ISKANDAR PUTERI: Parti Pejuang Tanah Air will be contesting in 42 of the 56 seats in the Johor election on March 12, says party president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
“We will be moving solo under the Pejuang banner and we are hoping to contest around 42 seats,” he told reporters during a press conference after launching the Pejuang election machinery at Taman Universiti in Petaling Jaya on Thursday (Feb 10).
Mukhriz also said Pejuang’s election machinery was ready for the Johor polls and all its 42 candidates would go through a psychometric test on corruption organised by NGO Rasuah Busters.
“This is our commitment to ensure that whoever we put forward, the candidate must be clean, efficient and have integrity.
“It is time for Johor and Malaysia to have a clean government because most of the issues today are caused by corruption and I am confident that Johoreans are aware of this issue.”
Mukhriz also said Pejuang would not have any “poster boy” to represent the party in the upcoming state election.
“The real ‘poster boys’ are Johoreans themselves and they deserve the best for the state. We will place capable leaders who will work for the people,” he added.
Pejuang first announced that it would contest 42 seats in the Johor state election on Jan 22.
Among other Opposition parties expected to join the Johor state election are Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) and Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan).
In a joint statement by DAP and Amanah on Feb 9, it said that the consensus achieved with Muda was that Muda would contest in Tenang, Bukit Kepong, Parit Raja, Machap, Puteri Wangsa and Bukit Permai.
Later that night, PKR issued another statement, saying that they offered three seats to Muda and they were awaiting the party’s response.
Warisan is expected to announce their decision some time next week after a visit by party president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
Nomination day for the Johor state election has been set for Feb 24 and polling is on March 12.