No ‘backdoor’ roles for defeated BN candidates, insists Onn Hafiz

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates who lose in the Johor state election will not be appointed assemblymen or hold any state government positions, Johor BN chief Onn Hafiz Ghazi said today.

Onn Hafiz, the caretaker Johor menteri besar, said candidates who failed to secure a mandate from voters at the July 11 state polls must accept the outcome wholeheartedly, reported Kosmo!

“I want to reiterate that there will be no ‘backdoor’ appointments to allow losing candidates to be made leaders in the state government, as claimed by certain irresponsible parties.

“If a candidate loses, they lose. If the people do not accept them, BN will respect the voice of the people,” he said at the launch of the BN election machinery for the Kemelah and Pemanis state constituencies.

Onn Hafiz said BN’s stance was important to ensure the coalition continued to be seen as a party that respected the people’s mandate and maintained voters’ trust.

The Johor state assembly passed a constitutional amendment bill on May 7 allowing for the appointment of five unelected assemblymen, increasing the total number of state representatives to 61.

Johor is the fourth state to have appointed assemblymen, after Sabah, Terengganu and Pahang.