Zahid rejects BN-PAS electoral understanding claims

BARISAN Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dismissed speculation that BN was pursuing an electoral arrangement with PAS and Parti Wawasan Negara.

Responding to claims that BN had discussed cooperation in constituencies previously contested alongside PAS and Parti Wawasan Negara, Zahid said he was unaware of any such plans.

“I have not heard anything about that (the allegation that BN is planning to cooperate in seats contested together with PAS and Parti Wawasan Negara).

“It may have been discussions held at the grassroots level,” he told reporters after a luncheon with BN election machinery for the Benut state constituency on Saturday.

Zahid said BN's decision to field candidates in all 56 Johor state seats demonstrated the coalition's commitment to contesting the election independently.

“The reality is that Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi made it clear from the outset that we wanted to move forward on our own, and that has been proven by our decision to field BN candidates in all 56 state constituencies.

“Not a single one of our candidates is contesting under another party's symbol,” he said.

Earlier, PAS ordered its grassroots machinery not to assist Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) candidates during the Johor state election campaign, highlighting continuing strains within the opposition despite assurances that previous disputes have been resolved.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the party's divisions and state constituency machinery in seats contested by Bersatu had instead been instructed to focus on constituencies contested by PAS and other Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties.

“PAS divisional and state constituency machinery in Bersatu-contested seats in the Johor state election are instructed to serve in constituencies contested by PAS and other PN component parties,” he said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had said the party remained committed to its earlier decision to end cooperation with Bersatu, adding that the issue had already been settled.

Hadi said PAS was aiming to emerge as a strong opposition bloc and act as a check and balance on the Johor government, with the party contesting 11 state seats selected on the basis of its strongest prospects of victory, including Maharani.

Perikatan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar had earlier said PAS would contest 11 seats, down from 15 in the previous Johor state election, describing the reduction as part of the coalition's electoral strategy.

Johor goes to the polls on July 11, with early voting scheduled for July 7, following the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly on June 1. - June 27, 2026