KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — The Johor Mentri Besar has suggested that DAP's Lim Kit Siang may be the worst out of three lawmakers in the state that were found to be under-performing by an Umno-linked think tank.

Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who is also Johor Umno chief and the Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) chair, said a state Umno study had found three DAP lawmakers — Lim who is Gelang Patah MP, Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong and Johor Jaya assemblyman Liow Cai Tung — as elected representatives who had the worst performances in Johor.

He was referring to Bait Al Amanah, a think tank set up in October 2015 to plan a roadmap for Umno's reform process.

"I dare say that (out of the three) Lim is the worst, followed by Kluang and Johor Jaya.

"Voters said they have never met them,” he was quoted saying yesterday by local daily New Straits Times today.

Lim had scored a shock win in the 13th general election when he defeated then-Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman in Gelang Patah.

In the same NST report, Khaled went on to say that some opposition lawmakers were switching to contest in other seats as support for them in their own constituencies had dwindled.

"They are not only running away from their own constituencies, but also from their voters, who supported them in the previous election,” he said.

Johor is seen as a traditional stronghold for Umno.

In the 13th general election, the federal opposition won five federal seats against BN's 21 federal seats in Johor. BN retained Johor with 38 state seats against the 18 seats won by the federal opposition then.

The upcoming 14th general elections which must be held by this August is expected to see a fierce fight between the federal opposition Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional.

Umno splinter, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), is also hoping to make inroads in the birthplace of the Malay ruling party.