Ilham Centre’s head researcher, Yusri Ibrahim, believed that Hasni, being Barisan Nasional’s (BN) menteri besar designate, was a primary reason for Umno’s big win in the elections.

“Johor Umno needs to answer to the voters because part of its campaign was proclaiming Hasni as the menteri besar designate.

“The party had promised the voters that Hasni would be made the menteri besar if the people’s mandate was given to it. Now, Umno must explain to the voters what went wrong,” he told FMT.

Machap assemblyman Onn Hafiz Ghazi, 43, was sworn in as Johor’s 19th menteri besar on Tuesday.

BN chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had previously announced that Hasni would be nominated for a new term as Johor menteri besar if BN succeeded in forming the new state government.

BN won 40 out of the 56 seats in the Johor state assembly on Saturday, giving it a comfortable two-thirds majority.

Yusri expects the issue of not appointing Hasni as menteri besar to be a hot topic at the Umno general assembly beginning today, apart from the issue of the future of Muafakat Nasional (MN) and the date of the next general election (GE15).

“The first issue to be a hot topic will be the cooperation between Umno and PAS within MN. Secondly, the push for GE15 will see much debate.

“I believe the case of Hasni will also see a heated discussion although nothing much can be done now,” he said.

Quoting a source yesterday, FMT reported that the Johor delegation was not expected to take part in the general assembly debates this time.

The source said Hasni managed to block the plans by some Johor Umno delegates who had wanted to reject the appointment of Onn Hafiz as the menteri besar.