AS a former Vice President of PKR and a veteran of Malaysia’s reform movement, I am compelled to speak out against the deeply irresponsible statement made by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who declared that he would rather relinquish his post than sit at the same table with DAP.
This is not a statement of principle. It is a statement of political cowardice dressed as conviction — and the people of Johor deserve better.
1. “Bangsa Johor” Cannot Be Selectively Applied
Onn Hafiz invoked the spirit of “Bangsa Johor” to justify his refusal to cooperate with DAP, claiming his stance was not driven by racial sentiments. I challenge him to explain, then, what “Bangsa Johor” truly means — because DAP represents tens of thousands of Johoreans of all races who cast their votes through a free and democratic process.
As one commentator has rightly asked: as a politician, how can he govern a state when tens of thousands of Malays, Chinese, Indians and people of various other ethnic groups support DAP? To refuse to sit across the table from elected representatives is not a show of strength — it is a rejection of the very democratic mandate those voters placed their trust in.
The “Bangsa Johor” identity, so proudly championed by the royal household and the people of this great state, has always been rooted in unity and inclusiveness. Onn Hafiz has weaponised this noble concept for narrow electoral gain.
2. UMNO’s Blatant Hypocrisy: Partners in Putrajaya, Enemies in Johor
Onn Hafiz, as Johor UMNO and BN chairman, has announced that BN will contest all 56 seats in the Johor state election and will not form a government that includes DAP if given the mandate.
And yet — UMNO sits comfortably in the federal Unity Government in Putrajaya alongside the very same DAP. UMNO ministers attend cabinet meetings with DAP ministers. UMNO parliamentarians vote alongside DAP members in the Dewan Rakyat. They share the spoils of federal power.
So, which is it? Is DAP an unacceptable partner, or is it acceptable only when federal positions and cabinet seats are on the table? This glaring contradiction exposes UMNO’s statement for what it truly is: not a matter of values, but a cynical pre-election manoeuvre calculated to harvest Malay votes in Johor while continuing to enjoy the benefits of partnership with DAP at the national level.
The voters of Johor are not fooled.
3. The UEC Issue: UMNO Exploits Education for Electoral Advantage
Onn Hafiz’s exclusionary rhetoric must also be read alongside Johor UMNO’s ongoing politicisation of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) — a matter of education that has been deliberately inflamed as an electoral weapon.
Johor UMNO Youth has challenged DAP to bring the UEC recognition matter to the courts for a judicial review, framing DAP’s push for recognition as a reflection of the party’s anxiety and lack of strategy in maintaining Chinese voter support following its poor showing in recent state elections. This framing is deliberately provocative and tells us everything: UMNO is not engaging with UEC as an education policy matter. It is using it as ammunition.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stated clearly that the government’s move to recognise the UEC as a pathway to public universities does not threaten the national language, noting that more than 80% of UEC students already sit for the SPM Bahasa Melayu examination.
The Prime Minister has spoken. The facts are on the table. Yet UMNO continues to fan the flames. It is worth recalling that historically, both major coalitions — including BN under Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Pakatan Harapan under Anwar — had publicly signalled openness to considering UEC recognition as part of their outreach to the Chinese community.
Even PAS and Bersatu had once endorsed it under previous political arrangements. UMNO’s current ferocity on this issue is therefore not principled — it is purely tactical.
The Chinese community of Johor, who have called this state home for generations and contributed immeasurably to its development, deserve to have their children’s academic achievements respected — not used as a bargaining chip every time an election approaches.
4. A Call for Leadership Worthy of Johor
I have spent decades in public service and in the reform movement. I have seen leaders rise and fall. What distinguishes a true statesman from a mere politician is the willingness to govern for all the people, not just those who voted for you.
Johor is one of Malaysia’s most dynamic and strategically vital states, home to Malaysians of every background who work, build, and dream together. A Menteri Besar who publicly declares he will not even sit at the same table with a significant portion of their elected representatives is a leader who has already failed the people before the election has even been called.
I call on the leaders and voters of Johor to demand more. Demand leadership that unites, not divides. Demand accountability, not rhetoric. And demand an end to the cynical game of being partners in Putrajaya while performing outrage in Johor.
The people of Johor deserve a government that governs for all of them.
Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam
Former Vice President, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
Former Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources (2018–2020)
