00:00Johor Barisan Nacional may end up not contesting all 56 state assembly seats at the next state polls
00:07despite its declaration that it would do so, according to political analysts.
00:13Francis Hutchinson of IC's Yusof Ishak Institute, Azmi Hassan of Academy Nusantara,
00:18and University of Tasmania's James Chin said the announcement may be a prelude to seat negotiations
00:25among BN's allies and coalition partners.
00:29Hutchinson said he believes BN intends to use the Johor and Malacca state elections
00:34to build momentum ahead of the 16th general election and show that UMNO remains influential.
00:40He said it is in UMNO's interest to contest separately from PH in Johor to show that it still has
00:46energy and mojo.
00:48Azmi said BN's announcement was also aimed at putting PH on alert ahead of the coalition's convention in Johor
00:55where cooperation with BN for G-16 and the Johor state election is likely to be discussed.
01:02He said Johor UMNO was taking a leaf from U.S. President Donald Trump's negotiation tactics
01:07by putting forward its strongest demand before any talks between the two sides began.
01:12However, Chin said BN's allies should take such pronouncements with a pinch of salt,
01:19adding that UMNO President Ahmad Zaid Hamidi would likely not agree to Johor BN contesting all 56 seats
01:26as it would send the wrong signal about the PH-BN relationship at the federal level.
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