27, while one seat is vacant with the passing of Kempas assemblyman Datuk Osman Sapian, who was also the former mentri besar, on Dec 21.
Currently, the state government consists of Umno (14), MIC (two), PAS (one) and Bersatu (11), while the Opposition comprises DAP (14), Amanah (six) and PKR (seven).
According to state investment, cooperatives, entrepreneurship development and human resource committee chairman Datuk Mohd Izhar Ahmad, Hasni should call for a state election if he has any plans to dissolve the state assembly or has been directed to do so.
Mohd Izhar, who is from Bersatu, said the non-stop speculation is causing uneasiness among the people and the civil servants, which would cause them to lose focus on their responsibilities.
“To me, having a state election at this juncture is a huge waste of public funds. Why do we need this? What is the motive?” he said, adding that at the end, the people would continue to be squeezed by the action of politicians who were continuously out for power.
In his Facebook post yesterday titled “Think twice or just do it”, Mohd Izhar said political greed had caused much confusion in the state.
“The main question is the motive and relevance of having an election now when the people are trying to get back to their normal life due to the Covid-19 pandemic or the floods in the state,” he added.
He said talk of Hasni’s government being uncomfortable with just a one-seat majority was inaccurate as there had been no pressure or any move from the Opposition to bring the government down similar to what happened in other states.
“What is even more confusing is that Pakatan Harapan has taken a firm stand of being against a state election in the near future.
“It is strange that the Opposition has made such a stand and not the government,” he said.