JOHOR BARU, April 1 — Johor Umno said today it is confident that the Opposition’s “big tent” approach will not pose a risk for Barisan Nasional in the coming general election, and not threaten the coalition’s position in the state.
“The changes in the electorate will also not see BN lose to the ‘big tent’ approach,” Johor Umno chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad said after chairing a special party state chapter meeting here.
“With that, Johor Umno has requested all of our state divisions to conduct a review if a general election should take place and the state’s Umno liaison body will be tasked with checking the matter with our grassroots.”
Hasni said that Johor Umno is also undertaking a post-mortem based on the recently concluded state election, which would serve as preparation for the coming general election.
Hasni, who is also the Benut assemblyman, said Johor Umno has also instructed all of its 26 divisions in the state to re-evaluate the party’s structure following the latest political developments after the state election.
“There is a need to restructure in order to further strengthen the party given that there are many new assemblymen who hold positions as Umno division Youth chiefs and Women chiefs.
“Each division is required to restructure their current line-up in enabling the elected representatives to provide effective services,” he said.
Following Barisan Nasional’s (BN) landslide win in the Johor state election on March 12, a majority of the coalition’s assemblymen consist of younger first-time candidates.
With that, the state government line-up also consists of 70 per cent new faces, including the Johor Mentri Besar who is 44-year-old Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
