JOHOR BAHRU – Barisan Nasional (BN) has retained control of Johor after securing a simple majority in the state election, giving the coalition enough seats to form the next state government.
As of 10.32pm, Election Commission (EC) declared BN candidates victorious in enough constituencies to cross the 29-seat threshold required to govern, with results still coming in from across the state.
At press time, Pakatan Harapan (PH) had won twoseats while Perikatan Nasional (PN), Muda and Bersama failed to secure any.
The announcement was made by EC Chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun.
Caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi successfully defended the Machap seat, polling 20,382 votes against PH candidate Nor Hafiz Roslan, who received 5,007. Onn won with a 15,375 majority.
The result marks another electoral success for BN, which campaigned on a platform of stability, economic growth and continuity.
Throughout the campaign, the coalition argued it was best positioned to attract investment, drive development and address concerns over the cost of living and employment.
Political observers had widely expected BN to retain Johor, with attention focused less on whether it would win and more on the size of its mandate.
The election was also seen as a test of support for Onn Hafiz, whose administration has emphasised economic development, investment promotion and infrastructure upgrades.
For the opposition, the outcome is a setback in its bid to capture the state, although a sizeable presence in the assembly would allow it to continue scrutinising government policies and decisions.
Bread-and-butter issues dominated the campaign, with voters citing the cost of living, jobs, wages, housing affordability and public transport among their main concerns.
Political analysts said the result suggested many Johoreans favoured stability and experience in government, while continuing to expect improvements in their daily lives.
The Johor election was closely watched as an indicator of political sentiment ahead of the next general election, with parties viewing the contest as a test of both public support and organisational strength.
Attention will now shift to the formation of the new state administration and executive council as BN prepares to begin another term in office.