JOHOR BARU: Layang-Layang state seat incumbent Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (pic) is unperturbed with talks of him facing former education minister Dr Maszlee Malik.

       He welcomes any challenger in the spirit of democracy.

       “Anyone can contest in the seat, including those who have failed to fulfil their promises.

       “Besides there is no assurance I will be contesting in this seat,” he said.

       He said he would leave it to Umno to decide where he would contest this election.

       Asked if the additional 700,000 new voters would post a challenge to Barisan Nasional, he said the people are wise enough to choose.

       “Voters regardless of age are wise enough to see the contrast between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan.

       “There was dissatisfaction among the rakyat in the 22 months Pakatan was the government,” he said.

       “We need to have a government with a good track record administering Johor.

       “I think voters, including the young ones between 18 and 20, can see that.”

       Meanwhile, in a tweet, Maszlee said he has no information on whether he would be contesting in the Layang-Layang seat or if he would be Pakatan’s MB candidate.

       “I am just following instructions from the party (PKR) on whatever decision made by its leadership,” he said.

       The Simpang Renggam MP is also Pakatan’s potential choice for the Johor mentri besar post if Pakatan wins the election.

       In the previous general election (GE14), Onn Hafiz won the Layang-Layang seat with 7,499 votes against PKR’s candidate Murugan Muthu Samy who gathered 7,085 votes and PAS’s candidate Mohd Jubri Selamat with 1,339 votes.