JOHOR BARU: More than 750,000 new voters are expected to cast their ballots in the upcoming Johor state election.

       This will bring the state’s total voters to about 2.5 million compared with 1.8 million in GE14, said Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

       He said the party did not have any problem with the huge increase of voters in the state.

       “We have to accept this political challenge as it is bound to happen eventually. We cannot run from it,” he said, adding that based on the briefings from the Election Commission, the voters’ list would be gazetted on the 16th day of each month.

       “This means each month, more people would be added to the list.

       “As such, the talk that last year’s election rolls will be used in the Johor state election which exclude all the new voters does not arise,” he said after attending an election preparation event organised by the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) here.

       Ahmad said that once the law was passed in December last year, the first list of new voters between 18 and 20 years old or new voters above 21 was gazetted on Jan 16.

       He added that there were now 5.7 million voters nationwide, with 4.5 million above 21 while the rest are from the 18 to 20 age group.

       “There will be an increase of about 20% or more voters in each constituency.

       “Even in my Pontian parliamentary seat, the voters have increased by more than 18,800 to 75,000 voters,” Ahmad added.

       He also urged parents who were Barisan Nasional supporters to persuade their children to vote for the coalition.

       He said the coalition should not be overconfident and called on all Barisan-friendly parties, including Kimma, to help the coalition win the election.