News analysis
BN may win Johor easily, but a bigger political shake-up could be brewing
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Flags of Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and Parti Bersama Malaysia seen in Stulang during Johor campaigning.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
- Up to 2.7 million Johoreans will vote on July 11 in a crucial state election that could deeply realign Malaysia's national political landscape.
- The 2026 election pits BN against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan, changing the dynamic from 2022 and making BN less able to dictate national election timing.
- The election tests Malay Muslim unity, with PAS supporting BN to block PH, potentially reshaping coalition alliances ahead of the 16th general election (GE16).
AI generated
KUALA LUMPUR – Up to 2.7 million Johoreans will cast their votes as polling centres open on the morning of July 11. It is a culmination of a two-week campaign that has been pregnant with meaning, not just for the southernmost state, but also Malaysia’s political landscape as a whole.
Back in 2022, Malaysia’s two ruling coalitions also clashed at the Johor state polls. A huge Barisan Nasional (BN) victory in the state then saw the UMNO-led pact call a snap federal election a year before Parliament was to expire in 2023.
