KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — The Opposition only needs 10 state seats to replace the Barisan Nasional (BN) as the Johor government, Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong asserted today.
The DAP federal lawmaker claimed that the BN lost its two-thirds majority in the southern state after its Jorak assemblyman Datuk Shahruddin Salleh quit Umno for Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
Shahruddin’s defection would mean the Opposition parties have a combined representation of 19 out of 56 seats in the Johor legislative assembly.
“To form the Johor state government, a realigned opposition would need another 10 seats, i.e. 29 seats,” the Johor DAP chief said in a statement.
Yesterday, Pagoh MP Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the appointment of Shahruddin as PPBM secretary-general.
However, it is unknown if Shahruddin has resigned from Umno. Calls to his phone were unanswered, The Star Online reported today.
The news portal also reported Shahruddin is expected to turn up at a gathering in Bukit Pasir in Muar tonight, which will also feature Muhyiddin and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as PPBM pro-tem president and chairman respectively.
Shahruddin reportedly left his position as Pagoh Umno division vice-chairman in July.
It is learnt that he relinquished his position to show his dissatisfaction over the party’s move to sack Muhyiddin as Umno deputy president.
