JOHOR BARU: The Johor State Election which concluded yesterday, saw several key party leaders biting the dust.
Johor PAS commissioner Abdullah Hussin and former Johor state assembly speaker Suhaizan Kaiat who contested the Pulai Sebatang state seat lost to Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Hasrunizah Hassan who won with a 6,325-vote majority.
Kulai Division Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chief Tosrin Jarvanthi lost the Bukit Permai state seat when he was only able to collect 5,108 votes compared to his opponent, Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor (BN) who garnered 10,889.
Johor Pakatan Harapan chairman Aminolhuda Hassan also failed to win the Parit Yaani seat for a third time. He was only able to garner 8,776 votes after losing to Datuk Najib Samuri (BN) who won by a majority of 294 by collecting 9,070 votes.
Johor Parti Amanah Negara deputy chief Dzulkefly Ahmad failed to win the Kota Iskandar state seat which he won in the 14th General Election when he lost to BN candidate, Pandak Ahmad who garnered 23,133 votes, carrying the seat with a 4,360 majority.
At the same time, the Larkin state seat went to Johor Umno Youth chief Mohd Hairi Mad Shah with a majority of 6,178. He defeated Johor Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) Information Chief Rasid Abu Bakar who only garnered 4,948 votes and Pasir Gudang PKR Treasurer Dr Zamil Najwah Arbain (6,448) in a six -cornered tussle.
Meanwhile, the Gambir state seat previously held by Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also changed hands when PN candidate and Johor Bersatu secretary Mohd Solihan Badri was defeated by BN candidate Sahrihan Jani who garnered 7,960 votes, winning with a majority of 3,146 votes.
Last night, Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh confirmed that BN had won 40 seats out of the 56 state seats in Johor.
The comfortable victory allowed BN to form a government with a two-third majority.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) had to accept victory in 11 state seats, followed by PN (three) and PKR and Muda each won one seat.