KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional may go solo in the Johor state election, with Umno likely to contest in at least 42 of the 56 seats, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

       The Umno deputy president said the idea of going solo came about during discussions with Johor Barisan chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad, who is also the state Umno chief.

       “They are more inclined to take on the state election alone.

       “This, however, will be decided in our (Umno) special supreme council meeting soon,” he said.

       Umno and PAS are cooperating though Muafakat Nasional.

       Mohamad also said Umno was looking at a minimum of 42 seats, seven more from the 35 it contested in the 14th General Election.

       “Everyone has to work hard. It’s not a walk in the park for Umno, because we don’t know what we are entering into.

       “We cannot say we have won handsomely in Melaka and now we can take things for granted in Johor,” he said when met at the High Court here after the proceedings of Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s graft case.

       Mohamad added that Umno must focus on its election strategy, given that newly registered Undi18 voters number more than 700,000 in Johor alone.

       Prior to the dissolution of the state assembly, the Umno-led government had a simple majority of 28 seats against Pakatan Harapan’s 27 following the passing of former mentri besar Datuk Osman Sapian, who was Kempas assemblyman, in December last year.

       Osman was from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

       The state government consisted of Barisan (Umno – 14 seats, MIC – two), Bersatu (11) and PAS (one).