13/07/2026

MONDAY | JULY 13, 2026

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Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newdesk@thesundaily.com

Beyond the ballot box

JOHOR BAHRU: Barisan Nasional’s landslide victory in Johor may have settled the political contest, but for many Johoreans, the real test begins after the ballot boxes are closed. While some voters credited BN’s performance and the leadership of Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi for the coalition’s strong mandate, others said the new state government must now focus on delivering improvements that directly affect daily life. For many, the election was not only about who won, but what the next government would do with the confidence placed in it. At the BN command centre late Saturday, Ahmad Rozslan, 38, described BN’s victory as a “remarkable feat”, saying Onn Hafiz had demonstrated why he deserved another term as menteri besar. “Congratulations to BN. This is a remarkable feat. It was a fair fight for everyone, but now the political battle is over. The focus must return to addressing the problems faced

22 out of 61 People’s Housing Project upgrades completed KUALA LUMPUR: Upgrading works at the Desa Tun Razak People’s Housing Project (PPR), costing RM9.6 million, have been completed, making it one of 22 out of 61 upgrade projects in the capital completed so far. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said the project is part of an additional RM300 million approved by the government this year to systematically upgrade all PPR in Kuala Lumpur. She said the allocation had been agreed to by all Kuala Lumpur MPs to ensure comprehensive maintenance works at PPR, while enhancing the safety and comfort of more than 8,000 residents at the Desa Tun Razak PPR, which has been operating since 1998. “We do not want maintenance work to be done on an ad hoc basis. We want to have special maintenance fund because it is easy to develop a project, but if there is no provision for maintenance, the safety aspect will be compromised,” she told reporters when inspecting the completed upgrading works at Desa Tun Razak PPR here yesterday. She said among the works carried out were replacing electrical wiring, resurfacing roads and improving fire safety facilities following several fire incidents that occurred at PPR last year. Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Fadhlun Mak Ujud said of the RM9.6 million spent on the Desa Tun Razak PPR upgrading project, RM7 million was allocated for repainting works, RM1.68 million for fire prevention systems and electrical wiring upgrades, and nearly RM1 million for road resufrfacing. He said the fire riser and drainage systems had also been upgraded. “We have completed nearly 22 projects and expect all the upgrading projects under the RM300 million allocation to be completed by the end of this year.” – Bernama As Farah put it, the next chapter is not about who won the race, but whether the government can deliver on the trust it has received. from different backgrounds. “The strength of Johor has always been its people. Everyone contributes and the government must ensure everyone feels included and represented,” she said. BN’s 48-seat victory gives the coalition a stronger mandate than its previous win in 2022, but voters said the size of the majority should not become a measure of success by itself. Instead, they want the new administration to focus on issues that have long shaped daily life in the state. The election may have delivered a clear political outcome, but Johoreans are already looking beyond the results.

development must also reach ordinary people. “Young people want better-paying jobs, affordable housing and reliable public transport. We want to see Johor become a place where young people can build their future, not just a state people leave to find opportunities elsewhere.” He said while Johor Bahru is developing well, focus must also be at other cities and districts. Beyond economic concerns, some voters highlighted the importance of maintaining Johor’s reputation as a state built on diversity and cooperation. Farah Nadia, 33, said the election should mark a new chapter focused on unity rather than division. “With this victory, I hope Johor continues to move away from racial sentiments. Johor is a developed and well-rounded state built by people

come with governing. Roadside stall operator Siti Aisyah Mohd Noor, 34, said Johoreans were increasingly judging governments based on their ability to deliver rather than political rhetoric. “People want to see results. At the end of the day, politics will come and go, but the issues affecting families every day remain. “The government must focus on things people feel directly – prices, income, business opportunities and the quality of public services. “Winning with a big majority means expectations are also higher. The government now has to prove that the trust given by the people is justified.” Young voter Sean Loh, 27 said the next administration must ensure Johor’s economic growth benefits younger generations. “Johor has a lot of potential, but

o Johoreans say landslide win brings greater responsibility, with cost of living, jobs and public services now in focus by Johoreans. “The people have given the government a stronger mandate, but with that comes greater responsibility. I hope they focus on the cost of living, job opportunities and improving facilities for ordinary people,” he said. However, other voters said the victory should not only be viewed as an endorsement, but also a reminder of the responsibilities that

DAP respects polls result, vows full review of losses JOHOR BAHRU: Johor DAP will conduct a comprehensive review to determine why it lost several seats in the 16th Johor election, including Jementah and Tangkak. message: we must do better,“ she said in a Facebook post. showed that support for candidates in Johor Jaya and Perling during the 2022 state election had swung to BN this time. DAP lost 11 of the 17 seats it contested, including four previously held seats in Johor Jaya, Tangkak, Jementah and Perling.

Teo, who is also Communications deputy minister, said DAP will press on with its nation-building efforts and continue fighting for the people’s rights. On the results, she noted that Barisan Nasional (BN) successfully retained all the seats it had previously held. She noted that voting trends

BN retained its grip on Johor, sweeping 48 of 56 state seats, while PH secured just eight. PN, Parti Bersama Malaysia, Parti Sosialis Malaysia, Muda, Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (ASLI), and six independents failed to win any seats. - Bernama

“Although PH’s vote share increased in both seats, it still fell short,“ she said, adding that DAP respects the mandate given by Johor voters and congratulated BN on its victory. “We also thank all voters who turned out. We deeply appreciate every bit of support given,“ she said.

State party chairman Teo Nie Ching said DAP will dissect the factors behind each defeat and other contested areas, before drawing lessons and addressing its weaknesses. “Clearly, we have shortcomings to fix. The outcome sends a clear

Village adoption programme not linked to Johor election: Loke JELEBU: The implementation of the Kampung Angkat Madani

programme is not held in conjunction with the ongoing state election but is part of a nationwide government initiative launched two years ago, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said. He said the programme is being rolled out in phases to ensure rural communities, particularly villages requiring improvements in basic infrastructure and socio-economic development, receive more comprehensive assistance. “This is not a new programme. I implemented it last year, including in an Orang Asli village in Lenggeng. We have covered many areas through various agencies and we had already planned to carry out this programme in July. “The objective is to identify the needs of villages, especially those located far from urban centres, so that the necessary development projects and facilities can be provided to residents,“ he told reporters after launching the Land Public Transport Agency’s (APAD)Kampung Angkat Madani programme at Kampung Chennah yesterday. Loke stressed that the government is complying with the policy prohibiting official government programmes from being held during the election campaign period. “We need to implement these programmes before nomination day because throughout the official campaign period, no government programmes or official events are allowed in constituencies involved in

Loke interacting with visitors while touring the exhibition booths after launching the Kampung Angkat Madani programme in Kampung Chennah yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

recipient because of its remote location and the community’s need for better basic amenities and infrastructure. He said the government has allocated RM500,000 to implement five projects in the village, including upgrading the library, refurbishing the futsal court and improving the drainage system around the mosque. The projects, which are expected

the election. “Although I continue to perform my duties as Transport minister, I will not attend official government programmes in constituencies during the campaign period. This directive was introduced by the prime minister as part of a new administrative culture.” Loke said Kampung Chennah was selected by APAD as this year’s

to be completed within two to three months, will directly benefit residents, he said, adding that his ministry would closely monitor their implementation to ensure they remain on schedule. Loke said the programme reflects the ministry’s broader commitment to community development alongside its core responsibilities. – Bernama