Machap Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Onn Hafiz Ghazi said voters were fed up with Maszlee Malik and Pakatan Harapan (PH) for their failure to fulfil past promises.

“His previous victory was based on the lies he told during the election and I am pretty sure he will be punished in the upcoming state polls.

“Many have been deceived by the many promises he made to the people of Machap and Layang-Layang,” he told FMT.

Onn, who is the great-grandson of Umno founder Onn Jaafar, said among the promises made by Maszlee during the 14th general election (GE14) were to abolish tolls and cancel National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) debts.

He said voters in the Layang-Layang and Machap constituencies were mature and capable of making wise decisions. He also warned that any vote in favour of PH was akin to endorsing the coalition’s deceptive behaviour.

In GE14, Onn contested in the Layang-Layang state constituency and won with a slim majority of 364 votes.

However, in the Johor polls this time, BN has fielded Onn for the Machap seat, which was won with a majority of 404 votes in GE14. Maszlee is contesting the Layang-Layang seat this time, representing PKR.

Onn was confident that both the Layang-Layang and Machap seats would be won by BN with a larger majority compared to GE14.

He denied claims that he had “run away” from contesting in Layang-Layang due to Maszlee’s presence, saying this issue was being deliberately played up by the opposition.

He stressed that BN had decided to nominate him for the Machap constituency as it was part of the party’s wider strategy to win and form the state government.

“I am loyal to my party. I will contest in whichever seat the party entrusts to me,” he said.

“Lim Guan Eng used to contest in Melaka and then in Penang. Similarly, his father (Lim Kit Siang) also suddenly contested in Johor. Were they considered as running away from their voters?”

In Machap, Onn will be facing Azlisham Azahar of Perikatan Nasional, Muda’s candidate R Sangaran as well as Pejuang candidate and Sri Gading MP Shahruddin Md Salleh.