A statement by the PH presidential council also urged the government to allow all its component parties to be given fair space on all media outlets.

The council also asked for a campaign period of at least 21 days and the election regulators to allow postal voting for Malaysians in other countries.

The Election Commission will meet on Feb 9 to set a date for the elections.

The PH council felt the calling of the Johor elections was “burdensome” at a time when people were battling economic and pandemic issues.

“We are of the view that the Johor assembly was dissolved to prompt the prime minister to hold the 15th general election immediately,” it said.

The council also said PH would work with civil society to restore the peoples’ mandate obtained in the last general election, with the ultimate aim of having a stable government.

The Johor assembly was dissolved on Saturday. Elections must be held within 60 days of the dissolution, which means polls must take place on or before March 23.

Outgoing menteri besar Hasni Mohammad expected Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) to win big in the polls.

He said they had decided to hold the state elections now as BN only had a one-seat majority in the 56-seat state assembly, following the death of Bersatu’s Kempas assemblyman Osman Sapian last month.

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