Calls for Johor snap polls a ‘political manoeuvre’: analysts, opposition

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR – With Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) harping on the narrative of political stability as the endgame for having a snap election in Johor, analysts and an opposition politician instead believe their intentions are far more deeply-rooted than it appears.

Even as Johor Umno leaders themselves attribute the need to return the mandate to the people as sufficient reason to call for polls, others see it as a calculated political manoeuvre by leaders on the party’s hierarchy in a move to stamp their authority in Umno.

Among the Umno personalities who have been openly endorsing the idea of statewide polls is party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He has been candid about the need to reassert political stability within the state government, especially expressed on social media.

Khaled has also remained consistent in his stance that the people’s mandate must be returned through the ballot box, even reaffirming his point when contacted by The Vibes.

However, when pressed to comment on the notion of polls in Johor being a mere smokescreen for disputes higher up the leadership chain, Khaled declined to comment.

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