Maszlee denies being Johor MB candidate

PKR’s candidate for the Layang-Layang state seat, Maszlee Malik, has denied rumours that he will be the Johor menteri besar candidate should the party and Pakatan Harapan (PH) win the mandate in the coming state election.

“That’s far from the truth. Anwar Ibrahim (PKR president) never touched on the issue of menteri besar.

“He only asked for my vote and support for PKR and PH to take Johor to a higher level,” he told reporters after holding a ceramah at the Layang-Layang state legislative assembly PKR operations room in Kluang yesterday.

Maszlee, who joined PKR last November, said this when commenting on Anwar’s previous ceramah which stated that there was a reason PKR was fielding the Simpang Renggam MP as a candidate in the Johor polls.

This gave the impression that Maszlee was the coalition’s candidate for the menteri besar post.

Maszlee also apologised to Simpang Renggam voters for not being able to fulfil all of PH’s promises made during the 14th general election, saying it could only govern the country for 22 months.

The former Bersatu member denied jumping parties, saying Bersatu had betrayed him by “casting him out” because he did not agree with the party leaving PH and forming a new alliance with Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Maszlee will be involved in a four-cornered fight with K Alagathiran of PN, Abdul Mutalib Abd Rahim of Barisan Nasional and Ahmad Shafiq Othaman of Pejuang for the Layang-Layang state seat.