He said this target was set after seeing the party’s success in the Johor state elections in March this year and Melaka state elections in November last year.

“Judging by the current scenario, it certainly looks like we are heading for more wins in parliamentary seats.

“We won 40 of the 56 state seats for a two-thirds majority (in the Johor state polls).

“So, we will target to win at least 20 of the 26 parliamentary seats,” he told a press conference after a Johor Umno Aidilfitri gathering here last night.

Adham, who is science, technology and innovation minister, said this when asked to comment on Johor Umno’s target for GE15.

The Tenggara MP said the state Umno information machinery was ready to face GE15 anytime it is called.

In GE14, Barisan Nasional (BN) won only eight of the 26 parliamentary seats in Johor, with Umno winning seven — Parit Sulong, Sembrong, Mersing, Tenggara, Kota Tinggi, Pontian and Pengerang — and MCA taking Ayer Hitam.

However, Mersing MP Abd Latif Ahmad subsequently left Umno to join Bersatu, reducing BN’s share of parliamentary seats to seven.

BN’s control of parliamentary seats went back to eight after MCA’s Wee Jeck Seng won the Tanjung Piai seat in a by-election on Nov 16, 2019.