The PH president and Johor chief said the southern state was a vital stronghold of the BN that needed to be brought down for PH to take over Putrajaya.
“Johor is the frontline state for Pakatan Harapan. If Johor falls (in GE14), then Barisan Nasional will surely topple and we will take over Putrajaya,” he said at the launch of Johor PH at Dataran Taman Dahlia in Tampoi tonight.
Also present were PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, who is Gelang Patah MP.
Muhyiddin, who was menteri besar of the state from 1986 to 1995, also said BN was jittery about the increasing popularity of PH in Johor as they knew that the state was no longer a fortress of Umno.
“To Umno members who are seated at the back, I welcome you. Do not be in doubt. On this stage we have one of the great stalwarts of Umno, Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” he added to applause from the crowd.
“During Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s 22 years, we were recognised as among the most developed countries, the ‘new tigers’ in the region,” he said, referring to the years from 1981 to 2003 when Mahthir was prime minister.
Muhyiddin called on Johoreans to come together and work with PH to bring down the BN-led state government.
“We look forward to wresting Johor, an Umno fortress,” he said, adding that the coalition was also making inroads into rural and agricultural communities such as those under the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda).
Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said PH was eyeing the parliamentary constituencies of Pulai, Johor Bahru, Tebrau and Pasir Gudang as key areas where its components should win.
“If we can win Johor, it will be it easier to win Putrajaya,” he said.
He urged every party in PH to work hard in all constituencies they were contesting. “If Amanah contests somewhere, PKR has to work hard there as if its own candidate was running there. The same goes for DAP,” he said.
During the event, Amanah’s deputy president Salahuddin Ayub was announced as PH’s elections director for Johor.