Menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said Johor regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had approved his request to dissolve the state assembly.

“This decision has been made with the intention of ensuring that the people of Johor continue to have a stable and strong government,” he said during a press conference in Johor Bahru.

“I call upon all political parties, leaders and supporters to approach this democratic process with courtesy, discipline and wisdom.

“Let us all work together to preserve Johor’s harmony and unity.”

Onn Hafiz’s announcement puts an end to weeks of speculation over the timing of the assembly’s dissolution.

Although the assembly was due to be automatically dissolved in April next year, speculation had intensified in recent weeks after several politicians publicly spoke about the prospect of a state election, while others laid claim to seats expected to be contested.

Barisan Nasional (BN) formed the state government after winning 40 of the 56 seats contested in the Johor election in March 2022.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) won 12 seats, while Perikatan Nasional secured three seats and Muda one.

Johor BN previously announced its intention to contest the state election on its own, drawing protests from PH, which argued that the move was inconsistent with the spirit of the unity government partnership.

PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim previously said he would meet his BN counterpart, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to hold “harmonious” discussions on the Johor election.