AYER HITAM: Barisan Nasional needs to limit the number of people attending its major events as it was issued a compound notice for Covid-19 SOP violations last week, says Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad.

       The caretaker Johor mentri besar said that since then all their events, including the one in Ayer Hitam Wednesday (Feb 9), had limited the number of attendees to ensure people adhered to the standard operating procedure (SOP).

       "When I reached here earlier, that was the first thing I asked - whether we are adhering to the SOP," he said during a Barisan event here Wednesday night.

       Barisan had a major event at an indoor stadium in Iskandar Puteri on Friday (Feb 4) last week.

       Only those with special tags were allowed into the huge tents set up in Pagoh on Sunday (Feb 6) and Ayer Hitam Wednesday.

       Hasni apologised to Barisan's supporters for the stricter SOPs at their events.

       "Despite this, we still got a good turn out among our supporters," he said, adding that other parties ferried their supporters using buses from Kuala Lumpur and used social media to make it look like their events were full.

       Hasni also warned all Barisan members to work hard for this state election and not to take it for granted due to past wins in the Tanjung Piai by-election here or even in the state elections in Melaka and Sarawak.

       "We are not having this state election to celebrate our past winning streak.

       "We are having this election to bring development to the state. We have to bring back Johor's former glory under Barisan," he said, adding that the state's slide started since GE14 when the state was governed by other parties.

       Also present were Barisan president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and MIC vice-president Datuk M. Asojan.