PAKATAN Harapan (PH) has opened an early lead in the hotly contested Skudai state seat, according to unofficial results as vote counting continues in the Johor state election tonight.
As of 6.54 pm, PH’s Kartiyaini Jeyapalan had garnered 957 votes, or 60.76% of the ballots counted, comfortably ahead of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Tan Hiang Kee, who secured 572 votes (36.32%).
Bersama candidate Eugene Chua Meng Chong received 24 votes (1.52%), while Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) Amir Syafiq Ameer Soekre polled 22 votes (1.40%).
The unofficial tally is based on 1,575 votes counted from an electorate of 106,805 registered voters.
Skudai has been one of the most closely watched contests in this election following the decision by incumbent assemblywoman Marina Ibrahim not to defend the seat after one term.
Her departure left the urban constituency wide open, triggering a four-cornered contest and putting the spotlight on whether PH could retain one of its traditional strongholds.
The race has also drawn attention as a key test of voter sentiment in Johor’s urban belt, with BN looking to make inroads while PH seeks to maintain its dominance in the constituency. - July 11, 2026
