BATU PAHAT, Johor - Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin admitted that opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) may not be able to form a state government in the July 11 Johor polls.

However, he stressed that voter support for PN remains important to ensure that the coalition obtains a sufficient number of seats to play a role as a check and balance on the state government’s administration, reported Malay daily Sinar Harian.

According to him, although PN may not succeed in forming a state government, the existence of a strong opposition bloc in the State Legislative Assembly is very important to ensure that every policy and expenditure of the state government is monitored effectively.

He said that if PN has a sufficient number of seats, the state government cannot act as it pleases without being questioned.

“This is where our role as checks and balances is important. The government cannot do as it pleases.

“They also need to explain how state money is spent if the matter is questioned in the state assembly,” he said when speaking at the Perikatan for Johor Talk at the PN’s main operations room in Parit Raja here on the night of July 7.

Also present was Bersatu’s candidate for the Parit Raja state seat, Mohamed Maliki Mohamed Rapiee.

Muhyiddin said PN’s role as the opposition would become more important if the state government, which had obtained a large mandate, failed to fulfil its promises to the people.

He said the people should not give their support simply because there is no guarantee that a government that wins a landslide victory will fulfil its responsibilities to them, especially when there are claims that the party in question is capable of winning up to 40 seats.

“Don...